Actress Gwen Farrell Adair, who later became a boxing referee, died on April 30 at the age of 94. She appeared in more than 20 episodes of M*A*S*H throughout the show’s 11 season run, often uncredited. She was also one of the iconic “running nurses” in the show’s opening credits.
In the 13 episodes in which she was credited, under the name Gwen Farrell, she portrayed nurses with a variety of names including Butler, Wilson, Baker, and Gwen. She appears uncredited in at least a dozen Season 1 episodes with her first credited appearance coming in “For the Good of the Outfit” in Season 2. She later made credited appearances in Season 4, Season 5, Season 8, Season 9, and Season 11. Her final appearance came in the series finale, where her character revealed her desire to live in Washington, D.C. by hopefully getting assigned to work at Walter Reed.
According to Farrell Adair’s Internet Movie Database page, the bulk of her other acting appearances were uncredited roles in early 1970s movies like Black Gunn and Soylent Green. She appeared uncredited in a 1975 episode of Starsky and Hutch. Aside from M*A*S*H, her final acting role was in the 1977 movie Billy Jack Goes to Washington.
In 1979, Farrell Adair began refereeing amateur boxing matches before becoming a pro boxing referee in 1980. Nearly two decades later, in 1998, she became the first woman to referee a world title boxing bout. You can learn more about her career as a referee by reading this November 2009 article in The Los Angeles Times by Jerry Crowe.
After her death, her family set up a GoFundMe campaign that included the following :
But beyond her accomplishments, Gwen was so much more to her family. She was a grandmother, a guiding light, and a steady source of love and wisdom. She had a way of making those around her feel supported, understood, and cared for without needing recognition.
Her passing leaves a deep void in our hearts, one that cannot be filled. We will miss her voice, her strength, and the quiet comfort she brought into our lives. While we are heartbroken, we are also incredibly grateful for the life she lived and the legacy she leaves behind.
Obituaries can be found at Legacy.com and Deadline Hollywood.
