‘M.A.S.H.’ Star Wayne Rogers Dead at 82

(Rogers was first asked to audition for Hawkeye, but he preferred Trapper John’s sunnier outlook.) “If I had known that the show was going to run that long”, he reportedly said, “I probably would have kept my mouth shut and stayed put”.

McIntyre was on “M.A.S.H.” from 1972 to 1975, becoming one of many original cast members to leave the wildly popular show that went on until 1983.

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The character Trapper John was sent home after the third season in MASH’s 11-season run. And Rogers as Trapper retorts, “You peek into one shower and you’re labeled for life!”. Elliot Gould was same character in the “M*A*S*H” feature film in 1970 that preceded the TV show and Pernell Roberts played the title character in the 1980s spinoff drama “Trapper John, M.D”.

Rogers played numerous other TV and movie roles, including a turn as San Francisco surgeon Charley Michaels in the TV comedy House Calls from 1979 to 1982.

Independent of his acting career, Rogers became wealthy as a highly successful investor in businesses and real estate.

Born April 7, 1933, in Birmingham, Ala., Rogers graduated from Princeton University, where he dabbled in dramatics, performing in its Triangle show.

He took roles on stage, TV and the movies, including a minor part in “Cool Hand Luke” (1967) before landing on “M*A*S*H”.

Rogers was also a very successful businessman, who started his own investment company and was a featured player on Fox New Channel’s “Cashin’ In”.

Wayne Rogers has passed away at the age of 82.

Rogers was married to Amy Hirsh and had two children, Bill and Laura, as well as four grandchildren who survive him.

Rogers acquired a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005.