Wayne Rogers, Trapper John on ‘M.A.S.H.,’ Dies at 82

Alda commented Friday, New Year’s Day, on Thursday’s sad news that his friend and M*A*S*H co-star Wayne Rogers had died after complications from pneumonia. Rogers was a pivotal part of the first three seasons with his comedic martini slinging. Rogers left the show at the end of the third season after becoming frustrated when the focus went to Alda’s character. We made a pact to give MASH all we had and it bonded us. Elliot Gould was same character in the M*A*S*H feature film that preceded the TV show and Pernell Roberts played the title character in the 1980s spin-off drama Trapper John MD. He appeared on may other programs, including “Murder She Wrote”.

After his departure in 1975, he continued to act for another 30 years, earning a Golden Globe nomination for his role as another surgeon, Dr Charley Michaels, in TV comedy House Calls in 1981. He graduated from Princeton University with a degree in history, and though he did some acting with a group out of college, he didn’t devote himself to it full time until after military service in the 1950s.

His early roles included TV roles in shows like “Gunsmoke” and “he Fugitive”.

He was replaced on the show by Mike Farrell who played Captain B.J. Hunnicut, and became Hawkey’s new tent mate.

Rogers is survived by his wife Amy, two children, Bill and Laura, and four grandchildren.

He was additionally the top of Wayne Rogers & Co., a inventory buying and selling funding company.