The M.A.S.H. Trivia Challenge

By: Allison Lips
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
The M.A.S.H. Trivia Challenge
Image: CBS Television

About This Quiz

The M*A*S*H franchise started with the book MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors by Richard Hooker. The book, which was published in 1968, inspired M*A*S*H the film and M*A*S*H the television series. In 1970, the movie was released. Two years later, the television series would air its first episode on CBS and run until 1983. During its run, the television series would spin off Trapper John, M.D. Once M*A*S*H went off the air, CBS and 20th Century Fox tried to duplicate M*A*S*H's unprecedented success with AfterMASH and W*A*L*T*E*R. The latter only lasted two seasons, while the former never made it past the pilot stage. 

Even though M*A*S*H's spin-off and sequel novels did not see much success, the Library of Congress felt that M*A*S*H was so culturally significant that, in 1996, the Library of Congress decided the movie would be preserved in the United States National Film Registry, so that future generations can watch the movie in its original condition. As for the television series, it is still frequently rerun and available on DVD, so television viewers can see the evolution of Hawkeye and the staff turnover in the series anytime they want. 

Do you love M*A*S*H in all its forms? Test your M*A*S*H knowledge and challenge your friends with this quiz! 

What was Hot Lips' full name?
Margaret Houlihan
Ginger Bayliss
Margie Cutler
Leslie Scorch
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan was the head nurse. In the film, she was portrayed by Sally Kellerman.

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Which character did Alan Alda play in the TV show?
Max Klinger
Hawkeye Pierce
Father Mulcahy
Sherman Potter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Captain Benjamin Franklin "Haweye" Pierce was raised in Crabapple Cove, Maine. His nickname comes from a character in the novel "The Last of the Mohicans."

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In which unit did the characters in "M*A*S*H" serve?
4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
235th Mobile Navy Surgical Hospital
1032nd Mobile Marines Surgical Hospital
2349th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The fictional 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital was based on Mobile Army Surgical Hospital 8055. The 8055 was one of seven fully functional tent-based hospitals used during the Korean War.

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How did Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake die?
Died while being operated on
Heart attack
Helicopter was shot down
Car crash
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

McLean Stevenson's last appearance was in the season 3 finale. His character's plane was shot down over the Sea of Japan.

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Who played Father John Patrick Francis Mulcahy in the majority of the "M*A*S*H" series?
Wayne Rogers
William Christopher
Alan Alda
Gary Burghoff
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the movie, René Auberjonois played Father Mulcahy. In the TV pilot, George Morgan played the character. William Christopher would portray the character for the rest of the franchise.

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During which war did the events of "M*A*S*H" take place?
American Civil War
World War I
World War II
Korean War
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Korean War began on June 25, 1950. It ended on July 27, 1953. The war ended with no winner and peace has been kept with an armistice.

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Which actor played Colonel Sherman T. Potter?
Mike Farrell
Harry Morgan
Alan Alda
Gary Burghoff
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Harry Morgan appeared as Colonel Sherman T. Potter in "M*A*S*H" from 1975 to 1983. He also starred in "AfterMASH."

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Father Mulcahy is the camp's what?
Chaplain
Head surgeon
Radio operator
General
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Father Francis John Patrick Mulcahy was a Roman Catholic priest. The character was from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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Who appeared in the "M*A*S*H" TV series as Max Klinger?
Jamie Farr
McClean Stevenson
Larry Linville
David Ogden Stiers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger is from Toledo, Ohio. He first appears in "Chief Surgeon Who?," which was the fourth episode of the first season.

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Which show was a sequel to "M*A*S*H?"
Quincy
ER
Trapper John, M.D.
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Trapper John, M.D." ran from September 23, 1979 to September 4, 1986. It featured Pernell Roberts as the title character.

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Which type of discharge was Klinger trying to obtain?
Psychiatric Discharge (Section 8)
Dishonorable Discharge
Honorable Discharge
General Discharge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Klinger would dress up as a woman in an attempt to convince his commanding officers he was unfit to serve. Klinger never gets his wish and appears in the entire series.

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What the title of "M*A*S*H's" series finale?
The Last Days
Peace At Last
The War is Over
Goodbye, Farewell and Amen
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" is a two-hour episode that served as the series finale. It is episode 16 in the 11th season.

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Where was Major Charles Emerson Winchester III from?
Boston, Massachusetts
New York, New York
Amherst, Massachusetts
Salem, Massachusetts
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Charles Emerson Winchester first appeared in the season six. He debuted in "Fade Out, Fade In (Part I)."

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What is Radar's full name?
Walter Eugene O'Reilly
Radar O'Reilly
Robert Maxwell O'Reilly
William Thomas O'Reilly
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Walter "Radar" O'Reilly is from Ottumwa, Iowa. The character first appeared in the M*A*S*H novels.

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What does M*A*S*H in this instance stand for?
Modern Armies Serving Heaven
Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
Mobile Antenna System Handbook
Mansion Apartment Shack House
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

M*A*S*H is based on Richard Hornberger's experiences in the Korean War. It took Hornberger 12 years to write the novel.

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What does Radar sleep with?
A photo of his mom
An extra blanket
A teddy bear
A stuffed cat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 2014, Radar's teddy bear was put up for auction. It sold for over $14,000.

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What rank in the Army is Charles Winchester?
Major
Captain
Colonel
Sergeant
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Charles Winchester didn't appear until "M*A*S*H's" sixth season. His first episode was "Fade In Fade Out."

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How many seasons did the "M*A*S*H" TV show last?
4
5
8
11
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

CBS aired M*A*S*H from 1972 to 1983. The show's series finale was watched by more than 106 million people.

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Which actor appeared in the episode "Sometimes You Hear the Bullet" as an underage Marine?
Ron Howard
Henry Winkler
Anson Williams
Don Most
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1973, Ron Howard appeared on "M*A*S*H" as a 15-year-old Marine, who stole his brother's ID to join the army. Howard was 19 at the time.

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In the move, who played Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Jr.?
David Arkin
Tom Skerritt
Donald Sutherland
John Schuck
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chris Claremont and John Byrne created Marvel supervillain Donald Pierce and based the character on Donald Sutherland. The character's last name comes from his character in "M*A*S*H."

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Which actress played Nurse Kellye?
Loretta Swit
Odessa Cleveland
Kellye Nakahara
Marcia Strassman
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kellye Nakahara appeared in 167 episodes of M*A*S*H. Before she was given a name and a regular role, Nakahara appeared as Nurse Baker, Nurse Charlie, and in other roles.

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Which character from the film never appeared in the TV show?
Henry Blake
Duke Forrest
Frank Burns
Spearchucker Jones
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Captain Augustus Bedford "Duke" Forrest only appeared in the M*A*S*H novel and the movie. He was played by Tom Skerritt.

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Who wrote the lyrics to "Suicide is Painless?"
Mike Altman
Gene Autry
Bob Dylan
Bruce Springsteen
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Robert Altman's son made more money off "Suicide is Painless" than his father did for directing the movie. Robert Altman was paid $70,000, while his son made over a million dollars from the song.

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Who directed the film "M*A*S*H?"
Francis Ford Coppola
Martin Scorsese
Stephen Spielberg
Robert Altman
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Prior to directing films, Robert Altman directed documentaries, shorts and episodes of TV series. He directed 2 episodes of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." The episodes were called "Together" and "The Young One."

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What is the title of the "M*A*S*H" theme song?
War is Hell
Suicide is Painless
The Theme from M*A*S*H
Take or Leave It
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Suicide is Painless" was originally intended for a scene where "Painless Pole" Waldowski arrives at his "Last Supper" after indicating he was suicidal. Robert Altman liked the song so much that it became the movie's main theme.

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Which network originally aired the TV show "M*A*S*H?"
Fox
ABC
NBC
CBS
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

M*A*S*H ranked 46th in the ratings in its first season and was at risk of being canceled. For its second season, "M*A*S*H" aired after "All in the Family" and received much better ratings. It finished its second season 4th in the ratings.

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During which war did the first few seasons of "M*A*S*H" originally air?
Korean War
Vietnam War
War on Terror
World War II
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first three seasons of M*A*S*H aired at the end of the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War officially ended on April 30, 1975.

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Which production company was responsible for both the movie and the TV show?
20th Century Fox
Warner Bros.
MGM
Paramount Pictures
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Larry Gelbart and Gene Reynolds developed the TV show "M*A*S*H" for 20th Century Fox. The show is distributed by 20th Century Fox Television.

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Who composed the music for the film "M*A*S*H?"
Danny Elfman
Hans Zimmer
John Williams
Johnny Mandel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Johnny Mandel wrote the music for the movie "M*A*S*H." He also worked on "The Sandpiper" and "Caddyshack."

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What book are both "M*A*S*H" the film and TV show based on?
MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors
The Korean War: My Experiences
The Things They Carried
All Quiet on the Western Front
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1968, "MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors" was released. It has multiple sequels written by Richard Hooker and William E. Butterworth. The two sequels written by Richard Hooker alone were "M*A*S*H Goes to Maine" and "M*A*S*H Mania.

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Who wrote the book "M*A*S*H" is based on?
Tim O'Brien
Richard Hooker
Kurt Vonnegut
Pat Barker
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Richard Hooker is the pen name of Richard Hornberger. Hooker/Hornberger only received $500 per episode of M*A*S*H.

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How many Academy Award nominations did the movie "M*A*S*H" receive?
1
2
5
10
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"M*A*S*H" won the Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. It was nominated for Best Picture, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Director, and Best Film Editing.

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Which of these shows is not a spin-off of M*A*S*H?
AfterMASH
W*A*L*T*E*R
Trapper John, M.D.
M*A*S*H: The Home Front
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

AfterMash lasted two seasons and aired from September 25, 1983 to May 31, 1985. W*A*L*T*E*R was a failed pilot that aired once on July 17, 1984.

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Near which Korean city was "M*A*S*H" located?
Tokyo
Pyongyang
Uijeongbu
Seoul
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Uijeongbu is located north of Seoul. Its current population is over 435,000 people.

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How many actors played Trapper John McIntyre?
1
2
3
4
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the movie, Trapper John was portrayed by Elliot Gould. In M*A*S*H, Wayne Rogers took on the role. Pernell Roberts played the character in "Trapper John, M.D."

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You Got:
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CBS Television