B J Hunnicutt vs Trapper John McIntyre (2024)

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Captains B. J. Hunnicutt and "Trapper" John McIntyre are fictional characters from the television series M*A*S*H.

Comparison chart

B J Hunnicutt versus Trapper John McIntyre comparison chart
B J HunnicuttTrapper John McIntyre
  • current rating is 3.77/5
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(150 ratings)

  • current rating is 3.95/5
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(158 ratings)

First appearance "Welcome to Korea" M*A*S*H: A Novel About Three Army Doctors
Last appearance "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" "Elusive Butterfly" (Trapper John, M.D.)
Rank Captain Captain
Gender Male Male
Hair color Brown (graying) Blond (graying)
Eye color Blue Hazel
Home city Mill Valley, California, USA Boston, Massachusetts
Film portrayer None Elliott Gould
Television portrayer Mike Farrell Wayne Rogers (for M*A*S*H) and Pernell Roberts (for Trapper John, M.D.)
Introduction (from Wikipedia) Captain B. J. Hunnicutt, played by Mike Farrell, is a fictional character in the TV show M*A*S*H, which ran from 1972-1983 on CBS. "Trapper" John Francis Xavier McIntyre is a fictional character in Richard Hooker's M*A*S*H novels, as well as the film and the two TV series (M*A*S*H and Trapper John, M.D.) that followed them.

Portrayer of Trapper John McIntyre on TV

Wayne Rogers, who portrayed "Trapper" in the TV series, was told when he accepted the role that Trapper and Hawkeye would be equally important, almost interchangeable (much like how Hawkeye and Trapper were presented in the MASH film). However, that changed radically when Alan Alda was cast as Hawkeye. In fact, the producers gave the TV version of Hawkeye some of the character details of the film version of Trapper (in the MASH film, Trapper John is the 4077th's top chest-cutter and Chief Surgeon; in the TV series, Hawkeye is Chief Surgeon and references are made to him being the camp's top chest-cutter).

Departure of John McIntyre from M*A*S*H (TV series)

By the end of the third season, Rogers was fed up with the fact that Trapper was being treated as a sidekick instead of an equal. He was also greatly frustrated with the producers demanding that he sign a contract that included a "morality clause" which stated the producers had the right to suspend him or fire him if he took part in an acting project outside of M*A*S*H without their approval, which he refused to sign because he saw it as an absurd demand. Even though the latter half of the third season started to flesh Trapper out a bit, Rogers departed, and his character was written out of the series. After he left the series, the producers sued Rogers for violating his contract, but the case was dismissed in his favor when it was revealed that he never signed his contract. In light of the series' lengthy run, Rogers later admitted he regretted leaving M*A*S*H. Trapper John's final M*A*S*H episode was "Abyssinia, Henry," which also included the final appearance of Col. Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson).

At the beginning of the fourth season, Hawkeye returns from "R&R" in Tokyo to find that Trapper has been discharged. Upon hearing the news, Hawkeye learns, an ecstatic Trapper ran through the mess tent naked. Radar had tried to reach Hawkeye in Tokyo to alert him of Trapper's departure, but without success. Trapper left no goodbye note but did "give" Radar a kiss on the cheek to pass on to Hawkeye, which he very reluctantly does.

Mentions of Trapper after his departure

Trapper John was referred to a few times in the series after his departure, most notably in an episode in which his replacement B.J. Hunnicutt, hearing of the pranks played by Trapper John, attempts to show that he in fact is "the world's heavyweight scamp". In the final episode, B.J. is discharged from the army and leaves while Hawkeye is under psychiatric treatment. He must leave so quickly after hearing the news that he has no time even to leave a note, echoing Trapper's failure to do so at his departure. (Hunnicutt's orders are rescinded, however, and he gets only as far as Guam before being sent back, by which time Hawkeye has been discharged from the psychiatric clinic.)

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Comments: B J Hunnicutt vs Trapper John McIntyre

Anonymous comments (5)

March 4, 2013, 9:26pm

Not really fair to compare the two, since Farrell had many more years to exploer his character than Wayne Rogers. Plus, Rogers came into and left MASH when the show was still fresh. So I would still go witrh Trapper.

— 66.✗.✗.53

August 13, 2013, 3:26am

Klinger!

— 74.✗.✗.180

November 19, 2012, 3:46pm

I thought they were both awesome.
But the guy who I think gave MASH its character was Col Potter
(Harry Morgan).

— 69.✗.✗.0

March 26, 2014, 1:00am

Both were good!!

— 108.✗.✗.149

August 13, 2013, 3:22am

Bj all the way! He's not only cute, he's funny!

— 74.✗.✗.180
B J Hunnicutt vs Trapper John McIntyre (2024)

FAQs

B J Hunnicutt vs Trapper John McIntyre? ›

Like Hawkeye, Trapper was goofy and childlike. He was married, but he unabashedly fraternized with the nurses. Hunnicut, on the other hand, was more straight-up. He wasn't below a good sarcastic remark or prank, but he was a devoted husband and father.

Why did Trapper John leave MASH so suddenly? ›

Rogers decided to leave MASH after season 3, unhappy with the way his character was being handled. He reportedly didn't like that the show's spotlight was always on Alda, with him relegated to a supporting character even though MASH was technically an ensemble series.

What character replaced Trapper John on MASH? ›

Captain B.J. Hunnicutt is played by Mike Farrell in the TV show. He replaced Trapper, both in his position within the unit and as an ally of Hawkeye Pierce and a foil of Frank Burns, appearing in all but one episode of the rest of the series.

Why did they replace Trapper on MASH? ›

Near the end of the third season, Rogers had grown weary of playing second banana, and even though Trapper's character was fleshed out more by the time Season 3 came to a close, Rogers decided to depart at season's end, and his character had to be written out of the series.

Who was the original Trapper John on MASH? ›

William Wayne McMillan Rogers III (April 7, 1933 – December 31, 2015) was an American actor, known for playing the role of Captain "Trapper" John McIntyre in the CBS television series M*A*S*H and as Dr. Charley Michaels on House Calls (1979–1982). Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.

Did McLean Stevenson regret leaving MASH? ›

Overestimating the McLean Stevenson market

He wasn't the only person who regretted his departure. Viewers and CBS network executives were none too pleased with his exit. According to the Fox special, however, his colleagues were more forgiving.

Why did MASH get rid of Henry Blake? ›

MASH Killed Henry Blake To Show The True Horrors Of War

Despite MASH's success, leaving the show was actually Stevenson's idea, as the actor reportedly didn't particularly like playing a supporting role to Alan Alda's wisecracking Captain Hawkeye Pierce, who was becoming the show's lead star.

What was the controversial scene that ended the show MASH? ›

The episode ends in a scene that takes place soon after, with Radar entering the operating room to inform everyone that Henry Blake's helicopter was shot down — something the actors didn't even know would happen until right before shooting — and that there were no survivors. Man, what a gut punch.

What happened to BJ at the end of MASH? ›

Neither he nor Hawkeye wanted to stay in the army a nano-second longer than was absolutely necessary (and neither of them had the chutzpah Klinger did in his attempts to get a Section-8 discharge), and so with the active portion of the Korean War* over, he was demobbed and sent back home to Mill Valley to his wife Peg ...

Why did Frank Burns leave MASH? ›

The actor had grown tired of the unlikable Major Burns

Linville felt he had taken the weaselly Frank Burns as far as he could, and wanted to play different kinds of parts. Frank Burns didn't get a goodbye storyline on MASH and simply disappeared between seasons 5 and 6 of the show.

Did Trapper John, M.D. ever mention MASH? ›

Trapper is asleep; and you see pictures of the 4077th scattered around his room; and he says; "Hawkeye? Are you there?" The rest of the time this show is really a stand alone series; with no other references to MASH whatsoever.

Why did MASH end so abruptly? ›

Apparently, the decision to end "M*A*S*H" came down to star, writer, and director Alan Alda. In an interview shared by the National Museum of American History, Alda said, "I felt that we were running out of steam, and repeating ourselves.

Why did they get rid of the black guy on MASH? ›

The character Oliver Wendell “Spearchucker” Jones, a neurosurgeon, who was first introduced in the novel, was subsequently written out of the series (“Germ Warfare,” the 11th episode of season 1) by the sitcom's creator in an attempt to maintain historical accuracy based upon the long-held view that no black surgeons ...

Did Pernell Roberts play Trapper John in MASH? ›

Trapper John, M.D. is an American medical drama television series and spin-off of the film M*A*S*H (1970). Pernell Roberts portrayed the title character, a lovable surgeon who became a mentor and father figure in San Francisco, California.

How many actors played Trapper John on MASH? ›

Two other actors played Trapper in other incarnations. Elliott 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 spinoff drama "Trapper John, M.D."

Why was Trapper John called trapper? ›

Reason for Nickname: The nickname "Trapper" came from the M*A*S*H Movie, where John McIntyre was found in the bathroom stall of a train with a young woman. After being discovered, she claimed that he had "trapped" her. The rest as it seems, is history!

Why did Gary Burghoff leave MASH? ›

Burghoff's co-star Alan Alda accepted the award on his behalf. Burghoff left M*A*S*H in 1979 after the seventh season because of burnout and a desire to spend more time with his family, though he returned the following season to film a special two-part farewell episode, "Goodbye Radar".

Why did Colonel Potter leave MASH? ›

When Col. Potter learns of an informant feeding negative reports on his command bad enough to prompt an outside inspection, he decides to retire.

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