Mixed 'M*A*S*H', The Movie Trivia Quiz

Answer: Mobile Army Surgical Hospital

Mobile Army Hospitals have been in use in one form or another every since there have been wars. When medics on the battle field couldn't patch a soldier up to be returned to duty, the soldier was sent off to the hospital which would be as close as a mile or so from the front. Robert Altman directed this movie.

He wanted it to remind viewers of Vietnam, which was still very much in the news when the filming was going on. The symbol on the posters for this movie showed a woman's shapely legs, feet in high heels.

The legs led to a fist with two fingers raised in a V, the peace sign. On the index finger there was an Army helmet. The posters and the TV series showed the letters 'MASH' seperated by asterisks but the title screen in the movie did not.

Answer: False

'M*A*S*H' was actually written by Dr. H. Richard Hornberger (aka Richard Hooker), who was an Army doctor during the Korean War. He recounted his experiences. His book was turned down by thirteen publishers before finally going to print. He really didn't want to sell his book for a movie or TV series but a former school friend talked him into it.

He wrote two sequels. He once commented that he liked the movie but didn't really care for the humor on the TV show.

Answer: Sally Kellerman

If you said Loretta Swit, you were on the right track, she played Hot Lips in the TV series from 1972 until 1983.
Sally Kellerman played Hot Lips O'Houlihan (part of her nickname included "O'" which was added to her last name) in the movie version. She began acting in 1957 and mostly acted in TV shows. Once she appeared in 'M*A*S*H' in 1970, most of her acting career was on the big screen.

Answer: Major Margaret 'Hot Lips' O'Houlihan

'...and under normal circumstances, you being normally what I would call a very attractive woman, I would have invited you back to share my little bed with me you might possibly have come. But you really put me off. I mean you're what we call a regular army clown.'
Hot Lips had approached Hawkeye about the conduct of the doctors and nurses in camp. Hawkeye liked everything just the way it was but Hot Lips was not at all satisfied with the personnel or situations. Their discussion escalated and ended with this quote.

Answer: James Garner

The producer, Robert Altman, wanted to hire James Garner for the part of Hawkeye. Apparently Donald Sutherland argued for the part and won. Altman also wanted Gould to play Duke, but Gould convinced him that he should play Trapper John. Burt Reynolds reportedly turned down the part of Trapper John. During the opening credits, there were so many 'new' actors, just about everyone after Sutherland, Gould, Skerritt and a few costars had 'Introducing' next to their names. Hawkeye was played by Alan Alda in the TV series and was the only character that appeared in every episode. Trapper John was played by two actors in two different TV series.

The Duke Forrest character never appeared in the TV series. There were quite a few changes made to Hooker's book and Ring Lardner's screenplay, including excluding some characters, combining others and complete personality overhauls for others.

Answer: Painless Pole

John Schuck played Captain Walter Koskiusko, aka 'The Painless Pole' or just 'Painless' Waldowski. He had decided to commit suicide since he couldn't perform certain manly activities. The camp held a 'last supper' for him, gave him a black pill which he thought would kill him but may have been the first time an 'enhancement' drug was prescribed in a movie, and he laid down in a coffin to die. Lieutenant Dish, played by Jo Ann Pflug, was asked to lay beside Painless, to be there for him when he awoke.
The scene was funny and poignant at the same time.

Answer: It's the end of the quarter.

This was the infamous football game between General Hammond's team and Colonel Blake's doctors. Hot Lips was a cheerleader on the sidelines. The shot heard was to indicate the end of the quarter but she thought someone on the field had been shot.
There was a lot of money bet and each team had 'ringers', personnel transferred into the units just for their football playing abilities. Fred Williamson played Dr. 'Spearchucker' Jones, the MASH unit's 'ringer' who helped them win the very controversial game.

Answer: a hospital in Japan

Trapper John and Hawkeye arrived in Japan with their golf bags in tow. Trapper was wearing a flowered Hawaiian shirt. Neither man looked like he was in the Army, let alone a doctor, and especially not a skilled surgeon. They had a discussion before entering the hospital about whether to play golf first and then operate or the other way around. Apparently a Congressman's son had been injured and was at the hospital in need of skilled surgeons.

Answer: Father Mulcahy: 'He was drafted.'

Hot Lips was talking to Father Mulcahy at the time she said the line. She was in charge of the nurses and expected order and discipline. Unfortunately for her, she got neither and was the butt of many jokes. The director, Altman, did not want to hire Kellerman originally because she was too good looking. He wanted a frumpier head nurse.

Answer: False

False. In addition to above, the movie ended with the P.A. Announcer saying: 'Follow Hawkeye, Trapper, Duke, Dago Red, Painless, Radar, Hot Lips, Dish and Staff Seargeant Vollmer as they put our boys back together again.' Pictures of the cast rolled by while the announcer read the names of the actors. P.A. Announcer: 'That is all.' A gong sounded and the screen went black. And that was the end of the movie. The final episode of the TV series was a 2 1/2 hour special.

The final scene showed Hawkeye flying away in a helicopter.

He looked back to see GOODBYE spelled out in stones on the ground.