Wayne Rogers, known for his role on M*A*S*H, departed from the iconic series prematurely, later embarking on his own medical comedy that enjoyed initial success before facing significant challenges. Rogers left M*A*S*H after its third season due to a notable diminishment of his character’s prominence. Originally, the sitcom was crafted as a two-lead show with Rogers portraying Trapper John alongside Alan Alda’s Hawkeye. As Alda emerged as the standout star, the show’s writers shifted their focus primarily to him, relegating Trapper to a supporting role.
Rogers’ decision to leave came after the shocking death of Colonel Henry Blake in the season 3 finale. He opted to exit before the fourth season commenced. In contrast to many of his fellow cast members who also departed M*A*S*H, Rogers fared remarkably well afterwards, starring in the detective series City of Angels and featuring in the 1977 gender-swapped remake of It’s a Wonderful Life, It Happened One Christmas.
Wayne Rogers’ M*A*S*H Follow-Up: House Calls Was a Ratings Success
Like M*A*S*H, House Calls Was a Movie Spinoff
Among Rogers’ most notable projects after M*A*S*H was House Calls, a medical sitcom stemming from the 1978 film featuring Walter Matthau and Glenda Jackson. In this series, Rogers took on the role of a surgeon who develops a romance with hospital administrator Lynn Redgrave. The show premiered in 1979 and quickly captured audiences, maintaining the comedic essence of its film predecessor while showcasing the strong chemistry between its two leads.
|
Every Actor Who Left M*A*S*H |
Role |
Exit Season |
|---|---|---|
|
George Morgan |
Father Mulcahy |
Season 1 |
|
McLean Stevenson |
Col. Henry Blake |
Season 3 |
|
Wayne Rogers |
Trapper John |
Season 3 |
|
Larry Linville |
Frank Burns |
Season 5 |
|
Gary Burghoff |
O’Reilly Radar |
Season 8 |
While M*A*S*H’s McLean Stevenson transitioned out of the show with aspirations of leading a successful career, he found himself struggling with several short-lived sitcoms. M*A*S*H’s massive popularity made it difficult for cast members to forge new identities; however, Rogers successfully navigated this challenge with House Calls, which offered a fresh medical comedy approach that suited his comedic skills. Both Rogers and Redgrave were honored with Golden Globe nominations for their performances in 1981.
Why Wayne Rogers Quit M*A*S*H and Passed on Its First Spinoff
Rogers Didn’t Want to Get Typecast by M*A*S*H
The success of House Calls validated Rogers’ choice to leave M*A*S*H while the series was still thriving. Had he been aware that M*A*S*H would continue for an additional eight seasons, he might have reconsidered extending his stay. However, there were deeper motivations behind his exit beyond the dwindling focus on Trapper’s character. Rogers had expressed objections to a “Morality Clause”in his contract, which allowed the network the right to terminate him based on perceived immoral behavior (as highlighted in Pop Goes The Culture).
Rogers operated without a formal contract during his tenure on M*A*S*H, granting him the freedom to exit the show without legal consequences as tensions escalated. He felt the language of the clause was too vague and restrictive. After his departure, CBS offered him the chance to reprise his character in Trapper John, M.D., a series that followed Trapper decades later in his role as Chief of Surgery at a hospital in San Francisco.
Wary of being pigeonholed as a doctor after previously starring in a medical sitcom, Rogers declined the spinoff opportunity. Notably, Trapper John, M.D. premiered in the same year as House Calls, which suggested Rogers had successfully circumvented the typecasting he feared.
House Calls Co-Star Lynn Redgrave Filed a Lawsuit After Being Fired, Leading to the Show’s Decline
House Calls Crashed and Burned Much Sooner Than It Should Have
Despite enjoying considerable ratings success for its first two seasons, House Calls faced a swift cancellation due to a misstep by CBS. The network terminated Lynn Redgrave during the third season under contentious circumstances. Redgrave, seeking to maintain a breastfeeding schedule, had insisted on bringing her infant daughter to the set, which CBS deemed disruptive. This led her to file a substantial $10 million lawsuit for breach of contract and emotional distress (as reported by The New York Times), though she would eventually lose the case and declare bankruptcy shortly thereafter.
Additionally, M*A*S*H star Loretta Swit initially portrayed the original Cagney in the pilot for Cagney & Lacey, but CBS denied her request to leave M*A*S*H when the series was greenlit. Meanwhile, Rogers reportedly chose not to actively support Redgrave during these turbulent times, favoring a shift toward spotlighting his character in House Calls (as documented on John Clark’s Pro Se Blog).
Ultimately, Sharon Gless joined the cast to replace Redgrave, with her character supposedly returning to England. Unfortunately, the chemistry between Rogers and Gless failed to resonate with audiences, causing a significant drop in the show’s ratings and prompting CBS to cancel House Calls after its third season.
Source: Pop Goes the Culture TV, The New York Times, John Clark’s Pro Se Blog
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