Trapper’s MASH Exit Is So Much Sadder Than You Think

MASH featured a lot of character departures, but none were as sad as Trapper John McIntyre’s (Wayne Rogers) – especially as it was unclear why Trapper left MASH. The medical show from the ’70s is iconic for several reasons. Regarded as one of, if not the best, sitcoms of all time, MASH pushed the boundaries of storytelling by toeing the fine line between comedy and drama. Despite its success, there was a time that it had a series of actor departures, which left the 4077 without half of its original personnel. Amid a slew of exits, however, the way Trapper was written out is arguably the most tragic of them all.