25 M.A.S.H. Quotes Honoring The Iconic TV Show
Published June 6, 2023
Take a moment a reminisce with our M*A*S*H quotes.
M*A*S*H is one of the most popular shows in television history.
Check out our M*A*S*H quotes to learn more.
What is M*A*S*H?
M*A*S*H is an American war comedy-drama television series that aired from 1972 to 1983.
It is adapted from the 1970 movie M*A*S*H, which was based on the 1968 novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors.
The series follows a team of doctors and support staff who are stationed in South Korea during the Korean War.
Check out these cool M*A*S*H facts below:
- The series lasted much longer than the Korean War.
- M*A*S*H is an acronym for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.
- Klinger, a hilarious fan favorite, was only supposed to be in one episode.
What is M*A*S*H about?
M*A*S*H aired on CBS for over a decade and was one of the most successful dramedies they aired.
A dramedy is a dark comedy because it often deals with dramatic and complex subjects like war.
The show is set in Korea during the Korean War and follows the adventures and foibles of the United States Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.
The asterisks in the title are not official military language and were added by the producers.
M*A*S*H was brilliant and praised by critics for the show’s ability to toe the line of questioning the United State’s war efforts while sticking to a strict patriotic requirement policy.
How did M*A*S*H impact America?
M*A*S*H deeply impacted America.
During its run, M*A*S*H was one of the most popular shows on American television.
The program commented on the war in a way that made people think.
War is often portrayed as a noble act of courage and valor, often overshadowing the pain, trauma, violence, and moral implications.
M*A*S*H brought all aspects of war to life on the screen for the American audience.
The writers on the show found brilliant ways to question and mock America’s participation in the Cold War.
Why were networks so strict with how M*A*S*H was presented?
CBS stuck to a strict code of patriotic representations in M*A*S*H.
They did not want one unpatriotic episode.
The writers often had to find slick ways of reintroducing scenes that the CBS executives would demand to cut.
For example, an episode where the soldiers stand outside in the cold so they can get sick and be sent home was rejected by CBS because it portrayed soldiers in an unpatriotic light.
Ironically, this tactic was actually used by soldiers in the Korean War.
To learn more, check out our M*A*S*H quotes below.
Short M*A*S*H quotes from Hawkeye about life in war
These Hawkeye one-liners are sweet!
1. “Well, what’s the slop du jour?” — Hawkeye, M*A*S*H
2. “Halloween in Korea; bobbing for shrapnel.” — Hawkeye, M*A*S*H
3. “This is the first case of teenage male menopause.” — Hawkeye, M*A*S*H
4. “If we don’t go crazy once in a while, we’ll all go crazy.” — Hawkeye, M*A*S*H
5. “You ever had one of those wars where everything goes wrong?” — Hawkeye, M*A*S*H
Famous M*A*S*H quotes from Margaret that will make you laugh
Here are some of Margaret’s most scathing comebacks.
6. “Oh, go salute yourselves!” — Margaret, M*A*S*H
7. “You different men are all alike.” — Margaret, M*A*S*H
8. “I am not so think as you drunk I am.” — Margaret, M*A*S*H
9. “Do you know that you look just like my father before he died?” — Margaret, M*A*S*H
10. “Money is far down on my list, major. It comes second or third. Second.” — Margaret, M*A*S*H
The top M*A*S*H quotes from Frank about relationships and victory
Here is a selection of some of Frank’s most memorable moments.
11. “Corporal, deform the men.” — Frank, M*A*S*H
12. “You can’t park a jeep over a superior officer!” — Frank, M*A*S*H
13. “Marriage is probably the chief cause of divorce.” — Frank, M*A*S*H
14. I’ve gotten “Thank you” notes from people I said I’d never see again” — Frank, M*A*S*H
15. “I want foxholes there, there, there, and there, each one smartly dug. The kind of hole a man can throw himself into with pride.” — Frank, M*A*S*H
The best M*A*S*H quotes from Radar to make you smile
Here are some of Radar’s most hilarious hijinx.
16. “It’s Mrs. Colonel, your wife, sir.” — Radar, M*A*S*H
17. “I’ve never seen you in your underneath before.” — Radar, M*A*S*H
18. “What? He changed to psychiatry? That’s crazy!” — Radar, M*A*S*H
19. “Poetry, right? That’s great how they can rhyme and be hot at the same time.” — Radar, M*A*S*H
20. “If you want a drink, sir, compliments Henry Blake, brandy, scotch, vodka. And for your convenience, all in the same bottle.” — Radar, M*A*S*H
Famous M*A*S*H quotes from Potter about idiots and kissing
Potter was known as somebody not to be crossed.
21. “It’s 3 ‘blessed’ a.m.! Even roosters are comatose!” — Potter, M*A*S*H
22. “You’ll have to excuse these two. They are themselves today.” — Potter, M*A*S*H
23. “You blow another kiss, Pierce, and those lips will never walk again.” — Potter, M*A*S*H
24. “It always amazes me how a baby can take a normal adult and turn him into a babbling idiot.” — Potter, M*A*S*H
25. “You have to give Winchester a credit. He is bright, educated, and an A-1 surgeon, and with all that, he still found a room to be a total jerk.” — Potter, M*A*S*H
Why did they use a laugh track on M*A*S*H?
Looking back at shows from previous eras, it is sometimes difficult to watch because of the laugh tracks.
Older generations are accustomed to laughter tracks from their favorite programs.
A laugh track is essentially laughter in a can if you have never heard of one.
Some shows add prerecorded laughter to a show to support a joke’s punchline.
The creators of M*A*S*H did not want a laugh track.
Both writers and producers felt the laugh track cheapened the seriousness of some scenes and took away from the show’s aesthetic.
CBS, however, knew of no other way to present a thirty-minute comedy and insisted on the laugh track.
The writers eventually managed to get the network to agree to remove some of the laughing, especially during operating room scenes.
The laugh track was removed completely when the show was released in Europe.
What is your favorite M*A*S*H quote?
Please be sure to let us know in the comments below.
