When he first wrote his book ‘MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors’, author Richard Hooker never predicted just how big it would get.
However, just two years after its release, ‘MASH’ was already being adapted into a movie of the same name. A major hit, the film was quickly adapted into a TV show.
This show, ‘M*A*S*H’, became more than just another story of success in the entertainment industry. It became a sensation, capturing the hearts of Americans everywhere.
Over its 11 season run, its popularity trumped shows both past and present, from classics like ‘All in the Family’ to contemporary rivals like ‘Magnum, P.I.’.
By the time the show came to an end, practically everyone was watching. The ‘M*A*S*H’ series finale was viewed by about 105 million people, or over half of all Americans at the time. When the story of Hawkeye, Father Mulcahy, Hot Lips Houlihan, and Maxwell Q. Klinger came to an end, over 60 percent of households in the United States were watching.
