Alan Alda Reveals the Best Part of MAS*H’s Legacy

Published: June 4, 2026

By Kayla DeKraker

For actor Alan Alda, the most special aspect of his role in M*A*S*H wasn’t just starring in what became an iconic show; it was its positive impact on audiences.

“You talk about making a contribution, and it makes you feel good. It’s not just giving, it’s getting,” Alda said in a discussion with PEOPLE.

He shared an example, saying, “One of the ways that I noticed that I must have lived usefully is people — this is really true — people come up to me on the street and they say, ‘After seeing you play a doctor on M*A*S*H, that made me want to become a doctor,'” he said. “And they became doctors because not a single one of them says they wanted to become an actor. But it was sort of me.”

M*A*S*H ran from 1972-1983 and followed an Army hospital in the Korean War. Alda led the cast as Capt. Benjamin Franklin ‘Hawkeye’ Pierce.

Alda reflected on M*A*S*H’s positive impact previously.

“Aside from really good writing and good acting and good directing, the element that really sinks in with an audience is that, as frivolous as some of the stories are, underneath it is an awareness that real people lived through these experiences, and that we tried to respect what they went through,” the actor said in a 2022 interview.

He added, “I think that seeps into the unconscious of the audience.”

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Alda is now 90 years old and battling Parkinson’s disease. Earlier this year, he shared with PEOPLE the challenges of getting older.

“I was just thinking of the day, the actual day that I was 90 this year,” he said. “We went out to dinner and the waiter came by at the end of the meal with a cupcake with a candle in it and led the singing, saying, ‘Happy birthday, older gentleman.’ Then I blew out the candle and they said, ‘You did it yourself. I didn’t help you.’ They kind of let you know.”

Alda shared that he still challenges himself mentally and does things to find joy in each day.

“Almost every day I’m finding a new way to do something,” he said. “It’s a little like a game. I’ve found whatever the little problem is, if I keep at it, I can eventually solve it, and then I feel like a million bucks. It’s a way to have a good time under poor circumstances.”

Alda’s life is a reminder that no matter the fame or accolades, at the end of the day, inspiring others and doing your best is what really matters.

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