2016 comes to an end with yet another celebrity death. William Christopher, who played Father John Patrick Francis Mulcahy has passed away at his home in Pasadena. RIP, sir. http://m.tmz.com/#2016/12/31/mash-dead-dies-william-christopher/ I loved MASH. It is easily one of my top 10 favorite shows of all time. Certainly my favorite comedy.
Always thought that Fr Mulcahy was one of the best characters on M*A*S*H - some-one who was very much true the spirit of Christianity and who would look out for anyone.
2016 just had to keep it up to the last day, didn't it? MASH is definitely in my top 5 all time favorites, and the Padre was one hell of a "supporting" character. Still, 84 ain't bad. 2 of my favorite Mulcahy scenes.
Mulcahy was always one of my favorite characters on both the show and in the film. Damn, you 2016. You had to take one last one. Yup. I was just reminded of this fact earlier.
Damn... one last screw for the year. I was privledged enough to be in a stage production of MASH this past summer and it brought back so many good memories of watching the show. Christopher WAS the good padre.... such a great performance. This really hurts.
Yea it does. I was trying to look for one of my favorite scenes from Movie Tonight to post and have had no luck in finding it. Hawkeye: And now for the moment no-one has been waiting for: the Father Mulcahy sound-alike contest. [Father Mulcahy passes him his hat] Hawkeye: [imitating Mulcahy] My word, Hawkeye, this jocularity is most unseemly. [tosses hat to Klinger] Cpl. Maxwell Klinger: [imitating Mulcahy, in squeaky voice] How can you make jokes at a time like this? Ooh. [passes hat to Frank Burns] Maj. Frank Burns: [in high voice] The post-op is collapsing and the O.R. is on fire. [passes hat to Margaret] Margaret: [in high voice] And somebody has broken into the sacramental wine. [tosses hat to Radar] Radar: Sorry, Father. [puts on hat; imitates Mulcahy] Radar: It seems that Private Simpson has come down with a case of hepatitis. He's the most remarkable shade of yellow. [tosses hat to Colonel Potter] Col. Sherman Potter: [in high voice] Jocularity! Jocularity! [tosses hat to Father Mulcahy] Father Francis Mulcahy: Let me just say this about all these impersonations... [everybody groans in protest] Hawkeye: That's definitely the Mills Brothers. Thank you IMDB for having it in written form at least.
Fuck fuck fuck! 2.5 days is as long as we are allowed to go between deaths? And cancer! Fucking cancer.
Mr. Christopher brought such a warmth to Father Mulcahey. I remember that episode where that one soldier claimed sanctuary and Fr. Mulcahey fought for that young man. And then the young man grabbed a gun and threatened the MPs that came to get him. Fr. Mulcahey was horrified and could've gotten shot, but he stopped that young man with his words and his compassion and a touch of righteous fury. Thank you, Mr. Christopher, for portraying so well a man of the cloth in "the hell on Earth that man has made."
I couldn't find the complete clip either, but this interview with Jamie Farr has a few snippets. Amazingly, that entire sequence from "Movie Tonight", IMHO one of the show's funniest, was completely ad-libbed.
Aw, this is sad. I don't believe I ever saw William Christopher play any other part but Father Mulcahy, but he played that role perfectly-- he was a rock of quiet dignity and unreserved compassion among the chaos of the war and the antics of the more colorful personalities, and the one that they all turned to in need. If all Christians modeled themselves on Father Mulcahy, the world would be a different place. RIP, William Christopher.
Did you know that there were 3 actors to play Father Mulcahy in MASH? One of them actually has a Trek tie-in. 1) Rene Auberjonois - played in movie 2) George Morgan - played in 1st episode of TV series 3) William Christopher - played in the rest of TV episodes
RIP Father. Yeah, I know he wasn't a real Catholic priest, but if he were he would have been a damn good one. Damn you 2016 you had to claim one more life before you were over.