The M*A*S*H novels were not spinoffs of the TV series but spinoffs of the novel M*A*S*H. Written by Richard Hornberger and William E. Butterworth, the novels followed the characters established in Hornberger's original novel and included some new characters as well. Below is a partial listing of the people, places, and events central to the novels. Keep in mind these novels take neither the movie nor the TV series into consideration. (More information will be added or corrected as I read through more of the books.)
List of the Books | The Cast of Characters |
The original Swampmen
Mary Pierce - Hawkeye's wife; they have three kids: Billy, Stephen, and Karen.
Lucinda Lively - Hawkeye's secretary who marries Trapper John. She is introduced in "M*A*S*H Goes to Maine."
Walter Koskiusko "The Painless Pole" Waldowski - dentist of the 4077th; he was known as the "best-equipped dentist" in the Army; he also suffered from bouts of depression. He returned home to Hamtramck, Michigan and married Wilma; they have one daughter, Wanda.
J. Robespierre "Radar" O'Reilly - the 4077th's mind-reading company clerk who becomes a fast-food tycoon after the war. He is chairman of the board of the ROR Corporation (Mother O'Reilly's Irish Stew Parlors), the 3rd largest fast-food corporation in the world.
Henry Blake - Lt. Colonel who is CO of the 4077th. After the war he is promoted to Major General and becomes the commanding general of Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He loves fishing and is more of a doctor than a commanding officer.
Boris Alexandrovich Korsky-Rimsakov - the world's greatest opera singer. A rather large man, he is adored by women everywhere. While in Korea, he went by the name PFC Bob Alexander and was treated at the 4077th after being saved by Horsey on the front lines.
Kristina Korsky-Rimsakov - Boris's sister who is also a great opera singer. Radar and Kristina fall in love in "M*A*S*H Goes to Paris" and their wedding is planned in "M*A*S*H Goes to Las Vegas."
His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Hassan ad Kayam - short ambassador to France from the Sheikhdom of Hussid, which supplies 38% of France's petroleum. He is a good friend of Boris.
John Patrick "Dago Red" Mulcahy - chaplain of the 4077th who becomes the Archbishop of Swengchan, Chinaafter the war. Due to a misunderstanding between China and his superiors, he is unable to physically preside over Swengchan; instead he is on duty in the Vatican.
Ester Flanagan - Chief of Nursing at the Spruce Harbor Medical Center.
Col. Jean-Pierre "Horsey" de la Chevaux - Colonel in the Louisiana National Guard and owner of the Chevaux Petroleum Corporation. He is also the Grand Exalted Royal Keeper of the Golden Fleece (or treasurer) of the Bayou Perdu Council, K. of C.
Francois Mulligan - retired Marine Corps Sergeant who serves as the Grand Exalted Knight Guardian of the Sacred Serenity for the Bayou Perdu Council, K. of C. (the sergeant-at-arms). He is also the Vice-President of Employee Relations for the Chevaux Petroleum Corporation.
Reverend Mother Emeritus Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan Wachauf Wilson - head nurse of the 4077th. After the war, she gets married to Buck Wilson. Upon his death, she becomes the head of the GILIAFCC, Inc. She is also chief of nursing education at the MacDonald Memorial School of Nursing.
Reverend Baxter "Buck" Wilson (now "Blessed Brother Buck") - founder of the GILIAFCC. He married Hot Lips but died from coronary failure on the nuptial couch.
Prudence MacDonald - Picaroon-Statesman journalist who was responsible for the establishment of the Ms. Prudence MacDonald Memorial School of Nursing. In exchange for not publishing certain information about the American Tonsil, Adenoid and Vas Deferens Society, the Society purchased the building and gave it to Hot Lips who set it up as a nursing school. She is married to Ace Travers.
Reverend Mother Superior Bernadette of Lourdes - Chief of Staff of Gates of Heaven Hospital
Col. Beauregard C. Beaucoupmots - chairman of the board and publisher of the New Orleans Picaroon-Statesman. He is in love with Hot Lips and often tries to get her drunk hoping in that condition she will agree to marry him.
Lemuel "Ace" Travers - reporter for the Picaroon-Statesman who is married to Prudence.
Wrong Way Napolitano - pilot in Spruce Harbor known for his collisions and near misses.
T. Bascomb "Moosenoose" Bartlett - the mayor of Spruce Harbor who has known Hawkeye since they were children; a born politician.
Theophilus Mullins Yancey - doctor also known as "the Sage of Manhattan, Kansas." He has written a number of books on sexual activity as his idea of exercise; his theories have been embraced by Boris who "exercises" to keep himself in shape for his performances.
| Organizations, Facilities |
Bayou Perdu Council, Knights of Columbus - the Bayou Perdu, Louisiana branch of the Knights. They have a marching band which appears at special events for Horsey.
Chevaux Petroleum Corp., International - company established and owned by Horsey de la Chevaux.
Finest Kind Fish Market and Medical Clinic - medical facility and adjacent market in Harbor Point, Maine founded by the Swampmen with Wooden Leg Wilcox and Jocko Allcock.
Gates of Heaven Hospital - New Orleans hospital anonymously paid for by Horsey to make up for the trouble the Perdu Knights caused the Archbishop of New Orleans.
Ms. Prudence MacDonald Memorial School of Nursing - nursing school in New Orleans associated with Gates of Heaven Hospital and headed by Hot Lips.
| Events |
The Discovery - name for when "the largest pool of natural gas ever found in North America" was discovered on Horsey's property. To build a highway from Texas to Mississippi, the federal government negotiated for the rights to part of de la Chevaux property in Louisiana. Horsey sold the rights and needed Sears, Roebuck & Co. to drill a new water well on his property. The drilling resulted in The Discovery. Horsey then established the Chevaux Petroleum Corp., International.
