# Embarassingly obvious question about M\*A\*S\*H
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarassingly-obvious-question-about-m-a-s-h/760253
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [July 18, 2016, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarassingly-obvious-question-about-m-a-s-h/760253 "2016-07-18T21:07:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarassingly-obvious-question-about-m-a-s-h/760253/41 "2016-07-20T16:32:02Z")
[Jonly Bonly Stewart](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7_3xxQXgFs)
Comedian Henry Cho. Starts at about the :50 mark.
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### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarassingly-obvious-question-about-m-a-s-h/760253/42 "2016-07-21T18:11:09Z")
Off-the-wall interesting tidbit:
This might be purely coincidental, but I couldn’t help noticing that, on the wall at the Sanders Memorial Theater at Harvard, there’s a plaque honoring a doctor named Benjamin Franklin Peirce, who died March 9, 1864
(see here, plaque 25 [Memorial Hall](https://www.fas.harvard.edu/~memhall/names.html) )
There’s no obvious connection between H. Richard Hornberger (Richard Hooker) or his _M_A_S&H_ co-author, W.C. Heinz – neither attended Harvard or lived in the area.
You can’t miss the plaque. If you attend a concert or a show at the SAnders, you;ll probably spend time waiting in the Memorial Hall.
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### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarassingly-obvious-question-about-m-a-s-h/760253/43 "2016-07-21T18:28:14Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> There’s no obvious connection between H. Richard Hornberger (Richard Hooker) or his _M_A_S&H_ co-author, W.C. Heinz – neither attended Harvard or lived in the area.
And Trapper John went to Dartmouth.
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarassingly-obvious-question-about-m-a-s-h/760253/44 "2016-07-21T18:39:33Z")
> [@Julius\_Henry](#):
>
> Butterworth is best known by a pen name, W. E. B. Griffin, author of a great many popular military novels.
Along with many other pen names. He’s 86 now and it appears that his son William E. Butterworth IV is doing most of the writing now with his father’s name in big letters above the title.
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### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarassingly-obvious-question-about-m-a-s-h/760253/45 "2016-07-21T20:45:16Z")
> [@Loach](#):
>
> Along with many other pen names. He’s 86 now and it appears that his son William E. Butterworth IV is doing most of the writing now with his father’s name in big letters above the title.
I can’t believe it’s not (the older) Butter(worth).
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### Author:  [@Scarecrow\_s\_Brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarecrow_s_Brain)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2016, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarassingly-obvious-question-about-m-a-s-h/760253/46 "2016-07-26T20:49:20Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#):
>
> Much of the series and some of the book were inspired by the memories of Lt. Dale Drake and his wife Cathy (née McDonough). The two met while at the 8055[sup]th[/sup] with Hornberger. Cathy was a nurse and Dale an anesthesiologist, and the inspiration for “Ugly John” Black.
>
> According to Drake, Trapper John was based on Jim Dickson, a surgeon with a penchant for wearing a parka and nursing a beer when not on duty. Head Nurse Ruth Dixon at least partly inspired “Hot Lips”.
Hornberger’s inspiration for Trapper was Dr. John Lyday. I remember hearing his name in one of the extras of the MASH movie DVD. A few years later, I heard his death reported on NPR, which was only notable due to the MASH connection. Here’s his obituary, which also highlights his being the inspiration for Trapper John.
> **[SOLDIER, SURGEON: JOHN LYDAY, REAL-LIFE TRAPPER JOHN, DIES AT 78\\ GREENSBORO...](https://greensboro.com/soldier-surgeon-john-lyday-real-life-trapper-john-dies-at/article_e6156061-1e75-527c-b730-2f69f96d870d.html)**
>
> Few people who saw the retired doctor spending his last years tinkering with a 20-year-old Cadillac Seville or working in his garden knew of his connection to one of Hollywood's
The third swampmate in the novel and movie, Duke Forrest, was based on the awesomely named Agrippa Kellum.
sb
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