M*A*S*H of the franchise and was ranked #25 in "TV Guide"'s "TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time." Its final episode in 1983 was the most-watched in television history. "Trapper John, M.D." featured the character of Trapper John McIntyre, played by Pernell Roberts, twenty-eight years after the events of the "M*A*S*H" film and television series. It was the first spin-off to feature a character from the series in civilian life after the war. Legally, "Trapper John, M.D." is a direct spin-off of the "MASH" film rather than the television series due to licensing issues. The pilot episode briefly shows
Alan Alda was scheduled to guest star on "", portraying former police and naval officer John Winters, the father of the former main character . It is unknown whether he filmed his role before the series was redesigned and Rex Winters written off. After the release of his movie "Tower Heist", Alda was devastated when on December 7, 2011, his decades-long friend Harry Morgan from "M*A*S*H" died. Alda returned to Broadway in November 2014, playing the role of Andrew Makepeace in the revival of "Love Letters" at the Brooks Atkinson Theater alongside Candice Bergen. In 2016, Alda appeared in Louis C.K.'s web-based