1 Jan 2016

M*A*S*H star Wayne Rogers dies, age 82

6:34 pm on 1 January 2016

Wayne Rogers, who played wisecracking US Army surgeon "Trapper" John McIntyre in the acclaimed Korean War television series "M*A*S*H" before leaving after three seasons in a contract dispute, died on Thursday (US local time). He was 82.

Rogers, who later forged a successful career as a financial analyst, investor and businessman, died in Los Angeles of complications from pneumonia.

An Alabama native and Princeton University graduate with a degree in history, Rogers achieved his big break after years of lesser roles by being cast to co-star with Alan Alda in "M*A*S*H," which debuted on the CBS network in 1972.

Rogers left "M*A*S*H" in a contract dispute after the third of the show's 11 seasons, departing at the same time as McLean Stevenson, another original cast member.

Rogers said he had no contract and the producers wanted to impose one that included, among other things, "an old-fashioned morals clause."

-Reuters