Post by thinkinkmesa on Oct 20, 2009 13:01:43 GMT -5
Actor who played B.J. Hunnicutt to promote book at Joseph-Beth on Thursday
Twenty-six years after "M*A*S*H" packed up the tents and bugged out for the last time, people still want to hear Mike Farrell's war stories about B.J. Hunnicutt and the rest of the 4077th."I'm not surprised that people still remember the show," says Farrell, 70, who will be at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Norwood at 7 p.m. Thursday.
"What surprises me is to see how alive it is in the memories of so many people. I know it's a cliché, but so many people say, 'I loved to watch your show with my parents and grandparents, and now I watch with my children.'
"I'm so pleased that it has transcended so many generations," he says. "The embrace of this show has been worldwide."
Eight years of very active duty in TV's 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital has provided "almost ambassadorial opportunities" for the actor and activist. He parlays his "M*A*S*H" fame into promoting human rights, world peace, environmental causes and opposition to the death penalty.
He's coming here to promote his new book, "Of Mule and Man," (Akashic Books; $15.95) a breezy journal from his 2008 cross-country trip in a Toyota Prius hybrid. It profiles and praises the nonprofit social justice organizations that co-sponsored his bookstore appearances for his autobiography, "Just Call Me Mike."
Conservative Republican "M*A*S*H" fans here should be warned: The unapologetic liberal Democrat has no love or respect for then President George W. Bush ("fool!") or Vice President Dick Cheney ("a scary, out-of-control, power-worshiping, war-mongering" expletive deleted).
"I love the mix of talking about the death penalty, the political situation, 'M*A*S*H,' human rights, Shelley (wife actress Shelley Fabares) and whatever else is on people's minds," says the actor, who also appeared in "Days of Our Lives" (1968-70) and NBC's "Providence" (1999-2002).
Farrell will meet with Ohio death penalty opponents, although no local activists are co-sponsoring his stop.
He has been closely following news of Ohio death row inmate Romell Broom, whose botched execution was halted Sept. 15 after an unprecedented two hours. Technicians could not find a useable vein to inject lethal chemicals.
"Only using an overdose of the sedative - which is what veterinarians do today - from many points of view would be more humane," he says.
Joining Farrell at Joseph-Beth will be Fabares. She's a TV veteran, too, best known for the "Donna Reed Show" (1958-65) and playing Craig T. Nelson's wife in "Coach" (1989-97).
Fabares retired from acting nine years ago, after severe auto-immune hepatitis required a liver transplant in 2000. But Farrell continues to look at scripts as an actor and producer. With partner Marvin Minoff, he produced "Dominick and Eugene" and Robin Williams' "Patch Adams."
"I don't know if I want to do (another series), but I thought the same way before 'Providence' came along," he says.
What: Mike Farrell signing "Of Mule and Man"
Where: Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 2692 Madison Road, Norwood
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Web Sites: Mikefarrell.org, Josephbeth.com
news.cincinnati.com/article/20091020/LIFE02/910200345/+M*A*S*H++is+Farrell+s+friend+forever
Twenty-six years after "M*A*S*H" packed up the tents and bugged out for the last time, people still want to hear Mike Farrell's war stories about B.J. Hunnicutt and the rest of the 4077th."I'm not surprised that people still remember the show," says Farrell, 70, who will be at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Norwood at 7 p.m. Thursday.
"What surprises me is to see how alive it is in the memories of so many people. I know it's a cliché, but so many people say, 'I loved to watch your show with my parents and grandparents, and now I watch with my children.'
"I'm so pleased that it has transcended so many generations," he says. "The embrace of this show has been worldwide."
Eight years of very active duty in TV's 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital has provided "almost ambassadorial opportunities" for the actor and activist. He parlays his "M*A*S*H" fame into promoting human rights, world peace, environmental causes and opposition to the death penalty.
He's coming here to promote his new book, "Of Mule and Man," (Akashic Books; $15.95) a breezy journal from his 2008 cross-country trip in a Toyota Prius hybrid. It profiles and praises the nonprofit social justice organizations that co-sponsored his bookstore appearances for his autobiography, "Just Call Me Mike."
Conservative Republican "M*A*S*H" fans here should be warned: The unapologetic liberal Democrat has no love or respect for then President George W. Bush ("fool!") or Vice President Dick Cheney ("a scary, out-of-control, power-worshiping, war-mongering" expletive deleted).
"I love the mix of talking about the death penalty, the political situation, 'M*A*S*H,' human rights, Shelley (wife actress Shelley Fabares) and whatever else is on people's minds," says the actor, who also appeared in "Days of Our Lives" (1968-70) and NBC's "Providence" (1999-2002).
Farrell will meet with Ohio death penalty opponents, although no local activists are co-sponsoring his stop.
He has been closely following news of Ohio death row inmate Romell Broom, whose botched execution was halted Sept. 15 after an unprecedented two hours. Technicians could not find a useable vein to inject lethal chemicals.
"Only using an overdose of the sedative - which is what veterinarians do today - from many points of view would be more humane," he says.
Joining Farrell at Joseph-Beth will be Fabares. She's a TV veteran, too, best known for the "Donna Reed Show" (1958-65) and playing Craig T. Nelson's wife in "Coach" (1989-97).
Fabares retired from acting nine years ago, after severe auto-immune hepatitis required a liver transplant in 2000. But Farrell continues to look at scripts as an actor and producer. With partner Marvin Minoff, he produced "Dominick and Eugene" and Robin Williams' "Patch Adams."
"I don't know if I want to do (another series), but I thought the same way before 'Providence' came along," he says.
What: Mike Farrell signing "Of Mule and Man"
Where: Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 2692 Madison Road, Norwood
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Web Sites: Mikefarrell.org, Josephbeth.com
news.cincinnati.com/article/20091020/LIFE02/910200345/+M*A*S*H++is+Farrell+s+friend+forever