Jamie Farr, ‘M*A*S*H’s Max Klinger, Turns 89 Today
Happy birthday to actor/comedian Jamie Farr, who turns 89 years old today.
Farr was born July 1, 1934, and like his M*A*S*H character, Max Klinger, Farr is from Toledo, Ohio, is a Lebanese American, and did serve with the U.S. Army in Korea.
Farr showed acting talent at a young age, and his mentor, Danny Thomas, encouraged him to take it up professionally.
Remind He appeared regularly on comedy/variety shows like The Red Skelton Show and The Danny Kaye Show in the late 1950s, and had bit parts in TV and movies throughout the 1960s.
But his big breakthrough came in 1972 when he was hired to play Corporal Maxwell Klinger on the M*A*S*H episode “Chief Surgeon Who?” (His character’s attempt to get discharged from the Army by wearing women’s clothes was inspired by comedian Lenny Bruce, who tried that during World War II.)
Farr was a hit, and his Klinger character returned in Season 2 and eventually became a series regular. Klinger also returned in the sequel series AfterMASH, which was much less of a hit.
Here’s a look back at a few of Farr’s other onscreen appearances:
In the 2007 Hallmark Channel original holiday movie A Grandpa for Christmas:
©Hallmark Entertainment/Courtesy Everett Collection
As a Season 5 guest star on That ’70s Show:
Copyright © 20th Century Fox Licensing/Merchandising / Everett Collection
As recurring character Dudley on the sitcom The Cool Kids:
Copyright © 20th Century Fox Licensing/Merchandising / Everett Collection
As Sheik Abdul ben Falafel in Cannonball Run, Cannonball Run II and Speed Zone. He’s the only character to appear in all three Cannonball Run movies:
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
In the 2018 fantasy/comedy Angels on Tap:
Copyright © Everett Collection / Everett Collection
In the 1967 crime comedy film Who’s Minding the Mint?:
Courtesy Everett Collection
In a 1995 episode of comedy sketch show MADtv:
Copyright © ©Warner Bros/courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection
Where Are They Now - The Seventies
June 2022
Who can forget all the great TV shows, movies and music of the ‘70s?
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