Tuesday, April 16, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
They were older, grayer and not quite all there.
They were the cast and crew of television's "M*A*S*H," minus Hawkeye Pierce, Hot Lips Houlihan and the inimitable Col. Henry Blake.
They gathered on stage Monday for induction into the National Association of Broadcasters' Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Induction into the hall is the highest honor bestowed by the industry upon television or radio personalities.
The teary-eyed group individually accepted their awards during a ceremony at the Las Vegas Hilton following a video presentation of "M*A*S*H" highlights that featured a memorial to MacLean Stevenson, who died last month.
Stevenson's wife, Ginny, was on hand to accept his award for playing the role of Blake. She simply thanked everyone, choking back tears as she spoke.
"The message of 'M*A*S*H' is simple," said producer Gene Reynolds. "It was a series for all seasons. It was always teaching us about ourselves."
Alan Alda, who played Capt. Hawkeye Pierce, was in Boston filming a PBS show. Loretta Swit, who played Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan, and Larry Gelbart, a producer, were also unable to be there because of other commitments. They all sent their thanks.
Reynolds pointed out that the show was not an instant success. He credited CBS's faith in the program with giving it the chance to become the classic that it is today.
The still-popular series about the 4077 Mobile Army Surgical Hospital unit during the Korean War debuted Sept. 17, 1972. The last episode aired Feb. 28, 1983.
After accepting their awards, the cast and producers each spoke a few words about the impact "M*A*S*H" had on them and on the psyche of the American people.
"Being a part of this group is probably the best thing that ever happened to me," said Harry Morgan, who played Col. Sherman Potter.
Mike "B.J. Hunnicutt" Farrell noted with amazement that after all these years, "everywhere in the world, every hour of the day, 'M*A*S*H' is playing."
David Ogden Stiers, who played the blue-blood Boston doctor, Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester, said the show "resolutely tackled unpleasant things."
"It was our intention to upset, to examine and to constantly grow," he said, adding that the show's subject matter often made the cast uncomfortable. "But we're at our best when slightly uncomfortable."
And of course Gary "Cpl. Radar O'Reilly" Burghoff was on hand, sans teddy bear. He said everyone continually tried to reach out to the American people.
The members of the 4077th weren't the only ones honored this year.
Charles Kuralt, longtime CBS correspondent and host of "Sunday Morning" who retired in 1994, received NAB's "Distinguished Service Award." And Don Imus, host of the nationally syndicated "Imus in the Morning" radio talk show, was to be inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame today.
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