• Wayne Rogers was an American actor known for his role in the TV series “M*A*S*H”
• He quit the show after three seasons and focussed on stock market and other investments
• He was an only child and attended Princeton University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1954
• Before becoming an actor, he served in the US Navy and received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005
• He passed away in 2015 due to pneumonia complications



Known for movies

Short Info

Net Worthapproximately $75 million
Date Of BirthApril 7, 1933
DiedDecember 31, 2015, Los Angeles, California, United States
SpouseAmy Hirsh, Mitzi McWhorter
FactSurvived by his wife Amy Hirsh Rogers, two children Bill and Laura by his first marriage, and four grandchildren Alexander, Daniel, William and Anais.


Wayne Rogers Wiki Bio

William Wayne McMillan Rogers III was born in Birmingham, Alabama USA, on 7 April 1933, so under the zodiac sign of Aries and holding American nationality – he was popular for his career of an actor, especially for his appearance in the very popular TV series “M*A*S*H”. He passed away in 2015.

Why did Wayne Rogers leave MASH?

While some people believe that Wayne was not getting along with the cast of “M*A*S*H” and that it served as his main reason for quitting, he was actually getting tired of acting and decided to leave the show. After he left it, he stopped acting and focused on other things such as the stock market and other investing.

Early life and education

Wayne spent his entire childhood in Birmingham, and was always somewhat secretive when it came to his parents, as he never wanted them involved in the media – he was an only child.

Wayne fell in love with acting at a very young age but once he started studying, he put his dreams aside and almost forgot about them. He attended Ramsay High School in Birmingham, and then The Webb School located in Bell Buckle, Tennessee – he continued his education at Princeton University, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1954. Wayne was part of the Princeton Triangle Club, as well as the eating club Tiger Inn.

After he graduated from college, Wayne went on to serve in the US Navy before becoming an actor in 1959.

Career of an actor

Once he left the Navy, Wayne landed several roles in movies and TV series, such as “The Invaders”, “The F.B.I.”, “Have Gun Will Travel”, and numerous others. He appeared in the “Search for Tomorrow” soap opera in 1959, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 1960 for his performance in the “Odds Against Tomorrow” film noir. He was part of the main cast in the “Stagecoach West” TV series, which aired on ABC from 1960 to 1961.

Wayne Rogers

Wayne became popular mostly thanks to his role in the “M*A*S*H” TV series. He was initially supposed to audition for Hawkeye Pierce role, but was persuaded by the writers to play Trapper while Hawkeye would be played by Alan Alda. Wayne was satisfied with how the show was going, but wasn’t happy that his character wasn’t as popular as Hawkeye.

After talking to the writers, they made Trapper a thoracic surgeon which completely switched the attention from Hawkeye to Trapper – although that was what Wayne was looking for, he was sad for his friend Alan and eventually made things equal for both of them. Wayne was part of the series for three seasons before he left and quit acting.

Wayne received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005.

The most popular male actors in the world

The Ranker website has compiled a list of the most popular actors in the world judging by people’s votes. Many of the actors in the list are popular for numerous other things as well and some of them are singers, dancers, businessmen, and entrepreneurs. We are going to mention top five actors in the list:

  • Fifth place is held by Robert Anthony De Niro Jr who is also a producer and director, and has won numerous awards throughout the years. He is most popular for his roles in “The Godfather Part II”, “Taxi Driver”, “Goodfellas”, and “New York, New York”;
  • Morgan Freeman is in fourth place, who is also a director and narrator – he gained recognition after starring in “The Shawshank Redemption” movie in 1994, while he is also popular for his roles in “The Dark Knight Trilogy”, “Seven”, and “Bruce Almighty”;
  • In third place is Christian Bale, who is popular for drastically transforming his body for his roles – he has appeared in movies such as “American Psycho”, “Batman Begins”, “The Dark Knight”, and “The Dark Knight Rises”;
  • Second place goes to Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio, who is also a producer and environmentalist – he is popular for his roles in “Titanic” (which made him famous), “Catch Me If You Can”, “Shutter Island”, and “The Great Gatsby”;
  • Top place is held by Tom Hanks, who people voted as the best actor in the world – he is popular for his roles in “Turner & Hooch”, “Sleepless in Seattle”, “Forrest Gump”, “You’ve Got Mail”, “The Green Mile”, “Cast Away”, “Saving Private Ryan” and numerous other movies.

While Wayne was an actor of extraordinary skill, he is nowhere to be found in the Ranker’s list of the best male actors in the world.

Work after “M*A*S*H”

Wayne decided not to continue his career of an actor after he was done with “M*A*S*H”, and went on to become a money manager and an investor – he even appeared on the US House Committee on the Judiciary as a witness to testify about the 1933 Glass-Steagall Legislation Act. He became the board director of Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. in August 2006, and was made the head of Wayne Rogers & Co. corporation.

Love life and relationships

Wayne was somewhat secretive throughout his life, as he was never the kind of person to share his personal matters with the public.

He met Mitzi McWhorter while he was still very young – Mitzi was an actress as well, and they instantly fell for one another after meeting on the set of a TV series. They exchanged their wedding vows in 1960, and Mitzi gave birth to two of their children – the marriage lasted until 1983 when they split for unknown reasons.

Wayne went on to marry again, to Amy Hirsh in 1988, and the two moved to live in Destin, Florida in 2001. Upon the start of their marriage, they both agreed not to have any children and Amy did not have any problems with Wayne having two kids from his former marriage.

Wayne didn’t talk about any other woman he had dated throughout his life.

Wayne Rogers was a Golden Globe-nominated actor who became a businessman and TV commentator. See him on SHANE — 10a ET What else do you recognize him from?

Posted by getTV on Sunday, May 5, 2019

Hobbies and other interests

Wayne might have appeared to be completely focused on his career of an actor as well as on his financial career, but he had numerous other interests.

Wayne was known in his close circle of friends as an entertainer and a person who loved making other people laugh – he enjoyed telling jokes and knew many. He was somewhat sporting and played tennis as well as billiards, and was a big lover of books – he was planning to write his own, but would always conclude he wasn’t good enough at writing. Wayne enjoyed travelling during his younger years, and spent more time travelling around Europe than around the US – his favorite country was Italy, and his favorite city was Rome.

Wayne Rogers

Being an actor, Wayne was fond of watching movies as much as acting in them, but he never revealed his all-time favorite as he explained that he enjoyed the films as a whole.

Appearance and net worth

Wayne was 82 years old at the time of his death. He had gray hair and blue eyes while his height and weight were not known.

According to authoritative sources, his net worth was estimated to be more than $2 million at the time of his death.

Death cause

Wayne Rogers died on New Year’s Eve, 31 December 2015 in Los Angeles, California due to pneumonia complications – he was 82. Exactly one year later, William Christopher died – William was part of the “M*A*S*H” cast as well.

Social media presence

Wayne was not that active on the internet, but he had a Twitter account which he launched in September 2009. Even after his death, his account is followed by nearly 2,800 people. while he had tweeted around 130 times – his last tweet was published on 30 July 2015 and reads ‘All lives matter!’.

General Info

Full NameWayne Rogers
Net Worthapproximately $75 million
Date Of BirthApril 7, 1933
DiedDecember 31, 2015, Los Angeles, California, United States
Height1.9 m
ProfessionScreenwriter, Television producer, Film producer, Actor, Investor
EducationPrinceton University
NationalityAmerican

Family

SpouseAmy Hirsh, Mitzi McWhorter
ChildrenLuigi Calabrese, William Rogers IV, Laura Rogers

Accomplishments

Music GroupsCrystalized Movements, Major Stars, Magic Hour, Song for Turner, Rainy, Starless Night, Dream of the Accidental Bird
NominationsGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy, TV Land Classic TV Doctor of the Year Award
MoviesCool Hand Luke, Odds Against Tomorrow, The Glory Guys, Miracle Landing, Once in Paris, I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later, The Killing Time, The Astro-Zombies, American Harvest, Pocket Money, Nobody Knows Anything, Passion and Paradise, Frozen with Fear, The Lady from Yesterday, It Happened O...
TV ShowsM*A*S*H, House Calls, City of Angels, Stagecoach West, High Risk

Social profile links

Quotes

#Quote
1[on the pilot for Stagecoach West (1960)] As soon as I saw it, I thought: "This is really bad" and caught the next plane back to New York.
2[discussing his contract dispute, after leaving M*A*S*H (1972)] They sue, you countersue. It's business.
3[on leaving the sitcom M*A*S*H (1972) in retrospect] If I had known that the show was gonna run that long, I probably would have kept my mouth shut and stayed put.
4Somebody once told me I shouldn't try to change Hollywood. That isn't my point at all. I don't want Hollywood to change me.

Facts

#Fact
1He is buried at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
2Wayne Rogers' role as Trapper John McIntyre on "MASH" was among the most beloved characters on one of the most popular TV shows of all time. He died on a New Year's eve, Thursday, December 31, 2015, at age 82. The actor was surrounded by family when he died in Los Angeles, CA, of complications from pneumonia, his publicist and longtime friend Rona Menace reported. Rogers' U.S.Army surgeon Trapper John was one of the most beloved characters, and half of one of the most beloved duos, in TV history, despite the actor's appearing in only the first three of the series eleven seasons on CBS-TV. The two skilled doctors blew off steam between surgeries by pulling pranks, romancing nurses and tormenting their tentmate, Frank Burns, always with an endless supply of booze and one-liners at the ready. In one classic moment, Trapper reaches out as though he's checking for rain and says, "Hmm, feels like it's going to martini," as Hawkeye promptly passes him a drink. And in another line that typified the show's ethos, Trapper answers a question with "How should I know? I dropped out of school to become a doctor." Rogers was on "MASH" from 1972 to 1975, becoming one of many original cast members to leave the wildly popular show that lasted until 1983. He was initially considered for Alda's character, but he preferred Trapper's sunnier disposition to Hawkeye's darkly acerbic personality. The characters were essentially equals when the show began, but the series increasingly focused on Alda, which was a factor in Rogers' departure. Two other actors played Trapper in other incarnations. Elliot Gould was the same character in the "MASH" feature film that preceded the TV show, and Pernell Roberts played the title character in the 1980s spinoff television drama "Trapper John, M.D." An Alabama native and Princeton graduate, Rogers had parts on many short-lived shows before "MASH," specializing in westerns such as "Law of the Plainsman" and "Stagecoach West." He had a bit part in the 1967 feature film "Cool Hand Luke" with Paul Newman. In years after "MASH", he returned to TV regularly with a recurring role in the early 1990s on CBS's mystery series "Murder, She Wrote." Rogers moved beyond acting to see success later in life as a money manager and investor. In 1988 and 1990, he appeared as an expert witness before the House Judiciary Committee to speak in favor of maintaining the Glass-Steagall banking act of the 1930s. In recent years he was a regular panelist on the Fox Business News stock investment show "Cashin' In." Rogers is survived by his wife, Amy; two children, Bill and Laura; and four grandchildren..
3Good friends with Alan Alda.
4Survived by his wife Amy Hirsh Rogers, two children Bill and Laura by his first marriage, and four grandchildren Alexander, Daniel, William and Anais.
5Owns three homes: in Los Angeles, California, Destin, Florida, and Deer Valley, Utah.
6Authored the book "Make Your Own Rules: A Renegade Guide to Unconventional Success" (2001). This is a business book on how to succeed in business peppered with personal anecdotes.
7Has been the managing director of the Stop-N-Save convenience food chains in Tallahasse, Florida, for almost 10 years. [August 2003]
8Was one of three investors in the Kleinfeld bridal store in New York City and created a chain of bridal stores with initial outlets in Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California.
9Chairman and president of Wayne Rogers & Co., a stock trading investment company.
10Chairman of the Board and co-owner, with Ronnie Rothstein, of "Kleinfeld Bridal".
11He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7018 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California, on December 13, 2005.
12After leaving M*A*S*H (1972), he turned down the lead role on the television series Trapper John, M.D. (1979) because he did not want to be typecast as a doctor on television. Ironically, he accepted a role as a doctor shortly thereafter on another television series, House Calls (1979).
13Described M*A*S*H (1972) co-star McLean Stevenson as being "one of the funniest men I had ever met", fondly recalling in an interview one day on the set wherein Stevenson had been goofing around with a fly swatter.
14In addition to the disputes about contracts, he says he also left M*A*S*H (1972) because he felt the writers were not giving Trapper John any character development. Specifically, he did not like how the Trapper John character began and ended the movie with the same role significance as Hawkeye (e.g., Trapper John was brought into the movie because the unit needed a "chest cutter") but deteriorated in role significance as the TV show progressed.
15Was the second actor to play the "M*A*S*H" character Trapper John McIntyre, the first one being Elliott Gould in the film MASH (1970) and the third one being Pernell Roberts on the television series Trapper John, M.D. (1979).
16Graduated with a history degree in 1954 from Princeton University, where he was a member of the Princeton Triangle Club, and served in the United States Navy before becoming an actor.
17Attended Ramsay High School in Birmingham, Alabama, and graduated from the Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee.
18When he left M*A*S*H (1972) in 1975, he was sued for breach of contract, but the case was thrown out because he had no contract. Producers wanted him to sign a morality clause, in which he could be suspended or fired at any time, and he refused because he wanted the same privilege regarding the producers.

Pictures

Movies

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Nobody Knows Anything!2003Gun Schnook
Miracle Dogs2003TV MovieDr. Marchant
Three Days of Rain2002Business Man
Frozen with Fear2001Charles Sullivan
Coo Coo Cafe2000
Love Lies Bleeding1999Inspector Abberline
Diagnosis Murder1997TV SeriesDr. Ken Morrisay
Ghosts of Mississippi1996Morris Dees
Murder, She Wrote1993-1995TV SeriesCharlie Garrett
The Larry Sanders Show1994TV SeriesWayne Rogers
The Goodbye Bird1993Ray Whitney
Miracle Landing1990TV MovieBob Schornstheimer
Passion and Paradise1989TV MovieRaymond Schindler
High Risk1988TV SeriesHost
Bluegrass1988TV MovieLowell Shipleigh
Drop-Out Mother1988TV MovieJack Cromwell
The Killing Time1987Jake Winslow
American Harvest1987TV MovieWalter Duncan
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color1986TV SeriesGeorge Thrash
One Terrific Guy1986TV MovieMr. Brennan
The Gig1985Marty Flynn
I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later1985TV MovieTony Nelson
The Lady from Yesterday1985TV MovieCraig Weston
He's Fired, She's Hired1984TV MovieAlex Grier
Chiefs1983TV Mini-SeriesWill Henry Lee
House Calls1979-1982TV SeriesDr. Charley Michaels
The Hot Touch1981Danny Fairchild
Top of the Hill1980TV MovieMichael Stone
Once in Paris...1978Michael Moore
Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery1978TV MovieVic Tannehill
It Happened One Christmas1977TV MovieGeorge Hatch
Having Babies II1977TV MovieLou Plotkin
The November Plan1977TV MovieJake Axminster
City of Angels1976TV SeriesJake Axminster
M*A*S*H1972-1975TV SeriesCapt. 'Trapper John' McIntyre / Man on P.A. in Kimpo
Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan1975TV MovieDan Foster
Barnaby Jones1973TV SeriesGil Atkens
Pocket Money1972Stretch Russell
Doomsday Machine1972Press man
The F.B.I.1966-1971TV SeriesJim Wade / Bryan Carlson / Ronnie Brimlow / ...
Cannon1971TV SeriesSteve
Men at Law1971TV SeriesDA Tom Yorba
WUSA1970Minter
Lancer1968TV SeriesJed Lewis
The Big Valley1968TV SeriesDon Jarvis
Cool Hand Luke1967Gambler
The Invaders1967TV SeriesPolice Lt. John Mattson
Shane1966TV SeriesJim Greevey
Chamber of Horrors1966Police Sgt. Jim Albertson
12 O'Clock High1966TV SeriesLieutenant Fredricks
Combat!1966TV SeriesReiser
The Fugitive1966TV SeriesSgt. Fred Bragin
The Long, Hot Summer1965-1966TV SeriesCurley Beeman
Honey West1965TV SeriesJerry, the Photographer
My Brother the Angel1965TV Series
Gunsmoke1959-1965TV SeriesStretch Morgan / Brack / Tom
The Glory Guys1965Lt. Mike Moran
Death Valley Days1965TV SeriesLt. Richard H. Pratt
Gomer Pyle: USMC1964TV SeriesCaptain
Dr. Sex1964Raincoat Man (uncredited)
Arrest and Trial1963TV SeriesHarold Waggner
The Great Adventure1963TV SeriesTombs
Have Gun - Will Travel1963TV SeriesDaniel Powers
Alfred Hitchcock Presents1962TV SeriesKenneth
The Dick Powell Theatre1962TV SeriesJohn Bowers
Stagecoach West1960-1961TV SeriesLuke Perry
Johnny Ringo1960TV SeriesCharlie Hanford
Law of the Plainsman1959-1960TV SeriesDeputy Billy Lordan / Frank Anderson
The Millionaire1960TV SeriesAllan Merrick
Wanted: Dead or Alive1960TV SeriesAsh Langford
Zane Grey Theater1959TV SeriesFrank Sanders
Odds Against Tomorrow1959Soldier in Bar
Search for Tomorrow1951TV SeriesSlim Davis (1959)

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
M*A*S*HTV Series 2 episodes, 1974 performer - 6 episodes, 1972 - 1975
Stagecoach West1960TV Series performer - 1 episode

Producer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Nobody Knows Anything!2003producer
Money Play$1998TV Movie executive producer / producer
The Charlie Rose Special1997TV Movie executive producer
Night of the Twisters1996TV Movie executive producer - as Wayne M. Rogers
Perfect Witness1989TV Movie executive producer
The Astro-Zombies1968executive producer
Dr. Sex1964producer - as Juan Rogero

Writer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
House Calls1981-1982TV Series written by - 2 episodes
The Astro-Zombies1968screenplay
Dr. Sex1964as Juan Rogero

Director

TitleYearStatusCharacter
House Calls1981-1982TV Series 3 episodes

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
M*A*S*H1978TV Series special thanks - 1 episode

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Cashin' In2012-2015TV SeriesHimself - Panelist
The Willis Report2015TV SeriesHimself - Chairman, Wayne Rogers & Company
Cavuto on Business2012-2014TV SeriesHimself / Himself (segment "Biz Blitz") / Himself (segment " Biz Blitz") / ...
Justice w/Judge Jeanine2013TV SeriesHimself - CEO, Wayne Rogers & Co.
The View2011TV SeriesHimself - Guest
The 7th Annual TV Land Awards2009TV SpecialHimself
The O'Reilly Factor2005-2008TV SeriesHimself
Entertainment Tonight2007TV SeriesHimself
TV Land Confidential2005-2007TV Series documentaryHimself / Himself - Interviewee
Your World w/ Neil Cavuto2007TV SeriesHimself
CBS at 752003TV Special documentaryHimself
Biography1997-2003TV Series documentaryHimself
'M*A*S*H': 30th Anniversary Reunion2002TV Movie documentaryHimself / Trapper John McIntyre
M*A*S*H: TV Tales2002TV Special documentaryHimself
E! True Hollywood Story2000TV Series documentaryHimself
TV Guide's Truth Behind the Sitcom Scandals 32000TV Movie documentaryHimself
Hollywood Squares1999TV SeriesHimself
The 10th TV Academy Hall of Fame1994TV Movie documentaryHimself
Memories of M*A*S*H1991TV Movie documentaryHimself / Trapper John McIntyre
A Conversation with Dinah1989TV SeriesHimself (1989)
We the People 200: The Constitutional Gala1987TV MovieHimself - Performer
Fame, Fortune and Romance1986TV SeriesHimself
AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Billy Wilder1986TV Special documentaryHimself
Famous Lives1983TV MovieHimself - Host
The 40th Annual Golden Globe Awards1983TV SpecialHimself - Presenter: Best Motion Picture Drama
Making 'M*A*S*H'1981TV Movie documentaryHimself
Circus of the Stars #51980TV Special documentary
The John Davidson Show1980TV SeriesHimself
The Merv Griffin Show1976-1980TV SeriesHimself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1978-1980TV SeriesHimself
The Mike Douglas Show1974-1980TV SeriesHimself - Actor / Himself - Co-Host
The Hollywood Squares1974-1978TV SeriesHimself - Panelist
Dinah!1974-1977TV SeriesHimself
Mitzi... Zings Into Spring1977TV SpecialHimself
Circus of the Stars1977TV Special documentaryHimself - Performer
Gala de l'union1976TV SeriesHimself
The Sonny and Cher Show1976TV SeriesHimself / Various Characters
The Peter Marshall Variety Show1976TV SeriesHimself
Cher1975TV SeriesHimself
Celebrity Bowling1975TV SeriesHimself
The Carol Burnett Show1975TV SeriesHimself
The 1st Annual People's Choice Awards1975TV SpecialHimself - Performer
Password All-Stars1973TV SeriesHimself - Celebrity Contestant
KWHY-TV 22 Business News: Executive Summary1964TV SeriesHimself
Here's Hollywood1961TV SeriesHimself

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The 68th Primetime Emmy Awards2016TV SpecialHimself - In Memoriam
22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards2016TV SpecialHimself - In Memoriam
Cashin' In2016TV SeriesHimself - Panelist
The Carol Burnett Show: A Reunion1993TV Movie documentaryHimself
M*A*S*H1978TV SeriesCapt. 'Trapper John' McIntyre

Awards

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2005Star on the Walk of FameWalk of FameTelevisionAwarded on December 13, 2005 at 7018 Hollywood Blvd.

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2003TV Land AwardTV Land AwardsClassic TV Doctor of the YearM*A*S*H (1972)
1981Golden GlobeGolden Globes, USABest Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or MusicalHouse Calls (1979)

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia
Author

Benjy is currently a reporter for BiographyPedia based in Adelaide, Australia. Prior to joining BiographyPedia in July 2019, he was a Bizarre TV reporter and theatre critic at TheSun. Benjy has also written for DailyMail and TMZ. Benjy studied journalism at Goldsmiths University of London, graduating in 2009. You can contact him at [email protected].

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