Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce

Alan Alda as "Hawkeye" on the M*A*S*H TV

series.

M*A*S*H character

Vital information

RankCaptain (O-3), U.S. Army

Reserve

Job/Role in unit:Chief Surgeon at the 4077th

M*A*S*H

Home Same as birthplace

Hair Color:

Black, greying (in TV

series), Blonde, in 1970

MASH film

Eye Color:Blue in TV series, Green in

MASH film

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 180 lbs.

Family/Personal Information

Born: 1919 (?)

Birthplace:Crabapple Cove, Maine,

U.S.

Nationality/Race:

Spouse:

None, confirmed bachelor,

depicted as somewhat of a

womanizer in MASH film

and early on in TV series

Relatives/Children:

Dr. Benjamin Franklin

Pierce, Sr. (father)

Unnamed Mother, died

when he was 10 years old

Appearances

First appeared in: "Pilot (TV series episode)"

Last appeared in:"Goodbye, Farewell and

Amen"

Series/Film

appeared in:

M*A*S*H (TV series)/MASH

(film)

Played by:Donald Sutherland, film.

Alan Alda, television series

Captain Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce is the lead fictional character in the M*A*S*H novels, film, and television

series. The character was played by Donald Sutherland in the film and Alan Alda on television.

About Captain Pierce

Born and raised in Crabapple Cove, Maine, Hawkeye is (according to the TV series) the son of Dr. Daniel Pierce.

According to the novels, his father is “Big Benjy” Pierce, a lobster fisherman. He attended Androscoggin College, where he

played football and intercepted a Hail Mary pass thrown by Dartmouth quarterback John McIntyre. After his medical

residency in Boston, Hawkeye is drafted into the U. S. Army and called to serve at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical

Hospital (MASH) during the Korean War. Between long, intense sessions of treating critically wounded patients, he makes

the best of his life in an isolated Army camp with heavy drinking, carousing, and pulling pranks on the people around him,

especially the unpleasantly stiff and callous Major Frank Burns and Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan.

Origin of the nickname “Hawkeye”

The novel established that Pierce’s nickname of “Hawkeye” was given to him by his father. It comes from the novel The

Last of the Mohicans, which Pierce, in Hooker's book, claimed was "The only book my old man ever read." [1]

In an episode of the TV series in which Hawkeye believed himself to be in mortal danger due to heavy enemy shelling, he

made out a will and left Colonel Sherman T. Potter (whom Hawkeye stated was like a father) the edition of The Last of the

Mohicans that his father had given him. “It was his favorite book,” Hawkeye wrote in the will, implying that he had read

more books.

Changes in the character

Although the Robert Altman film followed Hooker’s book somewhat in structure, much of the dialogue was improvised and

thus departed even from Ring Lardner, Jr.’s screenplay. The screenplay itself departed from the book in a number of

details (e.g. Frank Burns became a major instead of a captain, and was identified with Major Hobson, the zealously

religious officer that Pierce and bunk mate Trapper John McIntyre got removed from their tent and, subsequently, the

camp), but on the whole, the main characters and mood were left intact.

Perhaps the biggest change in Hawkeye’s characterization from the book, to the big screen and finally to the small screen

comes in his marital status. The Hawkeye of the book is married to Evelyn Pierce with children (according to the sequels)

and faithful while in Korea (as far as the reader is concerned). He offers several doctors love advice, "Jeeter" Carroll for

example, extolling the virtues of extramarital sex but never partaking himself. The film version of Hawkeye is still married,

but gives himself more moral leeway, arguing that he is far from home, no one is ever going to know, and it will reduce

stress for both involved.

Finally, the film’s Hawkeye was transformed into the womanizing and single Hawkeye of the TV series. In the pilot,

however, Hawkeye told Lieutenant Dish that he was engaged and in a later first-season episode he broke up with several

women, when he believed the war had ended, by telling him that he was married, although it was revealed at the end of

the episode that he was lying. A later episode shows in fact Hawkeye had a one year common law relationship with a

nurse after graduating from medical college which he revealed to BJ after the woman in question is assigned to MASH

4077 as a replacement nurse.

Richard Hooker, who wrote the book on which the show (and the film version) was based, noted that Hawkeye was far

more liberal in the TV show (in one of the sequel books, Hawkeye facetiously makes reference to "kicking the bejesus out

of lefties just to stay in shape").

Hawkeye in the television series

The television version of Hawkeye proved to be a somewhat different character: While his professional and social life was

much the same, he also gradually evolved into a man of conscience trying to maintain some humanity and decency in the

insane world into which he has been thrust. This was to a large extent due to actor Alan Alda’s influence, as he infused the

character with some of his political ideals and morals. Some fans regretted the change in Hawkeye, feeling that he

eventually became too self-righteous and sanctimonious for his own good and the good of the show, and profess that

Hawkeye worked better as a sardonic goofball.

Developed for television by Larry Gelbart, the series departed in some respects radically from the film and book. The

character of Duke Forrest was dropped altogether(primarily because the actor Tom Skerritt turned down the role), and Hawkeye became the center of the MASH unit’s

medical activity as well as the dramatic center of the series itself. In the book and the film, the Chief Surgeon had been “Trapper” John McIntyre; in the series, Pierce had

that honor. In the book and the film, Hawkeye had played football in college (Androscoggin College, based on Hornberger’s alma mater Bowdoin College); in the series,

Alda’s Hawkeye was hardly the football-champ type and even seemed proud of it and reveled in it, while his cohort Wayne Rogers’ Trapper looked sturdy enough to have

played football. He seemed to resemble Groucho Marx, with his quick wit and “madcap” antics, sometimes even affecting a Groucho-like schtick.

Contents

Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce

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Categories: People in M*A*S*H 1970 M*A*S*H* film characters M*A*S*H television series characters Add category

As noted above, Hawkeye had been married in the book and the film. Near the beginning of the series, he claimed to be married, though this was a ploy on his part to get out

of marrying a nurse he had been involved with. Presumably this alteration rendered his romantic dalliances (chiefly with nurses) more morally acceptable in the eyes of

Gelbart and the other series officials. (In general, Gelbart tried to make the series less deliberately offensive and more “politically correct” than the film while nevertheless

retaining some of its anarchic spirit.) Also, in early episodes, Hawkeye tells his father (Daniel) in a letter to say hello to his mother and sister, but in later episodes, he is an

only child and his mother died when he was young. There is also a reference in the episode “Dear Dad,” where he wrote a letter to his father, that their home is in Vermont

and also in the Season 1 episode “Ceasefire,” but all other references, including in the book and film, are to Hawkeye being from Maine. Most episodes refer to the senior

Pierce as a physician, but in at least one episode, BJ addresses him over the telephone as “Mr. Pierce.” {Pierce Service number was 19905607} In one episode Hawkeye

nearly drowned when he was very young; he also suffers from claustrophobia both of which were childhood traumatic experiences for him. He also has fears of snakes. A

running gag in the series is that Hawkeye is very disrespectful of the US military and everything it stands for-the only time Hawkeye follows US Army regulations is 1/17

when after a close friend of his dies on the operating table, Hawkeye reports an underage soldier to Major Houlihan and the MPs so the boy can be sent back to the United

States. {Ironically the part was played by Ron Howard who was actually 18 years old!}{Sometimes You here the bullet} ; another time Hawkeye refuses to fudge Colonel

Potter's high blood pressure readings -stating that for once he agrees with army regulations! Five times in the series his character is nearly killed off-once when he had to

operate on a wounded soldier who had a unexploded grenade in his body; once when a wounded POW has a live hand grenade in the operating room; once when he is in a

jeep accident and suffers a serious head injury and once when he takes a cat from a shell shocked solider the patient nearly breaks Hawkeye's neck; another time a

hysterical anti communist patient nearly stabs Hawkeye with a cane. He was also temporarily blinded trying to fix the nurses' stove and it exploded in his face. In one very

early episode Hawkeye claims this is his second war-implying that he had been in World War II as well-although it is never shown if he was stateside or sent oversees.

Although a running gag is that Hawkeye has a fellow prankster in either Trapper John or BJ this does not always turn out-once the emotionally pressure of being separated

from their loved ones got to be too much and both Trapper John and BJ tried to desert back to the USA-after hitting Hawkeye in the face! In fact after Hawkeye was once

misreported as dead he tries to desert but only changes his mind at the last second because wounded are coming in! {{The_Late_Captain_Pierce}

Also in a bit of turn about is fair play, Hawkeye was twice placed in command of the 4077th, the first of which he learned how truly difficult the burden of command was for Lt.

Col. Blake, Col. Potter and even Maj. Burns to which Maj. Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan replied "if only Frank Burns could see you now." The third time Col. Potter left

however command was given to Maj. Winchester.

The series is correct in having him be a Captain. Once the degree of MD or DO is conferred on a member of the military they are given the rank of Captain in both the US

Air Force and US Army. The rank of Captain is achieved after 7 years of active duty service or a field promotion for officers on the line side (fighting). The rank of Major is

attained for members of the AMEDD after serving as a Captain for 6 years.

After the war

At the end of the television series, Hawkeye was the second-to-last to leave the dismantled camp with the announced goal of returning to his hometown of Crabapple Cove,

Maine, to be a local doctor who has the time to get to know his patients instead of the endless flow of casualties he faced in his term of service.

In Hooker’s two sequels to M*A*S*H: A Novel About Three Army Doctors, M*A*S*H Goes to Maine and M*A*S*H Mania, Hawkeye returns to live in Crabapple Cove, near to

the town of Spruce Harbour, Maine. Having left the Army, Hawkeye is established to be working for the Veterans Administration. In May 1954 he is laid off. At this point,

Hawkeye doesn’t have much money in the bank, is 31 years old, and has three children: Billy, Stephen and Karen.

The day he’s released, Trapper John comes to visit and sets Hawkeye’s future in motion. Trapper John, a Lieutenant in the medical organization of Maxie Neville in New

York City arranges for further thoracic training for Hawkeye, first in the East Orange VA Hospital in New Jersey, then at St Lombard’s in Manhattan from July 1954. After two

years Hawkeye breezes through the Thoracic Boards. At the end of his training in June 1956, two Spruce Harbour locals, Jocko Allcock (the man who was responsible for

Hawkeye being fired by the VA) and “Wooden Leg” Willcox (the local fish magnate) come to visit Hawkeye to set him up in practice—by betting favorably on the outcome of

his operations.

The first operation with Trapper John’s assistance (upon Pasquale Merlino) is a success, and thanks to his superior training Hawkeye becomes the local surgeon. As time

goes by, Hawkeye is given more patients by the local general practitioner of note, “Doggy” Moore; goes into private practice with ex-Spitfire pilot Tony Holcombe and plots

the eventual reuniting of the Swamp Gang. By 1959 Hawkeye has lured Duke Forrest, Trapper John and Spearchucker Jones into his net, and thanks to the proceeds of the

“Allcock-Willcox” syndicate, a new “Finestkind Fishmarket and Clinic” is set up along with the new Spruce Harbor General Hospital.

In the twenty-year period described in Hooker’s two sequel novels, Hawkeye becomes notably more conservative politically (he supported Republican “Crazy Horse”

Weinstein for governor of Maine and railed against people with “Recall Ford” bumper stickers), but remains as playful and humorous as ever. His golf game improves to an

eight handicap depending on the time of year. He donates heavily to various causes, such as to needy children, to the re-education of a local clamdigger, and spends an

inordinate amount of time caring for his patients.

Personnel of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital

Commissioned Officers

Lt. Col. Henry Blake | Major Frank Burns | Augustus Bedford "Duke" Forrest | Major Sidney Freedman | B.J. Hunnicutt | Oliver

"Spearchucker" Jones | Captain "Trapper John" McIntyre | Father Francis Mulcahy | Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce |

Colonel Sherman T. Potter | Walter "Painless Pole" Waldowski | Charles Emerson Winchester III | Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan |

Nurse Margie Cutler | Nurse Ginger Bayliss | Nurse Kellye Yamoto | Nurse Peggy Bigelow | Lieutenant Maria "Dish" Schneider

Enlisted

Sgt. Maxwell Q. Klinger | Corporal "Radar" O’Reilly | Sergeant Zelmo Zale | Pvt. Igor Straminsky | Sergeant Luther Rizzo | Sergeant

Major Vollmer | Corporal Judson | Private Lorenzo Boone

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