M*A*S*H ‘Stache

His made people laugh. Mine fights cancer.
The character of BJ Hunnicutt did not originally have a mustache. He once was this clean-cut war virgin.


His made people laugh. Mine fights cancer.

The character of BJ Hunnicutt did not originally have a mustache. He was this clean-cut, well put together war virgin thrown into the muck.

Perhaps his eventual acquisition of facial hair was a way to show his hardening and maturity. Of course the character–like all on M*A*S*H–eventually became little more than a parody of his former self.

Still, that ‘stache grew to be a trademark of BJ Hunnicutt. So much so that the character was very defensive about it, as if it had been there all along.

Hawkeye: [B.J. is dressed as Santa Claus] Listen, fella, I’ve actually seen Santa Claus. I sat on his lap once. And I’m here to tell you, you ain’t him.
BJ: How can you tell, Virginia?
Hawkeye: Well in the first place, is that a brown mustache or are you eating a mouse?
BJ: Listen, I don’t cover up this mustache for nobody, fella. Buzz off.
Hawkeye: Gee. whatever happened to ‘ho ho ho’?

It was part of a teary-eyed goodbye in the final episode too:

Hawkeye: Look, I know how tough it is for you to say goodbye, so I’ll say it. Maybe you’re right, maybe we will see each other again, but just in case we don’t, I want you to know how much you’ve meant to me. I’ll never be able to shake you; whenever I see a pair of big feet or a cheesy mustache, I’ll think of you.
B.J.: Whenever I smell month-old socks, I’ll think of you.
Hawkeye: Or the next time somebody nails my shoe to the floor…
B.J.: …or when somebody gives me a martini that tastes like lighter fluid.
Hawkeye: I’ll miss you.
B.J.: I’ll miss you. A lot. I can’t imagine what this place would’ve been like if I hadn’t found you here.

My mustache does something Hunnicutt’s did not. My mustache fights cancer. Make a donation today to Mustaches vs. Cancer.

See Also:
My Mustache Fights Cancer!


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