Maxwell Q Klinger: His evolution during M*AS*H

Corporal Klinger's beginning stages

Maxwell Q. Klinger is a most unusual character from the M*A*S*H television series which ran from September 17, 1972, to February 28, 1983. Jamie Farr portrayed this comical, cross-dressing enlisted man who was always trying to get sent home from the Korean War.

Corporal Klinger initially served as an orderly/corpsman for the 4077th M*A*S*H unit and Farr's character had a special distinction among his castmates. Klinger was the first main character in the hit television series who did not appear in either the 1970 film MASH or Richard Hooker's original novel on which the movie was based.

Klinger becomes one of the regulars

Klinger was introduced as a bit character in Chief Surgeon Who? which was the fourth episode of season one. The audience, as well as the producers, loved Farr's performance so much that his wacky character was brought back and placed on recurring status. At the beginning of Season 4, Farr became a regular cast member and was included in the opening credits.

At first, Klinger was known for his unique and numerous attempts to obtain a psychiatric discharge from the Army, which was known as a Section Eight. This became a running joke as in each episode Klinger would come up with various stunts and or be wearing women's clothing in attempts to prove that he was crazy.

There was a time when being gay was indeed considered a mental illness. I recall when I was a child that a man in my neighborhood said he got out of active duty by trying to kiss other men in his unit. Although Klinger got a lot of laughs and was seen as harmless when M*A*S*H was on the air, his antics are viewed through a different lens today. On social media, some say that Jamie Farr's character was offensive and that such a portrayal would not be allowed today.

Klinger flips the script

Klinger initially would be seen in earrings, high heel shoes, and carrying handbags. He had a vast wardrobe of interesting dresses and other clothing items. Viewers often wondered where he found so many unique outfits in the middle of the war. In reality, Farr says his wardrobe came from used clothing that actresses had worn in movies.

Once he replaced Radar in season eight as company clerk Klinger gave up his attempts, to be discharged and in the Season 10 episode Promotion Commotion he is promoted to a sergeant. At this time Klinger becomes more like a regular soldier and seems far removed from how he presented himself in the early days of M*A*S*H.

Jamie Farr facts

Jameel Joseph Farah was born on July 1, 1934, and is a Lebanese-American from Toledo, Ohio. His parents were Samuel N Farah who was a grocer and Jamelia Farar who was a seamstress. The family attended Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Toledo.

In 1955 Farr's first role came in The Blackboard Jungle where he was credited as Jameel Farah. He was drafted into the army and served two years in Japan on the radio and also Korean television. Only two other cast members of M*A*S*H served in the War and they were Mike Ferrel who played BJ Honeycut and Alan Alda (Hawkeye Pierce).

Once he was a civilian again Farr had a hard time finding work. His father had died and he needed to support his mother. Comedian Red Skelton came to his rescue by hiring Farr as a writer and giving him hundreds of dollars for his mother. He later became a regular on The Red Skelton Show. After a number of bit parts the actor was cast as Thadeus in the epic film The Greatest Story Ever Told. He later appeared in With Six You Get Eggroll and Who's Minding the Mint?

Additional credits

Farr had guest spots on television series like My Three Sons, The Danny Kaey Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and Hazel. While working on M*A*S*H he was in the films Cannon Ball Run, Cannon Ball Run II, and Speed Zone.

In 1985 he was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame. and on Memorial Day 2007, Farr hosted the Hallmark Channel's multiple-episode presentation of M*A*S*H. This was a collection of episodes wher==e Farr was showcased and during the commercial breaks, the actor provided commentary.

Farr has been married to Joy Ann Richards since 1963 and they have two children and one grandchild. In 2003, the actor/comedian and his spouse wrote a children's story called "Hababy's Christmas Eve", which is a retelling of the First Christmas from the point of view of the animals who were in attendance.