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Mike Farrell (born February 6, 1939) is an American actor, best known for his role as Captain B.J. Hunnicutt on the popular television series M*A*S*H (1975-83). More recently, Farrell starred on the television series Providence (1999-2002).

Farrell was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, one of four children. When he was two years old, his family moved to Hollywood, California, where his father worked as a movie studio carpenter. Farrell attended West Hollywood Grammar School with Natalie Wood, and graduated from Hollywood High School, served in the United States Marine Corps, and worked at various jobs before his acting career. While appearing on M*A*S*H, he also wrote five episodes and directed four episodes of the series. Besides being a writer and a director, he has also been an executive producer and a producer in both television and film.

In 1973 he had a bit part in a Banacek movie and also appeared on Marcus Welby M.D. as a doctor. During the 1960s, he guest-starred in a few series, including an episode of The Monkees as a Federal agent.

Even before he was well-known, Farrell has been an activist for many political and social causes. He has worked with Human Rights Watch, supports long-term efforts to end homelessness and hunger, opposes capital punishment and favors legal abortion-on-demand. He has been president of Death Penalty Focus for more than ten years. He has long been deeply involved in organized labor, particularly as an officer of the Screen Actors' Guild, and has publicly supported actions including the Los Angeles grocery workers' union strike of 2003-2004.

Farrell is counting on the fact that no one remembers another part he played one Friday night, 22 years ago in San Salvador. For 2 ½ hours, Farrell, who played a surgeon on M*A*S*H, assisted Dr. Alejandro Sanchez in a real-life operation to restore movement to the arm of Nidia Diaz, a guerilla leader of the Marxist Central American Worker’s Party. Just two months before, the group had claimed responsibility for the slaying of four U.S. Marines, two American businessmen and nine civilians. Diaz is still barred from entering the U.S. for her role in the murders.

"Apparently, it was the most important role in his life," Sandra "Sand" Brim of Medical Aid for El Salvador told the Associated Press at the time. The U.S.-based Medical Aid, which was founded by Farrell’s long-time friend and radical activist buddy, actor Ed Asner, flew in the Los Angeles doctor because there was no surgeon available with the skills to perform the delicate operation. Because he needed someone to assist him, Sanchez asked Farrell, who at the time was in Central America at the behest of Amnesty International, for help on the way to the hospital.

"I know this is going to look like a publicity stunt, but that’s too bad. It isn’t," Farrell told the Los Angeles Times after the operation.

He married actress Judy Farrell in 1963. They were divorced in 1983. They have two children, Michael and Erin.

On December 31, 1984, he married actress Shelley Fabares.

He was the voice of Jonathan Kent on Superman (1996) series with Shelley Fabares, his wife, playing Martha Kent. He has guest starred in Murder, She Wrote, Justice League, Matlock, Mannix, and many others.

In 2006 Farrell appeared with Jello Biafra and Keith Gordon in the documentary "WHOSE WAR?", examining the U.S. war in Iraq. Also in 2006, Farrell was scheduled to participate in a play about the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp in front of Democratic members of Congress .

Most recently, on March 19, 2007 he addressed a group of citizens in Ashland, Oregon while speaking at the invitation of the Southern Oregon chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. He stated, right from the beginning of this appearance, that "Yes, I am a card-carrying member of the A.C.L.U.," to which statement he received enthusiastic applause. Promoting the release of his newly published book, "Just Call Me Mike: A Journey to Actor and Activist," (2007 RDV Books, New York) he spent time at the end of the meeting greeting citizens & signing copies of his new book.

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External links

• Mike Farrell at IMDb
• Retrovisionmag includes quotes of Mike on Gene Roddenberry and on the human condition.
• Mike Farrell's website
• Mike Farrell's terrorist actions
• Death Penalty Focus
• Audio interview of Mike Farrell by Stephanie Miller about the Guantanamo Bay play on The Stephanie Miller Show

• American actor stubs
• 1939 births
• Living people
• American voice actors
• Bonanza
• M*A*S*H cast members
• United States Marines
• Irish-Americans
• American activists
• People from Saint Paul, Minnesota
• American character actors
• American anti Iraq War activists
• American human rights activists