American actor, producer and activist Mike Farrell is best known for playing Captain B.J. Hunnicutt in the classic T.V. series “M.A.S.H..” He was on the series from 1975 to 1983 and came in at the end of the show’s third season. Throughout his time on the show, Mike had the opportunity to direct four episodes and write five.
Besides acting, activism has been a large part of Farrell’s life as well. He served as the co-chair of the California Human Rights Watch for a decade and has been the president of Death Penalty Focus for over ten years.
In 1983, Mike divorced his first wife, actress Judy Hayden, best known for playing Nurse Able on “M.A.S.H.” They share two children.
In his autobiography, “Just Call Me Mike,” the star recalled how tenuous the split was. “It was awful. Sure as I was that the decision was right, I waffled constantly, fearing that anything that conflicted so much pain on the kids had to be a stupid mistake,” he wrote. He also expressed regret about the way he went about things with his children during the challenging time. “Of course, I did it all wrong. As I reflect back on it now, I realize that there probably isn’t a right way to break that kind of news to a child. If there is, I certainly didn’t find it,” he added.
A year after the split, Mike married “The Donna Reed Show” actress Shelley Fabares, and they are still together after almost 40 years together. While they have no children of their own, they are enjoying life as grandparents. Read on to find out more about Mike’s family life and what he’s shared about the joys of being a granddad.
Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, Mike moved to Los Angeles with his family so his father could work as a carpenter on film sets. After he graduated high school, the star joined the military.
Mike’s experience serving in the military aided him in his iconic role as Captain B.J. Hunnicutt in the series “M.A.S.H.,” and even though it took place during the Korean War, the show made serious political commentary about the Vietnam War as well. “I thought the show was phenomenal. The show got laughs, it entertained people, but it also talked about something very important,” Mike said of the experience.
The other great passion in Farrell’s life is his family – his wife Fabares, daughter Erin and son Mike Jr. However, he revealed in the early days of his second marriage, he experienced some challenges with blending his family together.
“Shelley, bless her, went out of her way to embrace and support them, giving them space and believing that in time they would come to accept it. Judy and Joe also worked hard from their end to help the kids through the transition. Shelley and the kids made it a particularly glorious experience,” Mike wrote, referring to his first wife and her new husband, who married a year after he and Fabares did.
It’s clear Mike thinks highly of his beloved wife. He described Fabares as having “a light inside her that is just magical,” and that he found her “a constant source of rejuvenation.”
The couple is now also grandparents to Erin’s young daughter Addison, and Mike, who turned 84 on Feb. 6, 2023, is always ecstatic about sharing the little joys that come with it.
In February 2021, Mike reunited virtually with his “MASH” co-stars Alan Alda and Loretta Swit for a catch-up on a Clear and Vivid podcast. In the conversation, Mike recounted an endearing moment he shared with his granddaughter when she came over to his and Fabares’ house.
“My daughter and her daughter came over and they stay outside in the yard and swim and Shelley and I will stand in the patio and watch them but we are all waving – we can’t touch. But when Shelley first walked out, she walked up to my granddaughter, Addison, to give her a hug and Addison quickly held up her hand and said, ‘social distancing!’” Mike recalled.
Mike’s daughter Erin lives a relatively normal life and constantly shares tidbits and charts milestones and memorable moments on social media.
On June 14, 2020, she shared an adorable series of photos in honor of Addison’s birthday, highlighting the beautiful baby blue eyes she inherited from her grandfather. The youngster is also a budding athlete in the making, with a post showing shots from a soccer game of Addison looking like quite the pro.
It appears athleticism runs in the family, as photos on Erin’s Instagram include many of her participating in runs and marathons. On Feb. 12, 2023, she was joined by her husband and little Addison for the Redondo Beach Super Bowl Sunday 5k.
Erin even supported her dad by reposting a clip of him and Alda explaining to viewers how to access the Clear and Vivid podcast. The pair were hilarious as they tried to navigate their way on a smartphone into subscribing to the podcast, while an impatient Swit remarked, “If you wait any longer my shoulders are gonna fall off!”
What do you think of Mike Farrell’s life after “M*A*S*H”? Were you a big fan of him and the show? Let us know, and be sure to pass this on to friends and family who’d love to know what the actor has been up to.
