Mike Farrell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mike Farrell
Farrell in 2016
Born	Michael Joseph Farrell Jr. (1939-02-06) February 6, 1939 (age 86) Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Occupation	Actor director producer screenwriter activist public speaker
Years active	1963–present
Spouse(s)	Judy Hayden ​ ​ (m. 1963; div. 1983)​ Shelley Fabares ​ (m. 1984)​
Children	2
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1957–1959
Rank	Private First Class
Unit	3rd Marine Division

Michael Joseph Farrell Jr. (born February 6, 1939) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Captain B.J. Hunnicutt on the TV show M*A*S*H from 1975 to 1983.

Farrell also helped produce the movie Patch Adams (1998), which starred Robin Williams. He also acted in the TV series Providence from 1999 to 2002.

Besides acting, Mike Farrell is a strong activist and public speaker. He supports many important causes. Since 1994, he has been the President of Death Penalty Focus. This group works to end the death penalty. He has often said how much he cares about this work.

Early life and beginnings

Mike Farrell was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was one of four children in his family. When he was two years old, his family moved to Hollywood, California. His father worked there as a carpenter on movie sets.

Farrell went to West Hollywood Grammar School. He was in the same class as actress Natalie Wood. He later graduated from Hollywood High School. After school, he joined the United States Marine Corps. He served from 1957 to 1959. After leaving the Marines, he worked at different jobs before becoming an actor.

Acting career highlights

Starting out in acting

Mike with Judy Farrell at Knott's Berry Farm in 1966

In the 1960s, Mike Farrell appeared in many TV shows. He played a young forest ranger in an episode of Lassie. He was also in The Monkees and I Dream of Jeannie. He even had a small, uncredited role in the movie The Graduate in 1967.

In 1968, he got a regular role on the soap opera Days of Our Lives. He played Scott Banning. In 1970, he starred as a young doctor in the CBS show The Interns. He also appeared in popular shows like Bonanza and The Six Million Dollar Man.

On the game show Stumpers!, 1976

Becoming famous with M*A*S*H

Mike Farrell's biggest acting role came in 1975. He joined the hit TV show M*A*S*H as Captain B.J. Hunnicutt. He replaced actor Wayne Rogers. He stayed on the show for its last eight years.

While on M*A*S*H, Farrell also showed his talent behind the camera. He wrote five episodes of the show. He also directed four episodes. After M*A*S*H ended, he continued to act. He appeared in shows like Murder, She Wrote and Desperate Housewives. He also voiced Jonathan Kent in Superman: The Animated Series. His wife, Shelley Fabares, voiced Martha Kent in the same show.

Farrell also hosted special shows for National Geographic Presents. He starred in and produced TV movies. In 1985, he started his own production company. He produced movies like Dominick and Eugene (1988) and Patch Adams (1998).

Later TV roles

From 1999 to 2002, Farrell played Dr. Jim Hansen in the NBC show Providence. He played the father of the main character. His character's wife, played by Concetta Tomei, appeared as a ghost.

He also played Milton Lang on Desperate Housewives from 2007 to 2008. More recently, he has appeared in shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Supernatural, and NCIS. In 2018, he played Lee Miglin in American Crime Story.

Activism and helping others

Farrell and Senator Debbie Stabenow in 2002.

Farrell has worked on many activist campaigns.

Mike Farrell has always been active in political and social causes. He was a co-chair for Human Rights Watch in California for ten years. He has been the president of Death Penalty Focus for over a decade. This group works to end the death penalty. He even has a Human Rights Award named after him.

In 2001, he received the Humanitarian Award from PETA. He also narrated a public service message about preventing animal abuse.

In 1985, Farrell traveled to Central America. He helped refugees from the civil war in El Salvador. He was there as an observer for Amnesty International. He even helped a doctor perform surgery on a prisoner who needed medical care. This prisoner later helped sign a peace treaty to end the war.

Farrell has also been active in the Screen Actors Guild. This is a union for actors. He served as the first vice president in Los Angeles for three years. In 2006, he appeared in a documentary called Whose War?. This film looked at the U.S. role in the Iraq War.

Personal life

In 1963, Mike Farrell married actress Judy Hayden. She was a high school teacher at the time. They had two children, Michael and Erin. They divorced in 1983. Interestingly, his character on M*A*S*H, B.J. Hunnicutt, also had a daughter named Erin. Judy Farrell also acted on M*A*S*H as Nurse Able.

Since 1984, Mike Farrell has been married to actress Shelley Fabares.

During the seventh season of M*A*S*H, Mike Farrell grew a Walrus moustache for his character. This type of moustache was very popular at the time. Even though it was against Army rules, he kept it for the show. It helped him get more acting jobs. However, Farrell himself got tired of the moustache. He didn't want to be known only for "B.J.-like roles."

Selected filmography

Film

Television

Accolades

See also

In Spanish: Mike Farrell para niños