Richard Hooker (author) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Hooker
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Hooker at the original "Swamp" tent at the 8055th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in South Korea during the Korean War.
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| Born |
Hiester Richard Hornberger Jr.
February 1, 1924 Trenton, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Died | November 4, 1997 (aged 73) Waterville, Maine, U.S.
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| Resting place | Hillside Cemetery, Bremen, Maine |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Richard Hooker |
| Education | Peddie School |
| Alma mater | Bowdoin College Cornell Medical School |
| Occupation | Author Surgeon |
| Known for | M*A*S*H |
| Spouse(s) | Priscilla Storer |
| Children | 5 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 United States Army |
| Unit | 8055th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital |
| Battles/wars | Korean War |
Hiester Richard Hornberger Jr. (born February 1, 1924 – died November 4, 1997) was an American writer and surgeon. He wrote his books using the pen name Richard Hooker.
Hornberger is most famous for his novel M*A*S*H (1968). This book was based on his own experiences as a surgeon in the United States Army during the Korean War (1950–1953). He wrote it with help from W. C. Heinz. The book later became a very popular movie, M*A*S*H (1970), and a long-running TV show, M*A*S*H (1972–1983).
Contents
Early Life and School
Richard Hornberger was born in Trenton, New Jersey. He went to the Peddie School in Hightstown. He then studied at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. While there, he was an active member of the Beta Theta Pi club. After college, he went to Cornell Medical School in New York City to become a doctor.
Military Service in Korea
After finishing medical school, Hornberger was called to serve in the Korean War. He was sent to the 8055th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (M.A.S.H.) unit.
Life in a M.A.S.H. Unit
M.A.S.H. units were not right on the front lines, but they were very close to the fighting. Doctors and nurses lived and worked in tents. It could be very hot in summer and extremely cold in winter. The operating room was often made of stretchers placed on simple sawhorse stands.
Many of the M.A.S.H. doctors were young, some without much advanced surgery training. During battles, these units sometimes treated as many as 1,000 injured people in a single day. One of Hornberger's friends remembered that there would be quiet times for a week or so. Then, suddenly, a big battle would happen, and they would be overwhelmed with many injured soldiers.
When things were calm, the doctors and nurses would read or even have small dances. Hornberger later said that some people found the stress very difficult. But most of them "raised hell" in different ways to cope. A colleague described Hornberger as a "very good surgeon" with a "tremendous sense of humor." He even named his tent "The Swamp," which was later used in his famous book.
Becoming a Writer
After the war, Hornberger worked for the U.S. Veterans Administration. He became a certified surgeon and started his own medical practice in Waterville, Maine. Later, he settled his practice in Bremen, Maine.
Writing the M*A*S*H Book
Hornberger's time at the 8055th M.A.S.H. unit became the inspiration for his novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors. He worked on the book for eleven years, starting in 1956. In the 1960s, he visited an old M.A.S.H. friend and his wife, who was a nurse from the unit. They shared many stories and memories, which gave Hornberger new energy to finish his book.
Many publishers first rejected M*A*S*H. But he worked with the famous sportswriter W. C. Heinz to make it better. A year later, the book was accepted by William Morrow and Company. It was published under Hornberger's pen name, Richard Hooker, and became very successful.
M*A*S*H on Screen
The M*A*S*H book was made into a movie in 1970, directed by Robert Altman. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards and won for Best Adapted Screenplay. It is said that Hornberger was very upset because he sold the movie rights for only a small amount of money.
A TV series based on the book started in 1972. It ran for eleven seasons and was very popular. Hornberger reportedly did not like how Alan Alda played the character Hawkeye in the TV show. He preferred Donald Sutherland's portrayal of Hawkeye in the Robert Altman film.
M*A*S*H Sequels
Richard Hooker wrote more M*A*S*H books: M*A*S*H Goes to Maine (1972) and M*A*S*H Mania (1977). These books did not become as famous as the first one. While the first M*A*S*H book was about his time in Korea, the sequels showed what the "Swamp Gang" characters did after the war. They lived in a made-up town in Maine from 1953 to the 1970s.
The later books have a gentle humor and show a fond look at Maine life. The "Swamp Gang" characters usually get their way and become more traditional as they get older. They play golf and sometimes annoy tourists or local important people.
Other books were also written based on the M*A*S*H story. These were credited to "Richard Hooker and William E. Butterworth", but Butterworth wrote them all. These books were quickly written to make money from the TV show's popularity. They sent the characters to places like Moscow, New Orleans, and Paris.
Later Life and Passing
After his book and its screen versions became famous, Hornberger kept working as a surgeon in Waterville. He retired in 1988. In his later years, he also did medical research and published his findings in science journals. He passed away on November 4, 1997, at the age of 73, from leukemia.
Published Works
- MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors (1968)
- M*A*S*H Goes to Maine (June 1971)
- M*A*S*H Goes to New Orleans (with William E Butterworth) (January 1975)
- M*A*S*H Goes to Paris (with William E Butterworth) (January 1975)
- M*A*S*H Goes to London (with William E Butterworth) (June 1975)
- M*A*S*H Goes to Morocco (with William E Butterworth) (January 1976)
- M*A*S*H Goes to Las Vegas (with William E Butterworth) (January 1976)
- M*A*S*H Goes to Hollywood (with William E Butterworth) (April 1976)
- M*A*S*H Goes to Miami (with William E Butterworth) (September 1976)
- M*A*S*H Goes to San Francisco (with William E Butterworth) (November 1976)
- M*A*S*H Goes to Vienna (with William E Butterworth) (June 1976)
- M*A*S*H Goes to Montreal (with William E Butterworth) (1977)
- M*A*S*H Goes to Texas (with William E Butterworth) (February 1977)
- M*A*S*H Goes to Moscow (with William E Butterworth) (September 1977)
- M*A*S*H Mania (1977)
