William Christopher

William Christopher

Active - 1966 - 1994  |   Born - Oct 20, 1932 in Evanston, Illinois, United States  |   Died - Dec 31, 2016   |   Genres - Comedy, War, Drama

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Biography by AllMovie

Soft-spoken, blond supporting actor William Christopher is best remembered for portraying mild-mannered Father Mulcahy on the classic television comedy M*A*S*H (1972-1983), but his career began back in the mid-1960s, with guest spots on shows like The Patty Duke Show and The Andy Griffith Show. In 1983, he reprised the role of Mulcahy in the short-lived sitcom After M*A*S*H (1983-1984). Between 1996 and 1997, he and former M*A*S*H castmate Jamie Farr headlined a touring production of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple. He had a recurring role on Days of Our Lives in 2012, once again playing a priest. Christopher died in 2016, at age 84.

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Factsheet

  • His grandmother wanted him to become a minister like his grandfather, who was the founder of the First Methodist Church of Chicago.
  • Majored in drama in college, while participating in fencing, soccer and the glee club.
  • Made his Broadway debut in the British revue Beyond the Fringe.
  • Ignored the script and decided to ad-lib his lines during his M*A*S*H audition.
  • Headlined a touring production of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple in 1996-97 with former M*A*S*H castmate Jamie Farr.
  • Co-authored the book Mixed Blessings with his wife, Barbara, about raising children with autism; their son Ned is autistic.
  • Served as honorary chairman of the National Autistic Society.
  • Could read classic Homer in the original Greek text.