After leaving "M*A*S*H" (1972), he turned down the lead role in the TV series "Trapper John, M.D." (1979) because he did not want to be typecast as a doctor on television. Ironically, he accepted a part shortly thereafter for another TV show, "House Calls" (1979), in which he played a doctor.
Attended Ramsay High School in Birmingham, Alabama and is a graduate of the Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee.
Chairman and president of Wayne Rogers & Co.
Chairman of the Board and co-owner (with Ronnie Rothstein) of Kleinfeld Wedding Emporium.
Described "M*A*S*H" (1972) co-star McLean Stevenson as being "one of the funniest men I had ever met", fondly recalling in an interview a day on the set where Stevenson had been goofing around with a fly swatter.
Graduated from Princeton University with a history degree in 1954, where he was a member of the Princeton Triangle Club and served in the U.S. Navy before becoming a actor.
He has homes in Los Angeles, California; Destin, Florida; and Deer Valley, Utah.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 7018 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. [12/13/05]
In addition to the disputes about contracts, he says he also left "M*A*S*H" (1972) because he felt the writers were not giving Trapper John any character development.
Was the second actor to play the "M*A*S*H" character Trapper John McIntyre. The first one being Elliott Gould in the film MASH (1970) and the third one being Pernell Roberts on the TV series "Trapper John, M.D." (1979).
When he left "M*A*S*H" (1972), he was sued for breach of contract, but the case was thrown out because he had no contract. Producers wanted him to sign a morality clause, in which he could be suspended or fired at any time, and he refused because he wanted the same privilege regarding the producers.