10 More TV Storylines Actors REFUSED To Do
7. The Unnecessary Appendectomy - M*A*S*H
Sometimes an actor will refuse to perform a storyline when they firmly believe in their bones that it's inconsistent with the character they've been playing for years, as was the case with M*A*S*H star Mike Farrell, who played B.J. Hunnicutt throughout the series.
The season seven episode "Preventative Medicine" revolves around a reckless Lieutenant Colonel whose battalion has sustained more casualties than any other.
Originally, it was scripted for Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and B.J. to conspire to perform an unnecessary appendectomy on the Colonel in order to keep him on the bench and save the lives of his men.
However, Farrell felt that it would've been out of character for B.J. to participate in such a plan that so flagrantly disregarded medical ethics.
Though the show's writers cited a real-life example where just such an incident occurred, Farrell dug his heels in, insisting that he knew B.J. as a character and was sure he'd never agree to such a morally dicey procedure.
And so, the episode was rewritten to have B.J. firmly protest Hawkeye's unnecessary surgery and refuse to help him.
Furthermore, the episode ends with wounded soldiers flooding their tent regardless, to which B.J. tells Hawkeye, "You treated a symptom - the disease goes merrily on."