Jamie Farr Biography

Fast Facts

• Joined the Army in 1955, first in the Signal Corps making training films and later overseas in Japan working with Armed Forces Radio
• He was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1985 for his work in television
• Received an honorary Doctorate in Performing Arts from the University of Toledo
• Got started at the Pasadena Playhouse and later had a small role in "Mister Roberts" at the Las Palmas Theater where he met Craig Stevens, who would be the catalyst for his role in "The Red Skelton Show․"
• Was a performer from an early age, often singing and dancing for family and friends and attending up to three movies per day
• Best known for his role as the cross-dressing Corporal Maxwell Q․ Klinger in "M*A*S*H․"
• Was working on "The Red Skelton Hour" when he was drafted into the Army, for which Red Skelton gave him a St․ Christopher's medal with an inscription that read "God Bless You, Jameel․ Your friend, Red Skelton․"
• On his second day on "M*A*S*H," before anyone knew his role, he was wearing a tight black dress; when they'd finished filming, there was no one in wardrobe to help him out of the dress, so he enlisted help from a very surprised maintenance worker