On the first page of actor and activist Mike Farrell's website, he quotes

Irish poet John O'Donahue: "The duty of privilege is absolute integrity."

It's only fitting then that, before we

begin the interview, Farrell wants to

make sure there are no illusions: 

"I've never lived in Mill Valley," he

says, "BJ did."

"BJ" -- as any fan of the 70's and

80's TV series M*A*S*H will tell you

-- was Captain BJ Hunnicutt,

Hawkeye Pierce's (Alan Alda) best

friend, roommate, and fellow surgeon

at the 4077 unit stationed in Korea. 

Forever longing to return home, the

character often referred to his wife

Peg, his lovely daughter, and a

simple life back home in sleepy Mill

Valley, California.   

On February 28, 1983, 106 million

Americans watched BJ's dream

come true as he rode off on a

motorcycle during the series' final

episode (still the most watched TV

episode in U.S. television history.)  

While Farrell doesn't live in Mill

Valley,  Marinites may still run

across him if there's an execution

scheduled that day at San Quentin. 

Farrell drives up from Los Angeles to

attend them all -- in strong protest.  

He says, "I believe that no one should be executed, guilty or innocent. There

are appropriate sanctions that protect society and punish wrongdoers without

forcing us to stoop to the level of the least among us at his or her worst

moment." 

Recently, Farrell attended the international media circus surrounding the

execution of Tookie Williams and the far less covered execution of Clarence

Ray Allen.

JASON: When was the first time you heard of Mill Valley?  Was it when you

read it in the M*A*S*H script or before that? 

FARRELL: I've lived in California for most of my life and have traveled up

and down the state many times, so I've known of Mill Valley for years. 

JASON:  Do you know why the show's writers chose Mill Valley?

FARRELL: You know, they never said anything about why that choice, so I

guess you'd have to ask Larry Gelbart or Gene Reynolds.  My own guess

would be that since they wanted BJ to be a kind of laid-back family-type guy,

they picked a place that spoke to those values.  And, of course, Hawkeye

was from the east coast, so BJ provided an alternative.

JASON: Since you're not from Mill Valley did you substitute another city for

Mill Valley in your mind when saying your lines?

FARRELL: No, I think of MIll Valley, of Muir Woods, of Mount Tamalpais,

and feel that's the perfect place for BJ to live.  

JASON: When playing the part and in the years since, have you been

approached by people from Marin who feel they have a special connection

with you because your character was from here?

FARRELL: Periodically.  Many seem to believe I do -- or did -- live there. 

JASON: Are they disappointed?

FARRELL: If they were disappointed they were graceful enough to not say

so.  So I assume all people from Mill Valley are gentle and gracious, right?

JASON: Do you know Mill Valley well enough to have a favorite spot?

FARRELL: I ate in a lovely restaurant there one night but, sadly, I was on my

way to protest an execution at San Quentin, so I don't have a memory of the

name.  Other than that, Muir Woods would have to be my favorite.  

Another Marin-related Tid-Bit:  Two years after M*A*S*H concluded, Mike

Farrell met doctor Patch Adams on a trip to the then-Soviet Union and later

produced the biopic Patch Adams, which starred Marin's Robin Williams."

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