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(Redirected from Father John Patrick Francis Mulcahy)

'Father John Patrick Francis Mulcahy' is a principal character from the film ''M
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During the course of the television series, Father Mulcahy's name was changed from John Patrick Francis Mulcahy to Francis John Patrick Mulcahy (as he revealed in the series finale, saying his entire name to Klinger as a suggestion for baby names). Either form of the name is an attempt to reconcile his identification as "Father John P. Mulcahy" in the pilot episode with the name "Francis Mulcahy" established later on.
In the original film (as well as the on which it is based), Mulcahy is familiarly known by the nickname "'Dago Red'".

Contents

Characterization in the film

Characterization in the television series

Family life

Character evolution

A boxing priest

Ministry

''After M ★ A ★ S ★ H''

Trivia

Quotes from the TV series

External links

Characterization in the film

The character Father John Patrick 'Dago Red' Mulcahy in the film is a US Army chaplain assigned to the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War. Despite his position of respect, few of the worldly staff members take him seriously and regard him as a professor of empty religious rhetoric and meaningless morality.
Mulcahy does get one of the film's more memorable lines: When "Hot Lips" is wondering, in a very loud voice, how someone of such presumed low character as Hawkeye ever got into such an important position in the Army, Mulcahy looks up from his devotions with a wounded soldier and remarks, "He was drafted." When Radar places a hidden microphone inside her tent as she and Frank Burns make love, members of the camp listen in, and Mulcahy at first mistakes their conversation (and noises) for an episode of ''The Bickersons''—then leaves abruptly when he realizes otherwise.

Characterization in the television series

In the television series, the character began in the same style, but evolved over the course of the series. For instance, Father Mulcahy initially had a difficult time helping in the operating room without being physically revolted at the blood and gore (he admitted later "I couldn't eat liver for a year," after watching surgery), but eventually proved an able assistant beyond his spiritual duties. In the eighth-season episode ''The Yalu Brick Road'', much of the camp came down with food poisoning after a Thanksgiving dinner. Mulcahy (who'd been away at Sister Theresa's orphanage) threw himself into orderly duties, laundry, and caring for everyone, saying, "I've never felt more useful or needed!"

Family life

Mulcahy came from a rather large family who weren't close, from things he revealed throughout the series. Both his parents drank, and displayed their temper on occasion. About the only thing he and his father had in common was an interest in boxing, and his father took him to fights. Mulcahy had to share a bed with his brothers. When given the chance to send greetings to his family during a filmed interview, Mulcahy simply waved to the camera and said "Hello", adding nothing.
The only family member he spoke fondly of was his sister Catherine (who became a nun; members of the 4077th referred to her as "your sister, the Sister", when Mulcahy got mail from her). She took the name Sister Maria Angelica. Mulcahy has described her as a skilled basketball player and saxophonist, and as being very fond of children (at one point, she even considered giving up being a nun so she could have one of her own, but apparently changed her mind). She once bit his toe as a child. He corresponded with her often, most notably in the episode "Dear Sis".

Character evolution

Outside the surgery, the priest gradually gained the respect of the staff with his emerging courage and wisdom in the most difficult circumstances. This included when he had to perform an emergency tracheotomy (using a pocket knife and an eyedropper) while under enemy fire, and many times he provided critical advice to Hawkeye, and other members of the company. Hawkeye in turn consoled Mulcahy more than once, when his spirits were down, such as when he frustratedly punched a violently resisting patient (who had struck Mulcahy beforehand). Hawkeye told him then that if it weren't for Mulcahy's ongoing decency, "I think we'd all join hands and walk into a chopper (helicopter) blade."
His wisdom was evident when the unit found an abandoned Amerasian infant and Father Mulcahy, fully aware of how such children are mistreated in Korea, recommended she be surrendered to a reclusive monastic order which could work to eventually transfer her out of Korea. The others initially rejected that option, because of the monks' requirements of anonymity and no further contact with the child, but eventually ceded it was the only way when their repeated attempts to solicit assistance from other bodies were bluntly rebuffed.
Though a priest, Mulcahy did sometimes break the letter of the law to fulfill its spirit, such as times he obtained needed supplies for the local orphanage or medicines for the camp, via the black market. "You'd be surprised what a priest can get away with," he once remarked. He was also able to enlist help from Corporal Klinger to retrieve stolen penicillin, and Major Winchester to recover a needed case of sodium pentothal, both times winding up under enemy fire.

A boxing priest

In addition, Mulcahy eventually revealed numerous practical skills like being a champion amateur boxer, as well as numerous connections needed for helping others, including black market contacts. He also took up running as a form of exercise; getting roped into racing against an Army Corps of Engineers champion, Mulcahy persuaded his opponent to throw the race, so the engineers would build a new roof for the orphanage. (He also paused at the finish line, refusing to cross unless the 4077th donated their winnings as well.)
By the later part of the series, Mulcahy came to be held in high esteem in the camp, as evidenced on one Christmas Eve occasion, where Hawkeye and the rest of the camp paid tribute to the chaplain with a Latin devotional hymn in his honor (''Dona nobis pacem'', "give us peace"). However, this respect did not extend beyond the camp, considering Mulcahy's long and frustrating struggle to gain a promotion. This took a personal appeal by Colonel Potter to the Chief of Chaplains at The Pentagon to achieve, after which Mulcahy remarked, "The meek may inherit the Earth, but it's the grumpy that get promoted."

Ministry

While the character was a devout Roman Catholic, Father Mulcahy would cheerfully minister to the needs of people of all faiths (including the Methodist wedding ceremony of Houlihan), though in one episode he said that he was intimidated by the Southern Baptist service. Performing Jewish duties in the series, he performed a bris in the absence of a Rabbi and also recited the Kaddish prayer over a dying Jewish soldier. Knowing many of the local people were Buddhists, he watched their ceremonies with fascination.
The television series did not present Mulcahy as a theological legalist; he did not criticize campmates about their personal moral habits, provided there was no harm to others. Instead, Mulcahy was portrayed as enjoying playing the piano (usually ragtime, although his skills weren't exactly astounding), drinking at the Officers Club, participating in camp raffles and betting pools, and playing the occasional game of poker (although he donated most of his winnings to the local orphanage). He often intervened men when he saw his comrades about to do something drastic, such as when Corporal Klinger planned to use a grenade on Major Burns, or when Hawkeye was about to assault a superior officer for ordering the camp cook to prepare his pheasant dinner first while everyone else has to wait for their own dinner.
In the series finale, ''Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen'', during a mortar attack unselfishly he ran out to the POW cell and released them to the military guard, rather than leave them as "sitting ducks." During the attack, he was close to where one of the mortars landed and the resulting explosion caused him to lose most of his hearing. He begged B.J. Hunnicutt to keep the injury a secret. He elected to stay in Korea after the cease fire, to care for other deaf people.

''After M
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In the short lived spin-off series, ''After M
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Trivia

★ In the episode "Dear Sis", he expresses concern while writing a letter over his sister's (a Catholic nun) transfer to a church named after Saint Cecilia. There is, in fact, a real Saint Cecilia church in Fox Chase, Pennsylvania, only a few blocks away from the Philadelphia city limits, where Father Mulcahy is from.

★ In many episodes, Mulcahy is seen wearing a "Loyola" hoodie. William Christopher is a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago.

★ Father Mulcahy is, as many Catholic priests are, a huge fan of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team.

★ William Christopher was given a scripted speech at his audition, which he ignored, instead giving a rambling talk in a priestly voice. He won the role, on the condition that he would thereafter stick to the script.

★ A running joke in the series is the delay in at least 2 episodes of Mulcahy not being promoted from Lieutenant to Captain.

Quotes from the TV series

"This isn't one of my sermons; I expect you to listen."
"Klinger, how'd you like the last rites...and a few lefts!
"I think the world of Col. Potter. He's a good Christian - yet hardly dull at all."
"Remember what the good book says: Love thy neighbor, or I'll punch your lights out!"
"As I lay me down to sleep a bag of peanuts at my feet, if I die before I wake give them to my brother Jake." (From 'Crisis')
"Jocularity! Jocularity!" (Also used in the classic "Father Mulcahy Sound-Alike Contest.)
"Oh you're a Protestant. That will not be a problem. I'm well versed in all the major denominations--except the Southern Baptists'. They're too frenetic and forceful for me." ("Point of View")
"There's no one singing war song now, like people used to do.

No "Over There," no "Praise the Lord," no "Glory Hallelu."

I guess at last we've asked ourselves what we should have asked before;

With the pain and death this madness brings, what were we ever singing for?"
(The second Korean War Song, composed by Mulcahy in 'Dear Uncle Abdul')
"Amen!"

External links

★ Finest-Kind.net - ''M
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★ Best Care Anywhere - ''M
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★ H'' website with character profile