Veteran actress Judy Farrell, best known for her role as Nurse Able on the classic sitcom “M*A*S*H,” passed away on April 2, 2023 at the age of 84. On Sunday, she succumbed to complications from a stroke, unable to speak but conscious and alert, squeezing her loved one’s hands.
Farrell’s first marriage was in 1963 to three-time Emmy nominee Mike Farrell who played Captain B.J. Hunnicutt in 1975 and stayed with the show until its finale in 1983. During her television career, Farrell was featured in 8 of the famous show’s episodes as well as roles across several other TV productions.
When talking about her experience filming “M*A*S*H” in 2018, Farrell recalled a memorable, hilarious moment with series star Alan Alda. She said, “I did an episode where Hawkeye goes to fix a gas stove in the nurse’s tent, and it blows up, making him temporarily blind. Alan decided to make it so he really couldn’t see. I ended up being the nurse who led him around, except I was always bumping him into stuff because I didn’t know how to lead a blind person around,” Alan then turned to me and said, ‘Do your children trust you?’”
Farrell was married twice, first to actor Mike Farrell and, two years later, to Joe Bratcher. She is survived by her husband and her two children, Mike Farrell, Michael, and Erin.
Judy Farrell will be remembered for her engaging and unforgettable work on “M*A*S*H” and other television and film projects. The world of entertainment has suffered a great loss, and her family and friends will miss her dearly.