MASH Star Kellye Nakahara Dies at 72

Actress Kellye Nakahara, best known for appearing in the long running TV series MASH, has passed away at the age of 72. TMZ reports that she died Sunday, February 16 in her home in Pasadena. Nakahara was best known for playing Nurse Kellye in the Emmy and Golden Globe winning series, but fans may also recognize her for appearing as The Cook in the live-action adaptation of the board game Clue. She also appeared in supporting roles in films like Doctor Dolittle. The actress died after a short battle with cancer according to the site.

Born in Hawaii, Nakahara didn’t set out to be an actress when she moved to the mainland, instead working as an artist and selling watercolor paintings, something she continued to do throughout her life even while acting. Nakahara’s artwork has been chosen for display throughout California including a collection she created titled “The Gardens of Pasadena” which are on indefinite loan to the California city. The artist also contributed a custom made ornament to one of the Official White House Christmas Trees in 2008.

Nakahara is credited with appearing in 167 episodes of MASH which ran for over 250 episodes from 1972 to 1983. Just a few years ago a fan’s blog about Nakahara’s role in the series went viral, prompting an interview with NPR where she revealed that she still receives fan mail because of her character in the series.

“What she was to me was a genuine person who wasn’t being looked at in the same way as the glamorous girls that were coming through the compound,” Nakahara said. “And when she just stood up to Hawkeye and told him off, she made it clear that there’s so much more to me than you think there is. And I got mail. I still get mail. I have people coming up to me that say, as far as being Asian, you’re the first role model that I had of an Asian that wasn’t portrayed as an Asian, just as a person. And I think that was – it took a long time, I think, for that to come around. I hope that it’s starting to change now. But I think it’s taken a long time.”

Nakahara is survived by her husband David Wallett, her daughter Nalani, son William, and four grandchildren. Her passing comes just a few weeks after MASH co-creator Gene Reynolds died at the age of 96.