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‘M*A*S*H’ Star and Boxing Trailblazer Dead at 94
May 2, 2026
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Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesGwen Farrell Adair, who appeared on one of the earliest episodes of M*A*S*H and was the first-ever licensed woman boxing referee, died on Thursday at the age of 94. Her son, Keith Farrell, told TMZ she had died of natural causes in Sherman Oaks, California. A native of Austin, Texas, Farrell made her television debut on the second episode of M*A*S*H as a nurse in 1972.
She went on to play multiple roles on the show throughout its 11-season run, including as Nurses Gwen, Wilson, Able, and Butler, as well as an anesthesiologist, Deadline reported. Farrell also appeared in an episode of Starsky and Hutch in 1975 and in the 1977 film, Billy Jack Goes to Washington. Aside from acting, Farrell broke barriers as the first woman to become a licensed boxing referee in 1979. “Her passing leaves a deep void in our hearts, one that cannot be filled,” her family wrote on GoFundMe. “While we are heartbroken, we are also incredibly grateful for the life she lived and the legacy she leaves behind.”Read it at PeopleRead more at The Daily Beast.
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