Gwen Farrell Adair,“ M*A*S*H ”and “Starsky and Hutch” Actress, Dies at 94
Gwen Farrell Adair,“ M*A*S*H ”and “Starsky and Hutch” Actress, Dies at 94
Kimberlee SpeakmanSat, May 2, 2026 at 3:53 PM UTC
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Gwen Adair at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.Credit: Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty -
Gwen Farrell Adair has died at the age of 94
Her son, Keith Farrell, said that she died of natural causes in Sherman Oaks, Calif., on Thursday, April 30
The actress, known for starring in M*A*S*H and Starsky and Hutch, was the first woman licensed as a boxing referee
Gwen Farrell Adair, the actress who appeared in M*A*S*H and Starsky and Hutch, has died. She was 94.
Her son, Keith Farrell, announced that she died of natural causes in Sherman Oaks, Calif., on Thursday, April 30, per TMZ and Deadline.
Gwen, who was born in Austin, Texas, made her TV debut on the second episode of M*A*S*H as a nurse in 1972. She went on to feature multiple times in the CBS comedy, which followed the staff of a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War.
She played various nurses on the show throughout its 11-season run up until 1983, including Nurses Gwen, Wilson, Butler and Able and an anesthesiologist, according to Deadline.
Gwen Farrell in 'M*A*S*H.'Credit: 20th Century Fox Television
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The actress also appeared in an episode of Starsky and Hutch in 1975 and the 1977 film Billy Jack Goes to Washington. Throughout the 1970s, she took uncredited roles in films such as The Towering Inferno, Earthquake and Black Gunn.
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However, acting wasn’t the only skill in her portfolio. Gwen, who wed Los Angeles Police Department Detective Frank Adair, also began managing boxers in L.A. throughout the 1970s, and became the first woman to become a licensed boxing referee, per TMZ and Deadline.
In addition to earning the respect of the boxing world, she also gained the respect of the business world while owning and operating Fatburger, which her mother, Lovie Yancey, founded in 1947, according to the outlets.
Over $1,300 has been raised on a GoFundMe set up to support her family with funeral and memorial expenses as of May 2.
Gwen Farrell in 'M*A*S*H.'Credit: 20th Century Fox Television/Courtesy Everett Collection
In the description of the fundraiser, her family said her “journey was anything but ordinary,” and she will be remembered as someone who “lived a life full of strength, character and quiet resilience.”
“... Beyond her accomplishments, Gwen was so much more to her family,” the fundraiser's organizer wrote. “She was a grandmother, a guiding light, and a steady source of love and wisdom. She had a way of making those around her feel supported, understood, and cared for without needing recognition.”
“Her passing leaves a deep void in our hearts, one that cannot be filled,” her family concluded. “We will miss her voice, her strength, and the quiet comfort she brought into our lives. While we are heartbroken, we are also incredibly grateful for the life she lived and the legacy she leaves behind.”
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
