RIP Nurse Kellye (M*A*S*H) Actress Kellye Nakahara Dead at 72

[hlthe2b]

I loved M*A*S*H and she was great in the role. My favorite episode was when she had a crush on Hawkeye who eventually came to realize how much he'd underestimated her.


https://www.tmz.com/2020/02/17/kellye-nakahara-mash-dead-dies-nurse/

Kellye Nakahara, who played Lieutenant Nurse Kellye on "M*A*S*H," has died ... TMZ has learned.

Kellye died Sunday after a short battle with cancer. Her family was with her when she died at the family home in Pasadena ... this according to a family member. We're told she went peacefully.

Kellye, who was born on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, actually moved to San Francisco as a young adult not to pursue acting but rather a career in art.

She was on "M*A*S*H" for the entire run of the show. In case you didn't know ... "M*A*S*H" was considered one of the best shows ever produced on TV. It still lives in reruns and syndication.

[Dennis Donovan]

1. Aww! She was omnipresent on M*A*S*H - like almost every episode!

She never had a huge part, but her performances were always solid.

Cross gently, Kellye.

[Skittles]

2. loved her

she was a good sport for the movie CLUE, too

[classof56]

3. I've been binge-watching MASH reruns for over a year now.

Some of the episodes I almost know by heart, but appreciate the humanity of the scripts and the odd sense of well being they bring me. Kellye was one of my favorite characters on the show, and I am sorry to know she's left us--far too young, IMHO.

Thank you, Nurse Kellye, for your legacy. Go in peace, beautiful lady!

[Blue_true]

10. My oldest brother loves the old series.

Bonanza, Wild West, Death Valley Days, ect.

They are different, you don't see graphic violence and the story lines are better.

[GoCubsGo]

4. She was a talented artist, as well.

Her studio's web page seems to no longer exist, but one can still see some of her works with a quick Internet search.

Very sad. She was one of my favorite characters on "M*A*S*H."

[hlthe2b]

8. I LOVE this one:

Link to tweet

[GoCubsGo]

11. Me, too.

[crickets]

16. Oh, how beautiful.

I had no idea she was an artist as well as an actress. I adored her on MASH. She will be missed.

[Roland99]

5. :(

[2naSalit]

6. ...

[Talitha]

7. ...

[redstatebluegirl]

9. So sad.

[Dem2theMax]

12. I loved her on MASH.

72 is way too young. Damn cancer.

[littlemissmartypants]

13. ...

[3catwoman3]

14. That is a beautiful painting. YOu can almost hear...

...the water rippling.

Nurse Kellye was one of my favorite characters. M*A*S*H is one of my all time favorite shows.

[hlthe2b]

20. I'd love to have a print of it... I don't think she commercialized her art, though.

[The Conductor]

15. Loved the line...

Hawkeye: We saved so many vein grafts, but they're all linguini... We need a ravioli!

Nurse Kelleye: Doctor, I'm Chinese, Japanese and Hawaiian... Can you put that in ethnic terms I can understand?

Hawkeye: A small egg roll.

[NurseJackie]

17. I loved that episode too! ❤️😥

[trackfan]

18. Her husband was my high school Government teacher. n/t

[hlthe2b]

19. How wonderful! Now that's a connection.

[hlthe2b]

21. Alan Alda and Loretta Swift (Hotlips) on Kellye's passing:

Starring alongside Nakahara was Loretta Swit, who offered Fox News a comment in response to the passing of her co-star. Swit, 82, called Nakahara a "jewel, a treasure."

"She radiated sparkle and goodness and joy," said Swit, who played Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the series. "The light that her presence brought will be deeply and forever missed."

Alda said that "Nakahara was a beautiful person and a natural as an actor."
"She began as a background performer and worked her way up to playing the lead in an episode I wrote for her. She was adorable and brilliant in the part," remembered Alda, 84. "But, you couldn’t beat what she was as a person, funnier and warmer and kinder than most people I've known. We all loved her on 'M*A*S*H,' and we’re all heartbroken to know she's gone. Kelley was a treasure."