General Wilson Spaulding Barker is a character who appears in Chief Surgeon Who? and Requiem for a Lightweight, both in Season 1. The part of General Barker is played in the episodes by Sorrell Booke, who would later star on the CBS-TV series The Dukes of Hazzard as Boss Hogg.
General Barker essentially took over administrative duties from Brigadier General Hammond, who appeared only in the first three episodes that were produced. Barker then debuted in the fourth produced episode. However, the episodes were aired out of production order, meaning that watching the series in broadcast order has Barker's two appearances coming between Hammond's second and third.
After Barker's two episodes, in production order he was succeeded by the character of General Clayton, who became the next in a lengthening line of ranking generals to oversee the M*A*S*H unit.
About General Barker[]
In General Barker's initial appearance in Chief Surgeon Who?, Frank, upset over Colonel Blake naming Hawkeye the Chief Surgeon, and Hot Lips decide to go to General Barker, and complain about this breach of the rules. When Barker arrives at the 4077th, Frank and Hot Lips tell him that there's a wounded man waiting to be operated on. He storms off to go find "Chief Surgeon Pierce." When he finds him in the Swamp playing poker, he demands Hawkeye operate immediately, but Hawkeye explains that it's not the best idea while the patient is still in shock. He's having a nurse administer blood to stabilize the patient for surgery, and he expects to operate around 3am.
Barker doesn't like Hawkeye's answer, so he runs off to find Henry, only to find craziness in every direction: Radar is reading comics while drinking Henry's brandy, Spearchucker and Nurse Ginger Bayliss are playing Strip Dominoes, and the camp's night sentry, Corporal Klinger (Jamie Farr's debut), is wandering around the camp in a WAC uniform. Once Barker finds Henry, they meet Hawkeye and Trapper prepping in the O.R.. The patient is now stabilized and ready for surgery.
Barker oversees the operation and is impressed by Hawkeye's surgical skill, and grudgingly admits he was wrong. He then tells Henry to ignore Frank from here on in, and marvels at how anything gets done in this madhouse. He is not reassured when Klinger reappears, naked, still on duty. Hawkeye, Trapper, and Henry take it all in stride.
In his second appearance in Requiem for a Lightweight, Barker calls Colonel Blake as he is interested in getting the 4077th to put forth a fighter for the inter-unit boxing tournament. After General Barker's call Hawkeye and Trapper try to get Blake to keep Cutler. Blake decides that if one of them will fight in the match against Barker's fighter he will see what he can do. They leave the office laughing until they see Nurse Margie Cutler, who was about to be transferred from the 4077th by Margaret, who was tired of her antics with Hawkeye and Trapper.
When Barker arrives at the camp, he finds the officers in the Mess Tent, he introduces his fighter Sergeant "Killer" Flacker, who according to Radar has been known to literally knock out jeeps.
Not Bradley Barker[]
In The Price of Tomato Juice, Potter speaks to a General Bradley Barker on the phone (we never see this Barker nor hear his voice). He is from I Corps and also appears to hold a senior position overseeing medical matters but there is compelling evidence that this is a different person and not a naming goof. For one thing, Bradley Barker asks Potter to try to arrange a date for him with Margaret - but we know that Wilson Barker and Margaret are on talking terms and doesn't need Potter as a go-between. Second, when Potter mentions Bradley Barker to Margaret, she says that she served under him at Fort Ord, without mentioning that they had met more recently at the 4077th. Third, when Frank discusses this General Barker with Margaret, she mentions that she knows two General Barkers. Indeed, the first name Bradley is mentioned many times in the script, as though to emphasize that it is a different person.