Which actor played Colonel Sam Flagg on M*A*S*H?

Edward Winter played Colonel Sam Flagg on M*A*S*H. Flagg was a recurring military intelligence officer whose paranoid behavior, shifting identities, and bizarre methods made him one of the series’ most memorable guest characters.

The character usually claimed to represent one of several intelligence organizations, including the CIA, CIC, or CID. He often behaved as though he were mentally unstable, but his erratic manner was part disguise and part psychological warfare. Flagg’s aliases included Major Brooks, Captain Louise Klein, Lieutenant Carter, Ensign Troy, and Chaplain Goldberg.

Winter appeared as Flagg in six episodes, including “A Smattering of Intelligence,” “Officer of the Day,” “White Gold,” and “Rally ’Round the Flagg, Boys.” A related fan debate concerns Captain Halloran, another intelligence character Winter played before Flagg appeared. Many viewers regard Halloran as an earlier Flagg alias, a theory supported by dialogue in a later episode.