Alan vs. Alan

These guys look nothing alike right?


You know, I always thought that Alan Arkin was that guy off of M*A*S*H. You know, Hawekeye. I've only ever seen clips of the show but apparently it was really really popular. It's a little fuzzy but I remember there was one guy who kept dressing up in women's clothing and the Colonel kept popping up in random movies. I'd always get funny looks when I said "Hey, it's that guy from M*A*S*H!" They were always getting into trouble, somewhat like the guys from Hogan's Heroes.

But duck, you say, that show's even older. How do you know about that? Well, in addition to my lollygagging around the internet I also happen to love old movies. Put "The Great Escape" together with YouTube and you have the spinoff, ta da, Hogan's Heroes. And did you further know that the actor who played Corporal Newkirk in the show, Richard Dawson, was also in a movie called "The Devil's Brigade" based on a true story about Americans and Canadians fighting as a commando unit in WWII? I call this train of thought, 'baconing' after Kevin of course. Anyway, back to what I was talking about before I got sidetracked.

I don't think anyone my age has ever even heard of the show so imagine my surprise when I read that Alan Arkin was starring in the movie I was watching on tv and then some other guy showed up in his place.

"Wait, what! That's not Hawkeye."

I had to come to the internet, head hung low as I wiki'd the show and found some guy named Alan Alda had played the character. Alan Arkin is a completely different guy who just happens to share a first name with Alda.

This isn't nearly as embarassing as those years I kept mixing up Kevin Costner and Bruce Willis though. But that's another story.