Wayne Rogers was told when he accepted the role of Trapper for the TV series that Trapper and Hawkeye would be equally important, almost interchangeable, but that changed radically when Alan Alda was cast as Hawkeye.
That Trapper and Hawkeye would be equally important but that changed radically. This is almost interchangeable. This was what Wayne Rogers was told. Alan Alda was cast as Hawkeye. He accepted the role of Trapper for the TV series.