ACTOR JAMIE FARR WRITES CHRISTMAS BOOK

Mr. Farr, best known for his role of Klinger in the hit series MASH, has written a children's Christmas book with his wife.

TV celebrity actor Jamie Farr is publishing a Christmas children's book in 2003. Mr. Farr, known worldwide as "Klinger" in the '70s TV series M*A*S*H, has signed a book contract with publishing company PublishAmerica. The book, titled "Hababy's Christmas Eve", will be co-authored by the actor's wife, Joy.

Mr. Farr approached Frederick, Maryland based PublishAmerica over the summer, realizing that PublishAmerica specializes in giving new authors an opportunity to be published in a traditional fashion. The company has released more than 2,000 new titles in the past two years, which makes it the nation's fastest growing traditional book publisher. Remembering his own humble beginnings as the son of an Ohio meat cutter and a seamstress, Jamie Farr chose to underscore the PublishAmerica approach of giving previously untested writing talents a chance to succeed. This is the actor's first children's book. "Hababy's Christmas Eve" will be released in the Fall of 2003.

Jamie Farr joined the cast of M*A*S*H in the TV series' first season in 1972, at first as an irregular, but due to his instant success as cross-dressing Klinger he soon became a starter in the show's lineup in its second season, receiving full co-star credits in season number three. By the time the hugely popular show folded after a decade, Jamie Farr had become a true celebrity. He has used this status to advance numerous charity causes, and lately he has turned his attention to book writing, for children in particular.