Wayne Rogers — beloved to TV fans for his roles on the classic sitcom “M*A*S*H” and the show “House Calls” — passed away from complications of pneumonia at the age of 82!
He leaves behind a love child revealed by The ENQUIRER, and a vast fortune as one of showbiz’s smartest financial masterminds.
The ENQUIRER revealed in 2013 how actress Melinda Naud — who made four appearances on “Happy Days” as one of Fonzie’s favorite girls — alleged in court documents that Wayne had “shirked his financial obligations to his ex-partner and his ailing love child.”
Melinda claimed she was Rogers’ girlfriend from 1978 to 1985.
In the legal filing, Naud charged that Rogers refused to have anything more to do with their son, Luigi Calabrese, after the boy underwent surgeries for a serious heart condition. Courthouse News reported.
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Melinda’s court case also cited Wayne’s amazing career as a businessman, which kept him busy after he gave up acting to concentrate on his investments.
“Rogers is also a highly successful business man, financial advisor, and commentator of Fox,” said the court papers.
“Mr. Rogers has been labeled a financial genius and ‘guru’ to the rich and famous.'”
Screen legend Peter Falk agreed, with the late actor once telling The ENQUIRER: “I put Wayne in charge of my money back when we were roommates.
“Thanks to him, I never had to make a film that I didn’t want to make!”
Wayne’s early investments include the 1964 nudie movie “Dr. Sex.”
The Birmingham, Ala., native reunited with the film’s director for 1968’s “The Astro-Zombies,” starring stripper Tura Satana.
Wayne famously left “M*A*S*H” in 1975 after three seasons, complaining about his character being ignored in favor of breakout star Alan Alda as Hawkeye Pierce.
“M*A*S*H” would stay on the air until 1983.
The 6’3″ actor later said: “If I had known that the show was gonna run that long, I probably would have kept my mouth shut and stayed put!”
