Longtime portrayer of TV's Captain Pierce

Answer:

ALDA

Hint:

["This Emmy-winning actor also directed many episodes of the classic Korean War medical drama where his character often clashed with Major Burns."]

Explanation:

This clue refers to Alan Alda, the actor best known for playing Captain Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce on the classic TV show MASH for over a decade. The word "longtime" hints at his extended role on the series, which ran from 1972 to 1983. "Portrayer" simply means the actor who played the character, and "TV's Captain Pierce" narrows it down to his iconic role. The answer is his last name, shortened to fit the crossword format.

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