May 14, 2021

Hello Fans,

Now, today's featured celebrity is none other than the man that played one of the greatest characters on television, who was the greatest company clerk in the U.S. Army... that's right is Gary Burghoff! Burghoff will always be Corporal Walter Eugene "Radar" O'Reilly from M*A*S*H. He's not only a TV icon, but he's had himself quite a life outside of the show both on and off-screen. Let's see what's going on with Burghoff today!

And don't forget to vote early and often! I added NEW celebs to our celebrity suggestions list very recently so be sure to go to Celebrity Suggestions check out who's in the running and VOTE or send in your suggestions. Vote UP or DOWN on all of the listed celebrities. And vote as many times as you want!

Take care,
Steve

P.S. Did you miss an issue? You can read every issue from the Gophercentral library of newsletters on our exhaustive archives page. Thousands of issues, all of your favorite publications in chronological order. You can just click and read RIGHT HERE!

Questions? Comments? Email Steve

View Past Issues: Where Are They Now Archives

Gary Burghoff

Learn More About Gary Burghoff, see Then & Now pictures, and find out What He's Been Up To on Celebrity Nooz

BIRTH DATE: May 24, 1943 in Bristol, Connecticut, USA

BIRTH NAME: Gary Rich Burghoff

CLAIM TO FAME: Gary Burghoff is an American actor best known for playing Corporal Walter Eugene "Radar" O'Reilly in both the film and the TV series of M*A*S*H.

FAMILY LIFE: Burghoff was married to Janet Gayle, from 1971 to 1979. They had one child, born in 1975 before their divorce. In 1985, he married Elisabeth Bostrom. The couple had two children and divorced in 2005.

INFO: Born to Rodney Burghoff, who worked for a clock company, and Ann Burghoff, who had been a professional dancer and directed local theater productions.

He was born with a condition called Poland Syndrome, a rare birth defect, named after British surgeon Alfred Poland. His version of Poland Syndrome was more specifically Brachydactyly. His left hand has 3 fingers that are significantly smaller than those on his right hand. He took great pains to hide during the run of M*A*S*H, often by hiding it behind a clipboard.

Graduated from Delavan-Darien High School in Delavan, Wisconsin, Class of 1962.

He gained early experience acting with the Belfry Players of Williams Bay, Wisconsin.

He studied drama at HB Studio in Greenwich Village in New York City.

After graduation, he headed to New York to study. He sold underwear at Saks Fifth Avenue to make money while studying and also played jazz at local night spots with "The We Three," a musical trio he formed.

Burghoff appeared regularly on TV, making appearances on such game shows as Match Game, Tattletales, Liar's Club, Hollywood Squares, and Showoffs.

In the 1980s, Burghoff was the TV spokesman for BP gasoline and IBM computers.

In 2000, Burghoff was a spokesman for dot-com era auction aggregation site PriceRadar.com.

Burghoff is the inventor (U.S. Patent 5,117,577, U.S. Patent 5,235,774) of "Chum Magic", a fishing tackle invention that attracts fish toward the user's boat. Other Burghoff inventions include a toilet seat lifting handle (U.S. Patent D314,322) and a new type of fishing pole.

His character "Radar" on M*A*S*H, who showed a fondness for the care of animals, was actually inspired by Gary's true love for wildlife. He was licensed by the State of California to care for wounded animals and he once worked for the Animal Rehabilitation Clinic in Southern California.

Burghoff is a philatelist and was the star of a United States Postal Service video for beginning stamp collectors. In 1993, he was asked to help select a postal stamp for United States hunters.

Is a renowned, self-taught painter of Wildlife Art.

TRIVIA: In 1961, his painting "Men of Jazz" won him the Hallmark Award and represented Wisconsin in the Hallmark Student Art Exhibit in Washington, D.C.

In 1967, Burghoff originated the role of Charlie Brown in the off-Broadway musical "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown".

In 1968. he was the drummer for a band called the Relatives; Actress Lynda Carter was the band's singer. The group opened and played for three months, at the Sahara Hotel and Casino lounge in Las Vegas, Nevada. He and Carter remained friends, and she helped cast him in an episode of her later hit series The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, in the 1978 episode "The Man Who Wouldn't Tell".

Although several actors from the original film, which include G. Wood, Timothy Brown and Corey Fischer, made guest appearances in the television series M*A*S*H, Burghoff was the only actor to continue as a regular, in the role of Radar O'Reilly.

Burghoff was nominated for six Emmy Awards for M*A*S*H in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, and he won an Emmy in 1977. Burghoff's co-star Alan Alda accepted the award on his behalf.

Played Walter "Radar" O'Reilly in four different "MASH" productions: the feature movie MASH (1970), the television series M*A*S*H (1972), guest-star appearance on AfterMASH (1983), and the television pilot W*A*L*T*E*R (1984).

Was a regular on TV game show Match Game, standing in for Charles Nelson Reilly.

Sesame Street's Big Bird has a teddy bear, "Radar", which was named after Gary's M*A*S*H character.

The teddy bear that Burghoff carried as Radar O'Reilly in M*A*S*H is now at the Smithsonian Institution.

He left the M*A*S*H series after Season 7 following a series of contract disputes and because of burnout and a desire to spend more time with his family, though he returned in Season 8 to film a special 2-part farewell episode, "Goodbye Radar".

Your Favorite Accessory, The Hose Hero, Is Back! Visit Our Site Here To See Your Special Pricing

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Burghoff has been happily retired for the entertainment industry for some time. His last project, which he actually came out of retirement for in 2010, was the film Daniel's Lot. These days he's relaxing, working on his garden, and painting.

CREDITS:

2010 Daniel's Lot...Pastor Mahoney

1995 Behind the Waterfall...Mr. Connors

1995 Burke's Law (TV Series)...Patrick Noyes
- Who Killed the Hollywood Headshrinker? (1995) ... Patrick Noyes

1992 Small Kill...Fleck / Lady Esmerelda

1991 Doubles...Arnie

1984 W*A*L*T*E*R (TV Short)...Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly

1984 AfterMASH (TV Series)...Radar O'Reilly
- It Had to Be You (1984) ... Radar O'Reilly
- Yours Truly, Max Klinger (1984) ... Radar O'Reilly

1981 Tales of the Unexpected (TV Series)...Harry Flock
- The Best Policy (1981) ... Harry Flock

1977-1981 The Love Boat (TV Series)...Eddie Martin / Donald M. Flanders
- Maid for Each Other/Lost and Found/Then There Were Two (1981) ... Eddie Martin
- The Captain's Captain/Romance Roulette/Hounded (A Dog's Life) (1977) ... Donald M. Flanders

1980 CHiPs (TV Series)...Gary Burghoff
- The Great 5K Star Race and Boulder Wrap Party: Part 2 (1980) ... Gary Burghoff (uncredited)

1978-1980 Fantasy Island (TV Series)...Gordon Hughes / Richard C. Delaney
- The Love Doctor/Pleasure Palace/Possessed (1980) ... Gordon Hughes
- Superstar/Salem (1978) ... Richard C. Delaney

1980 Casino (TV Movie)...Bill Taylor

1979 The Man in the Santa Claus Suit (TV Movie)...Bob Willis

1972-1979 M*A*S*H (TV Series)..Cpl. Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly
- Life Time (1979) ... Cpl. Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly (credit only)
- The Yalu Brick Road (1979) ... Cpl. Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly (credit only)
- Mr. and Mrs. Who? (1979) ... Cpl. Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly (credit only)
- Private Finance (1979) ... Cpl. Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly (credit only)
- Nurse Doctor (1979) ... Cpl. Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly (credit only)
Show all 180 episodes

1979 $weepstake$ (TV Series)...Roscoe Fuller
- Episode #1.6 (1979) ... Roscoe Fuller

1978 Wonder Woman (TV Series)...Alan
- The Man Who Wouldn't Tell (1978) ... Alan

1976 Ellery Queen (TV Series)...Gerald Hacker
- The Adventure of the Disappearing Dagger (1976) ... Gerald Hacker

1975 Twigs (TV Movie)...Clergyman

1974-1975 Insight (TV Series)...Mombo / Milo
- The Incredible Man (1975) ... Mombo
- Five Without Faces (1974) ... Milo

1973 Love, American Style (TV Series)...Wilbur Wright (segment "Love and the Plane Fantasy") / Sydney Melvin Wimple (segment "Love and the Crisis Line")
- Love and the Footlight Fiancee/Love and the Plane Fantasy/Love and the Swinging Surgeon/Love and the Teller's Tale (1973) ... Wilbur Wright (segment "Love and the Plane Fantasy")
- Love and the Crisis Line/Love and the Happy Family/Love and the Vertical Romance (1973) ... Sydney Melvin Wimple (segment "Love and the Crisis Line")

1971 B.S. I Love You...Ted

1970 The Name of the Game (TV Series)...Watson
- Man of the People (1970) ... Watson

1970 MASH...Cpl. 'Radar' O'Reilly

1969 The Good Guys (TV Series)...Mike Butterworth
- Take a Computer to Lunch (1969) ... Mike Butterworth

1967 NET Playhouse (TV Series)...Boy
- An Evening Journey to Conway Massachusetts (1967) ... Boy

To see Then & Now pictures of Gary Burghoff, visit: Celebrity Nooz