Gary Burghoff facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gary Burghoff
Burghoff at a convention in 2003
Born	Gary Rich Burghoff (1943-05-24) May 24, 1943 (age 82) Bristol, Connecticut, U.S.
Education	Delavan High School, Delavan, Wisconsin
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1967–1995, 2010
Spouse(s)	Janet Gayle ​ ​ (m. 1971; div. 1979)​ Elisabeth Bostrom ​ ​ (m. 1985; div. 2005)​
Children	3

Gary Rich Burghoff (born May 24, 1943) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Charlie Brown in the 1967 musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. He also played Corporal Walter Eugene "Radar" O'Reilly in the movie M*A*S*H and the popular TV series. Gary Burghoff was also a regular on the TV game show Match Game from 1974 to 1979.

Early Life and Talents

Gary Burghoff was born in Bristol, Connecticut. He later moved to Clinton, Connecticut, and then to Delavan, Wisconsin.

Even though he was born with a condition called brachydactyly (which made three fingers on his left hand smaller), he learned to tap dance and became a drummer. He started acting with the Belfry Players in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. He also trained as an actor in New York City.

Acting Career

In 1967, Burghoff played the famous character Charlie Brown in the first stage show of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

In 1968, he was the drummer for a band called The Relatives. Lynda Carter, who later became famous as Wonder Woman, was the singer in this band. The group performed in Las Vegas for three months. Gary and Lynda stayed friends. They even appeared together in an episode of her TV show The New Adventures of Wonder Woman in 1978.

Playing Radar O'Reilly in M*A*S*H

(L to R) Larry Linville, Loretta Swit, Wayne Rogers, Alan Alda, Gary Burghoff, and McLean Stevenson

Gary Burghoff first appeared in a movie in Robert Altman's M*A*S*H (1970). He was the only actor from the movie to continue playing the same character, Radar O'Reilly, in the TV series.

He explained that he played Radar differently in the TV show. In the movie, Radar was a bit darker. But for the TV show, Gary made Radar a more innocent and sweet character. This helped Radar stand out from the other characters, who were often serious doctors.

Gary Burghoff was nominated for six Emmy Awards for his role in M*A*S*H. He won an Emmy in 1977 for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. His co-star Alan Alda accepted the award for him.

Gary left M*A*S*H in 1979 after the seventh season. He felt tired from the long hours and wanted to spend more time with his family. He said, "Family, to me, became the most important thing." He returned for a special two-part episode called "Goodbye Radar" to say farewell to his character.

Another actor from the show, Mike Farrell, praised Gary's acting. He said, "Gary Burghoff may well have been the best actor in the company... His focus, his ability to find those little gems of behavior that made everything absolutely true were a marvel to behold."

Later Acting and Hobbies

After M*A*S*H, Gary Burghoff appeared on many TV game shows like Match Game, Tattletales, and Hollywood Squares. He also acted in the movie B... I Love You and TV shows like The Love Boat and Ellery Queen. His character, Radar O'Reilly, even appeared in two episodes of the spin-off show AfterMASH.

In the 1980s, Gary was a TV spokesman for BP gasoline and IBM computers. In 2000, he was a spokesman for an auction website called PriceRadar.com.

Gary Burghoff is also a talented artist who paints wildlife. He is even trained to help injured wild animals in California. He is a professional jazz drummer and led a trio called The We Three. You can see him playing drums in some M*A*S*H episodes, like "Showtime".

He is also an inventor! He created "Chum Magic," a fishing tool that helps attract fish. He also invented a toilet seat lifting handle and a new type of fishing pole. Gary is also a stamp collector. In 1993, he helped choose a postal stamp for hunters in the United States.

In 2010, Gary Burghoff returned to acting to star in the film Daniel's Lot.

Personal Life

Gary Burghoff was married to Janet Gayle from 1971 to 1979. They have one daughter.

In 1985, he married Elisabeth Bostrom. They have two sons. They divorced in 2005.

Filmography

Film

Television