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 famous for playing Charlie Brown in the 1967 musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. He also played Corporal Radar O'Reilly in the movie M*A*S*H and the popular TV show. Gary Burghoff was also a regular on the TV game show Match Game.

Early Life and Acting Start

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

He learned to tap dance and became a drummer. Gary was born with a condition that made three fingers on his left hand smaller. This did not stop him from playing the drums. He started acting with the Belfry Players in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. He also trained at HB Studio in New York City.

In 1967, Burghoff played Charlie Brown in the first off-Broadway 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. The band played in Las Vegas for three months. Gary and Lynda stayed friends. They even appeared together in an episode of The New Adventures of Wonder Woman in 1978.

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

The cast of M*A*S*H in 1974. From left to right: Larry Linville, Loretta Swit, Wayne Rogers, Alan Alda, Gary Burghoff, and McLean Stevenson.

Gary Burghoff first appeared in the movie M*A*S*H in 1970. He played the character Radar O'Reilly. He was the only actor from the movie to become a regular on the M*A*S*H TV series.

Even though he played the same character, Gary changed Radar's personality for the TV show. He wanted Radar to be more innocent and naive. This made Radar different 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 Outstanding 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 work hours. He also 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".

Fellow cast member Mike Farrell said that Gary Burghoff might have been the best actor in the show. He praised Gary's ability to make his character feel real.

Later Career and Hobbies

After M*A*S*H, Gary Burghoff appeared on many TV game shows. These included Match Game, Hollywood Squares, and Tattletales. He also acted in the film B.S. I Love You. He appeared in episodes of The Love Boat and Ellery Queen.

His character, Radar O'Reilly, also appeared in two episodes of the show AfterMASH. There was even a spin-off show called W*A*L*T*E*R, but it only aired once.

In the 1980s, Gary Burghoff was a TV spokesperson for BP gasoline and IBM computers. Later, in 2000, he was a spokesperson for PriceRadar.com, an auction website.

Gary Burghoff is a self-taught wildlife painter. He is also trained to help injured wildlife in California.

He is a professional jazz drummer. He led a trio called The We Three. In one M*A*S*H episode, "Showtime", Radar plays a drum solo. That was actually Gary Burghoff playing the drums himself!

Gary Burghoff is also an inventor. He created "Chum Magic," a fishing invention that helps attract fish. He also invented a toilet seat lifting handle and a new type of fishing pole.

He enjoys collecting stamps, which is called philately. In 1993, he helped choose a postal stamp for United States hunters.

In 2010, Gary Burghoff came out of retirement to act in the film Daniel's Lot.

Personal Life

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

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

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles