Gary Burghoff

Gary is good at playing the drums.

Gary was the star of the United States Postal Service video for stamp collectors.

Gary is a philatelist.

Gary started off his acting career in Delavan, Wisconsin.

Gary enjoys outdoorsmanship and rifle shooting.

Gary has many patents on fishing lures.

Gary paints wildlife art.

Gary was licensed to take care of wounded animals by the state of California.

Gary is 5 feet 5 inches tall.

Burghoff's jazz trio, the We Three, made an album shortly after he left M*A*S*H. The album, Just For Fun, was released on the Shalom record label.

After high school, Gary went up to New York, where he studied acting with James Tuttle and musical comedy with Charles Nelson Reilly.

Gary and Elisabeth own a cabin up in Connecticut, where they often times spend their summers.

Gary's current wife, Elisabeth, is a dentist for the developmentally disabled.

Has been painting scenes of wilflife ever since 1952. Gary has even toured across the United States, displaying his artwork in multiple art gallaries.

Burghoff began his acting career by playing Bobby in a high school play called The Boy Friend.

Burghoff's character Corporal "Radar" O'Reilly on M*A*S*H originally didn't have a first name. However, Burghoff talked to the writer/creative executor, Larry Gelbart, about giving Radar a first name. The character was then given the first name of Waltar, which was the name of one of Burghoff's childhood friends.

Burghoff starred in the pilot of W*A*L*T*E*R, which ended up being an unsuccessful spin-off of M*A*S*H.

Burghoff and his daughter, Gena, co-starred in the movie Behind the Waterfall in 1995.

Burghoff now has three animals: a dog named Sarah, an angelfish, and a cat named Connecticat.

Burghoff had left M*A*S*H because he had wanted to devote most of his time to his family, rather than the show.

Burghoff played Charlie Brown on the original Broadway play, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

Burghoff starred and directed the film Small Kill in 1993. However, Burhoff hated playing the lead role of the serial killer, but he was doing it because he needed to do some work on film.

Burghoff attended McLean Stevenson's memorial service in February 1996.

Burghoff's father, Rodney, had worked for a clock company, while his mother, Ann, had directed a local theater and was a professional dancer.

Burghoff received the nickname "The Bird Man of Malibu" while living in Southern California. When he was younger, he had had his own little wildlife reservation in his backyard, which eventually earned him his strange nickname.

Burghoff began an ice cream/frozen yogurt business in the 1970s in Hawaii, only for it to have very little success.

Gary's most recent job in the acting career is starring in several local TV advertisements for doctors.

Burghoff and his family now reside in Paradise, California.

Burghoff's married Janet Gayle on December 25, 1971 and later divorced in 1979. During that time, they only had one child named Gena.

Has one daughter, Gena, and two sons, Miles and Jordan.

Was the first M*A*S*H actor to be cast for the TV series

Gary's character "Radar" on M*A*S*H, who showed a fondness for the care of animals, was actually inspired from Gary's true love for wildlife. He once worked for the Animal Rehabilitation Clinic in Southern California where he nurtured and cared for many species of birds such as the brown pelican, and many other animals including opossums, grey squirrels, raccoons and abandoned creatures needing special attention.

Gary has a deformed left hand that he takes great pains to hide during the run of M*A*S*H on TV. He usually kept his hand hidden behind a clipboard during his time on the show.

AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
Emmy Awards
1979 - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Comedy-Variety or Music Series for: M*A*S*H
1978 - Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for: M*A*S*H
1977 - Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for: M*A*S*H
1976 - Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for: M*A*S*H
Daytime Emmy Awards
2001 - Outstanding Service Show Host for: Pets: Part of the Family