Did the MASH Cast REALLY HATE Gary Burghoff?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- Over the years, I have been repeatedly told that the cast of M*A*S*H was happy to see actor Gary Burghoff, the actor who played Radar O'Reilly, leave the show. This video attempts to answer the question as to whether or not Gary's colleagues enjoyed working with him.
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Beginning with 'Lil' (1978: Season 7; Episode 3) and through and including the final episode 'Goodbye, Farewell and Amen' (1983: Season 11; Episode 16), I worked on M*A*S*H. And I can tell you this:
.
If the rest of the cast was having any trouble with Gary, they did an excellent job of "acting" like they weren't. I never saw any kind of conflict or noticed any kind of tension. Furthermore, Gary Burghoff was definitely my favorite cast member. He was incredibly friendly and generous, and he went out of his way to introduce himself to me and get to know me as a person. I met a pretty large number of celebrities in Hollywood during the late '70s / early '80s, but I thought Gary was the nicest one of all.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences!
The ONLY thing that I have ever caught that any of the cast said remotely disparaging, is in the 30th anniversary reunion they did in 2002. Loretta Switt at one point makes mention of him being late to set sometimes there at the end. And that it did frustrate her. But removed from the show after all that time, She recognized that it was more that he was tired, and trapped.
The reunion itself is on youtube. It's been a while since I watched it, or I'd go through it again to find the time stamp of exactly when it was said.
My parents' opinion about it (They're the one's who got me into the show.. and I was alive (but young) when the series finale first aired) was that, after playing the character in the movie, and continuing on the show for another 7 years.
Yeah. Anyone would get tired and worrisome that they'd be forever typecast.
My uncle (name withheld since he has passed away) worked as an extra and he used to tell us kids about his times there and I remember he saying that "Radar" was the nicest person he met on set.
It's good to hear that. It's such a disappointment when you read that one of your childhood favourites was actually a nasty piece of work.
From what I've read, the only heat on the set was between Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers. It was the reason why Rogers left the cast.
I started to lose interest in the show as the original cast members started checking out, Gary's departure was the last straw for me, I felt that the show started to go stale once he left, and in spite of being a comedy that did periodically give a message to remind the viewers that war itself wasn't funny, later episodes started to become darker culminating in the series finale where Hawkeye suffers a mental breakdown.
I saw an interview with Gary where he stated his ex-wife was using his MASH work schedule to gain sole custody of their daughter. Gary wanted shared custody so he quit the show.
I believe Gary signaled his intentions to leave the show prior to their divorce.
Typical of some vengeful wives. Just like husbands that are fire fighters pro soldiers or policemen. I thought Gary wanted out because his character wasn't going any new direction just like Larry Linville
@@josephcontreras8930 That may be true but when or if a man's family is being "threatened" and he is financially able to leave his career to focus on it I believe he would. I know that most Father's won't allow their kids to be taken if they can avoid it. The sad part with custody battles is the child gets torn apart and the vengeful parent causing it seems to only care about hurting the other spouse and thinks nothing of the child.
The bottom line was Gary's ex-wife hated his guts. From Ms. Harper Stacey.
That's Sad I always wondered why he quit or what really happened He was Besides Henry Blake & Lt. Dish ( who Remembers her .
I met Jamie Farr in 1990 in New Haven CT when he was in Oklahoma, the musical. I met him and his family and he was the kindest, funniest and warmest person you could meet and so was his family. He asked me for a recommendation to a local restaurant and I made my suggestion, I happened to walk by the restaurant (not noticing him) when all of a sudden I hear banging on the window and there is Jamie and his family, all smiles and waving with their “Thumbs Up” too. Talk about a great guy with a fantastic family, well you’re talking about him;)
Thanks for sharing Lou!
I still watch MASH irregularly, but at the moment, its Patty Duke, Love Boat, and Old Hawaii 5-0.
I pretty much live in the past these days because the present sucks so bad.
Like you, older tv shows are better to watch. For me, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Hogan's Heroes, Perry Mason, and just about anything that I can find that I haven't seen before. All this "reality tv" sucks.
@@stevenroe6402 I’ve been keenly seeing Perry Mason as one of my new marathon shows once the others run out. Good stuff.
Older shows rule! Current faves of mine are The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Patty Duke Show, Leave it to Beaver, WKRP in Cincinnati, Barney Miller, and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (the earlier years).
Xfiles if you haven't seen it or haven't watched it in a while, still amazing
Watch Joe Mannix and Perry Mason and one cable news broadcast. Now she is doing one day a week.
I have Leukemia and I’m on chemo. I watch MASH every night as it’s calming.
Prayers for you 🙏🏼❤️
The scene that still brings me to tears today was when Gary Walks into surgery room and announces that Henry Blake's plane was shot down and --- "There were no survivors." Just a great example of how this show could bring you to tears from both laughing or tragedy. Just an amazing series!
Thanks for sharing BucStart!
I remember seeing that scene too as a kid and thinking “I really wouldn’t want to have the doctor who is operating on me to be told his friend had died while he was working on me”😁
I watched a special on the making of that episode. Apparently Gary came in and delivered an astounding performance on the first take. Alan Alda said he had the perfect tears and the cast on set just broke down from his performance. Then a few minutes later the sound engineer and house that the mic had failed to work and they had to shoot the scene all over again. 😲😥 He still did a great job on the reshoot, but could not recapture that magic.
they didnt tell the rest of the cast that henry was going to die the noise heard when gary comes in was in instrument dropping out of disbelief from someone on set
I’ve seen the episode several dozen times. I tear up every time too.
For my money, my favorite guest character was Dr. Sydney Freedman, played by the incomparable Alan Arbus. Of the main cast, I have to go with Father Mulcahy and Klinger (I'm an Ohio boy, too).
But the one who SHOULD have been listed in the main cast was Kellye Nakahara as Nurse Kellye. She was in more episodes than any other character except Hawkeye, Margaret, Klinger, Mulcahy, Radar, Potter and BJ. She was in 170 episodes. Farrel was in 179, Morgan was in 180, and Burgoff was in 181. That's 11 episodes or less from three of the major (not Major) stars, and many more than main cast members David Ogden Stires, McLean Stevenson and Wayne Rogers.
I will ALWAYS believe that Kellye should have been a main cast member, even if they gave her very few lines.
I absolutely LOVED the Episode where the late great Miss Kellye Nakahara was at last allowed to shine. She showed a deft sense of humor, took "Hawkeye" and his ego down a few pegs, and held a terrified young Soldier's hand and eased him through a heartbreakingly tender and poignant scene. Definitely should've been nominated for let alone won an Emmy. Just plain gorgeous and electrifying work!👩⚕️📺B.W.
She was very underrated. Really, it’s hard to find a character that I genuinely didn’t get much from. Granted, I’m one of the “later episodes were the better ones” crowd, so I might be more biased to like Hunnicut, Potter, and Winchester more than Trapper, Blake, snd Burns. I still like them, I just think the later additions rounded out the show a lot better.
Colonel Flagg was one of my favorite characters on the show, so I highly recommend watching that video. Gary Burghoff was the only cast member who transitioned over to the tv show from the film. Reading about the early days of the show it was surprising that some of the cast members did not even see the movie. The tone of the show changed over time. The characters of Hawkeye and Trapper in the movie were really not very likeable. They were softened up for the television show, and then evolved over time to be more sympathetic and less self centered.
The one thing that I noticed about Radar was that, in the early episodes, he was a little more mischievous. There is an early episode where they think they could all die and Radar skirts around camp trying to find a female willing to sleep with him. In another episode he helps Hawkeye and Trapper trick a visiting psychiatrist into thinking that Margaret wants to sleep with him and fools him into thinking her tent is his. Over time the character sweetened and became more innocent.
My impression in reading about Burghoff was that he was kind of burned out on playing Radar, and that his wife may have been using his full schedule on MASH in order to get custody of their children. I remember reading that the writers were not happy that Burghoff played Radar a little more angry in the final episodes, and, for some reason, all of a sudden did not want to wear the knit hat. To be honest, Burghoff was getting a little long in the tooth to play the character anyway.
Sad that he did not find success in another show, or in movies, but I am grateful for work he did on MASH. He had some great episodes and his performance has given me a lot of joy over the years.
I adored the movie Donald Sutherland was adorable Elliot Gould was hilarious!!.Their characters were great!
G. Wood also transitioned from the movie to the show as General Hammond. Granted he only made a few appearances in the first season but he, along with Burghoff, reprised his character in the show.
Yeah, Alan Alda took directed and wrote some of the later episodes of the show. He made them less comical and more political. Kinda brought down the mood of the show.
"I am the wind." He was great!
I had a film school teacher who worked some of the people that worked on M*A*S*H (behind the scenes) and from what he was able to gather was that everyone loved Gary, but that towards the end of his run, he was clearly under stress from personal issues and was burning out. If he became "difficult," it was because of that, and nobody blamed him or hated him. There were no hard feelings.
I wonder why Gary is the only cast member who’s often singled out for being difficult to work or get along with. I’ve heard Alan was no pleasure to work with either.
I found it a little odd that the character of Radar “evolved” from drinking, smoking, poker playing and meeting up with women in the early episodes… to being an overtly shy, grape Nehi drinking, virginal character.
I must state though, I loved all of him in equal measure. ❤️
I love MASH and Radar.. but they really did water down his character, for some reason and neutered his characterization.
I’ve always found the innocent Radar more convincing, more believable. Maybe because Gary B. was so cherubic looking.
True, Radar when from hip to naive in just a couple of years. That doesn't happen in real life,but does in Hollywood. I loved Radar through it all as well. Mash is my favorite show ever. I still watch about 3 shows everyday. It feel good time for me. Thanks Mash.
I’ve met Garry Burghoff . He is a super nice guy . He told me that the issues the cast had with him were political . Allan Alda was super liberal while Garry was very conservative , and when Alda would direct an episode he would be very hard on Burghoff and easier on the other cast members
The whole show and movie was a big FU to conservative hypocritical values. How could he be in it ever if those were his values. Oh because conservatives are hypocritical and have no values
Thank you for this comment.
This is the first time I've heard about it
regarding Gary Burghoff and Alan Alda
on M.A.S.H.
So it all boiled down to politics, really?
I could believe that, Alan Alda political rhetoric came shinning through, when MASH turned into the Alan Alda show
That makes sense. Alda had free rein over the character, and his liberal views came to dominate the character, the show, and the original concept, of the show written by an actual surgeon during the Korean War. The politics of the show aped that of the years after the Vietnam War, but cleverly not mentioning it. The show became its own beast, with Alda the puppet master. Most characters left the show rather than taking this on.
Greetings Dave.
MASH is one of my all time favorite shows. Everyone has their favorite characters and opinions about the show, but I believe all the actors that came and went over the years added their own unique spin to the show.
I always enjoyed Gary's portrayal of Radar, but thought that his leaving opened the door for Jamie Farrs character of Klinger to expand.
Thanks for sharing your memories David!
One of my favorites along side Seinfeld and Frazier.
I ran into Gary in Alberta Canada at the Baniff Springs hotel in the mid 1980s. We were in a gift shop and he was being very rude to an Asian clerk. It was a turn off for me.
@@brucesanborn492 Perhaps it wasn't Gary Burghoff, but a "body double", someone who looked like, and sounded a bit like Burghoff in speech.
Best show in the history of TV imho
In the 1970 film Radar was a vicious little scrounger whose loyalty was tantamount but not to be trifled with. The series had Gary starting off that way but soften him...the film version of Radar wasn't perhaps chaste but the series his virginity was established. Radar was cute; at least my fellow sixth grade female classmates thought he was. To me he was the engine that kept the 4077 going and was the foil to his CO whether it be Blake or Potter..
Gary Burghoff grew tired of playing the wholesome character and felt he’d outgrown it and that Radar had become insipid. He was also going through a custody battle and needed to prove that he’d have time to spend with his daughter. He also became quite a successful art trader and no longer needed to earn a living from MASH any longer as he was trading very highbrow art.
Radar in the movie was best- less innocent and naive- more realistic for someone who was the go to guy to get stuff and get stuff done as company clerk. The best of him then was being a semi visible busy looking sly sneak who is busily sending stuff home without anyone realising (a jeep if I remember correct). Usually guys doing that in movies are also portrayed as fast talking swindlers, but they had better plans for the Radar character.
TBH, him and Larry had the least potential for character arcs out of pretty much the entire cast. There's only so much you can do with those characters and still be consistent with their character and role in the show.
It doesn't surprise me that Gary would be so beloved, but Larry being such an unforgivable prick as a character, while being incredibly nice behind the scenes, was a bit more of a surprise. He just seems to play a jerk so well.
Gary was also getting residuals from the show. From Ms. Harper Stacey.
@@harperstacey9604 True, but the residuals just from the seasons that he shot would likely be sufficient to live without need for further work.
@@SmallSpoonBrigade each year, the residuals dwindle. Alan alda recently said that he got a residual check from a mash rerun for 3 dollars and ten cents. From Ms. Harper Stacey.
He left for a spinoff w/Radar character called W*A*L*T*E*R, flopped horribly
One of my absolute favorite episodes and perhaps my single funniest moment was when Hawkeye and Radar went to pick up the korean soldiers pregnant wife and she started giving birth on the way back. Gary's acting in that scene was incredibly believable for who he was playing and hysterically funny. To this day I laugh out loud at that scene.
Saw that again the other day... "Oh, No, No, No No. AHHHH" 😂What a great actor! Love him.
Gary Burghoff was also the only cast member for both M*A*S*H the tv series and the movie.
Gary was the onlly actor that was in both the movie and tv series.
G. Wood was also in the movie and tv show as General Hammond. He only does a few episodes in season one however.
I met Gary "Radar" Burghoff when I worked at Gold Country Casino in Oroville California. Gary lived in Paradise (the same one that burned down in the 2018 Campfire) since he lived so close, he was a regular during the weeknights (he came in very late/early) I assume to avoid the crowds of people. The staff knew who he was and we went out of our way to make sure no other patrons knew as he just didn't want to be bothered. I think this was around 2000-2002 and I think he was going through something... He wasn't too talkative, but he was polite (but never tipped).. He stopped coming in around the end of 2001 or beginning of 2002.. I heard that he moved. Honestly he was nicer than most of the other regulars we had in (some are assholes and meth heads) I did have the opportunity to speak with him briefly (not about his career) but about life in general and it was clear he was depressed... Noticing that, I just wished him luck and a good day (we are customer service staff, not therapists..).. I'm sure he wont remember me, but the short convos I had with him, I will remember for the rest of my life.. especially after re-watching the entire MASH series!
I prefer the way they wrote RADAR in the first few seasons. He would quietly enable all of Hawkeye's and Trapper's mischief without a blink. And he would get things past Henry if he needed to. And he would zing Frank subtlety. "I didn't come here to be liked." "You came to the right place."
Everyone hates Gary Burghoff. He's an inescapable troll. Ever see him on Match Game? Ugh.
THANKS FOR THIS GREAT VIDEO!! YES BEING IN THE ARMY ,, AS A ARMY MEDICAL SUPPLIES OFFICER , TIMES WERE GREAT FUN FRIENDS BUT THEN OTHER TIMES HEART ACHES DEATH ,, PEOPLE HURT BUT WE ALL STAYED TOGETHER AND DID OUR JOB.. NOW BEING A NURSE IN A CA. HOSPITAL TIMES WERE TOUGH AGAIN SHELL SHOCKED,, YES COVID-19 THE WAR STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN TAKEN CARE OF PT.S WAS THE JOB... A LOT OF PEOPLE LIVED BUT IT WAS THE ONES THAT SUFFERED BAD, WITH TEARS NOW!!!! IT WAS HARD THEY KNEW I WAS THERE FOR THEM I CARED AND OTHER HOSPITAL STAFF , BUT DEATH WAS SO HARD I TALKED TO THEM AND SAID THERES NO MORE PAIN MR. OR MRS. GOOD BYE FOR NOW!! AT TIME I WANTED TO GET ON A OLD C-47 OR A AUH1 HUEY GREEN GIANT ,,, AND FLY SO FAR AWAY LIKE THE OLD DAYS.. BUT WE DID FINALLY BEAT THAT DAM COVID FOR NOW I PRAY FOR IT NEVER TO COME BACK. I NEVER GOT THE COVID-19 TAKING CARE OF THE PT.S WITH OUT THE SHOTS BEING SO CLOSE TO THEM.. GETTING THE SHOTS ,,WELL IN JAN.I GOT A MILD CASE OF IT AND I CAN FEEL THE PAIN THE PT.S WHEN THROUGH, BUT I HAD IT FOR 2WEEKS AND LIVED .. G D BLESS ALL THE MEN AND WOMAN WHO SERVIED THIS COUNTRY OF THE USA .. AMEN.. VETERAN..
Thank you for the comment...and for your service Ronald.
Gary Burghoff had a severely deformed hand, which is why he covered it up with a clipboard on MASH.
Respectfully to Gary, after almost nine consecutive years of playing Radar, the typecasting situation was probably absolutely unavoidable.
Gary had guest appearances on "Fantasy Island" and "Wonder Woman". I'm not too familiar with his other acting gigs.
He was cast in nine movies, including the original 1970 M.A.S.H. film (he and G. Wood - General Hammond - are the only two actors who were in both the film and the TV series playing the same characters). He was also cast in numerous TV series such as Fantasy Island; Love Boat; Wonder Woman; Love, American Style; and Burke's Law.
@@daniel_sc1024 didn't the network try him in a pilot that never took off??
@@josephcontreras8930 Yes, it was called "After M.A.S.H." I believe. None of the M.A.S.H. spinoffs took off, except "Trapper John, M.D." but I think it was successful because they didn't hype its connection to M.A.S.H. very much and it didn't feel like a spinoff.
@@daniel_sc1024 Gary Burghoff wasn't a regular cast member in After M*A*S*H but he did appear in a guest role. He did a pilot called W*A*L*T*E*R, but I don't think it made it to series.
Hard to believe that no one has yet mentioned how this guy had his first real Show Business break. 1967 as "Charlie Brown" on Broadway in The Original Cast of "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown!"😂⚾️📺B.W.
Wasn’t Gary (Radar) the only original character from the movie MASH who was brought into tv MASH.
There could be some truth, however, I don't think that Radar could have played a young company clerk forever.
Couldn't agree more, Kevin.
I loved M*A*S*H. Also loved the Match Game. Gary and McLean were both really good on both shows. BTW, when Klinger took over as company clerk, those are some fine episodes as we watch him learn the new assignment and grow as a character. Great memories. Thanks.
Jamie Farr and Gary Burghoff were the two celebrities on a week of Bert Convy's "Super Password" in about 1985.
No show can or will EVER be as good as mash. That show was also a commentary for Vietnam War too until China Beach.
Gary was hilarious on Match Game. Seemed like a super nice guy, too.
From one of the writers:
"Although nobody wanted to be quoted for the record, the feelings about Gary Burghoff's leaving were fairly unanimous: loved Radar, hated Burghoff. As summed up by one of the principals: 'Gary had personality problems. He always felt there was a conspiracy against him. He was rude to everyone, but if anyone ever said anything back to him, he'd throw a tantrum. He had a particularly heated relationship with Alan Alda. Once, Mike Farrell told him that his problem was that he could dish it out but he couldn't take it, and Gary said, "And I'm getting real sick and tired of dishing it out." The poor guy didn't even realize what he'd said.'"
-- Burt Prelutsky, "So Long, 4077th: The Troops Scatter, but the Memories Linger." TV Guide, February 12, 1983, p.21
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Dave. I have been watching but cannot always comment. Even if the MASH cast did not like Gary who cares. We always work with people we may not like but you do the job and don't let it get to you.But I am glad that the entire cast got along. I always enjoy knowing that castmates who are friends on TV are friends in real life. There is not one character on MASH that I did not like-they were all exceptional and Radar was a gem!
Maybe the top actors: (Alan Alda, McLean Stevenson, Wayne Rogers, Loretta Swit, Mike Farrel, Larry Linville, Harry Morgan, Jamie Farr, ,) all had favorable opinions of Gary ,"Radar O'Reilly," Burghoff , but the background actors, (so, I've heard,) weren't so crazy nuts about him.
I remember Radar leaving, one of his first stand-up gigs Alan Alda was in the audience to support him. MASH was a level of success that is almost unimaginable now, everyone watched it, the last show was seen by 3/4 of the tvs that night.
That show was a work of art. I was eight years old when the series ended in 1983; I remember it being a national EVENT on par with the Super Bowl.
Gary was an integral part of the cast and fitted in with the rest of the crew perfectly
Gary actually had a decent part in a movie that was made in 1970. commenting on how the younger generation was behaving in those difficult times. The movie also starred Elliott Gould, and the female lead was Candace Bergen. for the life of me, I cannot remember the name of the movie!...it was not bad, but was not really an indepth look at the emerging counter-culture. Anyway, Gary went on to appear in the movie Mash, and of course, was in the TV show for a long time.
My mother had been friends with Gary Burghoff's parents, meeting for dinner periodically. I never met them as I was in my 20s and off on my own thing, but my mother said that she met Gary several times, and that he came off as a bit of a snob and could be somewhat rude to people even though no one was playing the star-struck fan or asking for autographs; simply conversing as adults. My mother had been a rather keen observer of people's attitudes and social interactions, surprising me when I thought otherwise, so I'm inclined to believe her assessment. That's not to say that Gary was a jerk or that he couldn't be nice in other settings; we all are complex creatures.
There a lot of "don't meet your idol" type reddits, etc. out there that mention Gary. Their accounts seem to agree with your mother's assessment.
@@laurab5750 A timely reminder. Actors in particular are somewhat narcissistic, competitive and attention-seeking. Why else would you devote your life to getting people to watch you. I grew to find Alan Alda insufferable as his fame from MASH increased. He was in virtually every scene and all the other actors played off him. Offscreen he gave commencement speeches at medical school graduating ceremonies and lectured new grads on how to be ethical practitioners. Such arrogance!!
Actually my favorite character was Father Francis Mulcahy. He was so funny. He was innocent but they tried to give him a real personality. I loved the episode when planted sweet corn and the cook creamed it and Father Mulcahy called him nincompoop. Then the cook said "well next time I'll just let you eat it off the cob" when in actuality that is what Father Mulcahy wanted in the first place.
He call him a 'Ninny"
@@littleblackduck3134 Thanks, I knew it was something with an N. lol
There was an Episode where he felt stifled by Army protocol and he referred to certain Army personnel as "Nerds!"😂👨⚕️📺B.W.
Back in the 80's my mother read me an interview with Loretta Swit that she did for some magazine. It was over a year after the show had ended. Anyway, she said that when Gary left the show there was "no love loss". She explained how difficult he was at times, and just didn't get along with many of the cast and crew. That always stuck with me because it was the first time I'd heard of it and it kind of stuck with me. I think in the years since MASH any hard feelings have dissipated.
Not everyone gets along. She may have seen his behavior in a way others didn't.
I read that Mike Farrell told him that he should reconsider leaving and used McLean, Wayne and Larry as examples that you aren't guaranteed success when you leave. I also remember someone saying that they would miss Radar, but not Gary.
Thanks for sharing!
I didn't care for the show as a child, growing up in the seventies we only had the one television so it was my parents that said what everyone watched so, that's probably why I don't care for the show today. but I did and still do like Alan Alda well before he stared on Mash
Wayne Rogers's show "House Calls" was just starting in 1979. That show. did well until a diispute with Lynn Redgrave detailed the show. The show wasn't the same with Sharon Gless.
@@NoNonsenseKindaGal Just curious, if you don't care for the show, why are you watching this?
@@dos3622 Always remember, only liberas are allowed an opinion here. This is hallowed ground for Leftists. Any others can and will be attacked/dismissed.
If Gary Burghoff was really disliked by the cast of MASH, then the writers of the show (IMO) would not have written an excellent two-part episode of the departure of Radar.
I've heard two things. He was tired of being 30+ years old and playing a 19 year old. Plus, like Larry Linville, felt he had taken the character as far as it could go.
Radars character was the heart and soul of MASH. Not even Hawkeyes character could carry the love an warmth that Radar did. I heard that Gary's marriage was on the rocks which was one of the reasons he left. It sounds to me that if there were hard feelings between him and the rest if the cast, time healed all wounds.
The only thing I didn't like was Frank & Margaret made me sick.
Hawkeye was my least favorite character.
@@kathystuart3513 Margaret was a complete _caricature_ of a person in those earlier episodes where all they could think to do was put her in funny gags about Frank cheating on his wife with her. I was dumbstruck with how thin her character was when I started watching those early episodes after being introduced to the show by the MeTV tribute to all of David Ogden Stiers best episodes.
I know one thing, when he left the show I never laughed at MASH again. It had been going down hill since Margret and Frank spit up, but the humor basically ceased after Radar's departure.
I miss wholesome shows like M.A.S.H.
Radar was an awesome character. I truly wish he had continued to Act.
He did a few things after M*A*S*H but I believe he found it difficult to shake the role of Radar.
Wholesome? While in production it was one of the raunchiest shows on TV.
Compared to some of todays stuff it was fairly tame.
@@PvtEd Because of modern editing, most people are unaware or have forgotten that in Season 1 Trapper's and Hawkeye's nickname for the black surgeon was "Spearchucker."
I was not aware that there was any animosity toward Gary Burghoff from the other cast members. He could be just as funny as the other cast members.I remember one episode where it was Movie Night at 4077th. Col. Potter was telling Radar I love those Rockettes then he asks Radar if he has ever seen the Rockettes? Radars answer was only on the 4th of July.
Remember that actors in the public eye are doing a job, and not always for a paycheck. They're experts at pretending to be someone they're not, and showing an audience what they want to see. Just because they're all buddy-buddy in a podcast, that doesn't mean they actually ARE.
When I was a kid, him and Klinger would come to Kansas City a lot to do dinner theaters. Never at the same time, of coarse. Don Knotts came through a lot too. He ran into my grandmother at a grocery store and was incredibly nice.
I 1000% remember there being an article I read stating that the MASH cast disliked him and that he was legendary for having temper tantrums etc. That article was in the early 80s. Not sure if it’s accurate, but it’s out there.
I saw Gary Bergdoff one time when I worked for Evergreen liquors in Louisville Kentucky. I’ll be at brief, I’m sure that he’s a good man. Let’s face it in life some people don’t like other people it’s a crying shame we should try to like all people but we don’t. Best regards from the state of Kentucky.
I like M*A*S*H love it been watching it since the 80s the few last years it be on, then the late night reruns on at a 11. Thanks for sharing, I like Gary a person you have a beer with.
Thanks for sharing Matthew!
He was a real jerk on match game, over the top is an understatement, I could see him being disliked by some.
Hmmm. I wonder if that is where the rumor came from?
I have to agree, he came off as a little obnoxious. I still love him as Radar though...
Dave do you remember a series in the 80’s called Riptide? I liked it as much as Magnum PI and Simon and Simon. Do you have a video on Riptide? Take care
I think Gary was more like Radar than we'll ever know. Loved this.
Yes because he did everything watch the episodes people Klinger needed to given to the enemy 😂😂😂😂😂❤❤❤❤
I look at the character of Radar the same way I look at the character Phoebe from Friends. They were both the smartest people in the room. Genius often comes off as naivete, but they also seem intuitive.
Love it!
His character was just over the top smarmy innocent. Not believable at all. And actually, sort of annoying.
LOVE MASH!. I loved how they replaced out-going characters with equally good, but VERY different characters. Very smart casting. I've heard many had issues with berghoff, but all people are different and we can look past those differences. A lot of people stated so, but time heals things so it looks like they have all come around. Close friends are too hard to find.
Well said, Dutchmiester1911!
That's why the series was so successful. People didn't get tired of it because they didn't keep playing on the same note.
I remember Mike Farrell said he tried to talk Gary out of leaving reminding him that Wayne Rogers and McLean Stevenson had never got the same successful roles after they left. Of course Wayne Rogers was already a successful milionare and really didn't need to work in films, but I've never heard that any of the actors on M*A*S*H* were hard to get along with, you can tell it by the chemistry between the cast, other than the exects had trouble with McLean Stevenson as he wanted better conditions for the cast and crew. Other than that he was loved by his fellow cast mates. Personally I liked M*A*S*H* it's first three years and missed the original cast a lot, no offense to Mike Farrell, David Ogden Stiers and Harry Morgan. The fourth year was alright, but when Alan Alda kind of took over, almost completely, I really lost interest in the show.
The two worst mistakes I felt the show did was killing of Henry Blake, I felt the exects did this because they had it in for McLean, so they didn't want to give him a chearful send off, I mean come on, Henry was always flying to Tokyo or Sol and just happened his plane got shot down when he finally got to go home!🤔And the final show of M*A*S*H* which in my opinion, just mine, the worst of all the episodes of M*A*S*H*. This was the most watched show final ever, and to me the worst. Like I said, just my opinion.
But just the same, so glad Gary is doing well. Thanks always, my friend, for the upload. Still like to see you do one on child star Bill Mumy.😉
The cast didn't hate him the producers did he was a pain in the ass
Gary was right to leave when he did, the writers did him a real disservice by continuing Radar’s naivety for far too long, Radar grew during the show but not nearly enough for a “front line veteran “ in a war (police action).
He was really inconsistently naïve. Early on, Radar was secretly the mastermind running the 4077th and could drink and debauched with the best of them. Then they slowly kidified him again after Blake's death. Still one of the best shows ever, but if you binge it now all at once, you'll pick up on the inconsistencies and writing shortcuts they used.
How long is too long? According to the timeline, Radar was only there for a little over a year. There were episodes set after Radar left that were set about a year and a half after the war started. That's what happens by trying to make an 11 year long show about a 3 year war.
Meh, this guy's logic doesn't fit. Of course co-stars in later promotional interviews aren't going to say "Yeah Gary was a total jerk and we hated him", they would be the ones looking awful if they did. Yes Alan Alda is going to wish him a happy birthday. But judging present day behavior doesn't mean that they felt the same way 45 years ago.
This is more something that needs to be asked of behind the line workers and such. Being a jerk doesn't make someone arrogant and ego centric as well, most of the stories say that he just didn't have a good personality or know when to quit. What usually heard was that he was always giving co-stars shit in a "humorous" way, but often went too far and was inappropriate. Then, when someone ribbed him back, he would whine and throw a fit like he was just deeply insulted. The famous quote being Mike Ferrall telling him "You know what the problem is? You can dish it out but you can't take it.". With Gary snapping back without really thinking "And I'm sure getting tired of dishing it out!".
Doesn't necessarily make him a too good for everyone spoiled actor, just makes him a jerk that was moody and difficult to be around, and people had to be careful so that he would remain professional. But giving him a hard time today about it, would just make them all look bitter
Thanks for sharing your perspective SC1089!
@@jdsundstrom as well, people like this are generally on their best behavior when around someone new, someone they're not comfortable yet. Meeting the common public, he's likely going to be nice, might even try to give them his Radar character that they're expecting.
In any event, it is said that the cast "Loved Radar, didn't like Gary", so obviously he was talented and played the character very well
Yes! I remember reading that one of the principle actors said Gary was the best actor of them all... Because he played such a sweet character and was the opposite in real life. Not a direct quote, can't remember, but that was the meaning.
I hated those episodes leading up to his departure ,
Him trying to act all grown up ,
Didn’t suit him at all ,
I liked the cuddly adorable radar
I was too young to really get M.A.S.H. back in the day. But I have rewatched it through clips and I have to say the episode where Alan Alda complains about the squawking chicken has to be the most horrific and heart rending episodes I've ever seen.
It turned out the mother killed her child by smothering the child,hard to get over that
@@robbiewt0254
Yeah, I was trying not to give spoilers in case someone hadn't watched it yet.
That was the final episode.
Really liked MASH the movie, didn't care for the Alan Alda show.
I loved all the MASH characters, but especially ferret face Larry Linville.
Larry was great!
I've seen episodes of Match Game 74/75 where Gary Burghoff temporarily replaced Charles Nelson Reilly as a regular. He was pretty annoying with his seeming constant need for attention, and upstaging Gene Rayburn and the other panelists. I can possibly see a reason why the other MASH actors might have had some issues with Gary if he acted similarly to the way he was on Match Game when he was on the set of MASH.
He was pretty annoying on Match Game. I was surprised when I read some comments saying they liked when Gary was on. Gene Rayburn seemed to get ticked off at him a few times.
Totally agree 100%. He was always trying to upstage everyone else on Match Game. Annoying as hell.
Yes, I agree. I thought Radar was a wonderful character, and I'm sure Gary Berghoff is a great guy, but damn, every time he's on Match Game, I find myself telling him to please shut up. He was trying so hard to be funny, and he really wasn't.
Exactly, was going to post something similar but couldn't put it any better
@@deezee6732 Sounds like “Mash”. went to his head!! He thought “he was all that!”
Thanks for this great video! MASH was/is still my favorite show going on 50 years soon. I never miss a MeTv rerun. GB certainly is a talented drummer, that's for sure.
Gary's is and always will be part of M.A.S.H thanks
And who didn't cry like a baby when Radar announced that Col. Blake's chopper had been shot down...with no survivors? I'm tearing up just typing this all these years later....on Memorial Day. I remember hearing that the creators of M.A.S.H., even as it was comedy, never wanted to venture too far away from the real cost of war.
A shocking moment that I heard only Gary was told so when he walked into the surgical room to tell them it was to get a genuine reaction from that cast.
My Wife is from Malibu and she knew him when she was young and he acted like an jerk offstage around town.Everyone thinks he got a big head. This whole thing about being afraid of being typecast has ruined many actors lives because they give up something certain for a maybe .
A book I own about the history of MASH included an interview with Gary, and according to IT at least, Gary left the show due to feeling burned out. He appeared in all 24 episodes of the first 3 seasons, as did Alda and Wayne Rogers, but by season 4 there were some Radar-less episodes, all the way through season 7. Was early in season 8 that we had the 2-parter involving Radar's leaving. And while still good, the show seemed like it was missing something after Radar left. We also "lost" Klinger in one respect too, as he went from trying to get out of the army to trying to take over as company clerk, and we also lost Zale, as he no longer appeared after Radar's final episodes. We did however get Sgt. Rizzo portrayed by G.W. Bailey, and he was a sensational replacement for Zale!
Gw really hit it big after mash he appeared in movies commercials and it was great to see him in major crimes and the closer. He always reminded me of the Tasmanian devil and Jamie as gonzo of Muppet show.
From what I understand, that's similar to why Larry left the show. He'd done about all he could do with the character and barring a plot development that effectively turned him into a completely different character, there wasn't really anymore for him to do. Which is kind of a shame as from what I understand, he was a really nice guy and doing one hell of a job playing the part of an obnoxious weasle.
Wow! I didn't know Gary Burghoff was in the show THAT long. I think that Burghoff got tired of playing the cute teddy bear. And wanted meatier roles. But that's just my opinion.
I much prefer Rizzo over Zale, he oozes sleaze to the point I can't actually hate him.
Gary really did like acting though. He jumped at the opportunity to star in one of the few spinnoffs of M*A*S*H such as, W*A*L*T*E*R where he plays a beat cop.
Radar was one of my favorite characters on the show. I used to have a neighbor who was also a fan of Radar, so much so, that she named her chihuahua after him.
Love it!
I knew a Springer spaniel named radar after him too
RADAR is the person that we need to emulate on how to treat people!!
After a time, I grew to hate this show. I got tired of all the moral lecturing and sarcasm.
I was working at Thrifty Drug Store in Montebello, CA, at the cash register when Gary Burghoff came in and bought a pack of cigarettes. I was grinning ear-to-ear because I had never had a celebrity in my store before. I don't remember what I said to him, other than perhaps the usual thank you for shopping at Thrifty. He didn't smile at all, but he did look at me. He was wearing a light blue sportscoat and a matching pair of pants that were hemmed at the knee. It looked like a young boy's short pants suit.
Always loved Radar, in movie and on TV, much better actor than given credit for. What I didn't like about MASH was how in the last year or two, the volume of the dialogue increased significantly so that it seemed the cast was always yelling at each other. The director's fault? Also, I do think the show would have been better overall if less influence was given to Hawkeye and more to the other characters.
Unfortunately, a few months ago the man Radar was based on, Don Shaffer, passed away. He still lived near his hometown of Ottumwa, Iowa.
I did not know this! Thanks for sharing Retro Rob.
The first few seasons were entertaining but after awhile it got a little bit too preachy.
I was extra in a local religious movie here in Florida and got to chat with him a few times. Really nice guy. Friendly and no ego. I would assume when a fan favorite leaves a show it hurts the show and might have caused some passed off people.
No. This was click bate. The cast loved the guy. How could you not. Gary was a great actor.
Didn't Burghoff reprise his role in "After MASH" ?
Gary was so good that we forgot he was about the same age as the Drs. A 40 year old guy playing a 19 year old for 10 years.
He didn't turn 40 till 1983, but still he was a bit too old, I agree.
He would have been 29, when they started shooting the first season, so that's ten years older than the character he was portraying. This is only eclipsed by the fact, that of the four Sweathog characters, in 'Welcome Back, Kotter' (Travolta, Pallilo, Hegyes and Hilton-Jacobs), at the start of the first season, Travolta was the youngest (21) and Pallilo was the oldest (26). They were portraying 17-year-olds, I presume. But having actors blatantly too old to legitimately play younger roles has been widespread practice, both in film and television, for a long time. It was probably unavoidable, due to a dearth of competent actors, of the required age.
@ShannonFreng and I was obviously talking about towards the end of his role. He was very passable in the beginning.. but he seemed to have aged drastically in the last 2 seasons.. especially the receding hairline. By 35.. he honestly looked every bit of it.. if not older than 35
@@joshythehand2960Agreed.
"Rumors about Garry being a self-centered egotistical and difficult person to work with" other than this video ive literally never, ever heard anything negative about Garry. Or even a joke about it.
My guess is that if there were any difficulties on set, time and perspective have made them fade, with only the good memories remaining. Every work place has its share of tension; it's rare that everybody gets along ALL the time. And yes, I think the media does enjoy the more negative stories because, frankly, "whole cast loves each other" gets fewer clicks/views. I watch these videos and I just ache for something of similar quality to be made today, and yet, I know it's never going to happen. Thanks again for at least keeping our past alive, Dave.
He wanted to be known as Gary Burghoff the actor and not "Radar" from MASH. People referred to him by his TV name everywhere he went and it drove him crazy.
I have some information about this that most people don’t have. Gary had severe heart disease, and had to have extensive heart surgery at a hospital in Detroit. He was friends with my social studies teacher, and he had six hours of intensive heart surgery; and we bought him this blue fuzzy bathroom as a get well present, and he couldn’t stop crying when she brought it to him.
Of course this was hushed up, because an actor cannot be known as having a severe medical condition like that. It would kill their career.
Of course this, because an actor cannot be known as having a severe condition like that.
Love it! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
You bought him a whole bathroom?! (That's what it says.)
So Herny was killed off earlier, in comes Potter, did they hate Maclean Stevensen? I believe he wanted out or they didn't wanna pay him??? Who knows, this particular video has no real content accept the guy who posted it says stuff Klinger and Alda, and Loretta Switt might have said...Well Alda actually posted stuff.... I know Larry Linville made sarcastic remarks when Radar got a house kinda close to the set? F him.... Burghoff was on the reunion show and there was no negativity....we all know at work we don't like everybody 4 whatever reason...the character of Radar was the only one from the original MASH movie that went to the tv show....Burghoff was good...I think this video posted is just posted 4 the fact he posted something yay and wanted "likes", my opinion. I'm waiting 4 a negative William Christopher video lol, btw does anyone remember Father Mulcahey on Hogan's Heroes?
And two Color Episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show", where he met future "MASH" Producer Gene Reynolds. And ongoing appearances in The Cast of "Gomer Pyle, USMC." Also cast against type as a gripey guy in "Murder She Wrote" many years later.😂📺B.W.
I wish I could find out more about Radar's off screen counterpart Sparky. When Radar had trouble getting something, he'd usually contact Sparky.
Also known as Sergeant Pryor. We actually get to see him in one episode, Maybe it was TUTTLE, but I am not certain. I just checked. It was TUTTLE. Dennis Fimple played him.
Gary Burghoff was the only actor to be in both the movie MASH and the TV show MASH.
Now that I think about it, Gary Burghoff was also in the spin off, After MASH.
I think I’ve heard years ago although I cannot remember the source, that one of the reasons he had left the show was there was a wildfire in his neighbourhood where his family were threatened by them. He had to say that he did not want to be away from his family ever again.
I actually published a video about that. The source that I used for the video was TV Week magazine. Here's the video: th-cam.com/video/6fvrcUQL5UE/w-d-xo.html
L
"Lt Col. Henry Blake's plane was shot down over the Sea of Japan. It spun in. There were no survivors." STILL MAKES ME CHOKE UP!
Miss Florence: I have trouble even looking now at how emotionally disheveled Gary looked when the scene started. The Epilogue that shows some of "Henry Blake's" prominent Footage is a backbreaker too.😔😭👨⚕️📺B.W.
It may have been tough playing Radar. The actor was a chess champion. He was really intelligent. There is an episode of The Love Boat where he does get to be a more intelligent character. Love to know Gary was a real champ in other ways too.
He was also an inventor besides being a chess champion.
Wonder if he ever did finish building that Jeep.
Gary left MASH (and acting altogether nearly) over issues in his personal life, not because of issues on set or with the other cast mates. Radars character became very quick to anger during his last season on MASH and you can see the toll Gary’s divorce and custody issues was having on his performance.
Thanks for sharing!
Don't forget that Radar was originally more like the other characters, though. He drank, smoke, wise-cracked, etc.
Good video. I just want to say one thing about the character of Radar. The first season Radar was very different from the remaining seasons. In the first season Radar was more world wise and tougher than afterwards. If you rewatch the first season episodes of MASH you'll see Radar sitting in Henry Blakes' office smoking one of his cigars and drinking his booze. In the following seasons the strongest drink he took was a Grape Nehi, and he never smoked anything. Also in season 1 he spoke back to others once in a while. He wasn't the same naive youth he devolved into in subsequent seasons.
Again, thanks for a great video. Cheers!
Great comments! Thanks for sharing.
The first season played him more like the movie version did IMHO with a bit of darkness and sarcasm.
I guess you couldn't make this show today.
The Klinger character made fun of cross-dressing people.
I didn't really think Klinger was making fun of cross-dressers. But...you might be right, there probably would be some folks who would take offense today.
I'm so glad the cast has nothing but nice things to say about this wonderful person. Was he ill a few years back? I recall seeing photos of him that shocked me, but the still from his video about the wildfires looks great, he looks like the same old Gary. He always had so much fun on Match Game and I loved seeing him there as well as on MASH. Another great job as usual!
Thanks for sharing dovegrey1. I'm not sure about Gary being ill a few years back. I hadn't heard anything like that...but he is getting older.
For what it's worth, Gary Burghoff was the only actor to reprise the same role on the M*A*S*H TV show that that actor played in the movie.
Believe it or not, I have only ever watched two or three episodes of Mash, despite its longevity and reputation for excellence. Even so, I always remembered (and liked) Gary Burghoff more than any of the other cast members. He made such an impression on me primarily because of his innocent almost virginal look.
I don't know whether he might find my impression of him insulting or not, but it is how he came across to me, and I mean it as a compliment. I find his look and manner refreshing in today's anything-goes world. It is impossible for me to believe that this man was difficult to work with and that the other cast members did not like him, if not love him.
Thanks for sharing!
He was the only cast member that was in the movie.
Honestly, 3 other cast members had left MASH by that point, and Gary was not only the ONE cast member from the movie version to reprise his character on the TV series, he kept that "innocence" fresh for literally 8 years.
So, why did he leave????
Wouldn't you be tired of playing one particular character for nearly a decade?
Got a feeling Gary was feeling the burn out of MASH and simply wanted to try other things, but his final episode, GOODBYE RADAR..........you REALLY feel the pain everybody went through with him leaving (easily up there with ABYSSINA HENRY as one of the best tearjerker)
Is this a question for Kelsey Grammer and Mariska Hargitay?
They get paid enough they can do that. I look at the no hollywood people who stay at a job for years, because of the benefits/retirement. Though, now I do feel people are leaving the job for what they think will be the next bigger job (whether it is or not) because, let's face it, loyalty to a company has gone to garbage on both sides of the company divide (and yes, it started because of the bosses).
G. Wood also reprised his character from the movie to the TV show, General Hammond. Although he only appears in a few episodes in the first season.
Ask Kelsey Grammer about playing one character. He did it for 20 years. He did it twice if you count Sideshow Bob. For that matter, ask all the Simpsons voices. They've done it for 32 years.