Leaving the military-medical comedy battlefields Gary Burghoff, who played the lovely but cunning Radar on MAS*H, gave up his career to help his family, which was steadily breaking down.
The 79-year-old Emmy-winning actor recently became a grandfather when his son, Miles “Sonar” Burghoff, gave birth to a baby girl.
Miles shared a photo of himself cuddling his newborn daughter in late March 2023. “I caught the best 8-pounder of my life today!” says the caption. “Please welcome Rylee Elisabeth Burghoff!”
Miles is a professional angler who inherited his father’s love of fishing. “He’s the one who really started me out,” remarked the younger Burghoff at a fishing contest.
“I’m just here to offer moral support,” his father replied. This is an example of parents doing what they enjoy with their children.”
Though Miles did not follow in his father’s footsteps, he does have a moniker that is reminiscent of the legendary Radar. “I was given the name Sonar because my father played Radar on the TV show MAS*H,” Miles explained.
Miles and his brother Jordan are the sons of Burghoff and Elizabeth Bolstrom, his second wife, whom he married in 1985 and divorced in 2005. Bolstrom passed away in November of 2019.
Burghoff also has a daughter, Gena Gayle Burghoff, from his first marriage to Janet Gayle, whom he divorced in 1979.
Burghoff didn’t take much with him when he departed MAS*H.
“I didn’t leave MAS*H a wealthy man,” Burghoff explained to People. “I had the option of renegotiating my contract, but money was not the most important thing in my life…Either you want to be wealthy and famous, or you want to be a father. You can’t have it both ways.”
Burghoff selected regional theatre over many offers for roles in 1980s sitcoms, including one on Newhart. “I wanted to pick the number of weeks I’d work and spend the rest of the time with my family,” he explained.
His stage performances, which he soon got tired of, couldn’t compare to his breakout part on MAS*H.
Burghoff starred in the hit TV series as Cpl. Walter ‘Radar’ O’Reilly, a naive farm lad working as the company clerk (occasionally bugler) with the United States Army’s Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) during the Korean War (1950-1953).
Burghoff is the only actor who played his character in both the TV series and the film (1970), which also starred Donald Sutherland, Robert Duvall, and Sally Kellerman in her Oscar-nominated performance as Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan, a part Loretta Swit played in the TV adaption.
After appearing in every episode for the first three seasons, Burghoff’s rigorous schedule was reported to be onerous on his family life, resulting in his character’s appearances being reduced to 13 episodes, down from his regular 24.
Radar’s departure was commemorated by a two-part farewell, Good-Bye Radar, that detailed his dismissal from the army.
MAS*H director Charles S. Dubin indicated to The Television Academy Foundation that Burghoff was having marital problems at the time. Dubin stated that Burghoff “couldn’t go on” in reference to the Goodbye Radar episodes in which the character has to say goodbye to the woman he loves. He burst into tears, and I had to put everything on hold for 15 minutes to walk him around Fox’s backlot.” “In the script, he was talking about a future with her, possibly, (which) related to his own domestic problems,” Dubin concluded. That, I believe, played a significant role.”
MAS*H returned for three more seasons, with the original cast–Alan Alda as Capt. Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce, Loretta Swit as “Hot Lips” Houlihan, and Jamie Farr as Sgt. Maxwell Q. Klinger–managing the barracks.
Burghoff returned his role as Radar for two episodes of the spinoff series AfterMash, as well as for WALTE*R, a third spin-off that was not picked up that told the narrative of Radar’s life after MASH.
Producers offered Burghoff a $US4 million contract in an attempt to entice him back, but he declined. By 1991, “the money ran out,” and Burghoff was on the verge of going bankrupt. “I was down to my last $500,” he stated in the People interview.
That’s when Burghoff, an off-Broadway actor, jazz guitarist, stamp collector, and inventor of Chum Magic, a gadget used to attract fish, decided to try something new.
Literally, Burghoff began painting North American wildlife on canvas oil paintings that were sold in galleries for $25,000 each.
You might be able to find a piece at auction today if you’re lucky.
Burghoff contributed to a GoFundMe account for folks whose lives were impacted by the California wildfires four years ago. Of course, he appears older in the video, which was released by his son Jordan, and admirers praised his acting and efforts.
“OMG, I remember him when I was a kid watching mash,” one commented. He still has the same voice and appearance.” “Good to see you Mr. Burghoff, I’m donating not just because there’s a need, but because I feel I owe you something,” said another. I used to watch MASH as a kid and liked your work. Now my wife and I are watching it again on Netflix. You made me laugh, cry, and ponder, and I appreciated it all. Thank you for posting, Jordan.