The legendary CBS sitcom “M*A*S*H” was so much more successful than the original 1970 film that it also spawned its own spin-offs: “AfterMASH” and “W*A*L*T*E*R.” Although “M*A*S*H” was nearly canceled after Season 1, it went on to complete an 11-season run with a beloved core cast and a revolving door of famous guest stars. Only Gary Burghoff, who played Corporal Walter “Radar” O’Reilly, appeared in the original movie, the TV series, and its many sitcom spin-offs.
Radar cemented himself as an integral part of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, thanks to his uncanny ability to anticipate military commands. Although he struggled with learning the ropes at the beginning, Lt. Col. Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) took him under his wing, helping him become an excellent clerk. Radar also seemed to have enhanced hearing, as he was able to hear incoming helicopters before anyone else on the team.
Burghoff left “M*A*S*H” in Season 8, with the two-part “Good-Bye Radar” episodes that officially bid farewell to the character. The actor went on to guest star in “AfterMASH,” which took place after the end of the Korean War, and “W*A*L*T*E*R,” an obscure 1984 pilot centered on Radar’s adventures in St. Louis, Missouri.
Gary Burghoff didn’t appear in this overlooked M*A*S*H spin-off
Although Gary Burghoff was a steady presence in the “M*A*S*H” franchise, there’s one exception in his track record. The actor does not appear in “Trapper John, M.D.,” the highly successful spin-off almost nobody talks about today. The medical drama follows an older version of the titular character (played by Pernell Roberts), who is the Chief of Surgery at San Francisco Memorial Hospital.
Apart from “M*A*S*H,” Burghoff also starred in television shows like “Insight,” “The Love Boat,” and “Burke’s Law.” The actor earned seven Emmy nominations for playing Radar over the years. He even won an Emmy in 1977 in the Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category.
Burghoff also has extensive experience as a theater actor, as he is well-known for playing Charlie Brown off-Broadway in the 1967 musical “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”