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Here's why Gary Burghoff ''probably wouldn't have taken the TV role'' on M*A*S*H
Radar may not have been the same if he could see it coming!
Fame is a cruel mistress. There are, arguably, a bunch of benefits. Those benefits are what make fame so alluring. People are drawn by the access and notoriety that comes with fame. To be known is a great commodity to some. There's also the possibility that fame could lead to more opportunities, new roles, or new jobs. We feel like we could meet different kinds of people and exist in spaces we'd been excluded from. While this may be enough to lure people toward fame-seeking behaviors, the truth is that many famous folks resent their celebrity.
During his time on M*A*S*H, Gary Burghoff was undoubtedly one of the most famous faces in America. The show was a massive success, and Burghoff's character was a beloved figure. Radar became a genuine pop cultural phenomenon.
While the show depicted the brutalities of war, Radar stood in as the heart of humanity. Audiences loved him, and soon, the role eclipsed Burghoff's career completely, as Radar grew bigger than the actor that played him.
In a 2003 interview with the Eau Claire, Wisconsin Leader-Telegram, Burghoff was candid about how reluctant he'd be to repeat his past success with the perceptiveness of hindsight vision.
"If I had known what I know now I probably wouldn't have taken the TV role, even though I loved M*A*S*H," the actor said. The difference-maker was the way he'd grown up since then. When M*A*S*H was originally pitched, Burghoff had a career to consider. He was single when the movie was released, and wasn't yet a father. However, his family was his priority a few years into the show's run.
"You have to have a family life," Burghoff said.
When his children were young, Burghoff said people would recognize him from TV, and it made it impossible to go out and have a good time. Every moment he spent in public was interrupted by cries of "Hey, Radar!"
So, while fame may indeed have its spoils, take it from Radar himself: The reality isn't as sweet as it's cracked up to be!
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