In a timeless romance, Naval Officer Zack Mayo swept factory worker Paula off her feet, whisking her away from the mundane confines of her workplace. Debra Winger’s portrayal was the envy of fans worldwide, setting a standard for romantic tales in the iconic film “An Officer and a Gentleman”. Richard Gere’s depiction of Officer Zack Mayo, the dashing naval hero clad in his crisp blues, captured hearts across the globe.
Winger, now 69, retains her enduring beauty that first captivated audiences alongside Hollywood’s leading men. Recently, she’s shared glimpses of herself on social media, her once brown locks now naturally curly and silver. Winger’s career ignited with her debut in the 1976 film “Slumber Party ’57”, leading to a memorable role as Drusilla in the hit TV series “Wonder Woman” (1979), where she portrayed the spirited younger sister to Lynda Carter’s Diana Prince.
Despite early success, Winger bravely turned down further commitments on “Wonder Woman” to avoid typecasting, a decision that proved pivotal. Throughout the early 1980s, she garnered acclaim with Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for her roles in iconic films like “Urban Cowboy” (1980) alongside John Travolta, “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982) as Paula, and “Terms of Endearment” (1983) as Emma, a poignant portrayal of a young woman facing mortality under the watchful eye of her mother, played by Shirley MacLaine.
Yet, amid rising stardom, Winger took a hiatus from Hollywood, sparking speculation that persists over four decades later. Rumors swirled about conflicts with co-stars, including reputed tension with Gere during the filming of “An Officer and a Gentleman”. Co-star Louis Gossett Jr., who played Sgt. Emil Foley, chronicled in his book “An Actor and a Gentleman” that their on-screen chemistry didn’t translate off-screen, attributing friction between Winger and Gere to creative differences.
Winger’s outspoken nature extended beyond Gere; she reportedly clashed with MacLaine on the set of “Terms of Endearment”, where their contrasting styles and personalities led to both friction and eventual camaraderie. The Hollywood grapevine buzzed with tales of Winger’s independence and occasional clashes, enhancing her mystique.
Following her hiatus, Winger returned to the spotlight with “Forget Paris” (1995) alongside Billy Crystal before taking another break to focus on family life in New York City with her husband, actor Arliss Howard. She returned to acting with “Big Bad Love” (2001) and gained further attention with the documentary “Searching for Debra Winger” (2002), exploring her decision to step away from the limelight at the peak of her career.
Reflecting on her Hollywood journey, Winger has remained philosophical, viewing Los Angeles as a place rather than a concept of stardom. Her recent roles in films like “Rachel Getting Married” (2008), “The Lovers” (2017), and “Kajillionaire” (2020) underscore her enduring talent and commitment to diverse roles, reinforcing her status as a cinematic icon who defies easy categorization.
In 2021, Winger appeared in the anthology drama “With/In”, Volume two, in a segment titled “Her Own”, directed and written by her husband Arliss Howard. Her ongoing career continues to surprise and delight audiences, proving that while Hollywood’s landscape may evolve, Debra Winger’s allure and talent endure.
Gary Burghoff AKA Radar from ‘M*A*S*H’ Always Kept His Left Hand Out of View – Five Times We Could See It
The hit 1972 sitcom “M*A*S*H” introduced the world to a number of memorable and beloved characters, from the smart-mouthed yet compassionate Captain Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce to his endearing friend, Captain B.J. Hunnicutt. Almost every character had stuck in the minds of the fans.
One of the characters that often featured but was easily overlooked by his military counterparts due to his nervous nature was the 4077 MASH unit’s company clerk, Corporal Walter Eugene “Radar” O’Reilly. Although many of the staff on the base tended to take Radar’s effort for granted, the fans sure noticed him.
Radar was portrayed by the acclaimed actor Gary Burghoff from the start of the TV show in 1972 until the seventh season, which aired in 1979. Although fans clamored for more of the unassuming clerk, Burghoff revealed that he needed to step away from the show to rekindle his personal relationships and fight burnout.
“M*A*S*H’s” Influence and Burghoff’s Personal Identity
Although Burghoff enjoyed playing Radar, the role became increasingly demanding. The actor commented that it became difficult to separate himself from his character in the eyes of the public, which soon became tedious. He also noted that he despised being fawned over by the crowds:
“Aw, I know I’m cute. Cute, cute, CUTE! I was always cute because I was always the smallest kid on the block. I hate cute.”
Everyone saw Burghoff as an adorable, short, timid character as they’d known him on-screen and on the stage for many years. However, after years of being looked down upon, both metaphorically and physically speaking, Burghoff grew tired of the persona so easily attributed to him by scores of people he had never even met.
The actor lashed out against this view of him as a cute little fellow by defending his height. As he so rightly pointed out, 5 feet 6 inches isn’t irregularly short, and he would have seen the tops of Arte Johnson or Mickey Rooney’s heads had they ever met. Nonetheless, the persona stuck.
Luckily for all his fans, Burghoff didn’t let his disability stand in his way, and he pursued his dream of becoming an actor.
Despite his misgivings about how others perceived him, Burghoff’s fellow cast members adored him. The director Charles Dubin recalled working with Burghoff before he left “M*A*S*H,” noting how caring and pleasant Burghoff was to everyone on set. However, Burghoff had another aspect of himself that drove down his self-esteem.
Burghoff had been born with a congenital disability called Brachydactyly, a form of Poland Syndrome. The condition left the actor with three fingers on his left hand that were noticeably smaller than the rest of his digits, and the abnormality had plagued him since he was a small child. The actor commented:
“Of course, this defect affected me while I was growing up. I suppose when I was very young, I knew my disability would set me apart and make me special.”
Luckily for all his fans, Burghoff didn’t let his disability stand in his way, and he pursued his dream of becoming an actor. Yet, becoming a fan-favorite on one of the most iconic TV shows America had ever produced never managed to quell his insecurities about his stout fingers and stocky frame.
Throughout his run on “M*A*S*H,” Burghoff tried to hide his left hand from the camera. He would often position himself so that the camera could only see one side of his body and usually gestured with his right if the scene required it, although the actor would be obligated to use both hands now and again.
In one of the earliest episodes, viewers were introduced to Radar as he stood in an open area, wearing a greyish shirt and his trademark cap. As the actor turned around and looked at the sky — once again hearing approaching helicopters before everyone else — the camera briefly panned over both his hands holding a football.
When Colonel Sherman T. Potter first made his appearance on the show, taking over from the beloved Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake, Radar and the new commander shared a scene where they first met. As Colonel Potter exited the room to find the latrines, the camera centered on Burghoff’s upper body as he opened a box with both hands.
Another infamous scene caught Burghoff with both hands on camera. During a regular morning salute, with the loathsome Major Frank Burns leading the ceremony, Radar does his usual morning salute with a bugle. In a hilarious twist, one of the men fires off the ceremonial canon at Burns’s behest.
Naturally, Radar gets the short end of the stick as the cannonball flies directly at him, knocking his instrument clean out of his hands. In the next few seconds, Burghoff turns toward the camera in a pantomime of rage, balling his fists and stomping in outrage. Here, both his hands can be seen for a brief second.
In one of the later episodes, the writers showed off Radar’s softer side when he cuddled his pet guinea pig, Babette. Naturally, Radar stood with his left hand beneath his right, but just as he started to sing, Father John Mulcahy called for him. Burghoff’s hands were visible again as he put the Babette away.
One of the scenes where Burghoff openly showed his left hand came as part of another gag the show pulled. At the start of the scene, Radar could be seen walking across a dirt road while two other military personnel walked away from the camera. The man on Radar’s right first lifted his hand in salute, followed shortly by one on the left.
Radar, the pleasant character he was, lifted his right hand in response to the first salute, as military etiquette dictates. Caught off guard by the quick second salute, Radar lifted his left hand as well, essentially performing a double salute. Feeling sheepish, he frowned and lowered his hands slowly in one of Burghoff’s classic displays of confusion.
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