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.
Eminem’s Daughter Hailie Jade Faces Backlash for Swimsuit Photo – Here’s What You Need to Know!
Eminem’s daughter was once body-shamed for showing off her curves in a two-piece swimsuit. However, when she appeared in her father’s music video to announce her pregnancy, most of the comments were positive.
Eminem once shared that he had joint custody of his daughter, Hailie Jade, with his ex-wife when she was a minor. Now, Hailie is an adult, married, and expecting her first child. In the past, when she posted a photo of herself in a swimsuit, many internet users quickly criticized her.
Eminem Is Proud of His Married Daughter
During an appearance on the *Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson* podcast in 2020, Eminem shared that Hailie Jade was 23 years old at the time. He confirmed that she had a boyfriend but was not a mother yet. The star mentioned that she was doing well and expressed his pride in her.
She had also graduated from college. In addition to Hailie, Eminem helped raise his niece, who was 26 at the time, and he also had a younger child who was 17.
Out of all his achievements, the thing he was most proud of was his ability and good fortune to raise his children.
Because his children didn’t face the same struggles he did, Eminem stated, “It’s definitely important to keep your kids grounded when there’s a situation like we have.” Hailie, now 28 after celebrating her birthday in December 2023, has finally taken a big step with her boyfriend.
In February 2023, Eminem’s daughter took to Instagram to share several pictures announcing her engagement to her boyfriend, Evan McClintock.
Her fiancé was seen kneeling on one knee to propose, and the couple celebrated with drinks.
Hailie revealed that the proposal happened on February 4, 2023. Then, on May 20, 2024, she posted several photos from her wedding day on Instagram, sharing that the ceremony took place the week before.
Many happy tears were shed at her wedding as guests smiled, laughed, and felt a lot of love during the beautiful weekend celebration.
She added, “Evan and I are feeling so grateful for all of the family and friends who traveled to support us and be a part of this new chapter of our lives as husband and wife .”
In early October 2024, Hailie’s father released the official music video for his song “Temporary.”
The clip showed him seeing his daughter at her wedding for the first time.
He appeared emotional, wearing sunglasses and covering his mouth before hugging her. Eminem looked as if he was crying and even took off his sunglasses to get a better look at his daughter.
Fans were touched by the rapper’s reaction, with one person commenting, “Seeing Eminem cry is the most human thing I’ve ever seen.”
Another viewer said, “Eminem’s the toughest dude. So when he cries, it makes me cry, man [sic].”
One fan said, “Love him,” while another confessed, “I almost cried when I felt the love of a father for his little daughter. I couldn’t stop listening.”
Someone impressed by the rapper’s sacrifices noted, “He broke the generational curse for those kids. All four of them.”
Since July 2024, he has been working as the company’s Director of Sales & Product.
After bringing her father to tears at her wedding, Hailie had another surprise for him later in the year.
The rapper’s daughter never got into trouble or did anything wrong to avoid being seen as a bad person. Instead, she worked hard and was accepted into a good college, and today she’s married and expecting.
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