Gary Burghoff was born on May 24, 1943. In 2025, he will be 81 years old. He is most famous for playing Radar O’Reilly in the movie and TV show MASH. This role won him an Emmy Award in 1977 and six other nominations. Gary Burghoff Net Worth is thought to be worth about $6 million in 2025, thanks to his long career in theatre, film, TV, and painting wildlife, as well as his work as an engineer and jazz drummer. Besides acting, he has a number of patents for fishing gear and has shown his wildlife art in shows across the country. Even though Burghoff has a well-known public career, he has kept his personal life pretty quiet.
Gary Burghoff has three kids and has been married twice. He was married to Janet Gayle for the first time from 1971 to 1979. They have a daughter together. There were two sons they had together before they got a divorce in 2005. He married Elisabeth Bostrom in 1985. Even though Burghoff is well-known, he has kept his home life pretty quiet. He was born to Rodney and Ann Burghoff and had a close relationship with his family as a child. This is one reason he left the TV show MASH* after seven seasons to spend more time with his family.
Quick Bio
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Details
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Full Name
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Gary Rich Burghoff
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Date of Birth
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May 24, 1943
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Age (2025)
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81 years old
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Birthplace
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Bristol, Connecticut, USA
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Known For
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Radar O’Reilly in MASH* (film and TV series), Charlie Brown in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Off-Broadway)
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Career Highlights
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Emmy Award winner (1977), 6 Emmy nominations, regular on Match Game, inventor, wildlife painter, jazz drummer
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Net Worth (2025)
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Approximately $6 million
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Spouses
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Janet Gayle (1971–1979), Elisabeth Bostrom (1985–2005)
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Children
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Three children (one daughter, two sons)
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Medical Condition
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Born with brachydactyly caused by Poland syndrome (smaller fingers on left hand)
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Other Talents
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Holds patents for fishing equipment, wildlife artist, songwriter with ASCAP awards
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Notable Facts
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Left MASH* in 1979 to focus on family; teddy bear prop from MASH* is in Smithsonian
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Gary Burghoff Net Worth in 2025
In 2025, Gary Burghoff is thought to be worth $6 million. He got rich by having a long career in theatre, TV, and movies. His most famous part was as Radar O’Reilly in MASH, both the 1970 movie and the TV show from 1972 to 1979, for which he won an Emmy Award. Burghoff is an actor, but she is also an inventor with designs for fishing gear, a painter of wildlife, a jazz drummer, and she has made money by endorsing brands. In 1979, he turned down a tempting $4 million offer to stay on MASH because he was tired and wanted to spend more time with his family.
Comparing Net Worth with Fellow MASH* Cast
| Actor | Estimated Net Worth (2025) | Notes |
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| Alan Alda | Highest among cast | Extensive career post-MASH* |
| Loretta Swit | Substantial | Continued acting and endorsements |
| Jamie Farr | Moderate | TV and public appearances |
| Harry Morgan | Moderate (deceased 2011) | Legacy earnings |
| Larry Linville | Moderate (deceased 2000) | Limited post-MASH* career |
| McLean Stevenson | Moderate (deceased 1996) | Early departure affected earnings |
| Gary Burghoff | Modest | Prioritized family over wealth |
Business Ventures and Income Sources
The variety of Gary Burghoff’s businesses and income streams is a big part of why his expected net worth of $10 million in 2025 is so high. At first, he made most of his money from acting, especially from his Emmy-winning part as Radar O’Reilly on MASH*. He kept making money from distribution and reruns after he left the show in 1979.
Burghoff is a talented artist who does more than just act. Her wildlife paintings have been shown in venues across the country. A steady source of income for him comes from selling limited print lithographs of his art. Burghoff also came up with a number of inventions that have been patented. These include a fishing hook called “Chum Magic” and a handle for a toilet seat.
He has also put money into real estate. He owns land in California that has gone up in value over time, making him even richer. Along with his regular job, Burghoff has also done advertising for a number of brands, such as BP petrol and IBM computers.
To sum up, Gary Burghoff’s wealth comes from a variety of sources, including acting royalties, art sales, patented inventions, real estate investments, and endorsement deals. This shows how versatile his work is and how eager he is to try new things.
Real State Ownership and Properties
In 2011, Gary Burghoff sold a house he owned in Paradise, California. Sadly, that town had a terrible wildfire in 2018, and it’s thought that his old house and a lot of other homes in the area were lost. As of 2025, the public does not know about any other buildings that Burghoff owns or has owned in the past. His net worth of about $6 million comes mostly from his work in theatre and other businesses, not from investing a lot of money in real estate.
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Gary Burghoff ‘s Personal Life
Even though he’s been through hard times like two divorces, Gary Burghoff has always been very dedicated to his family and faith. Until 1979, he was married to Janet Gayle. They had one daughter together. After they got divorced, Burghoff was left to raise his child by himself, so he went back to his hometown in Connecticut. He married Elisabeth Bostrom in 1985 and had two kids with her. They later split up and got a divorce in 2005. Despite these changes, Burghoff put being a dad first. He even lived close to his ex-wife for 12 years so they could be good co-parents.
His Christian faith became an important part of his life and helped him find stability and meaning in his life beyond acting. He now likes to travel, support wildlife causes, and paint wildlife. He also keeps a private family life that is focused on Christian community and his children.
Gary Burghoff ‘s Career Journey
There are many things that Gary Burghoff has done in his job, and he is very dedicated to both his work and his personal beliefs. He first became well-known for creating the part of Charlie Brown in the Off-Broadway musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown in 1967. But his most famous part was as Corporal Walter Eugene “Radar” O’Reilly in the 1970 movie MASH and the TV show that followed in 1972. There were six Emmy votes for Burghoff, and he won one in 1977 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He was the only actor from the movie who was asked to play the same part on the TV show.
Even though he was successful, Burghoff quit MASH* after the seventh season in 1979. He said he was tired and wanted to spend more time with his family. He came back for a short time in the eighth season to film “Goodbye Radar,” a special two-part goodbye episode. After leaving the show, he kept working in TV, doing guest roles on shows like The Love Boat and Ellery Queen and acting on game shows like Match Game. He also played Radar again in the short-lived spin-off AfterMASH and its follow-up WALTER.
Burghoff is also a talented musician and songwriter. He has made a jazz album with his Dixieland band and has written over 100 songs, for which he has won multiple ASCAP awards. He also painted wildlife on his own and is qualified to rehabilitate animals. These skills show that he has always loved animals, which influenced some parts of his Radar character. Burghoff also comes up with new ideas and has rights for fishing gear and other things.
Physical Measurements
- Height: 5 feet 5½ inches (about 166 cm)
- Weight: Around 60–65 kg (132–143 lbs)
- Hair Color: Dark brown
- Body Type: Average build
Struggles with Mental Health, Addiction & Homelessness
Gary Burghoff had a lot of mental health problems and felt burned out while he was on MASH*, which was a big reason why he quit the show after seven seasons. His busy filming routine left him with little time for his family, making it hard to balance his work and personal life. Burghoff had to keep a positive attitude as the always-happy Radar O’Reilly, even when he was having mental problems, which was hard on his health.
He often felt alone on set and couldn’t fully join in with the cast’s fun, which made him feel even more stressed. Even though the production team tried to make his schedule more flexible, Burghoff eventually chose to quit to take care of his mental health and put his family first.
Additionally, there are rumours that Burghoff may have had bipolar illness, but these have not been confirmed by the authorities. Unlike some other artists of the time, there is no solid evidence that he had problems with drugs or being homeless. The mental stress of his job and juggling his personal duties were the main things that were giving him trouble.
Overall, Burghoff’s story shows how important it is to be aware of mental health issues, especially in high-stress entertainment settings. His decision to quit MASH* is still a powerful example of putting your health before your job goals.
Current Status
In 2025, Gary Burghoff will be 81 years old and has mostly stopped being in the popular news. Most people know him from his part as Radar O’Reilly on MASH, which made him famous and earned him an Emmy Award. Burghoff quit the show after seven seasons because he was tired of it and wanted to put his family first. He has talked publicly about this decision in recent interviews. After that, he has only occasionally acted again, mostly in spin-offs and TV movies where he played Radar for short periods of time.
Burghoff is currently focussing on his personal life and interests outside of acting, like drawing wildlife and coming up with new ideas. His acting job, royalties, and other businesses have helped him build up an estimated net worth of $6 million. Even though Burghoff isn’t working on any big public projects right now, he does sometimes talk about MASH* and his career in interviews and retrospectives. He keeps his personal life pretty quiet, focussing on family and artistic pursuits outside of Hollywood.
Public Perception & Media Coverage
The public mostly remembers and loves Gary Burghoff for his famous part as Radar O’Reilly on MASH. The character’s innocence, optimism, and subtle intelligence made an impression that will last. He brought a unique mix of charm and depth to the role, which made Radar one of TV’s most beloved characters and a big part of the show’s lasting impact.
The media often talk about Burghoff’s many skills besides acting, like his work as a wildlife painter, inventor, and musician. This shows him as a creative person who had many hobbies outside of acting. Even though he quit acting early to focus on his family and health, his services to TV and the arts are still remembered and praised in interviews and retrospectives.
What people think also shows that they admire Burghoff’s brave and principled choice to leave MASH* when it was at its peak of fame to focus on his family. Even though he was short and was born with a problem with his hands, he overcame the fear of being typecast and won respect for his hard work and skill.
Overall, Gary Burghoff is recognised not only as a TV star but also as a well-rounded artist and person. His legacy lives on with fans and the media alike, and he still has a positive and respectful public image decades after his peak fame.
FAQs
How much is Gary Burghoff worth in 2025?
Based on his royalties, guest appearances, ads, and his wildlife painting business, his net worth is thought to be pretty low.
Did Gary Burghoff retire?
After MASH*, he stopped playing in mainstream films, but he has come back for some projects and now focusses on painting and conservation.
Why did Radar leave MASH*?
I quit because I was emotionally burned out, my family came first, and I wanted a new career path.
What happened to Gary Burghoff’s hand?
He was born with Poland syndrome, which makes three of his left hand’s fingers much smaller.
Is Gary Burghoff still alive in 2025?
He is still alive and not very well known.
Conclusion
Gary Burghoff’s career, which is best known for his unforgettable part as Radar O’Reilly, shows how he has grown as an artist, dealt with personal challenges, and made smart decisions in his life. His projected net worth in 2025 isn’t because he missed out on opportunities, but because he chose to put family and personal happiness ahead of money. Burghoff’s legacy lives on in the history of TV and in the hearts of fans who love his skill and honesty.
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