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Gary Burghoff explains Radar
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Ubiquitous
Jul 30, 2012, 9:57:34 PM7/30/12
to
Ken Levin
I love when I can sometimes go to the source. Reader Michael Rafferty
submitted a Friday question. Here's the question and the answer from
the man himself, Gary Burghoff. My EXTREME thanks to Gary for his time
and very illuminating response.
On MASH, first season, Gary Burghoff played Radar pretty much the same
as he did in the movie version. But,over time, Radar was softened and
became more gentle and naive. Was this a decision of Burghoff or was
this a creative decision of Larry Gelbart et al.?
Here's Gary's answer:
In the original feature film MASH, I created Radar as a lone, darker and
somewhat sardonic character; kind of a shadowy figure. I continued these
qualities for a short time (review the Pilot) until I realized that the
TV MASH characters were developing in a different direction from the
film characters. It became a group of sophisticated, highly educated
Doctors (and one head nurse) who would rather be anywhere else and who
understood the nature of the "hell hole" they were stuck in.
With Gelbart's help, I began to mold Radar into more Innocent, naive
character as contrast to the other characters, so that while the others
might deplore the immorality and shame of war (from an intellectual and
judgmental viewpoint), Radar could just REACT from a position of total
innocence. This made RADAR super ACTIVE, free and very interesting on a
primary "gut" level, which at times delivered the horror of war (as well
as the dark humor we became known for) in an effective, universal way
that anyone could understand.
Larry, in one interview, was quoted as saying that Radar was his
favorite character to write for. I think he liked the fact that the
character lacked guile and he could write from his own honest
"child's-self" as apposed to having to create "clever" intellectual
hyperbole.
ACTING IS RE-ACTING. LARRY gave Radar "permission" to REACT IN SPADES!!
in a free, delightful and direct manner. Once these decisions were made,
RADAR became PURE JOY to play!! God bless Larry Gelbart and his talented
writers such as your most excellent SELF!
I hope this helps.
Love "Ya~ Gary
Love ya, too. And P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar" episodes.
--
"If Barack Obama isn't careful, he will become the Jimmy Carter of the
21st century."
I love when I can sometimes go to the source. Reader Michael Rafferty
submitted a Friday question. Here's the question and the answer from
the man himself, Gary Burghoff. My EXTREME thanks to Gary for his time
and very illuminating response.
On MASH, first season, Gary Burghoff played Radar pretty much the same
as he did in the movie version. But,over time, Radar was softened and
became more gentle and naive. Was this a decision of Burghoff or was
this a creative decision of Larry Gelbart et al.?
Here's Gary's answer:
In the original feature film MASH, I created Radar as a lone, darker and
somewhat sardonic character; kind of a shadowy figure. I continued these
qualities for a short time (review the Pilot) until I realized that the
TV MASH characters were developing in a different direction from the
film characters. It became a group of sophisticated, highly educated
Doctors (and one head nurse) who would rather be anywhere else and who
understood the nature of the "hell hole" they were stuck in.
With Gelbart's help, I began to mold Radar into more Innocent, naive
character as contrast to the other characters, so that while the others
might deplore the immorality and shame of war (from an intellectual and
judgmental viewpoint), Radar could just REACT from a position of total
innocence. This made RADAR super ACTIVE, free and very interesting on a
primary "gut" level, which at times delivered the horror of war (as well
as the dark humor we became known for) in an effective, universal way
that anyone could understand.
Larry, in one interview, was quoted as saying that Radar was his
favorite character to write for. I think he liked the fact that the
character lacked guile and he could write from his own honest
"child's-self" as apposed to having to create "clever" intellectual
hyperbole.
ACTING IS RE-ACTING. LARRY gave Radar "permission" to REACT IN SPADES!!
in a free, delightful and direct manner. Once these decisions were made,
RADAR became PURE JOY to play!! God bless Larry Gelbart and his talented
writers such as your most excellent SELF!
I hope this helps.
Love "Ya~ Gary
Love ya, too. And P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar" episodes.
--
"If Barack Obama isn't careful, he will become the Jimmy Carter of the
21st century."
Captain Infinity
Jul 31, 2012, 6:46:50 AM7/31/12
to
Once Upon A Time,
In them, Radar acted nothing like the Radar we saw in every other episode.
It was as if he had ben replaced by a Pod-Radar who looked and sounded the
same as Real-Radar but was different in every other aspect.
**
Captain Infinity
Ken Levin wrote:
>P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
>write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar" episodes.
The "Goodbye Radar" episodes were two of the worst episodes of the series.
>P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
>write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar" episodes.
In them, Radar acted nothing like the Radar we saw in every other episode.
It was as if he had ben replaced by a Pod-Radar who looked and sounded the
same as Real-Radar but was different in every other aspect.
**
Captain Infinity
Adam H. Kerman
Jul 31, 2012, 10:05:04 AM7/31/12
to
Radar at all during that phase-out season. He should have been written
out abruptly, given that it's war and people just get transferred, sent
home, or killed.
Brian Thorn
Jul 31, 2012, 11:08:46 AM7/31/12
to
On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:46:50 -0400, Captain Infinity
<Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
>Once Upon A Time,
>Ken Levin wrote:
>
>>P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
>>write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar" episodes.
>
>The "Goodbye Radar" episodes were two of the worst episodes of the series.
>In them, Radar acted nothing like the Radar we saw in every other episode.
Good! People change, especially during war. This was not the same
<Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
>Once Upon A Time,
>Ken Levin wrote:
>
>>P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
>>write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar" episodes.
>
>The "Goodbye Radar" episodes were two of the worst episodes of the series.
>In them, Radar acted nothing like the Radar we saw in every other episode.
Radar we saw earlier in the series, remember, this was after Radar had
been seriously wounded, and had seen friends killed.
Nevermind that for the second half, this was a Radar who had just lost
his Uncle, the closest he had to a father figure.
>It was as if he had ben replaced by a Pod-Radar who looked and sounded the
>same as Real-Radar but was different in every other aspect.
by the end of the series.
Brian
Adam H. Kerman
Jul 31, 2012, 11:14:44 AM7/31/12
to
Barry Margolin
Jul 31, 2012, 12:42:48 PM7/31/12
to
In article <0vsf181ahd13ee5j8...@4ax.com>,
It's been too long, so I don't remember the episodes or how Radar acted,
but Ken Levin seems to be saying that the Radar of those final episodes
was not consistent with the gradual development of the character, it was
a sudden, drastic change.
--
Barry Margolin
Arlington, MA
but Ken Levin seems to be saying that the Radar of those final episodes
was not consistent with the gradual development of the character, it was
a sudden, drastic change.
--
Barry Margolin
Arlington, MA
John Szalay
Jul 31, 2012, 1:03:54 PM7/31/12
to
Brian Thorn <btho...@suddenlink.net> wrote in
news:0vsf181ahd13ee5j8...@4ax.com:
> On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:46:50 -0400, Captain Infinity
> <Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
>
>>Once Upon A Time,
>>Ken Levin wrote:
>>
>>>P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
>>>write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar"
>>>episodes.
>
> Good People change, especially during war. This was not the same
Extremly true, before we deployed in 1967, our company medic was the
most fun loving, cheerful person I had ever met in my life.
he was transfered to work in a evac hospital while we went elsewhere.
when he came back after a year in country, totaly different person,
personality, and everything.. would not know it was the same person.
news:0vsf181ahd13ee5j8...@4ax.com:
> On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:46:50 -0400, Captain Infinity
> <Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
>
>>Once Upon A Time,
>>Ken Levin wrote:
>>
>>>P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
>>>write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar"
>>>episodes.
>
> Radar we saw earlier in the series, remember, this was after Radar had
> been seriously wounded, and had seen friends killed.
>
> Brian
> been seriously wounded, and had seen friends killed.
>
Extremly true, before we deployed in 1967, our company medic was the
most fun loving, cheerful person I had ever met in my life.
he was transfered to work in a evac hospital while we went elsewhere.
when he came back after a year in country, totaly different person,
personality, and everything.. would not know it was the same person.
Mary Lou Wallace
Jul 31, 2012, 2:47:56 PM7/31/12
to
On Monday, July 30, 2012 9:57:34 PM UTC-4, Ubiquitous wrote:
> Ken Levin
>
>
>
> I love when I can sometimes go to the source. Reader Michael Rafferty
>
> submitted a Friday question. Here's the question and the answer from
>
> the man himself, Gary Burghoff. My EXTREME thanks to Gary for his time
>
> and very illuminating response.
Here is a link to the actual blog post from Ken Levine, complete with comments from readers.
> Ken Levin
>
>
>
> I love when I can sometimes go to the source. Reader Michael Rafferty
>
> submitted a Friday question. Here's the question and the answer from
>
> the man himself, Gary Burghoff. My EXTREME thanks to Gary for his time
>
> and very illuminating response.
http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2012/05/gary-burghoff-explains-radar.html
Mary Lou Wallace
"Ahhhh....Bach!"
erilar
Jul 31, 2012, 3:35:47 PM7/31/12
to
people were NOT unchanging and definitely not stereotypes. It certainly
was important for me.
--
Erilar, biblioholic medievalist
Dano
Jul 31, 2012, 4:56:34 PM7/31/12
to
"erilar" wrote in message
news:drache-A7B74A....@news.eternal-september.org...
=============================================
Agreed. The very best ongoing series always have characters who change and
grow. Like actual real human beings do. Or should.
news:drache-A7B74A....@news.eternal-september.org...
Agreed. The very best ongoing series always have characters who change and
grow. Like actual real human beings do. Or should.
Captain Infinity
Jul 31, 2012, 6:48:36 PM7/31/12
to
Once Upon A Time,
course of a series is a good thing, otherwise the show stagnates and dies.
But Radar's change was not over the course of the series, it was overnight.
In every episode Radar was Radar. Then, in his final two episodes, Radar
was Pod-Radar, even before the hardships thrown at him. It was as if, once
it was decided he was leaving the show, Burghoff, the writer and the
director decided to abandon all of Radar's established character traits and
create this new guy to replace him.
>>It was as if he had ben replaced by a Pod-Radar who looked and sounded the
>>same as Real-Radar but was different in every other aspect.
>
>As it should have been. Margaret and Klinger were also very different
>by the end of the series.
Yes, and their characters showed growth and development over the course of
the whole series. Watch a Hot Lips episode from season 2 and then
immediately watch a Margaret Houlihan episode from season 10. The
differences will be jarring. This is exactly what happened with Radar.
**
Captain Infinity
Brian Thorn wrote:
>On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:46:50 -0400, Captain Infinity
><Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
>
>>Once Upon A Time,
>>Ken Levin wrote:
>>
>>>P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
>>>write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar" episodes.
>>
>>The "Goodbye Radar" episodes were two of the worst episodes of the series.
>>In them, Radar acted nothing like the Radar we saw in every other episode.
>
>Good! People change, especially during war. This was not the same
>Radar we saw earlier in the series, remember, this was after Radar had
>been seriously wounded, and had seen friends killed.
>
>Nevermind that for the second half, this was a Radar who had just lost
>his Uncle, the closest he had to a father figure.
The problem was not that Radar changed. Changing characters during the
>On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:46:50 -0400, Captain Infinity
><Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
>
>>Once Upon A Time,
>>Ken Levin wrote:
>>
>>>P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
>>>write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar" episodes.
>>
>>The "Goodbye Radar" episodes were two of the worst episodes of the series.
>>In them, Radar acted nothing like the Radar we saw in every other episode.
>
>Good! People change, especially during war. This was not the same
>Radar we saw earlier in the series, remember, this was after Radar had
>been seriously wounded, and had seen friends killed.
>
>Nevermind that for the second half, this was a Radar who had just lost
>his Uncle, the closest he had to a father figure.
course of a series is a good thing, otherwise the show stagnates and dies.
But Radar's change was not over the course of the series, it was overnight.
In every episode Radar was Radar. Then, in his final two episodes, Radar
was Pod-Radar, even before the hardships thrown at him. It was as if, once
it was decided he was leaving the show, Burghoff, the writer and the
director decided to abandon all of Radar's established character traits and
create this new guy to replace him.
>>It was as if he had ben replaced by a Pod-Radar who looked and sounded the
>>same as Real-Radar but was different in every other aspect.
>
>As it should have been. Margaret and Klinger were also very different
>by the end of the series.
the whole series. Watch a Hot Lips episode from season 2 and then
immediately watch a Margaret Houlihan episode from season 10. The
differences will be jarring. This is exactly what happened with Radar.
**
Captain Infinity
Captain Infinity
Jul 31, 2012, 6:50:21 PM7/31/12
to
Once Upon A Time,
You've misread the attributes. I'm the one saying that. Ken Levine was
the writer of the episodes.
**
Captain Infinity
the writer of the episodes.
**
Captain Infinity
Ubiquitous
Jul 31, 2012, 6:52:23 PM7/31/12
to
btho...@suddenlink.net wrote:
>On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:46:50 -0400, Captain Infinity
><Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
>On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:46:50 -0400, Captain Infinity
><Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
>>Once Upon A Time,Ken Levin wrote:
>>>P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
>>>write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar"
>>>episodes.
>>
>>The "Goodbye Radar" episodes were two of the worst episodes of the
>>series. In them, Radar acted nothing like the Radar we saw in every
>>other episode.
>
>Good! People change, especially during war. This was not the same
>Radar we saw earlier in the series, remember, this was after Radar had
>been seriously wounded, and had seen friends killed.
I think you failed to infer that Radar's changes in the final were
>>>P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
>>>write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar"
>>>episodes.
>>
>>The "Goodbye Radar" episodes were two of the worst episodes of the
>>series. In them, Radar acted nothing like the Radar we saw in every
>>other episode.
>
>Good! People change, especially during war. This was not the same
>Radar we saw earlier in the series, remember, this was after Radar had
>been seriously wounded, and had seen friends killed.
inconistant with character development up to that point.
Captain Infinity
Jul 31, 2012, 6:53:52 PM7/31/12
to
Once Upon A Time,
**
Captain Infinity
John Szalay wrote:
>Brian Thorn <btho...@suddenlink.net> wrote in
>news:0vsf181ahd13ee5j8...@4ax.com:
>
>> On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:46:50 -0400, Captain Infinity
>> <Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
>>
>>>Once Upon A Time,
>>>Ken Levin wrote:
>>>
>>>>P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
>>>>write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar"
>>>>episodes.
>>
>> Good People change, especially during war. This was not the same
>> Radar we saw earlier in the series, remember, this was after Radar had
>> been seriously wounded, and had seen friends killed.
>
>Brian Thorn <btho...@suddenlink.net> wrote in
>news:0vsf181ahd13ee5j8...@4ax.com:
>
>> On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:46:50 -0400, Captain Infinity
>> <Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
>>
>>>Once Upon A Time,
>>>Ken Levin wrote:
>>>
>>>>P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
>>>>write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar"
>>>>episodes.
>>
>> Good People change, especially during war. This was not the same
>> Radar we saw earlier in the series, remember, this was after Radar had
>> been seriously wounded, and had seen friends killed.
>
> Extremly true, before we deployed in 1967, our company medic was the
>most fun loving, cheerful person I had ever met in my life.
>he was transfered to work in a evac hospital while we went elsewhere.
>when he came back after a year in country, totaly different person,
>personality, and everything.. would not know it was the same person.
Radar changed over the course of a vacation in Tokyo.
>most fun loving, cheerful person I had ever met in my life.
>he was transfered to work in a evac hospital while we went elsewhere.
>when he came back after a year in country, totaly different person,
>personality, and everything.. would not know it was the same person.
**
Captain Infinity
Wiseguy
Jul 31, 2012, 8:08:24 PM7/31/12
to
Captain Infinity <Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote in
news:78ng1818r69gv3np8...@4ax.com:
The characters are fictional. They can do, say and react to anything the
way the writers want. The problem is not that the characters changed,
but that the quality of the writing went downhill by the time Radar
left.
news:78ng1818r69gv3np8...@4ax.com:
way the writers want. The problem is not that the characters changed,
but that the quality of the writing went downhill by the time Radar
left.
anim8rFSK
Jul 31, 2012, 8:10:28 PM7/31/12
to
In article <feog18p04k5v34mk4...@4ax.com>,
--
"Every time a Kardashian gets a TV show, an angel dies."
Captain Infinity <Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
> Once Upon A Time,
> John Szalay wrote:
>
> >Brian Thorn <btho...@suddenlink.net> wrote in
> >news:0vsf181ahd13ee5j8...@4ax.com:
> >
> >> On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:46:50 -0400, Captain Infinity
> >> <Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
> >>
> >>>Once Upon A Time,
> >>>Ken Levin wrote:
> >>>
> >>>>P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
> >>>>write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar"
> >>>>episodes.
> >>
> >> Good People change, especially during war. This was not the same
> >> Radar we saw earlier in the series, remember, this was after Radar had
> >> been seriously wounded, and had seen friends killed.
> >
> > Extremly true, before we deployed in 1967, our company medic was the
> >most fun loving, cheerful person I had ever met in my life.
> >he was transfered to work in a evac hospital while we went elsewhere.
> >when he came back after a year in country, totaly different person,
> >personality, and everything.. would not know it was the same person.
>
> Radar changed over the course of a vacation in Tokyo.
>
>
> **
> Captain Infinity
Maybe he got laid?
> Once Upon A Time,
> John Szalay wrote:
>
> >Brian Thorn <btho...@suddenlink.net> wrote in
> >news:0vsf181ahd13ee5j8...@4ax.com:
> >
> >> On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:46:50 -0400, Captain Infinity
> >> <Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
> >>
> >>>Once Upon A Time,
> >>>Ken Levin wrote:
> >>>
> >>>>P.S., Radar was one of my favorite characters to
> >>>>write as well. It was a true honor to pen the "Goodbye Radar"
> >>>>episodes.
> >>
> >> Good People change, especially during war. This was not the same
> >> Radar we saw earlier in the series, remember, this was after Radar had
> >> been seriously wounded, and had seen friends killed.
> >
> > Extremly true, before we deployed in 1967, our company medic was the
> >most fun loving, cheerful person I had ever met in my life.
> >he was transfered to work in a evac hospital while we went elsewhere.
> >when he came back after a year in country, totaly different person,
> >personality, and everything.. would not know it was the same person.
>
> Radar changed over the course of a vacation in Tokyo.
>
>
> **
> Captain Infinity
--
"Every time a Kardashian gets a TV show, an angel dies."
John Szalay
Jul 31, 2012, 8:49:09 PM7/31/12
to
anim8rFSK <anim...@cox.net> wrote in
to Korea..
aptain Infinity
>
> Maybe he got laid?
>
Well, he did fraternize with an Officer while waiting for his flight back
>
> Maybe he got laid?
>
to Korea..
Captain Infinity
Jul 31, 2012, 9:16:28 PM7/31/12
to
Once Upon A Time,
Maybe he got slaked.
**
Captain Infinity
anim8rFSK wrote:
>> Radar changed over the course of a vacation in Tokyo.
>
>Maybe he got laid?
>> Radar changed over the course of a vacation in Tokyo.
>
Maybe he got slaked.
**
Captain Infinity
Brian Thorn
Aug 1, 2012, 12:03:57 AM8/1/12
to
On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 22:52:23 +0000 (UTC), web...@polaris.net
(Ubiquitous) wrote:
>>Good! People change, especially during war. This was not the same
>>Radar we saw earlier in the series, remember, this was after Radar had
>>been seriously wounded, and had seen friends killed.
>
>I think you failed to infer that Radar's changes in the final were
>inconistant with character development up to that point.
No, I just disagree that the changes only appeared in his final
(Ubiquitous) wrote:
>>Good! People change, especially during war. This was not the same
>>Radar we saw earlier in the series, remember, this was after Radar had
>>been seriously wounded, and had seen friends killed.
>
>I think you failed to infer that Radar's changes in the final were
>inconistant with character development up to that point.
episode. I think he was changing as far back as when he got hit by the
mortar or sniper, whatever it was. For instance, he (sort of) got a
tattoo after he was injured, and there was his stint as a DJ. Both are
things the shy earlier Radar probably wouldn't have done.
Radar also was interested in a nurse (an officer) in an earlier
episode (and he asked Hawkeye for advice how to ask her out), which
kinda wrecks the notion that his getting friendly with the female
officer in his last episode was out of character for him.
Radar was definitely changing long before he went home.
Brian
Tony Calguire
Aug 2, 2012, 7:53:56 PM8/2/12
to
>>It was as if he had ben replaced by a Pod-Radar who looked and sounded
>>the same as Real-Radar but was different in every other aspect.
>
> As it should have been. Margaret and Klinger were also very different
> by the end of the series.
>
Well, if you'd spent 11 years in a three-year-long war, you'd be different,
>>the same as Real-Radar but was different in every other aspect.
>
> As it should have been. Margaret and Klinger were also very different
> by the end of the series.
>
too.
George
Aug 7, 2012, 6:56:24 PM8/7/12
to
"Captain Infinity" <Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote in message
news:smdf18tqp6dgi3bm8...@4ax.com...
naive as the seasons went on. Like the ep where the guy from CHiPs asks him
to take of his Korean girlfriend and their baby. Radar's innocence kind of
makes me cringe in that one. In season 1 Radar was engaged but in that one
it's like he's never been near a girl before. Sheesh!
suzeeq
Aug 7, 2012, 7:57:47 PM8/7/12
to
hand holding stage. And he could have been nervous at that...
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