The Best Time Radar Ever Broke Character On MASH
The comedy-drama "M*A*S*H" ran from 1972 to 1983 and is generally considered one of the most popular television series of all time. The show centers around military medical personnel stationed in South Korea during the Korean War, and was based on Richard Hooker's novel, "MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors." The colorful crew tries to make the best out of being stationed far away from home.
One character, Walter Eugene "Radar" O'Reilly (Gary Burghoff), is the youngest member of the bunch at just 18 years old. Radar's youth often shows, with his soft-spoken yet resilient nature showing up throughout every hardship that comes with being stationed somewhere unfamiliar and sometimes unsafe. For his portrayal of Radar, Burghoff won an Emmy in 1977 for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series.
Filming a comedy series provides plenty to laugh about. The cast of "M*A*S*H" had their fair share of fun on set, sometimes even when the cameras were rolling, and Burghoff was no different. While filming scenes for the show as the youthful soldier, here's one of the best times he broke character.
One blooper was out of Radar's control
Gary Burghoff is one of the few cast members on the "M*A*S*H" television series that is also in the 1970 feature-length "MASH," and he fully took on the character of Radar in every episode. No matter how good an actor you are, though, things don't always go according to plan. One particular scene with Radar and Colonel Sherman T. Potter (Harry Morgan) is a perfect example of things not always going swimmingly during filming.
While filming a scene, Col. Potter requests assistance from Radar in removing his pants (via YouTube). Radar obliges and quickly moves to assist. The pants, however, have other plans. One pant leg suddenly gets caught around Col. Potter's boot. Burghoff tries to make it work for a little bit before calling it quits and looking at the crew in surrender, leaving Morgan on a stool with his pants stuck around his boots.
Some things are just out of anyone's control. "M*A*S*H" is a timeless comedy that multiple generations watch and love. The show's bloopers and outtakes are a nice reminder that the cast had just as good a time filming it as viewers watching it.