Gary Burghoff – Deformed Hand

Observant fans of the TV series MAS*H may have noticed a deliberate attempt to avoid showing Radar O’Reilly’s left hand. This was because the actor Gary Burghoff was born with brachydactyly, resulting in his hand deformity.

Regrettably, Gary felt compelled to conceal his hand while working in the Hollywood industry, particularly to maintain the realism of his character in MAS*H. It was believed that someone with such a deformity would not have been enlisted in the military, hence the effort to hide it.

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