Actor Gary Burghoff — the only cast member from the 1970 "M*A*S*H" movie who reprised his role for the 1972 TV series – decided to leave the show in Season 8. In a two-part episode, Radar returns to help run his family farm in Iowa after the sudden death of his uncle. Though Radar's absence was certainly felt at the 4077th, his commanding officer and father figure Sherman Potter (Harry Morgan) sends a Korean farmer to Iowa to help with Radar's farm.
The sequel series "AfterMASH" provides more details on Radar's post-war life, with the character marrying a young woman named Sandy in the presence of several of his old friends from the 4077th. However, the proposed spinoff series "W*A*L*T*E*R*" revealed a much more tragic fate for the Army veteran. Evidently Radar's family farm failed, his wife left him, and Radar contemplated suicide before joining the police. Unsurprisingly, the spinoff was not picked up for a series order, with the pilot airing on CBS in July 1984 as a TV special before fading into obscurity.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
