Gary Burghoff | 05/24/43 | 78

Connecticut-born Gary Burghoff is an American actor best known for his performances in the filmMASH and the Broadway musical, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. Before starting his acting career, Burghoff first trained as a musician and dancer. In his youth, he studied the art of tap dance and performed as a drummer. Although the actor had a medical condition that challenged his playing percussion instruments, the actor persisted and became a master of his craft.

He later decided to spend some of his investment money on getting acting training and enrolled at New York City’s HB Studio. Then in 1968, Burghoff became a member of the band The Relatives, which gave him the chance to work with Lynda Carter. He officially embarked on his first major acting project two years later, when he received an offer to be a part of M*A*S*H. He acted and worked on his music his entire career. However, Burghoff officially retired as an actor and musician in 2010.