Radar O'Reilly's Teddy Bear - The naive company clerk Corporal Walter "Radar" O'Reilly (Gary Burghoff) on the military comedy M*A*S*H/CBS/1972-83 owned a brown and beige stuffed teddy bear which he slept with while stationed overseas during the Korean War. When Radar returned to America he gave the Teddy Bear to his best friend Doctor Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce (Alan Alda). Before the MASH unit left Korea they buried a time capsule. One of the items placed inside was Radar's teddy bear. A symbol of innocence, the bear reminded us all that though the soldiers who came to Korea may have been boys when they arrived...they all went home men. Once Radar, thinking a tattoo was a pathway to manhood, decided to get one. He chose the tiny image of a teddy bear and had it discretely placed on his butt. Actually Radar changed his mind at the last minute and had the tattoo artist only draw, not etch, the teddy bear onto his skin. It came off when he showered. 

Radar's Teddy Bear

The prop bear above was used as Radar's teddy bear during the series. It went on auction at EBAY in July, 2005 with bidding ranges of $4,000 - $6,000. Bid deadline: July 29, 2005. The bear's body was a little soiled and was missing its left eye. Click picture for a larger image.

 For more "Huggable Bears" See -  TEDDY BEARS