Fred Grandy, an American actor, radio commentator, and politician, gained recognition for his portrayal of “Gopher” on the popular show, The Love Boat.
He then went on to serve as a representative for Iowa in the United States House of Representatives. Additionally, he was the host of the morning talk show, The Grandy Group, on 630 WMAL in Washington, D.C. during drive-time hours.
Early Life & Education
Fredrick Lawrence Grandy was born in Sioux City, Iowa, on June 29, 1948. He received his education from public schools up until the ninth grade. After that, he went on to attend Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire, just like his father and brothers before him.
After completing his studies in English at Harvard University in 1970, Grandy graduated with honors (magna cum laude). He also obtained a master’s degree in fine arts (MFA) from the Washington Shakespeare Theatre and George Washington University.
Acting Career
In 1971, Fred Grandy‘s acting journey started at Harvard when he became a member of an improvisational group known as “The Proposition.” That same year, he returned to the show when it relocated off-Broadway and shared the stage with Jane Curtin, who would later become a star on Saturday Night Live.
In 1976, Grandy gained recognition for his role as Walt, a criminology student working as a night watchman at “Fred’s Wax Museum”, in the Saturday morning TV series, Monster Squad.
However, it was his portrayal of purser Burl “Gopher” Smith on the popular American TV show, The Love Boat, that truly thrust him into the public eye.
The Love Boat was on television for nine seasons (1977-1986) and Grandy even contributed numerous short scenes for the series. Unfortunately, he sustained serious burns during a trip to Turkey to shoot scenes for the show when a hydrogen-filled balloon exploded.
Before becoming known for The Love Boat, Grandy appeared as a guest on various television programs including Love, American Style (1969), The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970), Maude (1973), Phyllis (1975), and Welcome Back, Kotter (1975).
From 1979 to 1981, he made multiple appearances on Match Game as the male guest star, occupying the top left seat in the top row. In 2013, he made a comeback on stage, playing a lead role in Sleuth at the Surflight Theatre in Beach Haven, New Jersey.
The following year, he had a recurring part in Season 3 of The Mindy Project, which was created by his son, Charlie Grandy. Additionally, Grandy had recurring roles in two TV shows: Knight Squad and Sprung.
He additionally took the stage in productions of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, On Golden Pond, I’m Not Rappaport, and Give ’em Hell, Harry.
Fred Grandy’s Politics
Before pursuing a career in acting, Fred Grandy held a political position. He initially worked as a speechwriter for Wiley Mayne, a Republican representative from Iowa’s 6th congressional district, from 1970 to 1971.
In 1986, Republican Grandy took over the Iowa United States House of Representatives position from Democrat Berkley Bedell, who had succeeded Mayne. Grandy won the seat with a narrow margin of two percentage points (51.0% to 49.0%), defeating his opponent Clayton Hodgson.
During his time in Congress, he held four consecutive terms and actively participated in multiple committees such as Ways and Means, Agriculture, Standards of Official Conduct, and Education and the Workforce. Additionally, Grandy was also the recipient of eight prestigious “Watchdog of the Treasury” accolades.
In 1994, Grandy chose not to seek re-election. Instead, he joined the Republican primary for Governor of Iowa, challenging the current governor, Terry Branstad, but ultimately fell short by a margin of almost four percentage points.
Net Worth
Fred Grandy, a former actor and American politician, has an estimated net worth of $2 million. He rose to fame for his role as “Gopher” Smith on the popular show The Love Boat, which aired from 1977 to 1986. Grandy was elected as a representative for Iowa’s 6th district in 1987 and held the position until 1993.
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