Fred Grandy, affectionately known as Gopher by his millions of fans worldwide, gained fame for his nine-year stint on the 1970s hit series The Love Boat (1977). Prior to his acting career, Fred attended Phillips Exeter Academy with David Eisenhower, later becoming his best man when he married Julie Nixon. He then enrolled at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, graduating in 1970 with a Bachelor's Degree in English.
Fred's well-rounded education enables him to converse fluently in both French and Arabic. Before joining The Love Boat (1977),he made guest appearances on various shows, including Love, American Style (1969),The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970),Phyllis (1975),and Welcome Back, Kotter (1975),alongside John Travolta. He continued to make guest spots on TV shows and movies while still on The Love Boat (1977).
Fred's career trajectory extended beyond acting. In 1986, he decided to run for Congress as a Republican for the state of Iowa and won, receiving 3,000 votes. He served four consecutive terms (1986-1995),actively involved in Agriculture, Education, Workforce, Standards of Official Conduct, House Ways and Means. In 1994, he ran for Governor but lost to his opponent, Terry Branstad. In 1995, he became both President and CEO of Goodwill Industries, a position he held until 2000. Additionally, he worked as a political commentator on National Public Radio and taught as a guest at the University of Maryland's School of Public Affairs about non-profit organizations.
In 2003, Fred became the host of the talk radio show "The WMAL Morning News" (WMAL-AM Radio) in Washington, DC. On May 7, 2004, while at home in Bethesda, he began experiencing severe chest pains and was rushed to Suburban Hospital, where he underwent emergency Angioplasty. Fred credits his heart problems to genetics and attributes his quick recovery to his strict vegetarian diet. He continues to host his radio show with Andy Parks.
