Grandy, a Harvard graduate fluent in both French and Arabic, played the dimwitted Burl "Gopher" Smith for nine years on The Love Boat, but his political interests preceded his acting career. Prior to college, he was David Eisenhower's roommate at Exeter Academy and later was best man at Eisenhower's wedding to Julie Nixon. He also served as a speechwriter for Congressman Wiley Mayne (R-Iowa).
Grandy, who campaigned as a Republican, won the election in 1986 by 3,000 votes. Although he tried to distance himself from his acting career, he told People magazine, "If there were no Gopher, there would be no Fred Grandy for Congress."