Fred Grandy was born in an Iowa corn field. The proud maritime tradition of Iowa made Grandy the perfect choice to play an ocean-going purser on The Love Boat.
After the show was cancelled, Grandy returned to Iowa, planning to open a loose meat sandwich restaurant. An aging and slightly demented populace, confusing his turn on The Love Boat with actual military service, insisted he stand for Congress. Seeing Gopher Smith's lascivious nature as perfect training for national political life, Grandy ran for and won a seat in Congress.
Grandy's tenure in Congress was unremarkable, though he did take a young Texas congressman named Matt Santos under his wing.