Rudy Boesch

Rudolph "Rudy" Ernst Boesch was a contestant in the first season in Survivor: Borneo and Survivor: All-Stars

A former Navy SEAL, Rudy is remembered for his begrudging friendship with Richard Hatch and being the oldest castaway to compete (he was 75 when participated in All-Stars).

Profile
Boesch served in the U.S. military as a Navy SEAL team leader, completing over 45 years continuous active duty. From 1968–1970, Boesch completed two combat deployments to Vietnam. Boesch earned the Bronze Star for heroic action during more than 45 combat operations. In 1967, Boesch was promoted to the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer. During and after his service in Vietnam, Boesch was designated the "Chief SEAL" (a.k.a "Bullfrog"), and set physical and operational standards at SEAL Team TWO. Boesch was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal as Command Master Chief Petty Officer of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Boesch was honorably discharged from the Navy on August 1, 1990.

He is married for 53 years with Marge Boesch. Ellen Marie, Patricia Ann and Barbara Jean, and one granddaughter, Kelsey. Marge died in 2008.

Survivor: Borneo
Rudy immediately began his time in Borneo by taking charge of his Tagi tribe and instructing the group on various decisions that would need to be made for survival in the wild. This bossy attitude quickly alienated several of his tribemates, and when Tagi became the first tribe to attend Tribal Council, Rudy received votes from three of the women of the tribe. His vote went to the player the majority of the tribe felt had cost them the first challenge, Sonja Christopher.

Rudy was not one to change, however, and he continued to be himself as the game progressed. Realizing he needed to fit in with the group, he found himself appreciating the skills and wisdom of Richard Hatch, a fellow contestant with wilderness experience. Rudy had more time to bond with his tribes mates, but still became a target at the third Tribal Council of the game (the second that the Tagi tribe attended). Fortunately for him, the men of the tribe and Susan Hawk sided with his work ethic over Stacey Stillman's, who was considered prissy, and Rudy's vote along with 4 others sent her packing. Rudy received two votes from the women, but was clearly becoming more respected by his tribe.

As time progressed, it became clear that numbers were of the utmost importance in the game, and while Rudy had previously been opposed to any idea of an alliance (as were many of the other players in the game), he eventually came to accept the fact that an alliance would provide him with great security. When Richard approached him with such a proposition, Rudy took the offer and became a part of a four-person alliance with Richard, Susan, and Kelly Wiglesworth that would run the game from that point on. In the fifth Tribal Council, the alliance targeted the outsider Dirk Been, who became their first victim in a 4-1-1 vote.

The tribes merged on Day 20 and Rudy found himself in a position very much like the one he had encountered when he first began the game. This time, however, he had an alliance on his side, and none of the Pagong tribe seemed to be playing the same way. With Greg Buis winning the first individual Immunity Challenge, the Tagi 4 alliance was forced to choose someone other than Pagong's biggest physical threat. They all voted for Gretchen Cordy, and their four votes proved to be enough to vote her off, as every other vote was cast for a unique player. It was clear that the Tagi 4 - Rudy included - had their head in the game. After all, it had been Rudy's decision to target Gretchen as Pagong's leader.

Greg was the next to go, as the Tagi 4 was able to eliminate Pagong's biggest challenge threat. The younger tribe still had not pulled themselves together to counter the threat posed by Tagi's alliance.

This would change, however, in the next episode, when Jenna Lewis and Colleen Haskell shared a reward feast and discussed turning the game around and overthrowing the Tagi 4. The minority was not able to get the votes together, with Sean Kenniff employing his alphabet voting strategy, and Rudy was able to remain in the game and in a powerful position. This episode also marked Rudy's first immunity win, where he was able to defeat his competitors in a mental challenge.

Thought Kelly faltered from the alliance and animosity grew between her and Susan, the Tagi 4 stayed strong as they booted Gervase, Colleen, and Sean in the next three Tribal Councils.

The Tagi 4 was finally forced to turn on itself. Kelly won another crucial Immunity Challenge, leaving only Rudy, Richard, and Susan vulnerable at Tribal Council. By this point in the game, Rudy and Richard had grown extremely close and had a Final 2 deal with each other. They both voted for Susan. Susan and Kelly voted for Richard, but in a tiebreaker, Kelly changed her mind and voted for Susan, sending the truck driver packing.

Rudy was the biggest threat in the game at this point, having garnered more respect for his straightforwardness and blunt, down-to-earth personality than Kelly or Richard. In the final Immunity Challenge, Richard stepped out of the challenge, claiming that he knew he could not beat either of his fellow competitors. This left Rudy to face off against Kelly, who had won several challenges in a row. Rudy fought hard for a win, but ultimately lifted his hand from the idol during a revolution of positions and lost the challenge. Kelly booted him at the penultimate Tribal Council, deeming that he was more of a Jury threat than Richard was.

On the Jury, Rudy voted to give Richard the million dollars, keeping to his word and alliance with the gay corporate trainer.

Voting History
 Note: 

In The Final Four, the vote ended with a 2-2 tie between Richard and Susan, forcing a revote. Rudy did not change his vote for Susan.

Survivor: All-Stars
Rudy returned to play for a second time in the All-Stars season, where he became part of the Saboga tribe. He formed an alliance with Rupert Boneham. He was voted off in Day 6 because despite winning the first Reward Challenge, he injured his ankle, adding to being the oldest castaway to compete in the show (at 76).

Post-Survivor
In 2000, he appeared in the JAG TV episode "The Princess and the Petty Officer" as Rear Admiral (and then head of JAG) A.J. Chegwidden's Navy SEAL instructor. Boesch hosted Combat Missions, another Mark Burnett-produced reality series that aired on the USA Network in 2002. Boesch wrote a book, The Book of Rudy, which contains his opinions on an array of topics. He is also featured in the new Survivor slot machine, which will show a clip of him from the show if you hit his bonus.

Boesch's wife of 53 years, Marge, died on November 1, 2008 after a long illness. CBS had dedicated Survivor: Gabon's 10th episode, The Brains Behind Everything in her memory.

Trivia

 * Boesch is the oldest person to appear on the show.
 * Rudy is the oldest person ever to win an individual immunity challenge.
 * Rudy is the only male castaway to shave his beard off midway through the game.
 * Rudy is the first person to have a confessional.
 * Total number of votes against: 11.
 * Instead of asking a question at the Final Tribal Council, Rudy said that he felt stupid about the day before. How he lost the immunity challenge and was voted out.