Jim Nabors RIP

[Mo Frackle]

Muppets/Sesame guest star Jim Nabors, best remembered as "Gomer Pyle" has passed.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/n...r-pyle-andy-griffith-show-star-was-87-1008103

 

[MikaelaMuppet]

I wonder if he was sick.

 

[D'Snowth]

When we he ever on SST? I don't remember that.

Either way, I'm really saddened by this; aside from Ron Howard (obviously), I think this only leaves Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) as the only remaining Mayberry citizin still with us.

Last summer I received a book about Andy Griffith and Don Knotts' decades-spanning friendship as well as behind-the-scenes stories about THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW as a gift, and it was interesting to read about Jim Nabors, in that Andy had "discovered" him and felt he would be a good fit for the show, so they brought him on as Gomer (this after they were originally going to give the role to George Lindsey, who ended up playing Goober instead), but then Gomer became such a popular character that Andy and Don felt upstaged by him, so they created the GOMER PYLE, U.S.M.C. spinoff to basically get rid of him.

Then, of course, as Sid & Marty Kroffts' shows began to decline in the 70s, he and Ruth Buzzi starred on THE LOST SAUCER as Fi and Fum, a pair of futuristic androids who land on modern-day (1975) earth and invite a boy and his babysitter aboard their saucer to check things out, but when they begin drawing unwanted attention, they panic and take off . . . with the kids still onboard; naturally, each episode was about trying to get the kids back home to their time, but they always end up on earth in the distant future, or far back in the past.

And I have to say, his is perhaps one of my favorite Season 1 episodes of TMS.

 

[Mo Frackle]

When we he ever on SST? I don't remember that.

He did at least two segments during the Second Season (EKAs 0150 and 0176) that were reused occasionally into the following year.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

Last summer I received a book about Andy Griffith and Don Knotts' decades-spanning friendship as well as behind-the-scenes stories about THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW as a gift, and it was interesting to read about Jim Nabors, in that Andy had "discovered" him and felt he would be a good fit for the show, so they brought him on as Gomer (this after they were originally going to give the role to George Lindsey, who ended up playing Goober instead), but then Gomer became such a popular character that Andy and Don felt upstaged by him, so they created the GOMER PYLE, U.S.M.C. spinoff to basically get rid of him.

It's a shame. Gomer was my favorite character, and I always thought it was too bad he was on the show for such a short time. I mean, sure he got his own spin off, but it definitely didn't quite capture the magic of the original show. The Andy Griffith Show always lost a bit of it's magic every time one of the major or recurring residents left.

 

[D'Snowth]

He did at least two segments during the Second Season (EKAs 0150 and 0176) that were reused occasionally into the following year.

I didn't know! I'll have to look into that!

It's a shame. Gomer was my favorite character, and I always thought it was too bad he was on the show for such a short time. I mean, sure he got his own spin off, but it definitely didn't quite capture the magic of the original show. The Andy Griffith Show always lost a bit of it's magic every time one of the major or recurring residents left.

I have to agree. For me, the magic was completely lost when we lost Barney, the show switched to color, and they brought in all of these other different townsfolk to fill in the void left behind by Barney.

Speaking of which, something I learned from the book that I didn't know before: you know how towards the end of that last black-and-white season, there were episodes where Andy would have a temporary deputy while Barney was away for one reason (like one episode where Jerry Van Dyke was a banjo player whom Aunt Bee insisted Andy let fill in for Barney)? Apparently, that was the producers already trying out other actors to see who could possibly co-star alongside Andy when the show was picked back up since Don Knotts had already opted not to renew his contract at that point because he thought Andy was going to end the show after that season. At least they would bring Barney back for annual special episodes afterwards, and I know there's other shows out there that people wish would have done the same with certain castmembers who left after a certain amount of time.

 

[fuzzygobo]

I didn't know! I'll have to look into that!

I have to agree. For me, the magic was completely lost when we lost Barney, the show switched to color, and they brought in all of these other different townsfolk to fill in the void left behind by Barney.

Speaking of which, something I learned from the book that I didn't know before: you know how towards the end of that last black-and-white season, there were episodes where Andy would have a temporary deputy while Barney was away for one reason (like one episode where Jerry Van Dyke was a banjo player whom Aunt Bee insisted Andy let fill in for Barney)? Apparently, that was the producers already trying out other actors to see who could possibly co-star alongside Andy when the show was picked back up since Don Knotts had already opted not to renew his contract at that point because he thought Andy was going to end the show after that season. At least they would bring Barney back for annual special episodes afterwards, and I know there's other shows out there that people wish would have done the same with certain castmembers who left after a certain amount of time.

I remember seeing him on Sesame way back when. Dressed in a snazzy tux, I instantly recognized him as Gomer Pyle, which was still on the air (although very near the end of its run).
He sang the alphabet, and not many people know what a deep, rich, operatic voice he had. His baritone plunged waaaaaayyy down when he sang "Now I know my A B C's, Next Time Won't You SIIIIIIINNNG WIIIIIITTH MEEEEEEEEEE", then back to his Gomer voice "That was neat. See you soon, y'hear?"
Wonderful guy.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

He sang the alphabet, and not many people know what a deep, rich, operatic voice he had. His baritone plunged waaaaaayyy down when he sang "Now I know my A B C's, Next Time Won't You SIIIIIIINNNG WIIIIIITTH MEEEEEEEEEE", then back to his Gomer voice "That was neat. See you soon, y'hear?"
Wonderful guy.

I remember hearing him sing once on Gomer Pyle. I thought he was being dubbed by someone else until my mom told me otherwise.
He really was a beautiful soul.

 

[snichols1973]

 

[Princeton]

Either way, I'm really saddened by this; aside from Ron Howard (obviously), I think this only leaves Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) as the only remaining Mayberry citizin still with us.

Also Jack Burns, but I couldn't blame you if you didn't count Warren as a regular. Speaking of Warren (and also as a response to your post about characters filling the void), it's obvious that Goober filled the Gomer void, Warren and Howard filled the Barney void, but what I don't think most fans pick up on is that Emmett could easily be classified as a replacement Floyd.