''Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.''
[The show (and CBS) renders the title as ''Gomer Pyle – USMC''.] is an American
situation comedy
A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...
that originally aired on
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
from September 25, 1964, to May 2, 1969. The series was a
spin-off of ''
The Andy Griffith Show
''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American situation comedy television series that aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color.
The ...
'', and the
pilot episode
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...
was aired as the
season finale
A season finale (British English: last in the series; Australian English: season final) is the final episode of a season of a television program. This is often the final episode to be produced for a few months or longer, and, as such, will try to ...
of the fourth season of its parent series on May 18, 1964. The show ran for a total of 150 half-hour episodes spanning over five seasons, in
black-and-white
Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey.
Media
The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
for the first season, and then in
color
Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associ ...
for the remaining four seasons. In 2006,
CBS Home Entertainment
CBS Home Entertainment (formerly CBS Video Enterprises, Inc., MGM/CBS Home Video, CBS/Fox Video and CBS Video, currently branded as CBS DVD for DVD releases and CBS Blu-ray for Blu-ray releases) is a home entertainment company owned by Paramoun ...
(distributed by
Paramount
Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to:
Entertainment and music companies
* Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...
) began releasing the series on DVD. The final season was released in November 2008.
Like its parent series, ''Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.'' was also a major ratings hit, never placing lower than tenth in the
Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
, and ended its run as the second-highest-rated series in the United States. It has enjoyed continued popularity through
reruns
A rerun or repeat is a rebroadcast of an episode of a radio or television program. There are two types of reruns – those that occur during a hiatus, and those that occur when a program is syndicated.
Variations
In the United Kingdom, the word ...
and DVD releases. The series was created by
Aaron Ruben
Aaron Ruben (March 1, 1914 – January 30, 2010) was an American television director and producer known for ''The Andy Griffith Show'' (1960), ''Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.'' (1964), and ''Sanford and Son'' (1972).
Early life
Ruben was born in Chicag ...
, who also produced the show with
Sheldon Leonard
Sheldon Leonard Bershad (February 22, 1907 – January 11, 1997) was an American film and television actor, producer, director, and screenwriter.
Early life
Sheldon Leonard Bershad was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of middle-clas ...
and Ronald Jacobs. Filmed and set in California, it stars
Jim Nabors
James Thurston Nabors (June 12, 1930 – November 30, 2017) was an American actor, singer, and comedian, widely known for his signature character, Gomer Pyle.
Nabors was discovered by Andy Griffith while working at a Santa Monica, California, Sa ...
as
Gomer Pyle
Gomer Pyle is a fictional character played by Jim Nabors and introduced in the middle of the third season of ''The Andy Griffith Show''.
A naïve and gentle auto mechanic, he became a character in the January 1963 episode, ''Man in a Hurry''. ...
, a naïve but good-natured gas station attendant from the town of
Mayberry,
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, who enlists in the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
.
Frank Sutton
Frank Spencer Sutton (October 23, 1923 – June 28, 1974) was an American actor best remembered for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter on the CBS television series ''Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.''.
Early life
Born in Clarksville, Tennessee, ...
plays Gomer's high-octane, short-fused
Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter, and
Ronnie Schell
Ronald Ralph Schell (born December 23, 1931) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He appeared on the May 28, 1959, episode of the TV quiz ''You Bet Your Life'', hosted by Groucho Marx. Schell demonstrated a comic barrage of beatnik jive t ...
plays Gomer's friend Duke Slater.
Roy Stuart portrayed Corporal Chuck Boyle, GySgt Carter's good-natured sidekick.
Allan Melvin
Allan John Melvin (February 18, 1923 – January 17, 2008) was an American actor and impressionist, who was cast in hundreds of television episodes from the 1950s to the early 1990s, often appearing in recurring roles on various series. Some of th ...
played in the recurring role of Gunnery Sergeant Carter's rival, Staff Sergeant Charley Hacker.
History
Everett Greenbaum
Everett Greenbaum (December 20, 1919 – July 11, 1999) was an American television and film writer and actor who contributed to such shows as ''The Andy Griffith Show'' (24 Episodes), ''M*A*S*H'' (35 Episodes), '' Love American Style'', ''Th ...
and
Jim Fritzell
Jim Fritzell (February 19, 1920 – March 9, 1979) was an American television and film screenwriter.
Personal background
James Gustave Fritzell was born on February 19, 1920. He died on March 9, 1979 in Los Angeles, California. He i ...
, writers for ''The Andy Griffith Show'', are credited with creating the character of Gomer Pyle. The character was based on an "incompetent" gas station attendant whom Greenbaum met and named after Gomer Cool (a writer) and
Denver Pyle
Denver Dell Pyle (May 11, 1920 – December 25, 1997) was an American film and television actor and director. He was well known for a number of TV roles from the 1960s through the 1980s, including his portrayal of Briscoe Darling Jr. in se ...
(an actor on ''The Andy Griffith Show'').
[Kelly, p. 115] Jim Nabors was cast to play Gomer; he had been performing for a
Santa Monica
Santa Monica (; Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing to ...
nightclub, The Horn, when
Andy Griffith
Andy Samuel Griffith (June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012) was an American actor, comedian, television producer, southern gospel singer and writer whose career spanned seven decades in music and television. Known for his Southern drawl, his characte ...
discovered him. Though originally intended to appear in only one episode, Gomer proved popular, and after appearing in seasons 3 and 4, Nabors was given his own spin-off produced by Aaron Ruben. The
pilot episode
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...
of ''Gomer Pyle'' was filmed in 1963 as part of ''The Andy Griffith Show'', but was not aired until 1964, as the
finale of ''The Andy Griffith Show''s fourth season.
The 1960s saw a return to "the more mundane sensibilities of comedy," due to viewers' wishes for television programming to be a "cultural antidepressant." Thus, fantasy- and rurally-oriented comedies gained popularity and dominated the
Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
. Like other comedies at the time, ''Gomer Pyle'' was a "deep
escapist" show; it avoided political commentary and offered viewers a distraction from the
social changes of the 1960s. Despite being a military-themed show and airing during the peak of the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, the show never discussed the war.
[Olson, p. 196] Instead, the show was founded on "Gomer's innocent simplicity
ndSergeant Carter's frustration and later concern for Gomer's well-being." This, compounded with the popularity of rural comedies in the 1960s, made the show popular.
Frank Sutton, who played Carter, ascribed the show's popularity to its concentration on its two main characters, and the plots being built around their respective personalities.
The program remained in the top 10 of the ratings throughout its run—in the top three for all but its third season when CBS moved it from Fridays to Wednesdays. Nabors quit because he desired to move to something else, "reach for another rung on the ladder, either up or down."
After ''Gomer Pyle'' left the air, Jim Nabors hosted his own
variety show
Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical theatre, musical performances, sketch comedy, magic (illusion), magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is ...
, ''
The Jim Nabors Hour
''The Jim Nabors Hour'' is an American variety television series hosted by Jim Nabors that aired on the CBS television network from 1969 to 1971.
Fresh from his success with '' Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.'', which put his backwoods "Gomer Pyle" chara ...
'', from 1969 to 1971. As well as showcasing Nabors' singing and rich
baritone
A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the r ...
voice, the show included comedy sketches that featured Nabors's ''Gomer Pyle'' co-stars Frank Sutton and Ronnie Schell. Though told that he should not leave ''Gomer Pyle'', Nabors felt that the show would still be exciting and noted that every character he portrayed in his
sketches "turn
dout to be Gomer."
Production
![Gomer Pyle, USMC (dakues)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Gomer_Pyle%2C_USMC_%28dakues%29.jpg)
The show was produced by creator Aaron Ruben, ''Andy Griffith Show'' producer Sheldon Leonard (in partnership with Griffith), and Ronald Jacobs; it was co-produced by Bruce Bayley Johnson and Duke Vincent.
Among the writers were Sam Bobrick, Harvey Miller, Aaron Ruben, Jack Elinson, and Bill Idelson; ''Andy Griffith Show'' writers Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell also wrote episodes. Coby Ruskin was the primary director in the first four seasons, before John Rich took over the role for the fifth season; other directors included Gary Nelson, Peter Baldwin, and Alan Rafkin. Ruth Burch was in charge of the casting, and John Finger directed the cinematography.
The theme song was composed by
Earle Hagen
Earle Harry Hagen (July 9, 1919 – May 26, 2008) was an American composer who created music for movies and television. His best-known TV themes include those for ''Make Room for Daddy'', ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'', ''I Spy'', ''That Girl'' and ...
, who also composed the themes for shows such as ''The Andy Griffith Show'', ''
The Dick Van Dyke Show
''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' is an American television sitcom created by Carl Reiner that initially aired on CBS from October 3, 1961 to June 1, 1966, with a total of 158 half-hour episodes spanning five seasons. It was produced by Calvada Product ...
'', and ''
That Girl
''That Girl'' is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from September 8, 1966 to March 19, 1971. It starred Marlo Thomas as the title character Ann Marie, an aspiring (but only sporadically employed) actress, who moves from her hometown of Brewster ...
''.
The show was filmed at
Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Diego County and is bordered by Oc ...
,
Desilu Studios
The Culver Studios is a movie studio in Culver City, California. Originally created by silent movie pioneer Thomas H. Ince, classics from Hollywood's Golden Age were filmed there. It is currently owned by Hackman Capital Partners, which completely ...
's
Desilu-Cahuenga, and
RKO Forty Acres
RKO Forty Acres was a film studio backlot in the United States, owned by RKO Pictures (and later Desilu Productions), located in Culver City, California. Best known as Forty Acres and "the back forty," it was also called "Desilu Culver," the "RKO ...
backlot
A backlot is an area behind or adjoining a movie studio containing permanent exterior buildings for outdoor scenes in filmmaking or television productions, or space for temporary set construction.
Uses
Some movie studios build a wide variety of ...
, where ''The Andy Griffith Show'' was filmed.
[Leonard & Griffith, p. 133] Though Ruben preferred the use of a
multiple-camera setup
The multiple-camera setup, multiple-camera mode of production, multi-camera or simply multicam is a method of filmmaking and video production. Several cameras—either film or professional video cameras—are employed on the set and simultaneous ...
for comedy programs, ''Gomer Pyle'' used a
single-camera setup
The single-camera setup, or single-camera mode of production, also known as portable single camera, is a method of filmmaking and video production.
The single-camera setup originally developed during the birth of the classical Hollywood cinema i ...
because much of the shooting was conducted outdoors. In his book ''And The Show Goes On'', Sheldon Leonard explained that the
armed forces
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
offer levels of "cooperation" with filmmakers. Because the Marines felt that the show would be good for the branch's image, ''Gomer Pyle'' was given "total cooperation," meaning that the show was allowed unlimited access to military equipment.
The vehicles in the show were provided by the
Chrysler Corporation
Stellantis North America (officially FCA US and formerly Chrysler ()) is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of the multinational automoti ...
, as opposed to the parent series' vehicles that came from the
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...
. Although
Jeep
Jeep is an American automobile marque, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with remaining assets, from its previous owner American Moto ...
s are also prominent in the show, the brand itself would not become a part of Chrysler until the
AMC
AMC may refer to:
Film and television
* AMC Theatres, an American movie theater chain
* AMC Networks, an American entertainment company
** AMC (TV channel)
** AMC+, streaming service
** AMC Networks International, an entertainment company
*** ...
buyout that occurred in 1987.
Nabors and Sutton were the only actors credited in every episode (however, Sutton did not appear in every episode). Ronnie Schell (who played Duke Slater) left after the third season to star in ''
Good Morning World'', though he returned for the fifth season, promoted to corporal, after graduating from
non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...
training.
Roy Stuart, who played Corporal Chuck Boyle, made his debut in the second season and left after the fourth.
Andy Griffith
Andy Samuel Griffith (June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012) was an American actor, comedian, television producer, southern gospel singer and writer whose career spanned seven decades in music and television. Known for his Southern drawl, his characte ...
,
Frances Bavier
Frances Elizabeth Bavier (December 14, 1902 – December 6, 1989) was an American stage and television actress. Originally from New York theatre, she worked in film and television from the 1950s until the 1970s. She is best known for her role o ...
,
Ron Howard
Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of ''The Twilight Zone''. He ...
, and
George Lindsey
George Smith Lindsey (December 17, 1928 – May 6, 2012) was an American actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his role as Goober Pyle on ''The Andy Griffith Show'', ''Mayberry R.F.D.'' and his subsequent tenure on '' Hee-Haw''.
Life and ...
made guest appearances on the series reprising their respective roles from ''The Andy Griffith Show''.
[As Andy Taylor, ]Aunt Bee
Aunt Bee is a fictional character from the 1960 American television sitcom ''The Andy Griffith Show''. Played by Frances Bavier, the character migrated to the spinoff ''Mayberry R.F.D.'' (1968–1971) when ''The Andy Griffith Show'' ended its run ...
, Opie Taylor
Opie Taylor is a fictional character played by Ron Howard in the American television program '' The Andy Griffith Show'', which was televised on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968. Opie Taylor appeared in 209 of the 249 episodes of '' ...
, and Goober Pyle
Goober Pyle is a fictional character in the American TV sitcom ''The Andy Griffith Show'' and its sequel series '' Mayberry RFD''. He was played by George Lindsey. Lindsey first read for the part of Gomer Pyle, Goober's cousin, which went to ac ...
, respectively Denver Pyle
Denver Dell Pyle (May 11, 1920 – December 25, 1997) was an American film and television actor and director. He was well known for a number of TV roles from the 1960s through the 1980s, including his portrayal of Briscoe Darling Jr. in se ...
and
Allan Melvin
Allan John Melvin (February 18, 1923 – January 17, 2008) was an American actor and impressionist, who was cast in hundreds of television episodes from the 1950s to the early 1990s, often appearing in recurring roles on various series. Some of th ...
, who both had roles on ''The Andy Griffith Show'', appeared in ''Gomer Pyle'', but did not reprise their original roles. Denver Pyle, who had played Briscoe Darling in six episodes of ''The Andy Griffith Show'', played tomato farmer Titus Purcell in the ''Gomer Pyle'' episode "The Price of Tomatoes." Allan Melvin, who had played Clarence "Doc" Malloy and other antagonists on ''The Andy Griffith Show'', played Sergeant Carter's rival, Staff Sergeant Hacker, for four seasons. Nabors also carried the Gomer Pyle character to fellow CBS series ''
The Lucy Show
''The Lucy Show'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1962 to 1968. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to ''I Love Lucy''. A significant change in cast and premise for the fourth season (1965–1966) divides the program into two distinct ...
,'' in which he made a cameo appearance in a 1966 episode.
Nabors always said he had a hard time watching the shows opening credits, as many of the Marines he was filmed training with were later killed in Vietnam.
Episodes
Premise
![Jim Nabors Frank Sutton Gomer Pyle 1968](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Jim_Nabors_Frank_Sutton_Gomer_Pyle_1968.JPG)
The premise of ''Gomer Pyle'' is similar to and perhaps inspired by Andy Griffith's starring role in the Broadway play and film version of ''
No Time for Sergeants
''No Time for Sergeants'' is a 1954 best-selling novel by Mac Hyman, which was later adapted into a teleplay on ''The United States Steel Hour'', a popular Broadway play and 1958 motion picture, as well as a 1964 television series. The book chro ...
'', which was based on the
Mac Hyman
Mac or MAC most commonly refers to:
* Mac (computer), a family of personal computers made by Apple Inc.
* Mackintosh, a raincoat made of rubberized cloth
* A variant of the word macaroni, mostly used in the name of the dish mac and cheese
* Ma ...
novel of the same title. Like Leonard's other shows, ''Gomer Pyle'' was character-driven; the main characters were "accessible" and "engaging," and the supporting characters were often eccentric. In the show's pilot episode, Gomer, a gas-station attendant from
Mayberry, joins the
Marines
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
. Gomer's naivete immediately exasperates his
drill instructor
A drill instructor is a non-commissioned officer in the armed forces, fire department, or police forces with specific duties that vary by country. Foot drill, military step, and marching are typically taught by drill instructors.
Australia
Austr ...
, Gunnery Sergeant Carter (
Frank Sutton
Frank Spencer Sutton (October 23, 1923 – June 28, 1974) was an American actor best remembered for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter on the CBS television series ''Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.''.
Early life
Born in Clarksville, Tennessee, ...
). Originally situated in Camp Wilson in North Carolina, the setting was moved to the fictional Camp Henderson in California.
[Beck & Clark, p. 88] The show was a
fish-out-of-water piece, which, like its contemporary ''
The Beverly Hillbillies
''The Beverly Hillbillies'' is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from 1962 to 1971. It had an ensemble cast featuring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer Jr. as the Clampetts, a poor, backwoods family from ...
'', featured rural characters out of their normal settings.
[Davis, Blythe, Winans, Scalese, and Winans p. 8] Like other comedies of the 1960s, the show avoided political commentary (especially concerning the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
) and focused instead on the predicaments that ensued from Gomer's unintentional breaking of the rules or
sticking his foot in his mouth.
Among the themes explored were the honesty and "strong family values supposedly inherent in small-town life"; according to author
Gerard Jones
Gerard Jones (born July 10, 1957) is an American writer, known primarily for his non-fiction work about American entertainment media, and his comic book scripting, which includes co-creating the superhero Prime for Malibu Comics, and writing for ...
, ''Gomer Pyles basic message was "far simpler than any corporate suburban sitcoms with their lessons in compromise and role-following
..It said merely that the oldest, most basic, least sophisticated sort of sweetness could redeem even the toughest modern types".
Author Elizabeth Hirschman noted that Gomer represented a "uniquely American
archetype
The concept of an archetype (; ) appears in areas relating to behavior, historical psychology, and literary analysis.
An archetype can be any of the following:
# a statement, pattern of behavior, prototype, "first" form, or a main model that ot ...
"—a "large, powerful man physically" with the "simple, honest nature of a child or animal". She also noted that, like stories with characters of such an archetype, Gomer's trusting nature was often taken advantage of, though in the end he "reaps happiness" because of his innocence. In his book ''Watching
M*A*S*H
''M*A*S*H'' (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American media franchise consisting of a series of novels, a film, several television series, plays, and other properties, and based on the semi-autobiographical fiction of Richard Hooker.
The ...
, Watching America'', media and communications scholar James Wittebols said that ''Gomer Pyle'' illustrated how class differences "supposedly negated or diminished by military training" made themselves apparent in the military world.
Characters
Gomer Pyle
Gomer Pyle is a fictional character played by Jim Nabors and introduced in the middle of the third season of ''The Andy Griffith Show''.
A naïve and gentle auto mechanic, he became a character in the January 1963 episode, ''Man in a Hurry''. ...
(played by
Jim Nabors
James Thurston Nabors (June 12, 1930 – November 30, 2017) was an American actor, singer, and comedian, widely known for his signature character, Gomer Pyle.
Nabors was discovered by Andy Griffith while working at a Santa Monica, California, Sa ...
), from
Mayberry, North Carolina, is a good-natured and innocent
private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
whose naïvete constantly annoys his drill instructor, Sergeant Carter. Eventually, however, his "unquestioning love and trust of the world"
lead those in his platoon to befriend him. His good nature attracts the friendship of women; meanwhile, in so far as Carter's abrasiveness repels women, Gomer is in the position of salvaging numerous social occasions by charming the women whose opinions are important to officers at the Marine base. Gomer was created as a stereotype of a rural American; according to ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'', he "wears a gee-whiz expression, spouts
homilies
A homily (from Greek ὁμιλία, ''homilía'') is a commentary that follows a reading of scripture, giving the "public explanation of a sacred doctrine" or text. The works of Origen and John Chrysostom (known as Paschal Homily) are considered ex ...
out of a lopsided mouth and lopes around uncertainly like a plowboy stepping through a field of cow dung. He is a walking disaster area." Though never promoted beyond
private first class
Private first class (french: Soldat de 1 classe; es, Soldado de primera) is a military rank held by junior enlisted personnel in a number of armed forces.
French speaking countries
In France and other French speaking countries, the rank (; ) ...
during the show's run, Jim Nabors (who played Gomer) was given an honorary promotion to
lance corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organisations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer (NCO), usually equi ...
in 2001, to
corporal
Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non ...
in 2007, and then to
sergeant
Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...
in 2013 by the Marines.
![Jim Nabors Frank Sutton Gomer Pyle premiere 1964](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Jim_Nabors_Frank_Sutton_Gomer_Pyle_premiere_1964.jpg)
Vince Carter (played by
Frank Sutton
Frank Spencer Sutton (October 23, 1923 – June 28, 1974) was an American actor best remembered for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter on the CBS television series ''Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.''.
Early life
Born in Clarksville, Tennessee, ...
), a
gunnery sergeant from Kansas, is Gomer's irritable, abrasive, and socially inept drill instructor (later his platoon sergeant) who is constantly annoyed by Gomer's well-intentioned mistakes.
Carter disdains Gomer's country idiosyncrasies ("golly!" "Shazam!" "surprise, surprise, surprise!"). He is also put off by Gomer's expectation that the platoon should be a family, of which Carter is the father figure: As much as Carter wants their working relationship to be temporary, as is common in the military, Gomer expects a life-long friendship, which exasperates Carter. Due to the audience's demand for more family-oriented programming, he eventually revealed his softer side: Carter became a father figure to Gomer as well as his best friend.
[Jones, pp. 172–173] Sutton stated that his character was created "
out of whole cloth for the show" and, as the actor played him "by ear," Carter greatly changed during the first season.
Barbara Stuart played his girlfriend "Miss Bunny" for three seasons.
Mark Slade
Mark Van Blarcom Slade (born May 1, 1939) is an American actor, artist, and author, particularly remembered for his role of Billy Blue Cannon on the NBC Western television series, ''The High Chaparral''.Terrace, Vincent (2011). ''Encyclopedia of ...
appeared in eight episodes in 1964 in the role of "Eddie" though in the first of those appearances he was billed as "Private Swanson."
Duke Slater (played by
Ronnie Schell
Ronald Ralph Schell (born December 23, 1931) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He appeared on the May 28, 1959, episode of the TV quiz ''You Bet Your Life'', hosted by Groucho Marx. Schell demonstrated a comic barrage of beatnik jive t ...
) is Gomer's friend and platoon-mate. Schell left the show in the fourth season to star in the short-lived show ''Good Morning, World'' but returned in the final season as the corporal of Gomer's platoon.
Chuck Boyle (played by
Roy Stuart) is Gomer's corporal. He often serves as Carter's conscience and sticks up for Gomer when Sergeant Carter is annoyed over his mistakes. Stuart debuted in the second season and left the show after the fourth season; Boyle was replaced by Duke Slater as corporal for the final season.
Lou-Ann Poovie (played by
Elizabeth MacRae
Elizabeth Hendon MacRae (born February 22, 1936) is an American actress who performed in dozens of television series and in nine feature films, working predominantly in productions released between 1958 and the late 1980s. Among her more widel ...
) is Gomer's girlfriend. She debuts in the third season as a singer for a nightclub, but leaves the job at Gomer's urging to return home to Turtle Creek, North Carolina, and marry her beau Monroe Efford. In a later episode in the same season, she returns to California and reveals that she called the wedding off. At the end of the episode, she reveals that she wants Gomer to be her boyfriend, to the dismay of Carter and Duke. After she loses her job at the nightclub, Gomer finds her a job as a salesclerk at a
record shop
A record shop or record store is a retail outlet that sells Sound recording and reproduction, recorded music. In the late 19th century and the early 20th century, record shops only sold gramophone records, but over the 20th century, record sho ...
.
Ratings and timeslots
Legacy
In the song "
Nobody Home" from
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
's 1979 album ''
The Wall
''The Wall'' is the eleventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released on 30 November 1979 by Harvest/EMI and Columbia/CBS Records. It is a rock opera that explores Pink, a jaded rock star whose eventual self-imp ...
'', an audio clip of Pyle saying his signature line "Surprise, surprise, surprise!" can be heard. The audio clip, however, is not present in the
1982 film.
In 1987, some 18 years after ''Gomer Pyle'' finished its broadcast run,
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
's film ''
Full Metal Jacket
''Full Metal Jacket'' is a 1987 war drama film directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Herr and Gustav Hasford. The film is based on Hasford's 1979 novel ''The Short-Timers'' and stars Matthew M ...
'' was released. In it, the nickname "Gomer Pyle" is derogatorily given to Private Leonard Lawrence (played by
Vincent D'Onofrio
Vincent Philip D'Onofrio (; born June 30, 1959) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his supporting and leading roles in both film and television. He has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.
His roles include Private Leonar ...
) during boot camp, after incurring the drill instructor's wrath (Gunnery Sergeant Hartman played by
R. Lee Ermey) for being unable to turn off his idiot's grin and his perceived incompetence.
A brief clip of the show airing on
American Forces Vietnam Network television appears during the military hospital scene in the 1994 film ''
Forrest Gump
''Forrest Gump'' is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth. It is based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom and stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson and ...
''. In the scene, Gump is scolded for watching the show by a fellow soldier who calls it "stupid shit".
Media
E. Kitzes Knox wrote a novel based on the series, also titled ''Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.'' The paperback was published by Pyramid and released in 1966. Jim Nabors recorded ''Shazam!'', which is not a soundtrack of the show but features Jim singing novelty songs in his "Gomer" voice, and released it on the
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
label.
Home media
CBS DVD
CBS Home Entertainment (formerly CBS Video Enterprises, Inc., MGM/CBS Home Video, CBS/Fox Video and CBS Video, currently branded as CBS DVD for DVD releases and CBS Blu-ray for Blu-ray releases) is a home entertainment company owned by Paramoun ...
(distributed by
Paramount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment (formerly Paramount Home Media Distribution, and originally Paramount Home Video) is the home video distribution arm of Paramount Pictures, a division of Paramount Global.
The division oversees PPC's home entertainme ...
) has released all five seasons of ''Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.'' on DVD in
Region 1. All episodes have been fully restored and digitally remastered in full-color, but due to clearance issues, some episodes that feature Nabors (and other cast members) singing have been edited to remove those performances.
On March 10, 2015, CBS DVD (distributed by Paramount) released'' Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.- The Complete series'' on DVD in Region 1.
'The Complete Series' Starring Jim Nabors is Scheduled for DVD
/ref>
In Region 4, Shock Entertainment has released all five seasons on DVD in Australia.
Explanatory notes
Citations
General bibliography
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Further reading
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External links
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{{Good article
1964 American television series debuts
1969 American television series endings
1960s American sitcoms
American television spin-offs
Black-and-white American television shows
CBS original programming
English-language television shows
Military comedy television series
Television shows set in North Carolina
Television shows set in California
Television series by CBS Studios
Television shows about the United States Marine Corps
The Andy Griffith Show