Jim Nabors Dies: Gomer Pyle Star Was 87

[Blue_Adept]

http://deadline.com/2017/11/jim-nabors-dies-gomer-pyle-obituary-1202217487/

Jim Nabors, who gave popular culture its most enduring image of a wide-eyed, good-natured if none too bright hayseed in a character whose very name – Gomer Pyle – would become synonymous with lovable rube, died Thursday in Hawaii. He was 87.

With catchphrases “Shazam!” and “Golly” (the latter drawn out to four or five lilting syllables), Nabors debuted his downhome, gas station attendant character in 1962 on The Andy Griffith Show, where the slow-going, dim-witted Gomer was a constant irritation to Don Knotts’ officious, high-strung Deputy Barney Fife.

[spanone]

1. ...

Gomer Says Hey!

[marybourg]

2. And who had an excellent, though charcterless, singing voice.

[LeftInTX]

13. I remember the moment that I first heard him sing.

It was, "Oh My Papa". My jaw just about dropped. I was only about 10. I remember that more than his goofy character.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

3. Shazam!

We'll miss you, Jim.

[Elwood P Dowd]

5. Not bad at dancing.....

with Mary Grace.

[oswaldactedalone]

10. She's nice, real nice

and Skinny Griffin said: "That muskrat's gone bite ya, that muskrat's gone bite ya."

[underpants]

4. .

[imanamerican63]

6. One of the greatest singer of all time.

R.I.P . Mr. Nabors.

[ismnotwasm]

7. Aw man

One of the reasons my husband will stay cute to me forever is his love of corny old TV shows, including Goner Pyle USMC—

RIP to a great comedian and an incredible singer

[nolabear]

8. He and my mother and I were all born in the same little AL town.

He and my mother were contemporaries though they went to different schools. He was the high school star and beloved home town boy whose clear gayness was carefully overlooked.

My grandparents lived across the street from his mother. I never met him but cousins did. I did play with his dog, which he left with his mom.

The fact that he came out didn’t seem to inibit anyone’s pride in him, though I wasn’t involved with the area at all by then. His Gomer persona made me uncomfortable because it took the dumb Southerner stereotype so far, but I give him huge props for his success and eventual freedom.

[A HERETIC I AM]

9. I met him very briefly once at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

As he was there to sing "Back Home in Indiana" on race day, like he did every year for quite a long time.

He was riding on a golf cart on a year after the Speedway had done some remodeling, and because the layout of the grounds had changed, he stopped to ask me directions, even though he had been going to the Speedway for years longer than I.

He could not have been more kind and polite, not at all rude or entitled as many celebrities can be.

Rest in Peace, Jim.

[B2G]

11. A true gentleman.

Loved his rendition of that song. The crowd went wild every year.

RIP Mr. Nabors. You'll be missed.

[Ken Burch]

12. A man who was finally able, in 2013, to marry the man he loved

and had found happiness with for decades, Stan Cadwallader:

[LongTomH]

14. I'm glad he got that chance! R.I.P. Jim and thanks for the laughs and the music!