When you hear the name Jim Nabors, it’s hard not to think about goofy Gomer Pyle, who was first seen on The Andy Griffith Show and later his own spinoff show, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. In both shows, Gomer wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he was honest, hardworking, and fiercely loyal. In real life, Jim exhibited the same traits — even when his loyalty to friend and costar Frank Sutton led to his TV show being cancelled.
However, before I get into all that, let’s talk about Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. It was a huge hit for the CBS network, running for five seasons in all. But by the beginning of the fifth season, Jim was getting the itch to do something a little different.