Jim Nabors Dead: ‘Gomer Pyle’ Star Dies at 87 – Variety
Author: Richard Natale
Description: Jim Nabors, whose name is synonymous with the genial bumpkin Gomer Pyle, whom he played on TV, died on Thursday. He was 87.
Date: 2017-11-30T18:16:14+00:00

Continue to Variety SKIP AD
You will be redirected back to your article in seconds
November 30, 2017 10:16AM PT

# Jim Nabors, TV’s Gomer Pyle and Singer, Dies at 87

By Richard Natale

#### Richard Natale

Contributing Writer

#### Richard's Most Recent Stories

- Jim Nabors, TV’s Gomer Pyle and Singer, Dies at 87
- Robert Guillaume, Star of ‘Benson,’ Dies at 89
- Jerry Lewis, Comedy Legend, Dies at 91

View All

- Facebook
- Twitter
- Reddit
- Email
- Show more sharing options
- LinkedIn
- WhatsApp
- Print
- Pin It
- Tumblr

CREDIT: ITV/REX/Shutterstock

Jim Nabors, whose name is synonymous with the genial bumpkin Gomer Pyle, whom he played on TV, has died. He was 87.

His husband, Stan Cadwallader, told the Associated Press that Nabors died on Thursday at their home in Hawaii.

He brought the words “golly” and “shazam” into the vernacular as the naive, well-intentioned Pyle, a regular character on “The Andy Griffith Show” that was later the focus of spinoff “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” Pyle was a loving caricature of a Southern rube, completely out of step with the ’60s and all the more lovable for it. The series ran for four seasons, and Nabors’ 20% cut of the syndication revenue for the popular series made him financially secure thereafter and able to pursue broader interests as a singer and comic raconteur.

Later attempts at a variety show did not last long, however, either on network TV or in firstrun syndication, though Nabors was a popular headliner on the Vegas-Reno nightclub circuit.

Nabors was discovered singing at the Horn cabaret in Santa Monica by writer-comedian Bill Dana, who booked Nabors for occasional stints on “The Steve Allen Show.”

### Related

### CBS, Netflix Renew Streaming Pact for Library Programs

### 'The Sopranos' Leads WGA List of Top TV Series

In the early ’60s, he began to appear regularly on “The Andy Griffith Show” as the ingenuous gas station attendant Gomer Pyle, which led to his own CBS series, produced by Griffith, about Pyle’s misadventures after joining the Marines, about which the New York Times wrote, “Mr. Nabors conveys a particular mood of attractive awkwardness, and naivete, a contagious quality of special poignancy rooted in laughter.”

The program shot into the top 10 in the Nielsen ratings, where it stayed for its entire four seasons.

During that time, Nabors starred in a number of variety specials for CBS including “Friends and Nabors,” which attracted an audience of 33.9 million, and guested on shows for Danny Thomas and the Smothers Brothers. He entertained onstage in Vegas, Reno and Tahoe, and his first album, “Jim Nabors Sings,” sold a million copies. By 1967 he was earning $500,000 annually.

Although it was too late to ever completely dissociate himself from Gomer Pyle, Nabors decided to end the series in 1969, while it was still rated in the top five. He hosted variety program “The Jim Nabors Hour” for two seasons on CBS and, in the late ’70s, tried it again in syndication, though “The Jim Nabors Show” was more of a combination comedy/talk program.

During this period he toured almost year round, reaping the benefits of his natural baritone voice, his disarming Southern-boy personality and his high name recognition from television. For a time he lived in Honolulu near his close friend Carol Burnett and starred in “The Jim Nabors Polynesian Extravaganza” at the Hilton Hawaiian Village for two years.

Film roles were few, mostly cameo and supporting appearances in three Burt Reynolds vehicles, “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “Stroker Ace” and “Cannonball Run II.”

Nabors recorded more than two dozen albums. At least four were certified gold by the RIAA, the most recent of which was “Jim Nabors Christmas Album” in 1990.

James Thurston Nabors was born in Sylacauga, Ala. Chronic asthma resulted in a childhood of forced seclusion, and after graduation from the U. of Alabama, he lived for a time in New York, working as a typist at the United Nations. The recurring asthma problems forced him to return home, where he worked as an assistant film editor for a television station in Chattanooga, Tenn., and also sang occasionally on the station’s daytime shows.

After moving to Los Angeles, he continued to work as an editor and entertained for free in the evenings — performing operatic arias interspersed with monologues — until his discovery and subsequent work in television.

Nabors converted to Catholicism in the mid-’60s.

He married his partner of 38 years, Stan Cadwallader, in Washington in 2013 a month after gay marriage became legal in that state.

In addition to Cadwallader, he is survived by two sisters, Freddie and Ruth.

Loading comments...

### Most Viewed

- ### Daisy Ridley Doesn't Want to Play Rey After 'Star Wars: Episode IX'

- ### Why HBO Passed on 'Lord of the Rings' TV Show, Which Was Scored by Amazon

- ### Playwright Israel Horovitz Accused of Sexual Misconduct by Nine Women

### Must Read

- TV

  ### Matt Lauer Responds to Harassment Claims: ‘There Is Enough Truth in These Stories’

- TV

  ### Jeff Zucker on Matt Lauer Scandal: ‘I Didn’t Know This Matt’

- Biz

  ### Matt Lauer Accused of Sexual Harassment by Multiple Women (EXCLUSIVE)

### Sign Up for Breaking News Alerts

Please fill out this field with valid email address.

### More TV

- ### John Malone Invests in STX Entertainment Through Liberty Global

  Jim Nabors, whose name is synonymous with the genial bumpkin Gomer Pyle, whom he played on TV, has died. He was 87. His husband, Stan Cadwallader, told the Associated Press that Nabors died on Thursday at their home in Hawaii. He brought the words “golly” and “shazam” into the vernacular as the naive, well-intentioned Pyle, a regular […]

- ### TV's Other Matt Lauer Problem: Hosts Who Forget Their Business Burden (Analysis)

  Jim Nabors, whose name is synonymous with the genial bumpkin Gomer Pyle, whom he played on TV, has died. He was 87. His husband, Stan Cadwallader, told the Associated Press that Nabors died on Thursday at their home in Hawaii. He brought the words “golly” and “shazam” into the vernacular as the naive, well-intentioned Pyle, a regular […]

- ### Bette Midler Wants Geraldo Rivera to Apologize After Groping Story Resurfaces

  Jim Nabors, whose name is synonymous with the genial bumpkin Gomer Pyle, whom he played on TV, has died. He was 87. His husband, Stan Cadwallader, told the Associated Press that Nabors died on Thursday at their home in Hawaii. He brought the words “golly” and “shazam” into the vernacular as the naive, well-intentioned Pyle, a regular […]

- ### HBO Removes Russell Simmons' Name From 'All Def Comedy'

  Jim Nabors, whose name is synonymous with the genial bumpkin Gomer Pyle, whom he played on TV, has died. He was 87. His husband, Stan Cadwallader, told the Associated Press that Nabors died on Thursday at their home in Hawaii. He brought the words “golly” and “shazam” into the vernacular as the naive, well-intentioned Pyle, a regular […]

- ### CBS All Access Orders Dark Fairytale Series From 'Dawson's Creek' Creator

  Jim Nabors, whose name is synonymous with the genial bumpkin Gomer Pyle, whom he played on TV, has died. He was 87. His husband, Stan Cadwallader, told the Associated Press that Nabors died on Thursday at their home in Hawaii. He brought the words “golly” and “shazam” into the vernacular as the naive, well-intentioned Pyle, a regular […]

- ### Maria Bamford on Mocking Netflix in 'Lady Dynamite' Season 2

  Jim Nabors, whose name is synonymous with the genial bumpkin Gomer Pyle, whom he played on TV, has died. He was 87. His husband, Stan Cadwallader, told the Associated Press that Nabors died on Thursday at their home in Hawaii. He brought the words “golly” and “shazam” into the vernacular as the naive, well-intentioned Pyle, a regular […]

- ### Why HBO Passed on 'Lord of the Rings' TV Show, Which Was Scored by Amazon

  Jim Nabors, whose name is synonymous with the genial bumpkin Gomer Pyle, whom he played on TV, has died. He was 87. His husband, Stan Cadwallader, told the Associated Press that Nabors died on Thursday at their home in Hawaii. He brought the words “golly” and “shazam” into the vernacular as the naive, well-intentioned Pyle, a regular […]

### More From Our Brands

- Footwear News

  ### Melody Ehsani on Her Final Reebok Collab and Addressing Injustice Through Design

- Deadline

  ### Fox Film Ups Chelsey Summey To SVP Corporate Communications

- TVLine

  ### Bobby Cannavale Joins Julia Roberts-Fronted Drama Series Homecoming

- Indiewire

  ### ‘The Shape of Water’: Guillermo Del Toro Takes You Inside the Best-Designed Film of 2017

ad