George Lindsey (Goober Pyle) Died, Aged 83

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

The Andy Griffith Show/Mayberry RFD do not seem that long ago and yet were another age. Passing of another alumnus:


(Reuters) - Actor George Lindsey, who played bumbling Goober Pyle on the 1960s TV series "The Andy Griffith Show," died on Sunday. He was 83.

Lindsey died in Nashville, Tennessee, after a brief illness, according to a statement from the Marshall-Donnelly-Combs Funeral Home.

Lindsey was asked in 1962 to audition for the role of a gas station attendant named Gomer Pyle on "The Andy Griffith Show," but lost the part to actor Jim Nabors.

Two years later, when Nabors' portrayal of Gomer Pyle became so popular that a spin-off program was created, Lindsey was cast as Gomer's cousin Goober Pyle.

For the next seven seasons - four on the "The Andy Griffith Show" and three on the sequel series, "Mayberry R.F.D." - Lindsey played the small town's forever-addled gas station attendant.

For many years afterward, he reprised the Goober Pyle role on the country variety program "Hee Haw" and the comedy circuit.

In a statement released by the funeral home, actor Andy Griffith said he considered Lindsey, who was active in raising money for the Special Olympics, a friend as well as a former colleague.

Griffith, 85, praised Lindsey's spirit and talent, and said they had often talked by phone in recent years.

"I am happy to say that as we found ourselves in our eighties, we were not afraid to say, 'I love you,'" Griffith said.

Born in Fairfield, Alabama, in 1928, Lindsey was active in theater in high school and college, an obituary posted on the funeral home's website said.

After graduating from Florence State Teachers College, military service and a brief stint as a teacher, Lindsey used GI Bill money to study at the American Theater Wing, the obituary said.

Lindsey's early work in Hollywood was in small parts on TV shows such as "The Rifleman," "Gunsmoke" and "The Twilight Zone."

(Editing By Colleen Jenkins and Eric Beech)



He even played a bad guy who shot Matt Dillon! Most of his career spent with Goober but he did have some depth at comedy.

[LWJ]

One of my childhood favorites! Thank you George!

[gt350mike]

I met him briefly back in the 90's. My fraternity was having an alumni dinner and he was asked to come over a say a few words while we were finishing dinner. When he said "JUDY, JUDY, JUDY!", I thought we all would die laughing. He was definitely a funny guy.
I knew a little about him playing college football (quarterback at Florence State) but I learned today that he was a three year veteran of the Air Force and was a football coach at a local high school just outside of Huntsville.

R.I.P George

[wdfifteen]

I'm a born and raised a southern Ahia hillbilly and I found his portrayal embarrassing. It's a subtle difference, but Gomer was simply kindhearted and dumb. Goober was kindhearted and hillbilly dumb. Maybe you have to be born into it to see it.

[craigster59]

RIP "Goober". A man who carried his character with pride, not pissed and moaned how he would be forever "Typecast" and that it was a curse. Great story Mike, I loved the "Judy, Judy, Judy!".