The Life of George Lindsey, Famous for the Role of Goober Pyle on the Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show Became an Instans Success When Airing in 1960. Eight Year's Later It Was a Classic, with Characters That Will Forever Be Remembered as...
The Andy Griffith Show became an instans success when airing in 1960. Eight years later it was a classic, with characters that will forever be remembered as legendary.
Unfortunately, parts of the original cast is gone. One of them, George Lindsey, playing Goober Pyle, passed away a couple of years ago.
Few American shows has gotten the same amount of recognition as The Andy Griffith Show. Airing in 1960, the comedy series was an instant success, and is still seen as one of American’s all-time best shows.
The Andy Griffith Show
The show starred Andy Griffith as Sheriff Andy Taylor, Ron Howard as Opie Taylor and Don Knotts as Barney Fife. A total of 149 episodes aired, with the show still being number one in America when ending in April 1968.
The original cast were of course very popular among the viewers. But on April 13th, in episode 27 of the 4th season, a classic and almost legendary figure would show up.
George Lindsey made his debut as the good-nature but slow-learner Goober Pyle.
George Lindsey was born on Dec. 17, 1928 in Fairfield, Alabama as the only child of Alice Smith Lindsey and George Ross Lindsey.
He was raised in Jasper, Alabama, where he also attended high school, excelling in sports such as football and basketball.
It was during that time George Lindsey met with the theatrical world for the first time, acting in several productions.
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George Lindsey as Goober Pyle
He enrolled at different colleges and ended up at Florence State Teachers College (now the University of North Alabama). Lindsey didn’t have a lot of money, but after managing to become a quarterback in the school’s football team, he was granted a scholarship which made it possible for him to finish his studies.
He performed with the college theater group on a regular basis and following his graduation, he enlisted in the U.S Air Force and was stationed in Puerto Rico.
Lindsey later returned to school, studying at the American Theater Wing in New York for two years. At that time, he worked as a comedian in nightclubs and cafés. It turned out to be a life changing gig, with an agent seeing his work, signing him.
He ended up in the production of All American and Wonderful Town at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre.
Lindsey would soon move on, moving across the country to show business Mecca of the world, Hollywood. He started of working mostly in Western TV series such as The Riflemen and Gunsmoke in 1964. Also, he made appearances in several Disney productions and in three episodes of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.
1964 would turn out to be a year that changed George Lindseys’ life.
He started of reading for the role of Gomer Pyle for The Andy Griffith Show, but Jim Nabors eventually landed the part.
When Nabors later on got his own show, producers approached George and asked him if he could play the part of Goober Pyle, Gomer’s cousin. It changed everything for Lindsey, and it was the start of a life long success story.
Chloe Bennett explores the intersection of pop culture, streaming entertainment, digital trends, and contemporary lifestyle. Her weekly commentary reaches thousands of culture enthusiasts.
