Forum The Longship OT: Jim Nabors / Gomer Pyle has passed away

OT: Jim Nabors / Gomer Pyle has passed away

Cricket
Cricket
Mod
Joined May 2013
215 posts
Rep: 36

http://myfox8.com/2017/11/30/jim-nabors-known-for-his-role-as-gomer-pyle-has-died-at-87/

Jim Nabors, the actor known for his role as Gomer Pyle in the “Andy Griffith Show,” has died, according to multiple reports. He was 87.
Steve Uyehara of Hawaii News Now confirmed Nabors’ death Thursday afternoon. WTHR’s Dave Calabro also confirmed the actor’s death.

LIVE WELL ~ LOVE MUCH ~ LAUGH OFTEN

Liked:
#1 · Nov 30, 10:56 AM
DE
Joined Apr 2026
206,512 posts
Rep: 0

Also an excellent singer, believe it or not. RIP.

Liked:
#2 · Nov 30, 11:01 AM
DE
Joined Apr 2026
206,512 posts
Rep: 0
@"StickyBun" said: Also an excellent singer, believe it or not. RIP.
I remember how shocking it was the first time I heard "Surprise, Surprise, Surprise" Gomer Pyle break into his booming operatic voice. 
Liked:
#3 · Nov 30, 11:13 AM
DE
Joined Apr 2026
206,512 posts
Rep: 0

That's too bad.  I've gone to the Indy 500 with friends of mine for about the last 15 years.  Before every race, Jim would always sing "Back Home Again in Indiana".  It was quite the tradition, but he had to stop doing it a few years ago for health reasons.  I always heard about what a good guy he was too.

Liked:
#4 · Nov 30, 11:14 AM
DE
Joined Apr 2026
206,512 posts
Rep: 0

I loved Gomer Pyle as a kid.  Andy Griffith show was spectacular. 

Liked:
#5 · Nov 30, 11:55 AM
DE
Joined Apr 2026
206,512 posts
Rep: 0
@"SFVikingFan" said: That's too bad.  I've gone to the Indy 500 with friends of mine for about the last 15 years.  Before every race, Jim would always sing "Back Home Again in Indiana".  It was quite the tradition, but he had to stop doing it a few years ago for health reasons.  I always heard about what a good guy he was too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wcgaRkHAWY


I’ve been going to the Indy 500 since the late 1980’s. That was quite a tradition.  Along with Florence Henderson with “America the Beautiful”. RIP Jim and Flo. 

Liked:
#6 · Nov 30, 2:11 PM
DE
Joined Apr 2026
206,512 posts
Rep: 0

He died of natural causes in Hawaii with his husband.

Liked:
#7 · Nov 30, 4:55 PM
DE
Joined Apr 2026
206,512 posts
Rep: 0
@"StickyBun" said: He died of natural causes in Hawaii with his husband.
Yah, it's too bad he couldn't be himself publicly until much later in life.  That said, I grew-up loving him, Gomer Pyle USMC and Andy Griffith show too.

MB nailed it on the head, I wAs floored the first time I heard that hillbilly sing lol! 

Simpler days...

I think I'll go watch some Boomerang now. 

RIP Jim.

Liked:
#8 · Nov 30, 7:56 PM
DE
Joined Apr 2026
206,512 posts
Rep: 0

Well Golly ! Look at me Sarge !

If alive and well, I'm sure he would have attended the 76th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor Attack
( next Thursday )

Aloha 
R I P

Liked:
#9 · Nov 30, 8:53 PM
DE
Joined Apr 2026
206,512 posts
Rep: 0
@"Maple Surple" said: Well Golly ! Look at me Sarge !

If alive and well, I'm sure he would have attended the 76th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor Attack
( next Thursday )

Aloha 
R I P


That looks like a damn well preserved P40 Warhawk?

Liked:
#10 · Nov 30, 9:02 PM
DE
Joined Apr 2026
206,512 posts
Rep: 0

Jim came to be a friend of ours while we lived in Hawaii.  My wife met him while walking the dogs in the beach and they became friends.  She also managed a few restaurants that he frequented.  Later, Jim and I would share the same doctor and we met seperately through that.  It was a while later that he figured out that we were married.
He was one of the few genuinely nice people you will meet.  Hr was always friendly and polite to everyone.  It was fun to watch people who would walk by and suddenly realize it was him.  The looks on their faces were always fun to see.  Most everyone recognized him.

Although he never really came out as a gay, he kept it quiet and almost always appeared in public with a group of people. I couldnt tell who his other half was until my wife pointed him out.

We talked a few times and I found some things interesting.  He remembered almost all of his episodes he had done including most of lines.  He was close friends with a small circle including Florence Henderson, Carol Burnette and her cast and of course the Mayberry bunch.
He was Grand Marshal of many of the Indy 500 parades and usually had many of his famous friends there.  He brought our doc one year and its a hilarious story.
He gave me a signed picture and CD to give to my mother when she retired.  He personalized it and she still has it on her wall. I never asked him for it, he just did it.  That was just like Jim.

Very sorry to hear he left us. 

Liked:
#11 · Dec 2, 5:32 AM
DE
Joined Apr 2026
206,512 posts
Rep: 0

When we moved to Montana over 20 years ago, Jim was a regular here in Whitefish.  He had an "estate" up on the road to The Big Mountain ski resort (renamed Whitefish Mountain Resort) that he shared with his husband, Stan.  He was the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet.  I visited with him in the grocery store, in the airport.  He introduced me to Stan one time.  He was NOT Gomer Pyle in person, he was just a down-to-earth person who was friendly and you would welcome as your neighbor in a small town.  

Liked:
#12 · Dec 2, 8:26 AM
Log in to reply.

Edit Post (mod action — author will see a notice)

Warn Poster

Suspend User (3 days)

The user will be suspended for 3 days and will receive an email with the reason and information about how to appeal.

Forum The Longship OT: Jim Nabors / Gomer Pyle has passed away
Return to top ↑

Welcome to VikeFans!

Welcome back, Skol fans! This is our new home. Log in with your username or email and your existing password.


Be sure to check out the How To's and Questions forum for guides on getting around the new site, and use the Help Request forum if you run into anything that you need help with. Skol!