
He was an American actor, singer, and comedian born and raised in
Sylacauga, Alabama, but because of his
asthma, he moved to southern California and worked as a film cutter for
NBC. He was discovered by
Andy Griffith while working at a
Santa Monica nightclub singing and acting in
cabaret theater, and he later joined
The Andy Griffith Show as
Gomer Pyle. The character proved popular, and Nabors was given his own spin-off show
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.. The show, which placed Nabors' bungling, naive character opposite Sergeant Vince Carter (
Frank Sutton), was also popular.
Nabors revealed his fantasatic voice first on the February 24, 1964, "The Song Festers" episode of
The Andy Griffith Show and on April 8, 1964, on
The Danny Kaye Show,
and subsequently capitalized on it with numerous successful recordings
and live performances. Most of the songs were romantic ballads, though
he sang pop,
gospel, and
country songs as well.
Although he was known for his portrayal of Gomer Pyle, he became a popular guest on variety shows which showcased his
voice in the 1960s and 1970s, including two specials of his own in 1969
and 1974. He subsequently recorded numerous albums and singles, most of
them containing romantic
ballads.
Because
he was typecast from his role as Gomer Pyle, Nabors found his
subsequent roles mostly comedic; The exception was in a 1973 episode of
The Rookies, where he played his first "serious" role, a man called on to be an
assassin
after the death of his sister. He abandoned television jobs for
nightclub and concert engagements and a role in a touring production of
Man of La Mancha.
In the 1980s, Nabors appeared in three feature-length films starring his friend
Burt Reynolds, at the latter's request. In
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), about a sheriff (Reynolds) who falls in love with a
brothel madam (
Dolly Parton),
Nabors played Deputy Fred, a character similar to Gomer Pyle. Though
the film was given mostly unfavorable reviews, Nabors garnered some
positive comments for his performance.
In 1983, he was cast as an auto mechanic in
Stroker Ace,
starring Burt Reynolds as a race car driver who fights a fried-chicken
chain entrepreneur. The film was panned, and Nabors earned a
Golden Raspberry Award for his performance. In Reynolds' star-studded
Cannonball Run II (1984), about a cross-country car chase, Nabors made a cameo appearance alongside such celebrities as
Dom DeLuise,
Jackie Chan,
Shirley MacLaine,
Dean Martin,
Frank Sinatra, and
Andy Griffith Show co-stars
Don Knotts and
George Lindsey. Like the two previous Reynolds films Nabors appeared in,
Cannonball received mostly negative reviews.

According to Hudson, the story originated with a group of "middle-aged
homosexuals who live in
Huntington Beach", who sent out joke invitations for their annual get-together.
One year, the group invited its members to witness "the marriage of
Rock Hudson and Jim Nabors", at which Hudson would take the surname of
Nabors' most famous character,
Gomer Pyle,
becoming "Rock Pyle" (personally, I think this is hysterical). The
rumor was spread by those who failed to get the joke, and because Nabors
was still
closeted
at the time and Hudson never publicly admitted to being gay (despite
widespread suspicion that he was), the two never spoke to each other
again. ¡Que Lastima!
photo by Styrous®
photo by Styrous®
photo by Styrous®
photo by Styrous®
Jim Nabors – Shazam! Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C.
Genre: Pop, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Vocal
Year: 1965
Tracklist:
Side 1:
Hoo How, What Now? - 2:00
It Takes All Kinds To Make A World - 2:35
Hot Dog Heart - 1:53
Shazam! - 1:48
Heart Insurance - 1:46
Reincarnation - 1:50
Side 2:
If You Want Me To - 1:40
The Waltz Of Miss Sarah Green - 1:55
All Of This For Sally - 2:51
You Can't Roller Skate In A Buffalo Herd - 1:32
Old Blue - 2:54
Gomer Seys Hey! - 2:09
Notes:
360 Stereo, in white printing. 2nd pressing
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Label Code (2nd Pressing): 360 Stereo, in white printing