November 30, 2017
Longtime actor Jim Nabors, aka Gomer Pyle from TV fan favorite, “The Andy Griffith Show,” passed away peacefully at his home in Hawaii Thursday at the age of 87. Friends and family said his health had been declining steadily over the past few years after a liver transplant in 1994.
The actor was born in AL in 1930 and moved to LA after graduating from the University of Alabama. Nabors was discovered by Andy Griffith while on stage doing a cabaret act at “The Horn” in Los Angeles.
Nabors was well known for popular catchphrases “Golly!!” and “Shazam!” which became synonymous with his character Gomer. The beloved actor eventually scored his own spin-off in 1964 with “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” on CBS. The show lasted for five seasons before Nabors decided to leave the rigors of prime time TV and pursue other endeavors in nightclubs and a musical career. According to his website, Nabors released a total of 28 musical albums. He also had appearances in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” and “Stroker Ace.” Nabors joined the elite with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1991.
In recent years, Nabors reconnected with his rural roots through farming by establishing and running a macadamia nut plantation in Hawaii. The farm is part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Maui. Check out this video of Nabors farm by John Yasunaga.