Goober Pyle

Goober Pyle

The role of Goober Pyle was played by actor George Lindsey.

The character was introduced by Andy Taylor the first time he appeared in Mayberry (TV or Not TV) as Goober Beasley, but he was referred to as Goober Pyle for most of his time on the show.

About Goober

He is the cousin of Gomer Pyle and took Gomer's job from him when Gomer joined the marines. Both Pyle cousins worked at Wally's Filling Station, though not at the same time.

Goober was viewed as backward and not very bright. Although Goober portrayed a somewhat childlike and happy-go-lucky character, he had the ability to view life and people with a sense of wonder and goodness. And his automotive mechanical skills were exceptional, as evidenced in one episode by taking Gilley Walker's car apart and reassembling it inside the sheriff's office, and then taking it apart again and reassembling it again outside.

Goober was similar to his cousin Gomer, though less animated. Both cousins shared a love for high-stepping, swing dancing, even when the music was far less dynamic.

Goober's older brother Braden was a noted rocket-scientist for NASA, and once visited Mayberry on the 1969 Mayberry R.F.D. episode, "Goober's Brother" Howard Sprague attributed the vast intellectual disparity between the brothers to Mendel's theory of recessive genes.

Goober was born in either 1940 or 1941 (he says he was five years old when he was a witness to Floyd punching Charles Foley on August 9, 1946 in the episode entitled "The Case of the Punch in the Nose"). He was raised in Mayberry, was trained as a mechanic in Raleigh, North Carolina, and served a stint in the North Carolina National Guard where he picked up the phrase, "Yo." Goober worked at Wally's Filling Station, which he eventually purchased and became the proprietor of, later in the show's run. His girlfriend in four of the color episodes was Flora Malherbe, but his initial love interest was Lydia Crosswaith, who was originally from Greensboro, North Carolina.

Goober is known for his (bad) impressions of celebrities. He impersonates Cary Grant ("Judy, Judy, Judy!") and Edward G. Robinson ("OK, you guys. Come on, you guys. All right, you guys. Beat it, you guys."). He could also impersonate Chester Goode's walk from Gunsmoke and perform lame schtick such as simulating sewing up his fingers. The only people who were truly impressed by his talents were his cousin Gomer and the fun girls, Daphne and Skippy. He had a penchant for Super-Hero and monster comic books and B-grade, sci-fi movies. Both Pyle cousins had their own peculiar dance moves.

Goober is made an emergency deputy several times when minor crime waves erupted in Mayberry.

Trivia

• When Goober made his first appearance he was called Goober Beasley.
• Goober appeared on 86 episodes of The Andy Griffith Show from 1964 through 1968, one episode each of Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. and The New Andy Griffith Show and then on 54 episodes of Mayberry R.F.D. until its cancellation in 1971.

Catch Phrase(s)

• Judy, Judy, Judy
• Yo!

External Links

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