- "I can't do William Holden. He talks like everybody else."
- ―Goober Pyle[src]
Goober Pyle | |
---|---|
Profile | |
Full Name | Goober Francis (Beasley) Pyle |
Occupation | Mechanic, later bought Wally's Filling Station. |
First Episode | The Fun Girls |
Last Episode | Goober the Hero (Mayberry R.F.D.) |
Spin-off Appearances | Mayberry R.F.D., Return to Mayberry, Gomer Pyle USMC |
Relationships | |
Family | Gomer Pyle (cousin) Braden Pyle (brother) Beverly (niece) |
Spouse | N/A |
Romances | Lydia Crosswaithe, Flora Malherbe |
Children | N/A |
Portrayed by | George Lindsey |
Goober Pyle was first mentioned in Season 3 of The Andy Griffith Show. He was Gomer Pyle's cousin and was portrayed by George Lindsey.
History
In Season 3, Gomer mentions that Goober can be reached by phone with number "371J". Later, cousin Gomer runs all the way to Andy's home to update Malcolm Tucker on the progress Goober is making on the repair of his broken down car.[1] After giving his report, Gomer turned to leave. His exchange went like this:
Gomer: Andy, Goober says, "Hey."
Andy: Hey to Goober.
From that point on, the joke became a staple in the Andy Griffith Show series. The cousins both worked at Wally's Filling Station. After Gomer left for The Marine Corp., Goober took over and worked full time at Wally's Filling Station. During season five, Goober was initially referred to as "Goober Beasley". To solidify the Gomer connection, his surname was changed to "Pyle". While Gomer always referenced Grandma Pyle, Goober never mentioned her.
Goober was viewed as not very "bright". This was perhaps best seen in A Man's Best Friend, when Goober believed his new dog spoke English, which then filled his head with make-it-rich scenarios. In reality, the "talking dog" was a practical joke played by Opie and a friend, who had hidden a walkie-talkie under the dog's collar giving voice to the shaggy beast.
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 Gilly 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. The term goober has entered pop culture and is synonymous with dork. It is likely that Goober Pyle influenced this.
Goober's older brother Braden was a noted rocket-scientist for NASA, and once visited Mayberry R.F.D.[2]. Howard Sprague attributed the vast intellectual disparity between the brothers to Mendel's theory of recessive genes.
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 other people who were truly impressed by his talents were his cousin Gomer and The Fun Girls, Daphne and Skippy. He had a penchant for comic books and B-grade, sci-fi movies. Both Pyle cousins had their own peculiar dance moves.
Goober is deputized by Barney, much to Andy's dismay, when minor crime waves erupt.
George Lindsey played Goober on the pilot episode of The New Andy Griffith Show (starring Andy Griffith as Andy Sawyer) and on a failed pilot called Goober and the Truckers' Paradise. He also made regular appearances on "Hee Haw" dressed as Goober.
Andy Griffith described Goober as "The kind of person that walks into a restaurant, and says 'This place has great salt'."
Appearances
The Andy Griffith Show
Season 3-
- Man in a Hurry - mentioned
Season 4-
- The Sermon for Today - mentioned
- Barney and the Cave Rescue - mentioned
- The Fun Girls
Season 5-
- Goodbye Sheriff Taylor
- Andy and Helen Have Their Day
- Three Wishes for Opie
- Goober Takes a Car Apart
- The Lucky Letter
- Goober and the Art of Love
- Barney Runs for Sheriff
- If I Had a Quarter Million
- TV or Not TV
- Guest in the House
- The Case of the Punch in the Nose
- The Luck of Newton Monroe
- Opie and the Carnival
Season 6-
- Opie's Job
- Andy's Rival
- Malcolm at the Crossroads
- The Bazaar
- A Warning from Warren
- Off to Hollywood
- Aunt Bee on TV
- The Cannon
- A Man's Best Friend
- Girl-Shy
- Otis the Artist
- The Legend of Barney Fife
- Lost and Found
- Wyatt Earp Rides Again
- Aunt Bee Learns to Drive
- Look Paw, I'm Dancing
- The Gypsies
- Eat Your Heart Out
- A Baby in the House
- The Foster Lady
- Goober's Replacement
- The Battle of Mayberry
- A Singer in Town
Season 7-
- Opie's Girlfriend
- The Lodge
- The Ball Game
- The Darling Fortune
- Mind over Matter
- Politics Begin at Home
- The Senior Play
- Opie Finds a Baby
- Big Fish in a Small Town
- Goober Makes History
- Don't Miss a Good Bet
- Dinner at Eight
- Barney Comes to Mayberry
- Andy's Old Girlfriend
- Aunt Bee's Restaurant
- Floyd's Barbershop
- The Statue
- Helen the Authoress
- Goodbye Dolly
- Howard the Comedian
- Big Brother
- Opie's Most Unforgettable Character
- Goober's Contest
Season 8-
- Opie's First Love
- Howard the Bowler
- Andy's Trip to Raleigh
- Howard's Main Event
- Aunt Bee the Juror
- The Tape Recorder
- Opie's Group
- Aunt Bee and the Lecturer
- Howard and Millie
- Aunt Bee's Cousin
- Suppose Andy Gets Sick
- Howard's New Life
- Goober the Executive
- The Mayberry Chef
- Emmett's Brother-in-Law
- Opie's Drugstore Job
- Barney Hosts a Summit Meeting
- Goober Goes to an Auto Show
- Aunt Bee's Big Moment
- Helen's Past
- Emmett's Anniversary
- The Wedding
- Sam for Town Council
- Opie and Mike
- A Girl for Goober
- Mayberry R.F.D.
Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C.
Season 2-
Mayberry R.F.D.
Season 1-
- Andy and Helen Get Married
- The Race Horse
- The Copy Machine
- The Panel Show
- Youth Takes Over
- The Church Play
- Sam Gets a Ticket
- Emmett's 50th Birthday
- Miss Farmerette
- New Couple in Town
- Aunt Bee's Cruise: Part 1
- Aunt Bee's Cruise: Part 2
- Driver Education
- Howard's Hobby
- The Camper
- Sam the Expert Farmer
- The Pet Shop
- An Efficient Service Station
- Emmett's Retirement
- Millie's Girlfriend
- The Church Bell
- Sister Cities
Season 2-
- Andy's Baby
- Saving Morelli's
- Howard the Poet
- Goober and the Telephone Girl
- Millie the Model
- Mike's Birthday Party
- The Farmer Exchange Project
- The Caper
- Palm Springs, Here We Come
- Palm Springs, Here We Are
- Millie and the Palm Springs Golf Pro
- Palm Springs Cowboy
- Goober's Niece
- Emmett Takes a Fall
- The New Well
- Emmett and the Ring
- Goober's Brother
- The Mayberry Road
- Millie and the Great Outdoors
- The Sculptor
- The Health Fund
- The Mayberry Float
- Aloha, Goober
- Millie the Secretary
- The Mynah Bird
Season 3-