Jack wrote
> star spangled wrote
>
>> Thanks, but I think I'll stick with what you lovingly call "jew TV".
>>
>
> There are too many stations on cable in English anyway and not enough in
> American.
>
> Why aren't there ones where they all sound like Gomer Pyle or his
> brother the mechanic Goober Pyle?
>
> It's a sick world we live in.
>
>
Goober is a fictional character in the American TV sitcom The Andy
Griffith Show and its later sequel series Mayberry RFD. He was played by
George Lindsey. Lindsey initially read for the part of Gomer Pyle, which
went to singer Jim Nabors. Both Lindsey and Nabors are originally from
Alabama.
"Goober" is an Americanization of the West African Kongo language word
"Nguba", meaning Peanut. "Goober Peas" is another variation of this term,
and may have provided the inspiration for the character's original name.
Goober was the cousin of Gomer Pyle who was initially often referred to by
Gomer, but never seen until his appearance in the episode "Fun Girls,"
which was the only episode in which the two appeared together, although he
would later appear in an episode of Gomer Pyle, USMC.
Goober was first mentioned on TAGS third season episode "Man in a Hurry"
when, on a lazy Sunday afternoon, cousin Gomer runs all the way to Andy's
house to update the "man in a hurry" on the progress Goober is making on
the repair of his broken down car. After giving his report and turning to
leave, Gomer paused to give Sheriff Andy Taylor his greeting. The exchange
went like this:
Gomer: Andy, Goober says, "Hey."
Andy: Hey to Goober.
Both Goober and Gomer were the show's comic relief. The cousins both
worked at Wally's Filling Station. Lindsey was hired to fill the void,
when Gomer was spun off to join the U.S. Marine Corps. 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 Pyle visits Aunt Bee's Chinese restaurant in his formal attire
Goober was viewed as not very "bright". This was perhaps best seen on TAGS
episode where 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 an 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. 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 RFD on the 1969 episode, "Goober's Brother". Howard
Sprague attributed the vast intellectual disparity between the brothers to
Mendel's theory of recessive genes.
[edit] Goober's attire
Goober was distinctively attired for the show. He was generally dressed in
a work shirt, breast pocket filled with pencils, pens, and tire gauges.
His dark blue Dickies work pants were hoisted high and cinched with a wide
belt, giving him an Empire waistline. Work boots and a brown (in the color
episodes) beanie hat with a turned-up, scalloped edge (similar to that of
the comic character Jughead Jones) completed his episode-to-episode
wardrobe.[citation needed]
Very occasionally, Goober would dress up for the rare formal occasion in a
suit described as "an unsophisticated double-vested, brown pinstripe
number with white socks"[1] that was passed to him from his cousin Gomer.
A garish tie completed the picture of the dressed-up Goober. Goober's suit
was originally owned by Howard McNear (Floyd) who donated it for a
friend's funeral. It was rejected and returned to the studio where it
wound up in wardrobe.[citation needed]
On two occasions, Goober also wore one of Andy's suits, which was first
lent to him in Raleigh at the auto show when his suit ripped. He also
borrowed it again one time.
On August 27, 2010, the suit became part of the Andy Griffith Museum in
Mount Airy, North Carolina, the town that inspired the fictional Mayberry.
George Lindsey, who was 75 and rarely traveled, asked Jim Clark to appear
in his place, telling the crowd, "He told me to say Goober says, 'Hey!'"
Clark said Lindsey wore the suit while playing Goober on many Andy
Griffith Show/ "RFD" episodes as well as on Hee Haw.[1]
[edit] Character biography
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 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 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
Crosswaithe, 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 sctick
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 an emergency deputy several times when minor crime waves erupted
in Mayberry.
Goober appeared on The Andy Griffith Show from 1964 through 1968, and then
on Mayberry R.F.D. until its cancellation in 1971. Following that, Lindsey
spent more than a decade playing the character on Hee Haw. Goober later
appeared in the 1986 television reunion movie Return to Mayberry alongside
his cousin Gomer for only the third time in television history (running
the town's G 'n G gas station and auto repair shop). The characters also
appeared together in one TAGS episode one one "Gomer Pyle USMC" episode.