James Thurston Nabors June 12, β November 30, was an American actor, singer, and comedian, widely known for his signature character, Gomer Pyle. Nabors was discovered by Andy Griffith while working at a Santa Monica nightclub, and he later joined The Andy Griffith Show , where he played the good-natured, unsophisticated Gomer Pyle. The character proved so popular that Nabors was given his own successful spin-off show, Gomer Pyle, U. Nabors also became a popular guest on variety shows that showcased his rich baritone singing voice in the s and s.
He was the featured guest on every season premiere of The Carol Burnett Show and he had two specials of his own in and He signed a recording contract with Columbia Records in and subsequently recorded numerous albums and singles, most of them containing romantic ballads. He recorded for Ranwood Records during the late s. Nabors was also known for singing " Back Home Again in Indiana " before the start of the Indianapolis , held annually on the Memorial Day weekend.
He sang the unofficial Indiana anthem almost every year from to , except for occasional absences due to illness or scheduling conflicts. Later, he attended the University of Alabama , where he began acting in skits. He also worked at a Santa Monica tavern, The Horn, singing and acting in cabaret theater. He sang in a baritone and sometimes spoke and sang in his higher-pitched comedic voice. Nabors signed on to the show, but it was soon canceled. Gomer Pyle remained popular despite the concurrence of the Vietnam War because the show avoided war-related themes and instead focused on the character's rural roots and the relationship between Pyle and Carter.
Nabors first revealed his fine singing voice on the February 24, , "The Song Festers" episode of The Andy Griffith Show and on April 8, , on The Danny Kaye Show , and subsequently capitalized on it with numerous successful recordings and live performances. The climactic vocal performance on Gomer Pyle, U. Navy relief show, accompanied by the Marine Band. A clip from the show, in which Pyle says the tag-line "Surprise, surprise, surprise! Typecast from his role as Gomer Pyle, Nabors found his subsequent roles mostly comedic.
He appeared in every season premiere of The Carol Burnett Show , because Burnett considered him a "good-luck charm". In a episode of The Rookies , he played his first dramatic role, a man called on to be an assassin after the death of his sister. Nabors eventually grew tired of the "prime-time TV grind" and abandoned television jobs for nightclub and concert engagements and a role in a touring production of Man of La Mancha.
