I've been watching the 1st season on DVD; and just got to wondering: how realistic was it about marine life? For instance were/are the seargents really called drill instructors? (or D.I. for short) Were/are they really that mean? Do/did they really shave your head like they did in the first episode?

...as the series received the full co-operation of the U.S. Marine Corps during filming, and all scripts were reviewed by them. And yes, Marine recruits were required to have their heads shaved before basic training began, and there are still "D.I"'s as tough as Sgt. Carter was on screen. The only difference is the series was a slight exaggeration of the "personal life" in a Marine camp- Aaron Ruben, in effect, created a situation (and characters) similar to the one Andy Griffith appeared as in the TV, Broadway and movie versions of "No Time For Sergeants". Jim Nabors was the TV equivalent of Andy's "Will Stockdale", and Frank Sutton was a variation of "Sgt. King". The emphasis was on Gomer's good-natured naivete and good-heartedness getting in the way of Sgt. Carter's efforts to train him into becoming a "real" Marine, forever making him angry and frustrated in the process. That was the basic story line: the rest was embellishment. And viewers LOVED Gomer. And most of them sympathized with Vince Carter as well...

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Aaron Ruben, in effect, created a situation (and characters) similar to the one Andy Griffith appeared as in the TV, Broadway and movie versions of "No Time For Sergeants".


Wasn't that Sammy Jackson who starred as Will Stockdale in the TV version of No Time for Sergeants?

...Warner Bros. wanted to produce a weekly TV version of "NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS" for the fall of 1964, 'Zoneboy'...and got George Burns to do it for them, as part of their agreement to allow him to borrow their "contract player", Connie Stevens, as co-star for his "updated" version of "THE GEORGE BURNS & GRACIE ALLEN SHOW" that season, "WENDY & ME" (also producing that one for Warner Bros. Television). They also arranged for ABC to schedule the two shows back-to-back on Monday nights from 8:30-9:30pm(et). Sammy Jackson did indeed star as "Will Stockdale" in the TV version, with Harry Hickox as "Sgt. King". But the problem was, Andy Griffith (as "Sheriff Andy Taylor') was directly OPPOSITE him on CBS that season, right after "I'VE GOT A SECRET"...and it was no contest. More viewers preferred to watch Andy than Sammy [as they loved Lucille Ball on "THE LUCY SHOW", at 9pm, even more than George Burns & Connie Stevens], and both series ended after one season.

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I read in a trivia book sent to subscribers of TV Guide that Sammy Jackson heard about the planned TV version and called the producers several times to let them know that they should consider him for the role but they kept telling him no until he offered to hitchhike from NC to CA to audtion.

...as the series received the full co-operation of the U.S. Marine Corps during filming, and all scripts were reviewed by them. And yes, Marine recruits were required to have their heads shaved before basic training began, and there are still "D.I"'s as tough as Sgt. Carter was on screen. The only difference is the series was a slight exaggeration of the "personal life" in a Marine camp- Aaron Ruben, in effect, created a situation (and characters) similar to the one Andy Griffith appeared as in the TV, Broadway and movie versions of "No Time For Sergeants". Jim Nabors was the TV equivalent of Andy's "Will Stockdale", and Frank Sutton was a variation of "Sgt. King". The emphasis was on Gomer's good-natured naivete and good-heartedness getting in the way of Sgt. Carter's efforts to train him into becoming a "real" Marine, forever making him angry and frustrated in the process. That was the basic story line: the rest was embellishment. And viewers LOVED Gomer. And most of them sympathized with Vince Carter as well...

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since I posted that, I watched the episode with Ronnie Schell (Duke Slater) doing commentary and; you're right TV KNOWLEDGE FAN (not that I would ever doubt you-I'm still amazed at all your knowledge about TV:) !) he says they used to have a technical consoltant on the set.

...Warner Bros. wanted to produce a weekly TV version of "NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS" for the fall of 1964, 'Zoneboy'...and got George Burns to do it for them, as part of their agreement to allow him to borrow their "contract player", Connie Stevens, as co-star for his "updated" version of "THE GEORGE BURNS & GRACIE ALLEN SHOW" that season, "WENDY & ME" (also producing that one for Warner Bros. Television). They also arranged for ABC to schedule the two shows back-to-back on Monday nights from 8:30-9:30pm(et). Sammy Jackson did indeed star as "Will Stockdale" in the TV version, with Harry Hickox as "Sgt. King". But the problem was, Andy Griffith (as "Sheriff Andy Taylor') was directly OPPOSITE him on CBS that season, right after "I'VE GOT A SECRET"...and it was no contest. More viewers preferred to watch Andy than Sammy [as they loved Lucille Ball on "THE LUCY SHOW", at 9pm, even more than George Burns & Connie Stevens], and both series ended after one season.
"WENDY AND ME" was an updated version of "THE GEORGE BURNS AND GRACIE ALLEN SHOW" huh? I never knew that. I saw an episode of it once on some cable station, and it was pretty good-I wish they'd put it out on DVD.
I heard that after Gracie retired (and died later) George tried to do their act with a couple other partners; like Connie Stevens and Carol Channing but it just wasn't the same.


OK, sorry to go off subject-now back to Gomer.:lol:

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I am watching season 1 also. I wasn't a Marine, but I assume real DIs were not as nice as Sgt Carter.

I was actually thinking that if this show were produced today, how much would they change Sgt Carter. I'm afraid that they would soften him up to make his comments palatable to today's politically correct censors and audience.

If you ever see the film Full Metal Jacket, you will never be able to watch Gomer in the same way again. :D

Realistic or not, Gomer Pyle USMC was a funny show with great characters and casting.

No, it was not very realistic.

First thing, Gomer kept the same Drill Sargeant from Basic training to his next assignment in California. It would be next to impossible that a Gunnery Sargeant would just follow recruits to their next assignment.

It also seemed that Gomer and Carter stayed on the same base from Basic to his MOS (school or training). However, it seemed that Basic was near Mayberry because Andy went and visited Gomer during Basic and waited for him to "wash out" and take him home (which did not happen).

Another very unrealistic thing is that Gomer stayed at the same base for the five years. Military people constantly move around. They do not just sit at one base all the time. There is also sea duty. They did a bit of that in one or two episodes (one that sticks to mind is where Gomer for some various reasons, always sinks the dinghy Carter was on in military training. But then it was back to the comfy base.

Gomer and the rest of the guys' (including Corporal Boyle) hair was too long. Marines are very anal about hair length, or rather lack of hair in general. Carter was the only one with a proper Marine haircut (and even his was too long, no lie.).

A minor but important point, Carter was a Gunnery Sargeant (3 up and 2 down) and not merely a Sargeant. A Gunnery Sargeant is two steps about a Sargeant with more responsibilities. He would never be refered to as "Sarge" by anyone, even in social situations. In informal daily situations, he would be called "Gunny" (Major Dad has a Gunnery Sargeant for a secretary and he correctly refered to her as 'Gunny')

Gomer only stayed as a Private First Class for his 5 year hitch (with the same group of Marines, same Gunnery Sargeant, with a new Corporal who graduated Boot Camp with Gomer who is supervising the same privates he went to boot camp with.

The show was set in the times of the Vietnam War, yet they never left the base. This has been explained away that in this Universe, it was peacetime and no Vietnam. Fair enough. But in five years, Gomer should have been at least a Sargeant or even a Staff Sargeant either running a mess, being a Quartermaster (for being so honest and trustworthy), teaching basic weapon training (Gomer, in most of the series has a Rifleman's First Class Medal), or in the Special Services for his singing ability (like for example, Army Sgt. Leonard Nimoy in the 1950's).

It's a cute show but no, the military isn't like that at all !