Goober and the Trucker’s Paradise

A proposed spinoff of The Andy Griffith Show featured Gomer’s cousin Goober moving from Mayberry to Atlanta with his sister, Pearl, to open a truck stop café. The network passed on it, so Goob stayed on at Wally’s Filling Station all the way through Mayberry RFD.

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It might have worked, though by the end of the 1960's, the network was trying to get away from it's 'rural' image so by 1971 all of those types of shows were unfortunately cancelled by CBS.

Lindsay did continue the Goober character on Hee Haw for quite a while, though. :)

It might have worked, though by the end of the 1960's, the network was trying to get away from it's 'rural' image so by 1971 all of those types of shows were unfortunately cancelled by CBS.

Lindsay did continue the Goober character on Hee Haw for quite a while, though. :)


Good point, Retro.

I thought Goober was ran out of Mayberry for being to dumb, and went to Korn County to live.

I don't know. I think one reason Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. worked was that in it Gomer was a fish out of water in the marines. Goober running a truck stop cafe seems a little too similar to what he was doing in Mayberry.


Now, one Mayberry-ite I wanted to see have his own show was Ernest T. Bass. Can you imagine the fun times if HE joined the marines?(and was accepted this time by some fluke. He had tried to join while on TAGS but he was rejected. Though all he really wanted was the uniform to impress his girl.)
I just think there would have been some real fireworks if he could've got in.

As one book says it, the difference between the Goober and Gomer characters was that Goober was "more naive than stupid," while Gomer had been the opposite. And I agree that for Goober to carry a new show it would also need to be a fish-out-of-water type setup, but I'm not sure how it could be done. One possibility might be that he worked on 'big fancy' cars a few times and said he was "honored to get beneath an engine like that" or something similar-- so maybe a limo service or a big company that was satisfied with his mechanical ability hires him to take care of limos or company cars, and maybe even to drive them, too. But the Goober of TAGS likely couldn't keep his mouth shut, so divulging secrets and talking out of turn would produce the situational comedy. But since Goober could also show some temper and resentment occasionally-- unlike Gomer, who would take insults or rebukes mildly-- he would have to change somewhat. That may be the deal-- there was just no way to put the same Goober into a lead role without changing him.

Goober a was great character but may have been a bit narrow for a stand alone comedy. Timing was no doubt a factor as well.

No. I liked Gomer a lot better than Goober.

I think Jim Nabors had a lot more range than George Lindsey and his appeal was more far reaching. Children loved him for being Gomer while adults liked his variety show, being on Carol Burnett and his singing ability.