View Full Version : George Lindsey loved playing the role of Goober on The Andy Griffith Show


TMC
01-23-2023, 05:16 AM
https://www.metv.com/stories/george-lindsey-loved-playing-goober-on-the-andy-griffith-show

George Lindsey played the role of Goober so well that he had a hard time separating his real life and his Mayberry life.

vitoscotti
01-24-2023, 03:42 AM
I remember seeing an interview of George Lindsey well after TAGS was done. It stands out in my memory because of how truthful he was. He did say Andy Griffith was a stickler for the cast being prepared and having their lines down pat. But said AG was tough but fair. GL said he much through the shows run was never happy with his Goober performance and didn't know if it was funny. Mostly because he was so hard on himself. He spent a lot of his free time memorizing lines. GL did say there was some mild resentment on his end towards Jim Nabors on getting the Gomer role he was up for and thought he had at one time..

MichaelKeith
01-30-2023, 01:59 PM
I don't know if there's any truth to this but I either heard or read a while ago that George Lindsey could be standoffish with some fans. I read he did not like to mingle with fans or sign autographs.

Cbalducc
01-30-2023, 05:58 PM
https://www.metv.com/stories/george-lindsey-loved-playing-goober-on-the-andy-griffith-show

George Lindsey played the role of Goober so well that he had a hard time separating his real life and his Mayberry life.

The quotes in that article were from interviews George gave in the 1960s. He could have changed his mind in the ensuing years.

Cbalducc
01-30-2023, 06:04 PM
I don't know if there's any truth to this but I either heard or read a while ago that George Lindsey could be standoffish with some fans. I read he did not like to mingle with fans or sign autographs.

TMC posted a link to an article that included quotes George made in the 1960s. George could have changed his mind over the years.
In my opinion, the only regular cast member able to emerge from the series without struggling with typecasting was Ron Howard.

Chocolate Moose
01-31-2023, 03:09 PM
that was a great character.

TVShowAddict
01-31-2023, 03:26 PM
I don't know if there's any truth to this but I either heard or read a while ago that George Lindsey could be standoffish with some fans. I read he did not like to mingle with fans or sign autographs.

It is true, he does not want to be bothered at all so you never see him with fans or see him signing autographs with fans, he wants to have a private life without getting bothered

Cbalducc
01-31-2023, 07:48 PM
It is true, he does not want to be bothered at all so you never see him with fans or see him signing autographs with fans, he wants to have a private life without getting bothered

Nobody is bothering George for autographs now. He died several years ago.

Will Dockery
05-24-2023, 05:26 AM
https://www.metv.com/stories/george-lindsey-loved-playing-goober-on-the-andy-griffith-show

George Lindsey played the role of Goober so well that he had a hard time separating his real life and his Mayberry life.

Wasn't he pretty much playing the same Goober character when he joined the Hee Haw cast, also?

Willbo
05-24-2023, 02:47 PM
I believe they even called him Goober on "Hee Haw".

Will Dockery
05-25-2023, 10:33 AM
I believe they even called him Goober on "Hee Haw".

Yes, and he wore the same outfit, including the Jughead Jones cap.

biffbronson
05-25-2023, 02:56 PM
I did like the Goober-centered episode in one of the color seasons where his old friend, played by Noam Pitlik, really sticks it to Goob as to how he's become a big success -- and is suspicious of Goob's career. [Spoiler] - When Andy & Goob later see that the guy's a fraud doing menial service station work, Goob's character really comes through when he declines the chance to embarrass the ass like he deserves.

Willbo
05-25-2023, 03:07 PM
I really liked Goober in "Mayberry RFD". They did not make him such a dimwit.

Duster76
05-25-2023, 10:30 PM
I thought the character of Goober was full of unrealized potential. The Goober that made his first appearance in "Fun Girls" was full of life, having an almost explosive personality. Goober had the potential to grow into a thinking man's Ernest T Bass, instead he was written as a good natured dullard. The episode where he thinks the dog is talking is an embarrassment. Can you imagine what the writers might have been able to do with the buttoned-down Howard playing off the Goober we first met in "Fun Girls".

SarahBellum
05-26-2023, 12:11 PM
Yes, Goober had lots of potential. In addition to his mechanical skills, he also took off on Cary Grant, Edward G Robinson and Chester from Gunsmoke. Initially, his last name was Beasley, but later it changed to Pyle.

Will Dockery
05-28-2023, 03:27 AM
I did like the Goober-centered episode in one of the color seasons where his old friend, played by Noam Pitlik, really sticks it to Goob as to how he's become a big success -- and is suspicious of Goob's career. [Spoiler] - When Andy & Goob later see that the guy's a fraud doing menial service station work, Goob's character really comes through when he declines the chance to embarrass the ass like he deserves.

Definitely one of my favorite color episodes.

Will Dockery
05-28-2023, 03:29 AM
I really liked Goober in "Mayberry RFD". They did not make him such a dimwit.

I wish one of the channels would run Mayberry RFD, since I haven't seen an episode since the first runs over fifty years ago.

biffbronson
05-28-2023, 03:57 AM
MeTV Plus (MeTV+) has run RFD in recent times, I don't know if it's still on their schedule.

Not too long back, lots of RFD episodes could be viewed for free on YouTube, but that option has since been taken away. Apparently only purchase-option Season 1 eps are there now.

Will Dockery
05-29-2023, 05:19 AM
MeTV Plus (MeTV+) has run RFD in recent times, I don't know if it's still on their schedule.

Not too long back, lots of RFD episodes could be viewed for free on YouTube, but that option has since been taken away. Apparently only purchase-option Season 1 eps are there now.

Thanks, I expect I'll get the chance to view some of them sometime in the near future.