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Jim Nabors
James Thurston "Jim" Nabors (born June 12, 1930 in Sylacauga, Alabama to Fred and Mavis Nabors), is an American actor, singer, and comedian. He is best known for his portrayal of the good-hearted but naïve Gomer Pyle on two highly successful 1960s sitcoms, The Andy Griffith Show and its spinoff Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.. Given his goofy demeanor and high-pitched voice on both Andy Griffith and Gomer Pyle, it was surprising to many when he revealed a strong baritone singing voice and turned it into a successful recording career. Nabors graduated from the University of Alabama. Nabors was also a popular guest on variety shows in the 1960s and 1970s, including two of his own (1969 and 1974). He was a favorite guest on The Carol Burnett Show and The Muppet Show, and made a couple of guest appearances in the early 1970s on Sesame Street, one in which he sang the alphabet song and another, similar one in which he sang-counted to twenty. Carol Burnett considered Nabors her lucky charm, and he was always the first guest on every new season of her show. Burnett and Nabors have long been close friends with both owning homes in Hawaii (Nabors is still a resident while Burnett's tenure was from 1975-1990). Comedian Minnie Pearl looked on Nabors as a surrogate son, and he often vacationed with her and her husband. After allegedly contracting hepatitis after accidentally cutting his face and making himself a "bloody mess" while attempting to shave with a straight razor in India, Nabors received a liver transplant in 1994. He performs occasionally, although he prefers to operate his macadamia nut plantation in Hawaii, where he also grows tropical flowers.[1] Additional recommended knowledge
Acting careerJim got his start in television using his hillbilly skits and operatic singing on "The Steve Allen Show", where he became a regular during the final season. He performed in live venues until Andy Griffith saw his act at The Horn in Santa Monica, California, and invited him to audition for The Andy Griffith Show.[1], where he won the role of Gomer Pyle. Gomer became loved by millions as the down-to-earth, honest almost to a fault, bumbling good-natured gas-station attendant. In 1964, his character was spun off into his own series, "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.", which ran until 1969.[2] According to producer Aaron Ruben, the show was loosely based on the same premise as "No Time for Sergeants," in which Andy Griffith had starred on Broadway years earlier. Nabors starred with Ruth Buzzi in The Lost Saucer produced by Sid and Marty Krofft which aired September 6, 1975. Actor Burt Reynolds used Nabors in a number of his movies during the 1980s, including "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" with Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton, "Stroker Ace" with Reynolds and Loni Anderson and a cameo role in "The Cannonball Run II.[1] From 1997-2006, Nabors starred in "A Merry Christmas with Friends and Nabors", a live production at the Hawaii Theatre Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Produced by Burton White, Nabors completely donated his time and talents in the production which featured, during its run, local and national artists including Karen Keawehawaii, Emma Veary, Jimmy Borges, Frank Delima, Philip Huber & the Huber Marionettes, the Diamond Head Theatre Shooting Stars, Halau Hula O Kawailiula, Hula Hui O Nuuanu YMCA, the Company Singers, and the Hawaii Theatre Orchestra and Honolulu Symphony under the baton of Matt Catingub. The show ran forty performances over a decade and was directed by Tom Hansen until his death in 2006. The final performance run, in 2006, was directed by John Rampage and dedicated to Hansen.[3] His stage career began as Harold Hill in "The Music Man" with Florence Henderson at the Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre.[1] Singing careerNabors has recorded twenty eight albums and numerous singles and has garnered five gold and one platinum record.[1] Since 1972, Nabors has sung "Back Home Again in Indiana" 29 times during pre-race ceremonies for the Indianapolis 500 including performances each year from 1987 to 2006. An illness kept him from performing the song in 2007. Instead, the Purdue University Marching Band performed the song that year with race fans encouraged to sing along. Albums
Singles
Honors
References
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| This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Jim_Nabors". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia. | |||||||||||||
