George Lindsey

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George Lindsey (born December 17, 1935) is an American character actor, best known for his role as "Goober Pyle" on The Andy Griffith Show.

Early life and career

George Lindsey was born in Jasper, Alabama, at People's Hospital where fellow UNA alum D.E. Heidorn was also born, near Birmingham, and raised in the small town of Jasper, Alabama. Lindsey graduated from Kemper Military School and Florence State College (now the University of North Alabama) with a Bachelor of Bioscience. Before moving to Los Angeles, he was a public high school teacher at Hazel Green High School in Madison County, Alabama. After serving in the Air Force, he tried to break into show business in New York City.

The Andy Griffith Show, as "Goober Pyle" (1964)

In 1964, he got his big break as the slow-witted but kindly hick "Goober Beasley" on the now legendary The Andy Griffith Show. His character was eventually renamed "Goober Pyle" to retain the same name as his cousin Gomer Pyle, another slow-witted yokel played by Jim Nabors. Goober's antics frequently included his exaggerated "Goober Dance" and his comically bad Cary Grant impression ("Judy, Judy, Judy").

As Lindsey started his portrayal as Goober, he also had a minor role in the Walter Brennan series The Tycoon on ABC. Lindsey also had a role in Voyage To The Bottom of the Sea entitled Submarine Sunk Here.

Mayberry R.F.D., other acting work

After Griffith left his television show, CBS retooled it as Mayberry R.F.D. and Lindsey played the same character, until CBS cancelled R.F.D. in 1971. Later in the 1970s, Lindsey guest starred on "M*A*S*H" as Roy Dupree, a Southern surgeon working at the 8063rd Unit who switched places at the 4077th with Hawkeye Pierce.

In 1963 Lindsey portrayed Charlie, one of a pair of highwaymen in the Gunsmoke episode "Blind Man's Bluff," and an escaped convict, "The Dove," in an episode of The Rifleman. Disney used his talents in a few projects, both as comedy support in features and voiceovers for a few of their animated characters. Three Disney animated features that presented the voice of Lindsey were The Aristocats (1970), Robin Hood (1973) and The Rescuers (1977).

As "Goober" on Hee Haw (1972-1992)

Lindsey put on his "Goober" act for the third and last time on the syndicated country music variety show Hee Haw. He appeared on that show from 1972 to 1992.

Following Hee Haw, George "Goober" Lindsey had a short cameo in the Rose Bowl episode of NewsRadio, he was called as a witness in a civil case and asked only one question: "Mr. Lindsey, is this your skull?" He examined the skull and said, "no." At that point he was dismissed. He is also seen at the end of the episode buying artifacts from Mr. James that were supposedly actual set pieces in popular films, including his own skull.

Honors and citations

Lindsey has raised over $1,000,000 (USD) for Alabama Special Olympics through 17 years of the George Lindsey Celebrity Weekend and Golf Tournament in Montgomery, Alabama and another $50,000 for the Alabama Association of Retarded Citizens. and participated as Head Coach-Winter Games in Minneapolis, MN Special Olympics National Competition.

He established and perpetuated the George Lindsey Academic Scholarships at University of North Alabama.

Lindsey was the 1995 recipient of the Governor's Achievement Award - Alabama Music Hall of Fame. The State of Alabama named the "George Lindsey Highway" in Birmingham after the actor. In 1998, he established the George Lindsey/UNA Film Festival that takes place at the University of North Alabama annually in the spring.^[1]

He was the 1997 recipient of the Minnie Pearl Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2007 recipient of the first ICON Award presented by the Nashville Associations of Talent Directors.

Goober Lindsey As Spock?

Actor Leonard Nimoy has claimed that Lindsey was Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's first choice of actor to play Spock. He said this during a series of interview clips on TV Land coinciding with the premier of Star Trek on that network. His tone of voice and the general tone of the interview, however, indicate he may have been joking, such as when he suggested that Spock's original catchphrase was, "Take it easy."

Autobiography

Lindsey's autobiography, "Goober in a Nutshell", was published in 1995.

External links

• George Lindsey at the Internet Movie Database
• George Lindsey at the Internet Broadway Database
• George Lindsey UNA Film Festival

References