The Andy Griffith Show and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
The Andy Griffith Show and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968)
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (1964-1970)
Type: Spin Off
Group: 2
This was a spin off with all the cards stacked in its favor. Gomer Pyle was an
established character on the very successful Andy Griffith Show. On top of that, the premise of
the new show was based on a concept Andy Griffith had already made a huge success of both
in the theater and on the big screen with the play/movie No Time For
Sergeants, whose plot was about a hillybilly hick who joins the airforce and the way his naïve simple
ways cause trouble and drive his superiors crazy.
In the case of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. simple hick and gas station attendant Gomer Pyle enlists in the United States Marine Corp. At the start, Andy tried to get Gomer not to join and tried to convince his Drill Sergeant, Sergeant Carter, that Gomer should be released from service. Carter told Andy where to get off, that he shouldn't worry and that they would make a man out of Gomer. Oh he should have listened. Gomer would go on to make Sergeant Carter crazy for at least six years. And so Gomer moved from the hills of North Carolina to Camp Henderson, California.
Andy might have been the first from Mayberry to see Gomer in his Marine incarnation but he wouldn't be he last and he hadn't seen Gomer for the last time himself. Andy's son Opie at one point, angry with his father, ran away from home all the way to California where he hoped to join the Marines just like Gomer. Much of the episode consisted of Gomer trying to hide Opie from his superiors since he was on the base without permission. In the end, a stern faced Andy arrived to collect his son and take him home.
Later on, Gomer also got a visit from Andy's Aunt Bee. Friendly Aunt Bee couldn't seem to grasp military life. She didn't seem to get that Gomer had duties to attend to, that it was okay for Sergeant Carter to shout at him and that a civilian couldn't just wander onto a military base. These things resulted in more "hide the civilian gags". It also caused problems when Aunt Bee ended up on a television talk show bad mouthing the Marines! That's when they knew she would have to be killed! Sorry. Just making sure you were paying attention. Aunt Bee went home to Mayberry happy and unharmed.
Surprisingly Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. premiered and succeeded in the same season that an official TV version of No Time For Sergeants also premiered and failed.
When last seen, Gomer Pyle was back in Mayberry working with his cousin Goober
in the Andy Griffith Show TV reunion movie Return To Mayberry.
Other Andy Griffith Show Crossover Links
The Andy Griffith Show and The Danny Thomas Show/Make Room For Daddy
The Andy Griffith Show and It's Gary Shandling's Show
The Andy Griffith Show and The Joey Bishop Show
The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D.
Other Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Show Crossover Links
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. and The Lucy Show
Click here to return to main Crossover List
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