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Veteran TV Actor, Best Known for Character on ‘The Andy Griffith Show,’ Dead at 83

May 7, 2012  •  Post A Comment

A veteran television actor who made a lasting impression with his character on “The Andy Griffith Show” in the 1960s has died, The New York Times reports. George Lindsey, who played the good-natured but dimwitted Goober Pyle, was 83.

Goober, a country hick who was both annoying and sweet, was introduced on the classic television sitcom set in the fictional North Carolina town of Mayberry. Lindsey joined the show as the cousin to Gomer Pyle, played by Jim Nabors, when Gomer got his own series in 1964, the story notes.

Although "The Andy Griffith Show" ended in 1968, Lindsey’s Goober lived on in "Mayberry R.F.D.," which starred Ken Berry and included several of the characters from the original program.

When "Mayberry R.F.D." was canceled in 1971, Lindsey joined the cast of "Hee Haw," a syndicated variety show that mixed country music and comedy.

Lindsey remained with "Hee Haw" for 20 years, portraying a gas station attendant and wearing Goober’s trademark beanie, although he was usually addressed as "George" by his castmates, the story says.

After graduating from Florence State Teachers College and spending three years in the Air Force, Lindsey moved to New York to perform as a comedian and study acting. His career took off when he moved to Los Angeles, where he was soon cast in TV shows such as "Gunsmoke" and "The Twilight Zone."

Lindsey, a native of Alabama, died in Nashville, the story notes. He had been in poor health after suffering a stroke in March, according to the story.

george-lindsey-goober-pyle.jpgGeorge Lindsey as Goober

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