George Lindsey

George Smith Lindsey (December 17, 1928 – May 6, 2012) was an American actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his role as Goober Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show, Mayberry R.F.D. and his subsequent tenure on Hee-Haw.

Life and career George Lindsey was born in Fairfield, Alabama, to George Ross Lindsey, a butcher, and the former Alice Smith. He was raised by his grandparents in the small town of Jasper, where he graduated from Walker County High School in 1946. He attended Kemper Military School in Boonville, Missouri, and Florence State Teacher's College (Florence, Alabama) (now the University of North Alabama), where he majored in physical education and biology. He was a quarterback on the football team, and acted in college plays. He earned a Bachelor of Science in 1952.

After graduating from college, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and was stationed at Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto Rico.

After graduating from the Wing and performing in two Broadway plays, "Wonderful Town" and "All American", he moved to Los Angeles in 1962. He appeared in several TV series, including: Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, The Real McCoys, The Twilight Zone, Daniel Boone, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and three episodes of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour The claim that Lindsey was offered the role is given more credibility when Lindsey's close friend, Ernest Borgnine, wrote in his autobiography,, "my hand to God – he turned down the part of Mr. Spock on TV's Star Trek, the role that made Leonard Nimoy famous."

Mayberry R.F.D., and other acting work After Andy Griffith left his television show, CBS retooled it as Mayberry R.F.D. and Lindsey continued to play Goober Pyle until CBS cancelled the program in 1971.

In 1972, 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 (Snowball Express, Treasure of Matecumbe) 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).

Lindsey appeared in the 1967 Gunsmoke episode "Mad Dog" as one of the Watson Brothers. In 1978, Lindsey was a stand-out guest star on M*A*S*H as Roy Dupree, a wildly obnoxious, but capable Southern surgeon. In 1997 Lindsey played himself in an episode of NewsRadio.

As Goober on Hee Haw (1972–1992)

Lindsey portrayed Goober for the third and last time on the syndicated country music variety show Hee Haw, playing a more rustic and somewhat smarter version of the character. He appeared on that show from 1972 to 1992. on May 6, 2012, in Nashville, Tennessee, from heart failure. He was 83. He is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in his hometown of Jasper, Alabama.

Honors and citations Lindsey raised over US$1,000,000 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 the Minneapolis Special Olympics National Competition.

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

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.

Partial filmography The Rifleman (1963) (Season 5 Episode 22: "Requiem at Mission Springs") as The Dove Gunsmoke (1963-1972) (6 episodes) (Season 9 Episode 13: "Pa Hacks Brood") (1963) as Orville (Season 10 Episode 8: "Hung High") (1964) as Bud (Season 10 Episode 33: "Two Tall Men") (1965) as Billy (Season 11 Episode 26: "Which Doctor") (1966) as Skeeter (Season 12 Episode 17: Mad Dog") (1967) as Pinto Watson (Season 17 Episode 22: "Blind Man's Buff") (1972) as Charlie Calvin The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1964) (3 episodes) (Season 2 Episode 17: "The Jar") as Juke Marmer (Season 2 Episode 29: "Bed of Roses") as Sam Kirby (Season 3 Episode 1: "Return of Verge Likens") as D.D. Martin Death Valley Days (1964) (Season 12 Episode 24: "The Death and the Fury") as John Daniel Boone (1964) (Season 1 Episode 1: "Ken-Tuck-E") as Wigeon The Twilight Zone (1964) (Season 5 Episode 26: "I Am the Night – Color Me Black") as Deputy Pierce Ensign Pulver (1964) as Lindstrom The Joey Bishop Show (1964) (Season 4 Episode 4: "Joey and Larry Split") as Marine The Andy Griffith Show (1964–1968) CBS TV Series (86 episodes) as Goober Pyle Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. (1965-1968) (2 episodes) as Goober Pyle (Season 2 Episode 11: "A Visit from Cousin Goober") (1965) (Season 4 Episode 18: "Gomer Goes Home") (1968) Mayberry R.F.D. (1968–1971) (71 episodes) as Goober Pyle The Aristocats (1970) as Lafayette (voice) Snowball Express (1972) as Double L. Dingman Charley and the Angel (1973) as Pete, Handyman Robin Hood (1973) as Trigger, the Vulture (voice) Treasure of Matecumbe (1976) as Coahoma Sheriff The Rescuers (1977) as Deadeye, The Rabbit (voice) M*A*S*H (TV series) (1978) (Season 6 Episode 21: "Temporary Duty") as Captain Roy Dupree Take This Job and Shove It (1981) as Man at Gas Station CHiPs (1982) (Season 5 Episode 15: "Bright Flashes") as Wayne Cato The American Snitch (1983) as Zeke Cannonball Run II (1984) as Uncle Cal Return to Mayberry (1986) (TV movie) as Goober Pyle NewsRadio (1997) (Season 3 Episode 15: "Rose Bowl") as Himself When I Find the Ocean (2006) as Ed Barker (final film role) Larry the Cable Guy's Hula-Palooza Christmas Luau as Himself (2009) (final television role)

Autobiography