George Lindsey died May 6, 2012.
He was 83. |
For years, George Lindsey's classic portrayal of "Goober" filled
hearts with love and laughter. While he may be best known as the
"simple" gas station attendant on "The Andy Griffith Show," Lindsey's
talents extended well beyond the city limits of Mayberry. In fact,
George Lindsey was an established veteran character actor of tremendous range.

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George Lindsey
with
Richard De La Font |
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After graduation from the prestigious American Theater Wing in New York and
the landing of co-starring roles in Broadway musicals, including "All
American and Wonderful Town," the Jasper, Alabama, native headed for
Hollywood in 1962. He was immediately cast for the film "Ensign Pulver"
directed by Josh Logan. Within the next two years, George Lindsey appeared in
more than 40 television shows.
His introduction to Andy Griffith in 1964 inspired the creation of the
Goober character. George Lindsey co-starred on both "The Andy Griffith Show" and
"Mayberry RFD" for more than seven years, firmly endearing himself to an
entire nation of viewers.
"The Andy
Griffith Show" was never out of the Nielsen top ten during its original
airing on CBS from 1960-68 and was the top-rated show on television
during its last season. Now, the show
currently airs in more than 100 U.S. markets. Its longstanding
following is evidenced by The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club (TAGSRWC),
which is one of the most loyal and active fan clubs today, boasting such
illustrious members as country superstar
Randy Travis and college
favorite R.E.M. "Mayberry RFD" ran for three seasons (1967-71) and was a
Top Ten program while on the air. Obviously, a television viewers'
favorite, judging by the syndication popularity, the "Mayberry Fever"
still runs rampant today, supported by a multinational fan club that
maintains more than 500 chapters.
In 1971,
George Lindsey stopped by the Nashville studios of "Hee Haw" to say hello to
friends. The show's producer asked Lindsey to do "a couple of lines"
for the taping and a 20-year role on the series was spawned. In May of
1994, George Lindsey starred in the stage production of "Hee Haw Live" at Opryland.
Some of
his television appearances included: "M*A*S*H*," "Flo," "Laugh-In,"
"The
Tonight Show," "Merv Griffin," "David Frost," "The Wonderful World of Disney,"
"Twilight Zone," "Jack Parr," "Gunsmoke," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "Banachek,"
"CHIPS," "Hollywood Squares," "Kraft Music Hall," "Herbie the Love Bug,"
and "Mike
Douglas".
Lindsey's
motion picture credits included: "Cannonball Run II," "The Rescuers,"
"Take
This Job and Shove It," "Robin Hood," "Snowball Express," "The Aristocats,"
"Charlie and the Angel" and "Treasure of Matacumbe."
A peek
into the private side of George Lindsey would reveal a bright and compassionate
humanitarian. He raised more than one million dollars for the
Special Olympics. He also took pride in the George Lindsey Celebrity
Golf Tournament which was held in Montgomery, Alabama, that raised funds
to assist thousands of mentally retarded children for 17 years. The
George Lindsey Aquatic Center at the Alabama State Hospital for the
Mentally Retarded is another of his accomplishments. In 1996,
George Lindsey
was awarded the prestigious Minnie Pearl Award for his humanitarian
contributions.
Born: in Alabama
in Fairfield
Dec 17, 1935
Raised: in Alabama
in Jasper
Died: in Tennessee
in Nashville
May 6, 2012
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