Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. is an American television situation comedy originally broadcast from 1964 to 1969 on the CBS network. It focused on Gomer Pyle, a naïve but good-hearted private in the United States Marine Corps who served in a non-combat role while stationed stateside. The plots of the episodes often grew out of the contentious relationship between Pyle and his stern NCO, Sergeant Carter.
Gunnery sergeant Vincent J. Carter is Gomer's stern, yet soft at heart (as shown in "Cold Nose, Warm Heart" (season 3, episode 10)), drill instructor and later, his platoon sergeant. He was born on May 4, 1928, and raised in Wichita, Kansas, in a town not far from Leavenworth. Carter takes his role seriously, as evidenced by the stripes he's earned (and is sometimes obsessed with) over the years. Carter is exasperated by Gomer's ineptitude and refusal to surrender his naïve point of view and would like nothing better than to see Gomer transferred. He is referred to as "Sergeant Carter," although under actual U.S. Marine Corps protocol, he would be addressed as “Gunnery Sergeant Carter" or the informal "Gunny Carter". In the episode, "How to Succeed in Farming Without Really Trying," Carter specifies his correct rank.
There is inconsistency concerning Carter's age and time in the Marine Corps. At the beginning of the series, Carter had been in the Marine Corps for 16 years, meaning he would have entered service in 1948, when he would have been about 20. However, he wears the World War II Victory ribbon which was awarded to the Armed Forces through Dec. 31, 1946. In the episode "Old Man Carter" (season 1, episode 23), aired on 26 February 1965, he is said to be 35 years old. At the end of the show, Gomer discovers Carter subtracted incorrectly and was actually 36 years old, and not 35 as he believed. Carter also reveals to his men he joined the Marines in 1946. Therefore, his time in the service by 1965 would have been between 18 and 19 years. This would put him at the age of 18 when he joined. In the second episode he reveals that he has earned five Good Conduct medals, was cited for bravery in Korea and has had three honor platoons in a row. In "Come Blow Your Top" (Season 5, Episode 9), it is revealed Carter owns a sword from an enemy officer which he stated he captured at the Battle of Inchon (1950). At that time he was a corporal. (Later in that episode, though, he admits he won the sword in a card game while at Inchon.) In "A Tattoo for Gomer" (Season 5, Episode 15), Carter reveals he was with the 7th Fleet in Korea where he got his Semper Fidelis tattoo (upper right arm), but did not mention the year.
Carter wears his emotions on his sleeve. He has an explosive temper with a short fuse, which is triggered at the first sign of angst. This feature, in combination with Pyle's genial nature and naïveté, drive the show's plot in most episodes. Carter also expresses happiness and fear in dramatic fashion. His emotions also become a source of tension between him and his girlfriend, Miss Bunny Wilson. Despite Carter's desire to see Pyle out of his life, it is apparent he cares for Pyle and wants him to successfully fulfill his service in the Corps. Carter is Gomer's best friend and by the end of the show's run, it is obvious that Gomer is his.
Awards, Decorations and Service Medals Worn By Gunnery Sgt. Carter
Frank Sutton in real life served in the US Army in the Pacific Theater of World War II. When he was cast as Sgt. Carter he was allowed to wear some of his actual WW2 decorations with his Marine uniform.
Private First Class and later Corporal Gilbert 'Duke' Slater
Corporal Gilbert "Duke" Slater is Gomer's close friend in the Marines. Unlike Gomer, he has few scruples and is not above putting one over on Sergeant Carter, much to Gomer's consternation. A private in early seasons, Duke transferred to a different platoon at the end of season three, where he took a Corporal test and graduated in the top 10 of his class, earning a promotion to Corporal. Duke later returned to Camp Henderson and succeeded Boyle as Carter's second in command. Duke is well-liked by the platoon and is known for his impressions. As he did before his promotion, Duke still addressed Gomer by his first name, sometimes calling him "Gome". He took over Cpl. Chuck Boyle's position for season 5 as the straight man putting up with Sergeant Carter's antics and sticking up for Gomer when actor Ronnie Schell returned to the series.
Corporal Chuck Boyle works under Sergeant Carter after Nicholas Cuccinelli. Boyle usually serves as Carter's conscience, making Carter treat Gomer civilly, even if it means that Gomer will continue under his beloved sergeant. Boyle is the straight man for Carter's antics and he also sticks up for Gomer a lot of times. Gomer never realizes it but Boyle, many times, serves as his advocate. Corporal Boyle left following the fourth season to be replaced by Cpl. Duke Slater (when actor Ronnie Schell returned to the series).
Lou-Ann Poovie is Gomer's girlfriend throughout most of the series. She is from North Carolina as well, and a sweet, somewhat naïve, but always willing partner to Gomer's misadventures, although she can also sometimes be fickle, capricious and prideful and can also get needlessly jealous and make incorrect assumptions when another woman makes a move on Gomer, even though Gomer makes clear he only has eyes for Lou-Ann. Although very interested in music (she came to California for a music career), she is considered tone-deaf. Her catchphrase is "Well...actually..." Lou-Ann Poovie was introduced and appeared in three episodes in the show's third season. She played Gomer's girlfriend in the show's fourth and fifth seasons.
Staff Sergeant Whipple was born sometime in the 1920s or 1930s. Whipple and Carter dislike one another and are prone to competition, especially in platoon ratings. The season one episode "Private Ralph Skunk" highlights Carter and Whipple's rivalry and mutual contempt: When Whipple used underhanded tricks to embarrass Sgt. Carter just to keep his own recruit training platoon # 319 ahead of Carter's recruit training platoon # 318 in the ratings, Gomer (without Carter's knowledge) snuck his pet skunk inside Whipple's barracks to scare his troops outside, which got Whipple into trouble with the camp commander, who punished Whipple and his men by confining them to their barracks to clean up, much to Carter's delight.
Staff Sergeant Charley Hacker runs company "B" mess hall and served in the battle of Iwo Jima; unlike his feud with Whipple, Sergeant Carter's rivalry with Hacker is less contemptuous, and on occasion the two are able to put aside their differences. One example was in the episode "Third Finger, Left Loaf", Hacker and Carter have to search 600 loaves of bread for a wedding ring Pyle believed he accidentally dropped into the dough (which was in Pyle's back pocket), nearly driving themselves crazy in the process. Hacker rarely calls Carter 'Carter' but usually calls him by his first name Vince.
Awards, Decorations and Service Medals Worn By Sgt. Hacker
Lieutenant Colonel Edward Gray was born in 1925. He was the officer in charge of the base on the show Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. He served at the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II in 1945. Gray, in contrast to Sgt. Carter, seems to respect Gomer more, especially on a personal level. Gray is portrayed as no-nonsense and running a tight ship. He rarely smiles and most scenes with Gray are in his office as he sits behind his desk chewing out Sgt. Carter.
(Incomplete list) Awards, Decorations and Service Medals Worn By Lieutenant Colonel Edward Gray
Corporal, then Gunnery Sergeant Carol Barnes was in an episode in Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. of season 4 entitled "Corporal Carol", during which she falls in love with Gomer but then finds out that he is dating someone else. She also appears in an episode of season 5 entitled "Show Time with Sgt. Carol", in which Gomer and Carol sing a Duet at Camp Henderson's Base Variety Show.
Private Frankie Lombardi was introduced in season 2. He served as a recruit under Sergeant Carter. He is partner-in-crime and best friend to private Duke Slater and a constant confidant to Gomer.
Private Joey Lombardi
Portrayed by Joe E. Tata, George Spencer, and George Zateslo
Private Joey Lombardi is the brother of Private Frankie Lombardi. Lombardi was a recruit under Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter. He was in eleven episodes of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. and was portrayed by three actors. He had a girlfriend named Rosie, whom Gomer snuck in to base to see him, although the rules strictly prohibited visitation until after four weeks of training. Though Joey confessed that she was his girlfriend, Gomer was still punished by Gunnery Sgt. Carter for sneaking Rosie in without permission.
One of Gomer's barracks mates, also an occasional foil to Duke Slater. Appears only in season 1 (1964-1965); actor Larry Hovis left the series to appear as Lieutenant Carter in the pilot episode of Hogan's Heroes, oddly enough, that role would be revamped, and made regular, as their own Sgt. Carter.
Sgt. Carter's Navy foe; a bully to some Marines. His catchphrase is "What's this? What's this?". Simpson once knocked Carter out during a boxing match with one punch, and makes fun of the platoon when Gomer messes up. Nicknamed "The Rattlesnake", he was the Fleet boxing champion for four years: 37 KOs and only retired from the said position because he couldn't find someone brave enough to challenge him. Simpson also has his own gang of men following him around. In "Cat Overboard", Carter and the other Marines laughed at Simpson when they learned about the romance magazines he reads aboard ship. He got offended and told Carter off that his choice of reading romance magazines are none of his and the Marines' business. Simpson has a strict rule on contraband, evident when he threw a pet turtle over board and confiscated a transistor radio. Although angry that Gomer had snuck his pet cat, Henrietta, aboard ship, Simpson has shown compassion when he learned about her pregnancy and took her to the sick bay so some of his corpsmen can have some training in delivering kittens.
Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt) is the seventh enlisted rank in the United States Marine Corps, above staff sergeant and below master sergeant and first sergeant, and is a senior non-commissioned officer (SNCO). It has a pay grade of E-7.
James Thurston Nabors was an American actor, singer, and comedian, widely known for his signature character, Gomer Pyle.
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 25, 1964, to May 2, 1969. The series was a spin-off of The Andy Griffith Show, and the pilot episode was aired as the season finale of the fourth season of its parent series on May 18, 1964. The show ran for a total of 150 half-hour episodes spanning over five seasons, in black-and-white for the first season, and then in color for the remaining four seasons. In 2006, CBS Home Entertainment began releasing the series on DVD. The final season was released in November 2008.
Gomer Pyle is a fictional character played by Jim Nabors and introduced in the middle of the third season of The Andy Griffith Show.
Frank Spencer Sutton was an American actor best remembered for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter on the CBS television series Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C..
Ronald Ralph Schell is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He appeared on the May 28, 1959, episode of the TV quiz show You Bet Your Life, hosted by Groucho Marx. Schell demonstrated a comic barrage of beatnik jive talk. As a stand-up comedian, he first developed his act at the hungry i nightclub in San Francisco, California, and is heard introducing the Kingston Trio at the start of the group's 1962 College Concert album. Schell is probably best known for his 1960s television role as Duke Slater in Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Allan John Melvin was an American actor and impressionist, who was cast in hundreds of television episodes from the 1950s to the early 1990s, often appearing in recurring roles on various series. Some of those roles and series include portraying various characters on The Andy Griffith Show, as real estate salesman Pete Dudley in My Favorite Martian, as Corporal Henshaw on The Phil Silvers Show, Sergeant Hacker on Gomer Pyle, USMC, Alice's boyfriend Sam the Butcher on The Brady Bunch, and as Archie Bunker's friend Barney Hefner on both All in the Family and Archie Bunker's Place. He has also voiced Tyrone the Bulldog, an arch-villain in the live action/animated series The Secret Lives of Waldo Kitty and was Magilla Gorilla on The Magilla Gorilla Show, as well as Drooper on The Banana Splits.
Gunnery Sergeant Robert Howard McCard, was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Saipan in World War II.
Allan Jay Kellogg Jr. is a retired sergeant major in the United States Marine Corps. He received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions as a staff sergeant on March 11, 1970, during the Vietnam War.
Robert Earl Cleary was a United States Marine who served as the 10th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps from 1983 to 1987. He served in the Marine Corps for 36 years, including seeing combat in both the Korean War and the Vietnam War. For his actions in Vietnam, he was awarded the Silver Star, the Navy Commendation Medal, and two Purple Hearts. He was the last Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps to have served in the Korean War.
Jimmie Earl Howard was a Marine Corps staff sergeant when he led an eighteen-man reconnaissance patrol in a fierce battle against a battalion of Viet Cong in June 1966. As a result of his heroic actions, Howard became the sixth U.S. Marine to be awarded the nation's highest honor for heroism in combat in Vietnam. The Medal of Honor was presented by President Lyndon B. Johnson in White House ceremonies on August 21, 1967.
Sergeant James Edmund Johnson was a posthumous recipient of the United States' highest decoration — the Medal of Honor — for his heroic lone fight on December 2, 1950, to cover the withdrawal of his platoon during the bitter Chosin Reservoir campaign in Korea. When last seen by his comrades Johnson was wounded, but still engaging the enemy in close grenade and hand-to-hand combat. The enemy were wearing the uniforms of friendly troops at the time. He was listed as missing in action until December 2, 1953, when his status was officially changed to killed in action.
Daniel Paul Matthews was a United States Marine Corps sergeant who was killed in action in 1953 and posthumously awarded the Nation's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, during the Battle for Outpost Vegas, for his single-handed attack under fire upon an enemy machine gun position which had prevented the evacuation of a wounded comrade.
Karl Gorman Taylor Sr. was a United States Marine Corps staff sergeant who was killed in action during his second tour of duty in the Vietnam War. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration for valor, for his heroic actions on December 8, 1968.
Lawrence David Peters was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on September 4, 1967, during the Vietnam War.
John Otto "Buck" Young was an American actor who played the role as Sergeant Whipple on the Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. TV series, and Deputy Joe Watson on The Andy Griffith Show.
Justin D. LeHew is a United States Marine who served in the War on Terror. He was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions on 23 and 24 March 2003 during the initial 2003 invasion of Iraq. He was hand picked to spearhead the rescue operation and recovery of the U.S. Army's 507th Maintenance Company on 23 March and subsequently was called upon again to take part in the rescue operation of US Army Private Jessica Lynch on 1 April 2003. He is also a recipient of the Bronze Star with Combat Distinguishing Device denoting Valor for his heroic actions from 5 to 28 August 2004 during the Battle of Najaf.
Hispanics in the United States Marine Corps, such as Private France Silva who during the Boxer Rebellion became the first Marine of the thirteen Marines of Latin American descent to be awarded the Medal of Honor, and Private First Class Guy Gabaldon who is credited with capturing over 1,000 enemy soldiers and civilians during World War II, have distinguished themselves in combat. Hispanics have participated as members of the United States Marine Corps in the Boxer Rebellion, World War I, the American intervention in Latin America also known as the Banana Wars, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and most recently in the military campaigns of Afghanistan and Iraq.
To the Shores of Hell is a 1966 Vietnam War film shot in Technicolor and Techniscope that was directed by Will Zens and starring Marshall Thompson, Richard Arlen, Dick O'Neill and Robert Dornan that was distributed by Crown International Pictures. Dornan may possibly have co-written the film as his mother's maiden name was "McFadden".
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