"Gomer Pyle: USMC" (1964) TV series 1964-1969

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

25 September 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | War

Plot:

The misadventures of a bumbling Marine named Gomer Pyle.

Plot Keywords:

California | Mayberry | Military | Sergeant | 1960s

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Jim Nabors	...	Pvt. Gomer Pyle (150 episodes, 1964-1969)
Frank Sutton	...	Sgt. Vince Carter / ... (150 episodes, 1964-1969)
Ronnie Schell	...	Duke / ... (92 episodes, 1964-1969)

Series Directed by
Coby Ruskin		(94 episodes, 1964-1968)
John Rich		(26 episodes, 1967-1969)
Peter Baldwin		(13 episodes, 1965-1967)
Alan Rafkin		(5 episodes, 1965)
Aaron Ruben		(2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Howard Morris		(2 episodes, 1964)
Christian Nyby		(2 episodes, 1965)
John Erman		(2 episodes, 1969)
Gary Nelson		(2 episodes, 1969)

Series Writing credits
Aaron Ruben		(150 episodes, 1964-1969)
Bill Idelson		(23 episodes, 1965-1969)
Harvey Bullock		(21 episodes, 1964-1969)
Rick Mittleman		(20 episodes, 1965-1969)
R.S. Allen		(17 episodes, 1965-1969)
Jack Elinson		(16 episodes, 1965-1969)
Sam Bobrick		(15 episodes, 1965-1967)
Barry E. Blitzer		(14 episodes, 1966-1968)
Ray Brenner		(14 episodes, 1966-1968)
Art Baer		(13 episodes, 1964-1966)
Ben Joelson		(13 episodes, 1964-1966)
Norman Paul		(11 episodes, 1967-1969)
Harvey Miller		(8 episodes, 1968-1969)
Carl Kleinschmitt		(7 episodes, 1965-1969)
Dale McRaven		(5 episodes, 1965-1966)
William Raynor		(5 episodes, 1967-1968)
Myles Wilder		(5 episodes, 1967-1968)
Richard Powell		(4 episodes, 1964-1965)
Bob Ross		(3 episodes, 1964)
Tom Adair		(2 episodes, 1964-1965)
James B. Allardice		(2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Jerry Belson		(2 episodes, 1964)
Garry Marshall		(2 episodes, 1964)
Ronny Pearlman		(2 episodes, 1967-1968)
John Barbour		(2 episodes, 1967)
Irving Elinson		(2 episodes, 1967)
Gordon Mitchell		(2 episodes, 1967)
Bruce Johnson		(2 episodes, 1968-1969)
E. Duke Vincent		(2 episodes, 1968-1969)

Series Produced by
Sheldon Leonard	....	executive producer (150 episodes, 1964-1969)
Aaron Ruben	....	executive producer (140 episodes, 1964-1969)
Ronald Jacobs	....	associate producer (90 episodes, 1964-1967)
Bruce Johnson	....	producer (30 episodes, 1968-1969)
E. Duke Vincent	....	producer (30 episodes, 1968-1969)
Edward H. Feldman	....	producer (13 episodes, 1964)
Jack Elinson	....	producer (10 episodes, 1967)

Series Original Music by
Earle Hagen		(150 episodes, 1964-1969)
Carl Brandt		(11 episodes, 1967-1968)
Pete Carpenter		(4 episodes, 1967-1968)

Series Cinematography by
John Finger		(150 episodes, 1964-1969)

Series Film Editing by
Bob Lewis		(21 episodes, 1965-1967)
Robert Moore		(19 episodes, 1965-1969)
Beryl Gelfond		(14 episodes, 1967-1968)
Bill Lewis		(8 episodes, 1964-1965)

Series Casting by
Ruth Burch		(114 episodes, 1964-1969)
Mike Fenton		(11 episodes, 1966)
Fred Roos		(11 episodes, 1966)

Series Art Direction by
Kenneth A. Reid		(95 episodes, 1964-1968)
Harold Michelson		(48 episodes, 1965-1967)
William H. Tuntke		(30 episodes, 1968-1969)
Howard Campbell		(22 episodes, 1967-1968)
Walter Holscher		(12 episodes, 1965)

Series Set Decoration by
Harry Gordon		(120 episodes, 1965-1969)
Ken Swartz		(30 episodes, 1964-1965)

Series Costume Design by
Leonard Harris		(140 episodes, 1964-1969)
Robert O'Dell		(9 episodes, 1964)
Marge Makau		(2 episodes, 1965)

Series Makeup Department
Donna McDonough	....	hair stylist (146 episodes, 1964-1969)
Lee Greenway	....	makeup artist (136 episodes, 1964-1969)
Thomas Tuttle	....	makeup artist (13 episodes, 1964-1965)
Eva Kryger	....	hair stylist (2 episodes, 1965-1967)

Series Production Management
Ronald Jacobs	....	production supervisor (90 episodes, 1964-1967)
Frank E. Myers	....	production manager (90 episodes, 1964-1967)
Norman Henry	....	production supervisor (60 episodes, 1967-1969)
Edward M. Hillie	....	production manager (60 episodes, 1967-1969)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Myers	....	assistant director (76 episodes, 1966-1969)
Russ Haverick	....	assistant director (33 episodes, 1964-1965)
Harrold Weinberger	....	assistant director (24 episodes, 1965-1966)
Leo Silver	....	assistant director (14 episodes, 1966-1967)
Phil Cook	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1965)

Series Art Department
Gene Gossert	....	property master (120 episodes, 1965-1969)
Ideal Dottini	....	construction coordinator (90 episodes, 1966-1969)
Stuart Stevenson	....	property master (28 episodes, 1964-1965)
Tom Casey	....	property master (2 episodes, 1965)

Series Sound Department
Cam McCulloch	....	sound engineer (72 episodes, 1964-1967)
George Ronconi	....	sound engineer (60 episodes, 1967-1969)
Victor Guarnier	....	sound editor (31 episodes, 1967-1969)
John D. Hall	....	re-recording editor (30 episodes, 1964-1965)
William A. Phillips	....	sound editor (29 episodes, 1967-1968)
Bill Anderson	....	sound editor (17 episodes, 1966-1967)
Sid Lubow	....	re-recording editor (10 episodes, 1965)
Max M. Hutchinson	....	sound engineer (8 episodes, 1964-1965)
William A. Sawyer	....	sound editor (8 episodes, 1967)
Reg Browne	....	sound editor (7 episodes, 1965-1966)
Bill B. Keith	....	sound editor (7 episodes, 1965-1966)
Dick Maier	....	sound editor (6 episodes, 1965-1966)
Jimmy Thompson	....	sound engineer (5 episodes, 1965)
George Hoagland	....	sound editor (5 episodes, 1967)
Leon M. Leon	....	sound engineer (2 episodes, 1965)

Series Special Effects by
Joe Lombardi	....	special effects (6 episodes, 1965-1969)

Series Editorial Department
Jerry Jameson	....	editorial supervisor (90 episodes, 1966-1969)
Joseph Gluck	....	supervising editor (86 episodes, 1964-1969)

Series Music Department
Earle Hagen	....	composer: theme music (150 episodes, 1964-1969)
Mark Southern	....	music editor (61 episodes, 1966-1969)
Donn Cambern	....	music editor (60 episodes, 1964-1966)
Ken Johnson	....	music editor (19 episodes, 1966-1967)
John Mick	....	music editor (5 episodes, 1966)
Lloyd Young	....	music editor (5 episodes, 1966)

Series Other crew
Gloria Morgan	....	script continuity (150 episodes, 1964-1969)
Ronald Jacobs	....	production executive (60 episodes, 1967-1969)
Jack Elinson	....	story consultant (30 episodes, 1967-1968)
Bruce Johnson	....	story consultant (30 episodes, 1968-1969)
E. Duke Vincent	....	story consultant (30 episodes, 1968-1969)

Production Companies

• Andy Griffith Enterprises
• Ashland Productions
• T & L Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1964-1970)
• Paramount Television
• Viacom

Other Companies

• Chrysler Corporation  automobiles furnished by
• Desilu Studios  filming location
• Fern Violette  Miss Stuart's wardrobe by
• Glen Glenn Sound Company  sound recording
• Nardis of Dallas  Miss Stuart's wardrobe by
• Paramount Studios  filming location
• Post Cereals of General Foods  original sponsor (Shake and Bake, Sanka, Cool Whip)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min (150 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Andy Griffith Enterprises

Trivia:

Lt. Col. Gray's medals are: Silver Star, Navy & Marine Corps Medal, Legion Of Merit (Legionnaire), Navy Presidential Unit Citation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, World War Two Victory Medal, Asiatic/Pacific Campaign Medal (3 Campaigns), Navy Unit Commendation, Korean Service Medal (4 Campaigns), UN Service Medal and Korean Unit Citation.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When wearing uniforms with ribbons, Carter often wears an Army Good Conduct Medal ribbon (which is awarded for serving at least 2 years or one year in combat). This is probably an homage to actor Frank Sutton's WWII Army service. However, he does not wear a Marine Corps Good Conduct Ribbon, which is authorized for 3 years of active service. As a Gunnery Sergeant and Drill Instructor, he would have served over 3 years active as a Marine - hence, earning the award.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Gomer Pyle:Shazam.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Attack of the the Eye Creatures (#5.18)" (1992)

Transition Appreciation

It is true that everyone has the opportunity to voice an opinion on a show, especially a true classic like Gomer Pyle USMC. This is mostly in reference to the switch from black and white to color. Somehow this is the decision of the expenses at the time, not the writers, which I heard was a debate over "I Dream Of Jeannie" in the similar situation when they did the same thing. I can appreciate the older times of black and white and whether or not they're funnier than color is always to one's own evaluation. In my case, the color ones were more enjoyable to watch, to see technology advance at that time so everything was more distinct. And just in passing, two things..I happened to have VCR'd the episode where Gomer accompanies a girl to a party, and she isn't junior high but a 16-year old who has a crush on him - typical teenage crush on an older man in this case, and it wasn't necessarily just for looks. True, in this day and age that would indeed be a big problem, but by the show's standards, it was handled tastefully. And secondly, if I'm not mistaken, the ratings of both shows steadily increased as time went on, and "Andy Griffith" reached #1 in 1967 - a color season, so obviously the feelings of the show "going downhill when it went to color" are a small amount. When I had the chance, I got as many of "Andy Griffith" color episodes videotaped as I could since they were shown so rarely a few years ago. TV Land didn't keep Gomer Pyle on long enough for me to get those, so I'm very ready for the DVD's to be released - have been checking for months.