How Jim Nabors Led the Way Out - The Gay & Lbian Review

gomer pyle gay

The world round wh a predictable Gol-ol-olllll-leeeee! at yterday's news that Jim Nabors had gay-married his long-term partner, Stan Cadwallar. Nabors, who played Gomer Pyle both 1960s-era televisn seri The Andy Griffh Show and s sp-off, Gomer Pyle, USMC (pre-Don't Ask Don't Tell, we gus), announced the two had...

Contents:

JIM NABORS, GOMER PYLE STAR, IS GAY, MARRI PARTNER OF 38 YEARS

* gomer pyle gay *

Dpe his recent nuptials, Nabors sists he’s not one to take up the issue of gay marriage, sayg: “I’m not a bater. Even om an early age, Jim knew that he was gay. Like this about gay TV history post?

The Story Behd the Gayt Week TV History How Barney Miller’s Gays Defeated ABC’s Network Censors Why Do Gays Love The Goln Girls?

JIM {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}ACTOR AND SGER JIM NABORS ME TO FAME PLAYG THE LOVABLE AND BUMBLG GOMER PYLE ON 'THE ANDY GRIFFH SHOW' AND LATER ON THE SPOFF S 'GOMER PYLE, U.S.M.C.'{LOR:#323232;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: SEP 12, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{LOR:#595959;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}(1930-2017){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO WAS JIM NABORS?ACTOR AND SGER JIM NABORS WAS BORN SYLAUGA, ALABAMA, 1930. PLAGUED BY POOR HEALTH, WHICH PREVENTED HIM OM PLAYG SPORTS SCHOOL, NABORS TOOK TO THE STAGE. NABORS GAED NATNAL REGNN PLAYG THE LOVABLE GAS ATTENDANT, GOMER PYLE, FIRST ON THE ANDY GRIFFH SHOW, AND LATER ON THE CBS SPOFF GOMER PYLE, U.S.M.C. A VERSATILE PERFORMER, NABORS RERD MORE THAN 30 ALBUMS. HE DIED ON NOVEMBER 30, 2017, AT AGE 87.EARLY LIFETHE YOUNGT OF THREE CHILDREN, JAM THURSTON NABORS WAS BORN ON JUNE 12, 1930, SYLAUGA, ALABAMA. HIS CHILDHOOD WAS AMED BY A RAL ALABAMA LIFE, MUCH OF WHICH HE LATER DREW OM TO CREATE HIS SIGNATURE CHARACTER, GOMER PYLE. THE NABORS FAY NEVER HAD MUCH MONEY, AND AS A CHILD YOUNG, NABORS SUFFERED OM SEVERE ASTHMA. PREVENTED OM PLAYG SCHOOL SPORTS ON ACUNT OF HIS RPIRATORY ISSU, NABORS TURNED TO PERFORMANCE ARTS. HE JOED THE GLEE CLUB HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL AS THE CHOIR, AND TOOK TO THE CLARET. AT THE UNIVERSY OF ALABAMA, WHERE HE EARNED A GREE BS ADMISTRATN, NABORS NTUED TO PERFORM. IT WAS THERE THAT HE FIRST STARTED ACTG, HIS BUT PERFORMANCE G VIA A GREEK SK SHOW AS A MEMBER OF THE DELTA T DELTA ATERNY. DPE NABORS'S FONDNS OF THE STAGE, HE HAD TROUBLE SEEG MUCH OF A FUTURE FOR HIMSELF. "I WAS OM A SMALL TOWN AND, GOD KNOWS, I WAS NO LEADG MAN," HE ONCE SAID. "YOU KNOW HOW HOLLYWOOD WAS BACK THEN—EVERYBODY WAS A 'HERO.' THE ONLY THG I ULD POSSIBLY THK OF WAS I ULD HAVE BEEN A CHARACTER ACTOR A WTERN OR SOMETHG. I NEVER HAD ANY THOUGHTS OF GOG TO THE BS." AFTER LLEGE, NABORS MOVED TO NEW YORK CY, WHERE HE FOUND WORK AS A TYPIST FOR THE UNED NATNS. AFTER MIGRATG SOUTH FOR A SHORT SPELL, HE LAND CALIFORNIA AND TOOK A JOB AS AN APPRENTICE FILM CUTTER FOR NBC.COMMERCIAL SUCCSAT NIGHT, NABORS NTUED TO PERFORM, VOTG THE HOURS TOWARD WNG OVER DIENC WH HIS HILLBILLY CHARACTERS AND SGG. HIS WORK SOON UGHT THE ATTENTN OF IC BILL DANA, WHO LAND NABORS AN DN ON THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW. NABORS APPEARED ON THE PROGRAM SEVERAL TIM. NOT LONG AFTER, NABORS ME ON THE RADAR SCREEN OF ANOTHER HIGH-PROFILE TV PERFORMER, ANDY GRIFFH. AFTER TCHG NABORS'S ACT AT A LOS ANGEL CLUB, GRIFFH ASKED HIM TO DN FOR A NEW ROLE ON THE ANDY GRIFFH SHOW. INRPORATG HIS OWN HILLBILLY CHARACTER SKETCH TO THE PART, NABORS NAILED THE ROLE OF GOMER PYLE, A LOVABLE BUT CLUMSY GAS ATTENDANT WHOSE SIGNATURE PHRAS, "GAWWWLEE" AND "SHAZZAYAM," HELPED ROCKET HIM TO FAME. IN 1964, AFTER TWO SEASONS ON THE PROGRAM, CBS MA PYLE THE CENTER OF A SPOFF S, GOMER PYLE, {--DATA-EMBED-DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;CLEAR:BOTH;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;WIDTH:100%;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 20REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 30REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 40.625REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 75REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}} A SPAN{RIGHT:1REM;} IMG{WIDTH:TO;HEIGHT:85VH;} A{DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-LE-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:LE-FLEX;POSN:VAR(--POSN, RELATIVE);} IMG:NOT(.EWCW41W1){DISPLAY:BLOCK;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;-WEBK-ALIGN-SELF:FLEX-START;-MS-FLEX-EM-ALIGN:FLEX-START;ALIGN-SELF:FLEX-START;}{WIDTH:100%;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-LE-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:LE-FLEX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 20REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 30REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 40.625REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;}(PHOTO: CBS PHOTO ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAG) FOLLOWG THE SHOW'S NCELATN 1969, NABORS NTUED TO FD STEADY WORK. HE HOSTED HIS OWN VARIETY SHOW ON CBS FOR THREE SEASONS, AND, FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WAS A STAPLE LAS VEGAS PERFORMER. HIS WORK ON THE BIG SCREEN HAS CLUD SEVERAL PROJECTS WH IEND BURT REYNOLDS, CLUDG ROL THE BT LTLE WHOREHOE TEXAS (1982), STROKER ACE (1983) AND CANNONBALL II (1984). IN ADDN TO ACTG, NABORS HAS BEEN A BY SGER. AS OF 2013, HE HAD MORE THAN 30 RERDS TO HIS NAME.PERSONAL LIFE AND DEATHIN THE LATE 1970S, NABORS MA HAWAII HIS PERMANENT HOME. FOR A TIME, HE EVEN STEPPED AWAY OM THE STAGE PLETELY AND NCENTRATED HIS TIME ON MANAGG HIS 500-ACRE MI RANCH AND HIS MORE THAN 20,000 MADAMIA TRE. IN JANUARY 2013, NABORS MA HEADL WHEN HE ANNOUNCED, AT THE AGE OF 82, THAT HE WAS GAY AND HAD MARRIED HIS LONGTIME PARTNER, STAN CADWALLAR, SEATTLE. "I'M 82 AND HE'S HIS 60S AND SO WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 38 YEARS, AND I'M NOT ASHAMED OF PEOPLE KNOWG, 'S JT THAT WAS SUCH A PERSONAL THG, I DIDN'T TELL ANYBODY," NABORS SAID. "I'M VERY HAPPY THAT I'VE HAD A PARTNER OF 38 YEARS AND I FEEL VERY BLSED. AND, WHAT N I TELL YOU, I'M JT VERY HAPPY."NABORS DIED AT HIS HOME HONOLULU, HAWAII, ON NOVEMBER 30, 2017, AT THE AGE OF 87. CADWALLAR NFIRMED THE ATH TO THE ASSOCIATED PRS, NOTG THAT HIS HBAND HAD BEEN FAILG HEALTH FOR A YEAR, WH HIS IMMUNE SYSTEM DIMISHED BY A LIVER TRANSPLANT SOME 20 YEARS EARLIER. {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS

Ra Moreno vs Hollywood: The Other Wt Si Story Rumble How M*A*S*H Predicted the Rise and Fall of Don't Ask, Don't Tell What Mak Disney Villas So Gay? The Gay Magic of The Nanny The Straighteng of Chandler Bg How Bewched Went Gay Whout Ever Sayg "Gay".

Ron Howard, who as a child played the role of Opie, wrote many years later about wnsg homophobic name-llg on the set. Now that he was LA, Jim didn’t do much to hi his homosexualy, but the add attentn of stardom ma his openns potentially dangero.

Actors who were disvered to be gay tend never to work aga. For the time beg, the public remaed blissfully unaware that one of the biggt stars on televisn was gay, even as Jim was given a spoff seri for his Gomer Pyle character and then later some work on a variety show. Rock’s homosexualy was an open secret Hollywood, but he’d managed to keep largely out of the public eye, part by briefly marryg his agent’s secretary.

PRIDE TV: THE QUIET GAY HEROES OF SIXTIES SITCOMS

It’s hard to know why the mor l sudnly surged — acrdg to Rock, a private joke between some gay iends was picked up by gossip media — but 1971, whispers about Rock and Jim were beg repeated on the rad and prt.

In many stat, homosexualy would rema crimalized for many s; and was still, at the time, nsired a mental illns by medil profsnals. C., has a big, happy announcement: Comg out to the media as gay, the 82-year-old star has wed Stan Cadwallar, his partner of 38 years.

JIM NABORS MARRI A MAN. OF URSE, 'GOMER' IS GAY. HE LIV GAYBERRY

Jim was gay, a fact that he kept hidn for much of his life, though the people he worked wh — particularly on The Andy Griffh Show and Gomer Pyle — were aware, but never mattered to them (magaz were reportg mors, cludg a supposed relatnship between he and Rock Hudson). Gay men of my generatn—most of our 50s—often talk about when was we first knew about our sexual inty.

” At the time I ially heard the mor about him, he mt have been wh a different man than the one he eventually married, but apparently he was already leadg the life of a gay man. David Masello is a equent ntributor to The Gay & Lbian Review.

In January 2013, Nabors ma headl when he announced, at the age of 82, that he was gay and had married his longtime partner, Stan Cadwallar, Seattle. Wh this year’s Gay Pri Month markg the fiftieth anniversary of the uprisg at the Stonewall Inn Greenwich Village, the acplishments of LGBT hero of the past fifty years have been wily celebrated. But along wh polil activists and social revolutnari, there were a number of entertaers who, the s surroundg the rebelln, brought a clear, if often exaggerated, gay prence to Amerin hom.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GOMER PYLE GAY

Jim Nabors, Gomer Pyle Star, Is Gay, Marri Partner of 38 Years - Us Weekly .

TOP