Classic Movie Travels: Jim Nabors
James Thurston Nabors was born on June 12, 1930, in Sylacauga, Alabama, the son of Fred Nabors, a police officer, and Mavis Pearl Newman Nabors. He was raised in the small central Alabama community alongside two older sisters: Freddie Mae and Annie Ruth. As a child, Nabors suffered from severe asthma, a condition that would exempt him from military service during the Korean War.
Nabors attended Sylacauga High School, where he was active on in the glee club, played clarinet in the school band, and was also on the football team. After graduating high school in 1947, Jim Nabors studied went on to study business administration at the University of Alabama. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1952. During his time at the university, he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and acted in Greek skit shows.
Nabors soon relocated to Los Angeles in pursuit of opportunities in entertainment. He continued to work as a film cutter there but also found work at a Santa Monica nightclub known as The Horn. There, he developed a comedic routine featuring a shy, simple-minded gas station attendant with a distinctive Southern drawl. Comedian Bill Dana invited Nabors to sign on The Steve Allen Show but it was ultimately canceled. One evening, actor Andy Griffith happened to see the performance. Griffith immediately recognized the appeal of Nabors’ character and invited him to appear on The Andy Griffith Show. What began as a single guest appearance in 1962 quickly evolved into one of the series’ most popular recurring roles.
On the show, Nabors portrayed Gomer Pyle. His sincerity, optimism, and unwavering politeness resonated with viewers. Moreover, his voice was showcase on the show for the first tie in the February 1964 episode, “The Song Festers.” Unlike many television characters built around sarcasm or conflict, Gomer won audiences over through kindness and innocence. His popularity soon warranted a series of his own.
Nabors launched an extraordinarily successful recording career. Over the next several decades, he released dozens of albums that regularly appeared on the Billboard charts. His recordings frequently featured inspirational music, Christmas collections, love songs, and standards from the Great American Songbook. His vocal ability also made him a popular guest on television variety programs, where he appeared alongside many of the era’s leading entertainers.
In 1964, CBS premiered Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., placing the lovable service station attendant into the disciplined environment of the United States Marine Corps. Much of the comedy centered on Gomer’s interactions with the perpetually frustrated Sergeant Vince Carter, portrayed by Frank Sutton. While Nabors could be heard singing in many of the show’s episodes, his milestone vocal performance on the show was his rendition of “The Impossible Dream (The Quest).” Although the series relied on familiar comedic misunderstandings, it also presented military life with affection and respect. Marine officials generally welcomed the positive portrayal, and many Marines later credited the show with boosting public appreciation for the Corps during a turbulent decade.
The sitcom became one of television’s highest-rated comedies, remaining on the air for five seasons and concluding in 1969 while still attracting a large audience. Rather than allowing the series to decline, Nabors chose to end the show and pursue other opportunities.
Following the conclusion of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Nabors remained a familiar face on American television. He headlined The Jim Nabors Hour, a variety series that combined musical performances, comedy sketches, and appearances by guest stars. The program lasted only two seasons.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Nabors continued appearing on numerous television specials, talk shows, and variety programs. He also guest-starred on popular series and participated in reunion specials celebrating The Andy Griffith Show and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Nabors began to vacation in Hawaii in the 1960s, which eventually inspired him to move there in the decades to come. In the 1990s, he also owned a home in Whitefish, Montana.
His film appearances included supporting roles in productions such as The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), in which he appeared alongside Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton. He also appeared in the television movie Return to Mayberry (1986). During the same year, he starred in a half-hour television comedy pilot called Sylvan in Paradise, but it was not picked up by NBC.
Nabors maintained an active touring schedule. He performed with symphony orchestras across the United States and regularly appeared in Las Vegas, where his combination of humor and music appealed to audiences of all ages. His concerts often blended inspirational songs, patriotic selections, Broadway favorites, and lighthearted stories from his television career. Unlike many performers whose fame faded after their signature television role ended, Nabors successfully reinvented himself as a respected concert artist.
Outside entertainment, Nabors became closely associated with one of America’s most celebrated sporting events. In 1972, Nabors attended the race as a guest of casino owner Bill Harrah. On race morning, Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony Hulman approached Nabors and asked if he would “sing the song” before the race. Nabors assumed he meant “The Star-Spangled Banner” and readily agreed. Only moments before the performance did he discover that he was actually expected to sing “(Back Home Again in) Indiana.” Unfamiliar with all the lyrics, he quickly wrote them on the palm of his hand before climbing onto a ladder with the Purdue All-American Marching Band. His unrehearsed performance was an instant success, earning an enthusiastic ovation from the crowd. Nabors returned the following year, and what began as a last-minute favor evolved into one of the Indianapolis 500’s most beloved traditions. Between 1972 and 2014, he performed the song 34 times, becoming so closely identified with the race that many fans considered his heartfelt rendition the unofficial start of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
Nabors purchased a home in Honolulu in the 1970s and eventually made Hawaii his permanent residence. The islands offered him a quieter lifestyle away from Hollywood while allowing him to continue performing and recording. After moving from Bel Air, California, with his partner, Stan Cadwaller, he initiated a show at the Hilton Hawaiian Village called the Jim Nabors Extravaganza, which continued for two years. He also performed at the Las Vegas Hilton and made his theatrical debut in 1982 as Professor Harold Hill in The Music Man with Florence. Henderson at the Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre in Jupiter, Florida.
In 1994, Nabors was ill and suffering from hepatitis B, which he reportedly contracted while in Indiana and accidentally cutting himself with a straight razor. His prognosis was grim as the disease caused liver failure. However, his friend, actress Carol Burnett, put him in contact with the head of the liver transplant division at the University of California–Los Angeles for further treatment options. He eventually received a transplant and became active with the American Liver Foundation, in addition to continuing to tour and perform.
Although he maintained a relatively private personal life, Nabors publicly acknowledged his longtime relationship with Cadwallader. After same-sex marriage became legal in Washington state, the couple married in Seattle at the Fairmount Olympic Hotel in January 2013, formalizing a relationship that had lasted for more than three decades.
Nabors passed away at his home in Honolulu, Hawaii, on November 30, 2017, at the age of 87. His death prompted tributes from across the entertainment industry, the racing community, and countless admirers who had grown up watching him on television. The United States Marien Corps also posted a statement on their official Twitter account, reading: “Semper Fi, Gomer Pyle. Rest in peace Jim Nabors, one of the few to ever be named an honorary Marine.”
Today, Nabors’ legacy is celebrated in many locations.
The Jim Nabors exhibit is located at the Isabel Anderson Comer Museum and Arts Center in his Sylacauga, Alabama, hometown. It is located at 711 N. Broadway Ave., Sylacauga, Alabama.
His childhood home stands at 511 S. Broadway Ave., Sylacauga, Alabama.
In the 1960s, he resided at 1848 N. Gramercy Pl., Los Angeles, California, which stands.
In 1978, a portion of U.S. Route 280 in Talladega County was named Jim Nabors Highway.
In the 1980s, he owned a property at 2750 Big Mountain Rd., Whitefish, Montana, which remains.
In 1992, he maintained a residence at 10450 Wilshire Blvd., Apt. 6A, Los Angeles, California, which also stands.
In Honolulu, Hawaii, Nabors is honored at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort through their many displays that celebrate the resort’s history. The resort is located at 2005 Kalia Rd., Honolulu, Hawaii.
His home in Honolulu stands at 215 Kulamanu Place, Honolulu, Hawaii.
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–Annette Bochenek for Classic Movie Hub
Annette Bochenek pens our monthly Classic Movie Travels column. You can read all of Annette’s Classic Movie Travel articles here.
Annette Bochenek, Ph.D., is a film historian, professor, and avid scholar of Hollywood’s Golden Age. She manages the “Hometowns to Hollywood” blog, in which she profiles her trips to the hometowns of classic Hollywood stars. She has also been featured on the popular classic film-oriented television network, Turner Classic Movies. A regular columnist for Classic Movie Hub, her articles have appeared in TCM Backlot, Silent Film Quarterly, Nostalgia Digest, The Dark Pages Film Noir Newsletter, and Chicago Art Deco Society Magazine.
