Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Gomer Pyle comes to DVD!

This is topic Gomer Pyle comes to DVD! in forum The Afterlife at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-15-2006, 10:14 PM:

Yes, it's true...season 1 is on DVD as of 12/12/06.

Pretty nice set too. It has audio commentary from Jim Nabors on a few episodes, and also from Ronnie Schell (who played his buddy "Duke Slater" in the show). The package also includes a clip from Nabors' variety show, an "I Love Lucy" clip, and the entire Gomer Pyle pilot episode, which was actually an episode of the Andy Griffith Show. Topping it off, Nabors recorded an audio introduction for each episode.

The Gomer Pyle series holds up pretty well for a 1960s comedy, I think. According to the commentaries, they had a Marines advisor on set at all times to make sure they were "doing it right" ... the only thing that was exaggerated or comedic was Pyle, really - everything else more or less realistic (although sanitized for '60s TV). I think that's what made the show work.

I had a friend who was in the Army Reserve a few years back... I once told him, "Everything I know about the military I learned from Gomer Pyle, Forrest Gump and 'Full Metal Jacket.' Which is the closest to the real thing?" And he said, "Probably somewhere between Forrest Gump and Gomer Pyle."

Posted by Frank Dubrois (Member # 3042) on 12-15-2006, 11:04 PM:

Gomer [bs]

I simply can't stand him.... Sgt Carter was ok, but you couldn't ever tell if they were really friends or not.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-16-2006, 11:46 AM:

I never thought they were friends...more like father and son.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-09-2007, 07:27 PM:

And Mike... you can also now get the full series of "That Girl" to watch after Gomer...

Mark

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-09-2007, 09:32 PM:

Never did see it. I think that was about the time I started hanging out at the drive-in....evening TV pretty much ended for me about that time.

It is kind of amazing how some TV has held up over the years and some hasn't. I still find these Gomer Pyle episodes to be pretty entertaining. On the other hand, I stumbled onto an old Family Affair show on TV Land once....one of my favorites as a little kid! But now, yeeeesh. (Cissy was hot though.)