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Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C avoided the topic of real war, and that's what made the show special
Gomer Pyle stood out from the show's peers.
The Vietnam War era was rife with political commentary in the United States. Because the conflict was heavily documented, everybody had an opinion about the fighting and whether the government was or wasn't doing a good job.
While previous wars made their way back home as stories, the War in Vietnam was broadcast directly into our living rooms. Suddenly, lots of it was hard to ignore. There was heavy criticism, and in response, there was a backlash from a pro-war contingent.
Lots of media from the time dealt either directly with the war or made subtle remarks that clearly expressed that its creators had taken a side. Military shows and movies, like M*A*S*H, typically had a clear point of view regarding the conflict. However, one of the most popular military shows of the '60s never mentioned the War in Vietnam.
In contrast with its contemporaries in that decade and the next, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. was intentionally apolitical. Whereas many other shows were defined by their place within the larger cultural fabric, Pyle sat out the discourse.
In a 2000 interview with The Times, Jim Nabors (Gomer Pyle), spoke about how the show was able to avoid controversy, despite the signs of the times.
"We had established it was a peacetime situation and every episode was a peacetime situation," said Nabors. "I shot the first few episodes at the Marine base in San Diego— the opening where I was marching along. The Marines were very supportive of it."
In that way, there's a timelessness to Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. It's not dated by the way it focuses on long-resolved conflicts or bygone political ideologies. It is instead remembered for its characters, their hearts, and the show's clever, funny writing.
Despite the show's reluctance to mention then-current events, Nabors went beyond the call of duty as an actor and toured Vietnam with Bob Hope in 1971.
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credits of the black and white episodes was sent to Vietnam shortly after the filming.
And that it suffered severe casualties in it's first engagement.
Usually the story goes on to claim that various parents of the "dead" Marines would tune in
to once again see their sons in the opening credits, some given solace while others
experienced pain.
I think it would be in very bad taste if this was another internet hoax, but if it's true it is a jarring
and poignant story.
Can anyone confirm or deny this? Thank you