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Roy Stuart received some educational letters after his character committed a military faux pas on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
"We got hundreds of letters asking, 'What kind of corporal calls his sergeant by his first name?'"
Does a television series have an obligation to commit to realism? That depends; some shows succeed in venturing into the outlandish. Take, for example, The Beverly Hillbillies. You wouldn't believe any of the episodes are autobiographical, but the bizarre nature of the series was part of its charm.
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. had the rare opportunity of placing outlandish characters in real-life situations. While life in the American military is a recognizable experience for many people, you probably haven't met a man like Gomer Pyle in your lifetime. Clueless, but with a heart of gold, his wacky shenanigans were enjoyed by countless viewers.
Still, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. was held to the same standard as any other television show, specifically when it came to the military aspects of the show.
Corporal Chuck Boyle served as Sargeant Carter's right-hand man throughout the show, but if you recall, early in the series, the two men were on a first-name basis. This would have been unusual for the time, especially considering that Boyle served under Sutton. The character's actor, Roy Stuart, got mail from viewers attempting to correct the issue.
"We got hundreds of letters asking, 'What kind of corporal calls his sergeant by his first name?' After I did just that," said Stuart in an interview with the Associated Press. "Now I never call him anything more informal than 'Sarge.'"
For his part, Sutton attempted to keep a level of believability on Gomer based on reverence for the institution itself.
"This is just kinda me," Sutton said Democrat and Chronicle, "Although I was never a Marine, I have great admiration for them. It's a trite saying that the Marine Corps makes a man out of you, but I have seen them do it in a lot of ways."
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