M14 Forum

M1A96819 · April 11th, 2009, 02:25 AM

As I grew up in the 70's and 80's I have enjoyed the comedy of Jim Nabors (Gomer Pyle) and Frank Sutton (Sgt. Carter).

At that time I was just interested in watching the comedy show without noticing the type of rifle the platoon was carrying during the intro of the show.

LMAO> Being somewhat older and wiser(

) I have come to think about that show. What type of World War II battle rifle was used. It will either be a M1 Garand or an M14 rifle each soldier was carrying during their march I said to myself.

So I decided to search at YouTube and hopefully watch a clip of the intro of Gomer Pyle-USMC. Hold and behold> BEJEEEZES!!!!> Its a M14 rifle!!!! dang. Now I have come to really appreciate the intro of that comedy sitcom Gomer Pyle-USMC.

Looking and pausing the video clip many times to see more details, I have noticed that mostly or all of the M14 rifles have the slotted hand guards and a possible mixer of the fiberglass/synthetic, walnut stocks.

Hmmm? Winchesters?................TRW's.........Springfi eld Armorys?..................or H&R's? What manufacture rifle were they carrying?

Here is the clip> Enjoy

Black & White:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JAA2Unb0B4

Color:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lla36...eature=related

Different · April 11th, 2009, 02:34 AM

They filmed the title scene over for color. Gomer looks to be carrying a M14 with a walnut stock in the color version.

Old Sarge · April 11th, 2009, 05:18 AM

Those are actually real Marines he is marching with, carrying M14 rifles. However, during the entire series in IIRC, five seasons, they always had M1 rifles during the show, never M14's, except for the beginning scene.

BC · August 8th, 2011, 12:04 PM

Dang ,what memories

GardenValley · August 8th, 2011, 02:22 PM

I believe the opening scene was originally filmed in color and broadcast in black and white until near the end of the series when it was broadcast in color. When the Gomer Pyle series began the Corps had only recently begun to use the M14 in boot camp and the slotted handguards had not yet been replaced. There were no M14's (or M1A)available to use in filming the series so the M1 was used. Notice also that all the Marines are wearing the M1958 utilities which were made of cotton sateen with covered buttons. That was the last distinctly identifiable Marine Corps utility uniform. After the supply of them was exhausted the Corps was forced by McNamara to wear the army fatigues and just call them utilities. At least we got to keep the cover....

I should also have mentioned (for those not familiar with the Corps) that the opening scenes were filmed at MCRD San Diego while the series itself was filmed elsewhere. You know, they don't call us "Hollywood Marines" for no reason!

davecampperry · August 8th, 2011, 04:42 PM

doesn't exist to my belief, but someone on the filming crew meant to honor Lofton Henderson who was shot down at Midway. Henderson Field on Guadalcanal was named for him. I heard that the USMC at first supported the show, possibly as a recruiting tool, but pulled all support when the show became 'goofy'. Can anyone confirm this? I kinow it was meant as comedy, but 'Sgt Carter' was an embarrassment. I knew more than one 'Gomer' while I was in. One kid had never worn shoes, one could not write his name, and one poor kid had the IQ of a doorknob. But we all pulled together, we learned the true meaning of 'leave no Marine behind' even though we were not Marines yet, only recruits (maggots).

Different · August 8th, 2011, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GardenValley

I believe the opening scene was originally filmed in color and broadcast in black and white until near the end of the series when it was broadcast in color.

I should also have mentioned (for those not familiar with the Corps) that the opening scenes were filmed at MCRD San Diego while the series itself was filmed elsewhere. You know, they don't call us "Hollywood Marines" for no reason!

It is possible that the opening scene was originally filmed in color but in the mid-1960s it was a big deal for a television network to broadcast a prime time show in color. Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. was broadcast in black and white for the first season and in color for seasons two through five. One would think that if the opening credits were originally filmed in color, the episodes would have been filmed and broadcast in color as well but that is speculation.

Nonetheless, IMO, the opening scene was filmed on two different occasions. Watch the opening credits for the first season (black and white) and then the credits in color (shown for seasons two through five). In the black and white version, Gomer looks younger and thinner compared to the color version. FWIW, the platoon guidon in the black & white version is Platoon 318. In the color version, it is Platoon 130.

Some trivia about Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. and the land where it was filmed:

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. was produced by Andy Griffith Productions but it was filmed at the Desilu Studios twenty-nine acre lot on Washington Boulevard in Culver City, CA. This back lot was also where other shows like The Andy Griffith Show and Hogans Heroes were filmed. It was also where the streets of Atlanta and the mansion, Tara, were built for Gone With The Wind. The fictional town of Mayberry, NC was built on the dirt that had been Altanta, GA for Gone With The Wind. The land was sold off in 1976 so nothing is left of the Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. quonset huts and other outdoor sets. The set for Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. was accessible through a chain link fence on Ince Boulevard.

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. was a CBS television network show that ran for five seasons, September 25, 1964 to May 02, 1969. 150 episodes were aired and it stayed in the top ten during its entire run. Say what you want for cornball humor, it did very well ($$$). CBS initially rejected Gomer but Danny Thomas, one of the producers, threatened to take the show to NBC. So, CBS agreed to air it. CBS rejected the show at first because the network executives did not think a show with a military theme would be well received by women.

In September 2010, I had the very good fortune to tour a privately owned warehouse in the Los Angeles area that stores a tremendous amount of original 35 mm television shows and movies from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. These original films are owned by about every movie and television production company and studio you could think of. It's likely the largest repository of original film in the United States. This warehouse has 378 climate controlled storage vaults. I had the privilege of seeing the contents of a few of the vaults. The vaults I was shown held the contents of television shows produced by Danny Thomas and Desilu from the 1950s and 1960s. I did not see any canisters of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. but I did see the original reels from I Spy and The Joey Bishop Show. That's probably more than what you wanted to know but I thought it was interesting.

mustang7 · August 8th, 2011, 06:37 PM

My Dad was in the Corps from Feb. 1958 to August of 1962. I was born in July of 1962 on his birthday while he was standing Corporal of the Guard at Lakehurst ,New Jersey. I don't quite remember my age when I first started to watch Gomer but I do remember my Dad getting mad at my mother for "letting him watch that crap." He didn't think much of the show. But he did impress upon me that SGT Carter was an actual Korean War Marine.

willriskit · August 8th, 2011, 06:47 PM

Gomer Pyle and The Lieutenant were both popular in the NCO quarters rec room at MCAF during the early 60's (along with Rocky and Bullwinkle). Still don't know why he was Sgt. Carter and not Gunny Carter. In real life, a Gunny would have mentioned the downgrade. The show had a Marine technical advisor, but he must have been in a coma or else completely ignored. Maybe they'll do a re-make starring Rosie O'Donnel.

Semper Fi

GardenValley · August 8th, 2011, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Different

Some trivia about Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. and the land where it was filmed:

In September 2010, I had the very good fortune to tour a privately owned warehouse in the Los Angeles area that stores a tremendous amount of original 35 mm television shows and movies from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. These original films are owned by about every movie and television production company and studio you could think of. It's likely the largest repository of original film in the United States. This warehouse has 378 climate controlled storage vaults. I had the privilege of seeing the contents of a few of the vaults. The vaults I was shown held the contents of television shows produced by Danny Thomas and Desilu from the 1950s and 1960s. I did not see any canisters of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. but I did see the original reels from I Spy and The Joey Bishop Show. That's probably more than what you wanted to know but I thought it was interesting.

Joey Bishop and his entourage had been in Vietnam on a USO tour and flew home on the plane I came home on. Glad he was there for the tour but I couldn't help but think about the Marines who were bumped from the flight to make room for them. I had been bumped from my originally scheduled flight a few days earlier, along with several other Marines, to make room for other returning celebrities. No one ever said things would be fair.

RandyB45 · August 8th, 2011, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GardenValley

Joey Bishop and his entourage had been in Vietnam on a USO tour and flew home on the plane I came home on. Glad he was there for the tour but I couldn't help but think about the Marines who were bumped from the flight to make room for them. I had been bumped from my originally scheduled flight a few days earlier, along with several other Marines, to make room for other returning celebrities. No one ever said things would be fair.

And all we got in Iraq was "ThundHERstruck" the all girl AC/DC cover band. AFAIK, no one bumped any of them....

howardhughes · August 9th, 2011, 04:35 AM

Jim Nabors had a great bass voice, was a clasical singer. The USMC did enjoy supporting the series at first BUT as another pointed out it became stupid. In addition Mr Nabors was a Homosexual and had several boyfriends that visted him on set.....back then it was a big social no-no, ( still is to me) when the MC got word on Nabors they withdrew all support. Most MC DI's in that time frame I know would have knocked the #hit out of you for the stuff Gomer pull off.

willriskit · August 9th, 2011, 05:21 AM

He was a walking advertisement for why we needed Corrective Custody Platoon. In today's homo-promo military, he would probably be platoon honor man ( it's rainbow man now) and his DI's would be court-martialed or sent to sensitivity training because what they would have done to him would be viewed as a hate crime. Screw-ups had us on our faces frequently until they learned the error of their ways.

Gunrunner · October 21st, 2011, 12:14 PM

But he did impress upon me that SGT Carter was an actual Korean War Marine.

According to Frank Sutton's bio, he served in the army in WWII and made 14 assault landing, including Leyte, Luzon, Bataan and Corregidor. It also said that he tried at first to join the Marines, but didn't pass the physical.

dprice3844444 · October 21st, 2011, 12:55 PM

now we have gomer pyle jr living at 1600 pennsylvania ave