Trivia for
"Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." (1964) More at IMDbPro »

• Sergeant Carter was a Korean War veteran.
  
  
• Sergeant Carter grew up in Wichita, Kansas.
  
  
• Col. Gray (Forrest Compton) first appeared on the show as a captain before attaining the rank of colonel and becoming base commander.
  
  
• Sergeant Carter's actual rank was gunnery sergeant.
  
  
• The only member of Gomer's platoon to get a promotion was Duke Slater. He was promoted to corporal in the final season.
  
  
• Jim Nabors said that it was always difficult for him to watch the opening of the show because many of the men that he is seen marching with were killed in Vietnam.
  
  
• Andy Griffith said that when they were trying to come up with an idea for a spinoff for Gomer, they wanted the toughest location or situation they could put him in; so they came up with the Marines. The idea was to pit Gomer's gentle character against the tough setting and it worked.
  
  
• Originally, CBS rejected the show because they felt that many female viewers would be put off by a show with a military theme. However, when producer Danny Thomas threatened to take the show to NBC, CBS changed their minds.
  
  
• Gomer Pyle was brought to you by General Foods (now Kraft Foods) makers of Shake and Bake, Jell-O, and Good Seasons Salad Dressings.
  
  
• In an interesting turnaround, Frank Sutton, the actor whose best known role was playing a Marine sergeant, could not pass the Marine Corps. physical during WWII and ended up serving in the Army. While serving in the U.S. Army, Sutton distinguished himself by taking part in 14 assault landings, including Leyte, Luzon, Bataan and Corregidor.
  
  

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