# Gomer Pyle & Sergeant Carter:  Funniest Moments

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 23, 2013, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459 "2013-04-23T02:10:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 16\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hottius\_Maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hottius\_Maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hottius_Maximus)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/1 "2013-04-23T02:10:52Z")

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For fans of the show, what was your favorite episode? I vote for “Come Blow Your Top” where Sgt. Hacker bets Sgt. Carter fifty bucks that Carter can’t go 24 hours without yelling and losing his temper. Naturally Sgt. Hacker enlists the aid of an unwitting Gomer to try to win the bet. Favorite moments: Gomer gleefully breaking Sgt. Carter’s prized sword that he allegedly took from a North Korean soldier, and then Sgt. Carter driving to the mountains to SHOUT OVER & OVER AGAIN!

What are the favorites of the SDMB members?

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/2 "2013-04-23T02:25:02Z")

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I don’t know, they’re all about the same. There’s a lot of bets between Hacker and Carter. I still remember the first one where Andy comes to look in on Gomer and convinces Carter that Gomer is related to a noted general (Lucious Pyle? Was he real?).

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/3 "2013-04-23T02:56:48Z")

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Doesn’t feature Sgt Carter, but I liked the duet twixt [Sgt Carol and Gomer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-cXessab-I).

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**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/4 "2013-04-23T14:54:14Z")

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I remember one where Pyle and Carter were paired off for survival training. Being a country boy, Pyle is finding them all kinds of food and even (IIRC) rolls them some cigars. They were the only group that gained weight while on the mission.

It had some moments, but was rather repetitious.

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/5 "2013-04-23T15:07:10Z")

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> [@lost4life](#):
>
> I remember one where Pyle and Carter were paired off for survival training. Being a country boy, Pyle is finding them all kinds of food and even (IIRC) rolls them some cigars. They were the only group that gained weight while on the mission.

That’s the one I came in to post. But I remember the one in the OP as well.

I loved the tribute/parody in _Arrested Development_.

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**Author:** ![Hottius\_Maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hottius\_Maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hottius_Maximus)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/6 "2013-04-24T12:08:30Z")

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> [@tdn](#):
>
> That’s the one I came in to post. But I remember the one in the OP as well.
> 
> I loved the tribute/parody in _Arrested Development_.

I never watch Arrested Development but now you have me curious. What is the title of that episode so I can check it out?

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/7 "2013-04-26T07:47:31Z")

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For me, the funniest one was the Welsh rarebit one.  
For some reason, Gomer was having a strange reaction to Welsh rarebit, and making him do weird things at nighttime, while they were on bivouac.  
Carter had chewed him out that day, and in the middle of the night, Gomer, in his trance, got up and yelled for the sergeant. Except, he didn’t yell “Sgt. Carter!” He yelled “Vince!” Sergeant Carter about split a gut.  
Hilarious.

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**Author:** ![OtisCampbellWasRight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d78d45/32.png) [@OtisCampbellWasRight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtisCampbellWasRight)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/8 "2013-04-26T11:47:30Z")

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> [@lost4life](#):
>
> I remember one where Pyle and Carter were paired off for survival training. Being a country boy, Pyle is finding them all kinds of food and even (IIRC) rolls them some cigars. They were the only group that gained weight while on the mission.
> 
> It had some moments, but was rather repetitious.

This is about the only one I remember, but I remember it very well.

The other team was floundering and eating dried up lizards and such, while Gomer’s group was living the life of Reilly. Has to be 40 years since I saw this and I still envision the Shangrila that Gomer had set up.

The actor who portrayed Sgt Carter was brilliant at the slow burn…even when he was being all whiny.

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**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/9 "2013-04-26T15:13:41Z")

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> [@handsomeharry](#):
>
> For some reason, Gomer was having a strange reaction to Welsh rarebit, and making him do weird things at nighttime, while they were on bivouac.

Welsh rarebit causing strange dreams used to be a trope. I don’t know if it started with Winsor McKay’s comic strip _ **Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend** _, but that’s the most popular example.

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**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/10 "2013-04-26T15:55:51Z")

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I’ve only seen this one a few times, but it stands out.

Gomer and Duke get on a plane to say goodbye to Dukes girlfriend (?) (that’s right, they walk right onto the plane). Before they know it, though, the plane takes off and they become stowaways.

Gomer: “Duke, we’re goin’ to Rome! Rome, It-ly!!!”

I also like the one where Gomer receives a windfall of dimes from a pay phone and has a hell of a time trying to return the money to the phone company. When told he should just keep the money, Gomer’s repeated response is, “Ill-gotten gains, is what it is, ill-gotten gains!”  
mmm

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/11 "2013-04-26T20:26:07Z")

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> [@Hottius\_Maximus](#):
>
> I never watch Arrested Development but now you have me curious. What is the title of that episode so I can check it out?

I have no idea. I’m sure it’s from season 2. Buster had joined the Army already but had not yet had his hand bitten off by the loose seal.

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**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/12 "2013-04-26T22:39:11Z")

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I liked the episode where Marines, including Sgt. Carter and Gomer, were selected to compete on The Dating Game. Gomer won the date, by being himself, being honest. It drove Carter up the wall. Well most things drove Carter up the wall.

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**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2013, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/13 "2013-04-27T01:11:15Z")

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I rather enjoyed the series of episodes where the platoon was selected to play a minor role in a war movie. Particularly amusing were the scenes where Sgt. Carter kept fouling up the song they were singing (because he was tone-deaf, natch), and the episode where Sgt. Carter, the only one in the platoon who’s given a line, can get it out when the cameras start rolling.

_“OKAY, LET’S HEAR IT FOR PETER PIPER!”_

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**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/14 "2013-04-29T16:41:30Z")

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And if it were Sgt Hartman, it would be Peter Puffer.

😃

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**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2013, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/15 "2013-05-02T01:27:15Z")

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I like the time Gomer said “surprise, surprise, surprise!!”

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**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2013, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gomer-pyle-sergeant-carter-funniest-moments/656459/16 "2013-05-02T04:29:10Z")

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> [@kaylasdad99](#):
>
> I rather enjoyed the series of episodes where the platoon was selected to play a minor role in a war movie. Particularly amusing were the scenes where Sgt. Carter kept fouling up the song they were singing (because he was tone-deaf, natch), and the episode where Sgt. Carter, the only one in the platoon who’s given a line, can get it out when the cameras start rolling.
> 
> _“OKAY, LET’S HEAR IT FOR PETER PIPER!”_

Amazing! That line just came back to me after 40+ years: It was _“OKAY, LET’S HEAR IT FOR HENSHAW!”_

Of course, they gave all of Carter’s lines to Gomer, and to make him feel better about it (he went on one of his guilt trips after he was chosen to replace the Sergeant) they made Carter “The man who pulled Henshaw from the burning wreck!” and he walked in bandaged from head to toe with his mouth taped shut. Whereupon Gomer burst into song: _“A friend on my left and a friend on my right, vive le compangie!”_

What was the name of the movie … _ **Fighting Devil Dogs of the Air** _? Something like that.
