June 12, 1930– James Thurston Nabors has spent more than 60 years in show biz. He squandered his considerable intelligence, talent & beautiful baritone to playing a hillbilly. Jim Nabors denied his gayness for the sake of his career, even partying with Ron & Nancy Reagan. He remains a Republican, but I forgive him easily, some of my best friends are Republicans. Plus, he lived in an era when being gay & being a star were hardly compatible & rumors could ruin a career. I like that his story has become a happy one & that Nabors finally is able to love out & proud.
In early January 2013, with just a simple exchange of rings in front of a judge in a Seattle hotel room, Nabors married Stan Cadwallader, his partner of 38 years. Nabors met Cadwallader, a former firefighter in Honolulu, in 1975.
Nabors:
“We had no rights as a couple before we were married, yet when you’ve been together 38 years, I think something’s got to happen there, you’ve got to solidify something, & at my age, it’s probably the best thing to do.”
Nabors was born & raised in Sylacauga, Alabama. He originated the character of the hapless but lovable gas-station attendant Gomer Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show & reprised the role in 5 seasons of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. on which his goofball character was perpetually making trouble for his military superiors, but not for being gay. A big TV star back in that time he would never tell even if he was asked. Yet, I always felt Gomer was just going through the motions with Lou-Ann Poovie. His character’s famous catchphrases: Sur-prise, sur-prise, sur-prise, Shame, shame, shame, Shazam! & Goll-ll-y! became part of the lexicon of the 1960s & 1970s.
My insider sources tell me that Nabors was quite popular in the industry & the ultimate professional on the set. Funny & versatile as a comic actor, he was a regular guest on The Carol Burnett Show. (Nabors & Burnett had a comedy act together at the start of their careers), The Dean Martin Show, The Muppet Show, & even had his own CBS variety series, The Jim Nabors Hour (1969-71).
Nabors had always been open about his gayness to his co-workers in the biz, his was an open secret in Hollywood. He now claims that he never wished to get involved in the national debate over gay rights. Nabors:
“I haven’t ever made a public spectacle of it. Well, I’ve known since I was a child, so, come on. It’s not that kind of a thing. I’ve never made a huge secret of it at all.”
We giggled & smirked through that urban legend in the 1970s that had spread suggesting that Nabors & Rock Hudson were married & had a ceremony at Roddy McDowall’s place & that Hudson was going to change his last name to that of Nabors’s famous TV character, making him Rock Pyle. The cruelty of the rumor ended the friendship between the 2 entertainers, never being able to be seen together, The tale was part of that homophobic mindset that any 2 gay men could never resist having sex together. Yet, as a youth, I laughed along with my friends.
The happy Nabors- Cadwalladers live in Hawaii. The couple have a macadamia nut farm in Maui, plus homes in LA & Montana. Nabors turns 85 years old on this day.
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