Jim Nabors Refused to Fire Co-Star Frank Sutton and Then CBS Cancelled His TV Variety Show

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Jim Nabors refused to fire co-star Frank Sutton and then CBS cancelled his TV variety show. Here's what happened.

A Closer Look

The Jim Nabors Hour was broadcast on CBS from 1969 to 1971, following Nabors' decision to end his hit sitcom Gomer Pyle - USMC (CBS, 1964-1969).

In that military sitcom, Nabors' character had left Mayberry and The Andy Griffith Show for a spin-off in which Gomer joined the Marines.

Two of Nabors' Gomer Pyle, co-stars Ronnie Schell and Frank Sutton, then became regulars on The Jim Nabors Hour along with Karen Morrow, the Tony Mordente Dancers, and the Nabors Kids (who accented the show's musical segments).

The Original Vision

The network's original vision was to revamp Gomer Pyle - USMC as Sargent Carter - USMC, a starring vehicle for Sutton's Sargent Frank Carter, while, too, retaining Ronnie Schell's Corporal Duke Gilbert character.

The new Carter show sounded promising and groundbreaking. The premise involved a Black recruit who, unlike Gomer, would always be one step ahead of the Sergeant.

Unfortunately, Sutton was by then done with the Carter character and wanted to move on to other projects, one of which was The Jim Nabors Hour.

2 x 2 = 0

That new Nabors show regularly ranked high in the ratings but was cancelled after only two seasons for two reasons:

1] The show fell victim to CBS' "rural purge," during which it eliminated all country-gear programming like Mayberry RFD, The Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction, and Green Acres.

2] CBS had told Nabors to fire Sutton, who delivered a solid performance in the comedy sketches but lacked dancing and singing abilities.

When Nabors refused to let Sutton go, CBS, in an act of near-defiance (and still somewhat smarting from not being able to do the Sargent Carter - USMC series), ended The Jim Nabors Hour.