Gomer Pyle's Parker

[Roundsworth]

A few years ago, the Commandant of The Marine Corps promoted Gomer to Lance Corporal and presented a certificate of same to Jim Nabors.

[Old and Reliable]

Originally Posted by Christopher Lien

I remember seeing that episode about a year ago. Gomer was running around waving a Parker that Andy had given him to help out with armored car guard duty, and yes, it had very lonnnnng barrels... Was probably Nash B's long lost 34" Parker fowler...

CSL
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Gomer with only one shell for his Parker- and Barney Fife with one shell for his wheelgun--I do know of one fairly current movie where the Parker is mentioned, in an oblique manner- John Gresham's novel "Runaway Jury" the plot is a civil suit against a Southern tobacco company- but in the Hollywood version, with Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman and John Clusak-- the plot is a civil suit against a Southern gun mfg. and at one point the President/CEO of that firm is shooting skeet, you can see the recessed hingepin of the side-by he is shooting- he calls pull- hits the clay, opens the shotgun and the spent shell ejects, and he makes a point about a 70 year old shotgun still being reliable, unlike some people of that age he knew- Had to be a Parker-

[J.B. Books]

After watching these episodes I reminded again of the great talent in acting, scripting and producing TV shows of the 50's and 60's. It seems very true that today we have 200 channels, 24/7 with nothing entertaining to watch. You have to wonder how any Parker came to be a prop gun and when used as one had it been made inoperable for safety reasons. Even more interesting to know where it is today? To me that gun has interesting provenance from it's use in the show. Sorry but I doubt I could resist yelling "Shazam" everytime I took a bird with it

[Dean Romig]

I wonder how many times during rehersal it slipped off that gas pump and clattered to the pavement

[Bill Murphy]

Yup, a Parker, and the one in the last scene seems to have shorter barrels than the one in earlier scenes. Sure can't tell the grade or configuration except that the last scene gun seems to be a large bore, 16 or 12, splinter forend, and 28" or 30" barrels.

[Dean Romig]

I think they hacksawed the barrels to make it easier for Gomer to get into and out of the cruiser with it.

Hmmm.... this sheds new light of why so many Parkers have shorter barrels than when they left Meriden.