Gomer Pyle star Ronnie Schell has died at the age of 94. According to Yahoo! News, he passed away on Friday, June 12, in Los Angeles, California.
His cause of death has been confirmed as natural causes. He passed away at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Schell was hospitalized after a recent fall, according to his publicist, Harlon Boll.
He was most well-known for playing Marine Pvt. Duke Slater, who was Gomer Pyle's best friend. Schell played opposite Pyle, who was played by Jim Nabors, for three seasons before leaving.
He then went on to star in his sitcom, Good Morning, World, where he played a DJ. But when that fell through, he came back to Gomer Pyle, where Slater had by that time been promoted to a corporal.
But it wasn't just his character who served in the military—Schell served four years in the U.S. Air Force straight out of high school. That's also where he found his start in the entertainment business, too. He enjoyed entertaining people in the military.
His career was slow and steady, which earned him the "slowest rising comedian" label from a local radio host. In his words, "I didn't get the big break, but I got many little breaks."
And that's true, because he is credited with being on over 150 TV shows. These include: You Bet Your Life; The Andy Griffith Show; The Patty Duke Show; The Love Boat; Mork & Mindy; Saved By The Bell; The Golden Girls; and Yes, Dear.
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Tributes Have Poured in for the 'Gomer Pyle' Star
Fans remembered the Gomer Pyle star on social media. "RIP - i used to watch Gomer Pyle on syndicated TV back in the day," one fan wrote. Another wrote, "He was a big part of my childhood TV watching."
Others mentioned his many other roles on TV. "The voice of Jake, the Cat from Outer Space, in Disney's 1978 movie of the same name. Another said, "Loved him on Gomer, but who remembers him from Good Morning, World?"
Rest in peace to a TV legend.
