Jim Nabors is an entertainer of international status whose ability to combine the charm of a sophisticated modern country gentleman with the ingenuousness of a traditional country cousin has made him one of America's most beloved personalities. Blessed with a quick wit and a rich classical baritone, Jim's natural talents as a character actor were discovered when he portrayed "Gomer Pyle" in a guest appearance on the Andy Griffith Show. "Gomer" became a series regular and later the star of his own show "Gomer Pyle USMC". Jim later starred as the host of "The Jim Nabors Hour", and gave television audiences across the country the opportunity to learn what Las Vegas audiences had known for years that Jim Nabors is a sophisticated and multi talented entertainer in his own right.

The son of Mavis and Fred Nabors, Jim was born and raised in Sylacauga, Alabama, where he first began singing in his high school's glee club and church choir.

A show business career was soon set aside when Jim entered the University of Alabama to major in business administration. He got his first taste of acting at the Jason's Jamboree, a Greek skit show in which he performed as a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Upon graduation, he moved to New York and worked as a typist for the United Nations. After a year, he decided to return to the south and worked as a film cutter in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Still suffering from childhood asthma, he was advised to move west. He moved to Los Angeles and got a job as an apprentice film cutter at NBC. At nights, he performed at The Horn in Santa Monica, a cabaret theatre whose intimate atmosphere was bent toward the showcasing of new talent. His occasional performances became nightly appearances as he devoted increasing amounts of energy to perfecting his singing style. Bill Dana took notice of his hillbilly monologues and operatic arias and invited him to audition for The Steve Allen Show. He became a regular for the season. Soon after he quit his job at NBC, The Steve Allen Show was canceled.

Deciding to try his luck in San Francisco, he performed at The Purple Onion, another showcase for new talent. After six months, he decided he might do better back in Los Angeles.

Soon after he returned to Los Angeles and The Horn, Andy Griffith saw him and asked Jim to audition for the part of a bumbling gas station attendant, Gomer Pyle. The rest, as they say, is history.

Jim's unique career has included all aspects of the entertainment industry and earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1991.

Rarely has a performer had a number one rated situation comedy, a top ten variety show, a talk show and several television specials, a recording career, acted in movies for the big screen and television, performed in stage productions and innumerable concerts.

He has recorded twenty eight albums and numerous singles and has garnered five gold and one platinum record.

In addition to his television and recording careers, he has always performed on the personal appearance circuit. However, he briefly interrupted his personal appearance schedule when he became a permanent resident in Hawaii. He embarked on a successful two-year engagement at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, where his lavish "The Jim Nabors Polynesian Extravaganza" played to capacity audiences nightly.

After a few years' absence from the Nevada entertainment scene, Jim returned to Las Vegas and performed before capacity crowds in the Bal Du Moulin Rouge revue at the Las Vegas Hilton. He also starred in the "Razzle Dazzle" ice skating revue at the Reno Hilton where he again broke house records. Jim has since performed in the spectacular "Hello Hollywood Hello" at Bally's in Reno as well as engagements at Harrah's in Reno, Lake Tahoe and Atlantic City

He followed his return to Las Vegas with the first summer tour he had done in five years and broke house records in theatres across the country.

Jim's stage debut was as Harold Hill in "The Music Man", a musical production at The Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre with Florence Henderson. He recreated that role at the Birmingham Summerfest Theatre in Alabama.

His movie career includes "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" with Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton. In "Stroker Ace", he was Burt's ace mechanic and Loni Anderson's confidant. He also had a cameo role in the star studded production of "The Cannonball Run II''

His first movie for TV was a sentimental and nostalgic project as it reunited him with many of the original members of the cast of "The Andy Griffith Show" for "Return to Mayberry" which remains one of the highest rated TV movies in history.

Since his very successful liver transplant surgery in 1994, Jim has been back on the personal appearance circuit and has had engagements with several symphonies including the Dallas and St. Louis Symphonies.

When he is not performing, one can find Jim at his home in Honolulu or on a tractor in Hana, Maui, on his macadamia nut farm where he also grows tropical flowers.

Credit: jimnabors.com