George Lindsey had his Goober hat bronzed after The Andy Griffith Show had ended

The hat that made Goober a star.

CBS Television Distribution

No one gets anywhere on their own. Even if you managed to claw and scrape your way to the top, that victory would be all the sweeter if you allowed yourself to be helped by those who care about you.

George Lindsey knew what good fortune he had when he won the role of Goober Pyle, but the character wasn't simply handed to him. Lindsey was a talented actor and comedian, with an energetic nature that lent itself well to a comedic family sitcom like The Andy Griffith Show.

Television producers are often given a bad rep. Sometimes, that criticism is earned; plenty of creators are more than willing to tell their own horror stories about producers who tore a project apart before it had the opportunity to take off. However, some producers are as invested in a show's success as the actors and creatives who work on it.

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In his memoir, Goober in a Nutshell, Lindsey explained that he was essentially given free rein to design Goober as he saw fit.

"My portrayal of Goober also was enhanced by the producers, especially Bod Ross, being kind enough to let me do my own wardrobe whenever I wanted to," wrote Lindsey. "When I didn't like the shirt they had me, I went out and bought one at J.C. Penny's, and they reimbursed me. I bought my brogans at Sears."

While plenty of Lindsey's costumes were fairly inexpensive, there was one article of clothing that came close to breaking the bank. "The Goober hats were made at a place called Western Costume and cost $47 each, a small fortune for a cut-up hat in those days," wrote Lindsey. "I went through about six Goober beanies during the series. The original hat was bronzed and is on my mantel now."