Carol Burnett, Larry King and Roseanne
Barr were among the celebrities who reacted to the death of
actor-singer Jim Nabors.
Nabors, who was best known for playing
Gomer Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show, died in Honolulu early
Thursday at the age of 87. His husband, Stan Cadwallader, was by his
side.
(Related: Jim
Nabors dead at 87.)
Actress-comedienne Carol Burnett, 84,
said in a statement that her heart was “very heavy.”
“Jim and I remain close friends for
52 years. He was the godfather of my daughter, Jody. Every year he
was always the first guest on my variety show. I considered him my
'good luck charm.' My heart is heavy. I'm grateful he was large
part of my life. I miss him. I love him,” she said.
Comedienne Roseanne Barr tweeted: “Sgt
Gomer Pyle was the first 'gay' character on TV.”
Larry King also weighed in on Twitter.
“Jim Nabors was [a] gentle man with
immense talent. Condolences to his husband Stan and family,” King
wrote.
“Very sad to hear that Jim Nabors
just passed away,” singer-pianist Michael Feinstein messaged on
Twitter. “Gomer Pyle. A wonderful funny actor and singer!”
The Muppets added: “As one of our
first #MuppetShow guests, #JimNabors became part of the Muppet
family. We'll miss his laughter, his singing, and his friendship.”