Ronnie Schell Dies at 94, Ending Long Career From Gomer Pyle to The Smurfs

Q: What defined the bond with Jim Nabors, poignantly ending on the 'Gomer Pyle' co-star's birthday?

Ronnie Schell’s bond with Jim Nabors was defined by a close friendship rooted in their work on “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.,” where Schell played Marine Private Duke Slater, the best friend and foil to Nabors’ Gomer Pyle. That relationship extended beyond the screen. In accounts released after Schell’s death, Nabors was described as Schell’s “dear friend,” underscoring that their connection was personal as well as professional. The ending was especially poignant because Schell died on June 12, the birthday of Jim Nabors. Family members noted the timing as a meaningful coincidence that would have resonated with those who knew and loved both men.

Q: How did this classic sitcom sidekick also become the iconic voice of hockey's Peter Puck?

Ronnie Schell became the voice of Peter Puck through the same versatility that made him a durable sitcom sidekick: he built a parallel career as a busy voice actor while continuing his work in live comedy and television. Best known on screen as Duke Slater, Gomer Pyle’s wisecracking friend on *Gomer Pyle: USMC*, Schell also developed a substantial off-camera résumé in animation and character work. That led to one of his most recognizable voice roles: Peter Puck, the puck-shaped animated character used in NHL broadcasts on NBC in the 1970s to explain hockey rules and strategy to viewers. The role fit Schell’s strengths. His stand-up background, honed at San Francisco clubs such as the Purple Onion and the hungry i, gave him a conversational, comic delivery that worked well for a character designed to make the sport accessible and entertaining. By then, he was already an established performer with broad television experience, which helped him move easily between sitcom acting and voice work. So while many viewers remembered Schell as a classic TV foil, hockey fans knew him in a very different way: as the friendly, animated voice behind Peter Puck during televised NHL games.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 13

Ronnie Schell died early Friday at UCLA Hospital of natural causes, according to a press release; he was 94.
Schell was best known for "Gomer Pyle: USMC" and "Good Morning World," after first appearing onscreen as a contestant on Groucho Marx's "You Bet Your Life."
His career stretched across decades of television, film and voice work, including roles on "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "Sanford and Son" and "The Golden Girls," plus credits on "The Smurfs" and "Jetsons: The Movie."
Born in Northern California in 1931, Schell turned to acting after four years in the Air Force, built his career from stand-up at San Francisco's Purple Onion, and is survived by his wife, two children and a granddaughter.