George Lindsey, Andy Griffith Show's Goober, Dies at 83 Seattle Post-Intelligencer Copyright 2012 Seattle Post-Intelligencer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Published 05:04 p.m., Sunday, May 6, 2012 An Alabama native, Lindsey went to college to become a teacher, but joined the United States Air Force in the '50s. Lindsey continued to portray the character when the show was renamed Mayberry R.F.D.