Los Angeles (CNN) -- George Lindsey, the actor who portrayed the country-bumpkin mechanic Goober Pyle on "The Andy Griffith Show," died Sunday after a brief illness, his family said. He was 83. Lindsey's funeral is scheduled for Friday afternoon in Nashville. He will be buried in his hometown of Jasper, Alabama, on Saturday, according to the funeral home. Lindsey's character Goober Pyle joined the hit sitcom in 1964 as the cousin of Gomer Pyle, played by Jim Nabors. When the show ended four seasons later, Lindsey continued as Goober for three years on the sequel series "Mayberry R.F.D." "George often told me his fondest memories of his life in show business were the years he spent working on 'The Andy Griffith Show' and 'Mayberry R.F.D.' " said Andy Griffith. "They were for me, too."
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NEW: George Lindsey's funeral is set for Friday and burial on Saturday
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Lindsey joined the hit sitcom "The Andy Griffith Show" in 1964
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Lindsey continued as Goober on the sequel series "Mayberry R.F.D." for three years
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He embraced the Goober character for another 20 years on TV's "Hee Haw"
When he saw that first episode on TV featuring @placeholder as Gomer, he kicked his television screen because he was upset for losing the part.