Ronald “Ronnie” Ralph Schell, the veteran actor and comedian best known for playing Duke Slater on the hit 1960s sitcom Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., died on Friday, June 12. He was 94.
Schell died of natural causes at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, his representative confirmed to USA TODAY.
Born Ronald Ralph Schell on December 23, 1931, in Richmond, Schell began his career as a stand-up comedian while attending San Francisco State University. After getting his start at San Francisco’s famous Purple Onion nightclub, he performed at clubs across the country and later became a regular entertainer in Las Vegas.
His first television appearance came on You Bet Your Life, hosted by Groucho Marx. He found his breakthrough role as Duke Slater, Gomer Pyle’s loyal friend, on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., where he starred from 1964 to 1969. The show was a spinoff of The Andy Griffith Show, it followed the adventures of good-natured, naive mechanic-turned-Marine Gomer Pyle after he leaves his hometown of Mayberry to join the U.S. Marine Corps.
Ronnie Schell as Larry Clarke- Good Morning World.
The show starred Jim Nabors as Gomer and Frank Sutton as his short-tempered drill instructor, Sergeant Vince Carter. Much of the comedy came from the contrast between Gomer’s innocent, kind-hearted personality and Carter’s gruff military style. Despite their frequent clashes, the two characters gradually develop a mutual respect and friendship. The sitcom was a major ratings success and remains one of the most beloved military comedies in television history
Over a career spanning more than six decades, Schell appeared in nearly 150 television productions, including That Girl, Sanford and Son, Charlie’s Angels, Mork & Mindy, General Hospital, and Phil of the Future. He also appeared in more than 20 films, including the Disney comedies Gus, The Shaggy D.A., and The Devil and Max Devlin.
In addition to his on-screen work, Schell built a successful voice-acting career, lending his talents to animated shows and movies such as Jetsons: The Movie and Rover Dangerfield. He continued performing throughout his later years, including a role in the 2019 Off-Broadway musical comedy revue Don’t Leave It All to Your Children!.
Schell is survived by his wife, Janet, his sons, Gregory and Christian, and his granddaughter, Chiara.