Alabama has produced many outstanding actors, captivating audiences on television, in movies, on stage and more. These folks have talent and skills aplenty, and we’re pleased to point to their accomplishments and cheer them on from afar.

Today, let’s take a look at five Alabama natives who’ve earned widespread fame for their work on national TV. Their iconic characters have transcended the small screen, giving them a larger-than-life quality that continues to attract and enthrall viewers today. Over the decades, these actors have made their home state proud.

Jim Nabors

James Thurston Nabors (1930-2017) has a secure place in TV history, thanks to his indelible portrayal of an goofy, naive soldier who gets into plenty of scrapes — and drives his sergeant crazy — in the U.S. Marine Corps. We’re talking about Gomer Pyle, of course, and Nabors absolutely owns that heartwarming role. The Sylacauga native (who also was a talented singer) developed his signature character as a regular on “The Andy Griffith Show” in the 1960s. Gomer was so popular with viewers, CBS created a spin-off sitcom for him, “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.,” that aired for five seasons, 1964-1969.

A key part of the appeal was Nabors’ on-screen chemistry with Frank Sutton, who played his frustrated commanding officer, Sgt. Carter. Each half-hour episode provided plenty of opportunities for the two characters to clash, but Gomer was so darn lovable, it was tough for Sgt. Carter to stay angry with him for long. Occasional appearances by Gomer’s girlfriend, Lou-Ann Poovie (played by Elizabeth MacRae), were a sweet bonus. At the end of each program, viewers typically had big smiles on their faces.

Also, let’s not forget the catchphrases Nabors, as Gomer, lent to pop culture in the ‘60s: “Shazam!” and “Well, golly!” (with the last word drawn out to two or three syllables).

READ: Jim Nabors’ $15 million estate in Hawaii will make you say, ‘Well, golly!’

Courteney Cox

When Courteney Cox signed on for a sitcom set in New York City, the Birmingham-born actress probably didn’t realize she’d be part of a monster hit. But that’s exactly what happened with “Friends,” a now-legendary series that ran for 10 seasons (1994-2004) on NBC and set the tone for many other shows to follow. “Friends” won 6 Emmy Awards and received 62 Emmy nods during its tenure, along with several accolades from the People’s Choice Awards, Teen Choice, the Screen Actors Guild and more.

“Friends” made Cox a star — a bona fide household name — along with five other cast members. The show is an ensemble piece, about the lives and loves of 20-something characters in Manhattan, and the fast-moving, witty scripts permitted no weak links in the acting chain. Cox proved fully up to the challenge, going toe-to-toe with co-stars Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer.

Cox’s character, Monica Geller, was a neat-freak chef who could be bossy, obsessive, anxious, wacky, kind and caring, sometimes all at once. As embodied by Cox, Monica was supremely likable despite her flaws. Audiences cared about her, laughed with her, got embarrassed with her — and doubled over with laughter when she danced with a raw turkey on her head. (See “The One with all the Thanksgivings.”)

Cox, 60, has worked on several other successful projects, including the “Scream” movie franchise. But she’ll always be remembered, and cherished, for her work in “Friends.”

READ: 5 best Courteney Cox ‘Monica’ moments as ‘Friends’ turns 30

Walton Goggins

Right now, Walton Goggins owns Sunday nights on HBO, starring in “The White Lotus” and “The Righteous Gemstones.” The Birmingham native, 53, is supremely watchable in both series, exercising his formidable dramatic and comedic skills. But as far as we’re concerned, the supreme role in Goggins’ playbook is the one that made him famous: Boyd Crowder, a charismatic villain who leaps off the the screen in “Justified.”

The FX series, a neo-Western crime thriller set in Appalachia, aired for six seasons, 2010-2015, and Goggins very nearly stole the show. His character — smart, ruthless, conniving, compelling — was the perfect foil for Raylan Givens, the tough, unconventional lawman played by Timothy Olyphant.

Olyphant set a high bar with his portrayal of a deputy U.S. Marshal who adheres to his own personal code, often infuriating his bosses in rural Kentucky. Goggins, however, was right up there with him, playing a complex criminal we loved to hate — and competing with Olyphant for acting primacy, scene for scene. The two actors were a dynamic duo, slipping seamlessly into “frenemy” roles originally created by Elmore Leonard for his novella “Fire in the Hole.”

Goggins was nominated for a 2011 Emmy Award for his work in “Justified,” and although he didn’t win, he richly deserved that trophy.

READ: Alabama’s Walton Goggins on TV, movies, getting the South right

Reg E. Cathey

Reg. E. Cathey (1958-2018) probably had showier roles during his career, most notably on “The Wire” and “Oz.” But for understated excellence, viewers cannot do better than observe his work in “House of Cards,” a dark political thriller that aired for six seasons on Netflix, 2013-2018.

Cathey, a Huntsville native, played Freddy Hayes, the gruff owner of a barbecue joint frequented by the series’ devilish main character, Frank Underwood (portrayed by Kevin Spacey). When Underwood needed to decompress from the drama he was whipping up on Capitol Hill, he would head to Freddy’s, a shabby oasis that specialized in outstanding ribs. Freddy was a tough guy, tolerating no nonsense and taking no prisoners, and you never saw him kowtowing to Underwood. The two characters had a mutual respect — most of the time, anyway — and for much of the series, they were unlikely friends.

In the hands of a lesser actor, Freddy might have been a throwaway role — a convenient way to advance the plot, or to show another side of the immoral, manipulative Underwood. But Cathey gave his character gravity and grit, along with a hardscrabble magnetism. When Freddy was on screen, he simply commanded your attention. Fans watched Cathey with fascination; they listened closely to everything his character had to say.

Small wonder, then, that Cathey earned three Emmy nominations for his work in “House of Cards” over the course of four seasons (2013-2016), and won the trophy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2015. He was just that good.

READ: 5 celebrity connections to Huntsville you might not know

Polly Holliday

When the series is called “Alice,” but everyone’s talking about Flo … well, that’s a sure sign of a breakout character. Actress Polly Holliday, a Jasper native, became a breakout extraordinaire in the 1970s, playing a brassy, sassy waitress at Mel’s Diner in Phoenix, Arizona. As Florence Jean “Flo” Castleberry, Holliday was a comedic dynamo, and her signature exclamation, “Kiss my grits!” made audiences roar with laughter. Holliday used her Southern accent to advantage on “Alice” for four seasons, 1976-1980, and viewers absolutely adored her.

True, Linda Lavin was the series star, playing Alice Hyatt, a widow and aspiring singer who starts her life over and ends up working at the diner. Lavin was at the heart of the popular sitcom, which aired for nine seasons on CBS, 1976-1985. But Holliday was a tough-and-tender standout during her time as Flo, making the most of the character’s oversize personality.

Holliday earned two Golden Globes for her role in “Alice,” as well as four Emmy nominations. She also nabbed her own spinoff series, aptly named “Flo,” that aired for a single season, 1980-1981. Holliday, 87, has a long acting resume, with many other credits in theater, movies and TV. But she’ll always be Flo to us, now and forever.

READ: An Alabama native made ‘Kiss my grits’ an iconic Southern phrase