Andy Griffith and Don Knotts

[pjohns]

My wife frequently watches reruns of The Andy Griffith Show (which ran from 1960 to 1968). And she told me something that she had read, that I did not previously know, about it.

The first several episodes did not feature Don Knotts ("Barney Fife"); and Andy had the good sense (and the humility) to acknowledge to his producer, and others, that he really needed someone funny to complement him. He said that he had just the person: Don Knotts, who was a personal friend of his.

Note: You may notice that Don Knotts appears also on all the other shows that Andy Griffith stars in (Matlock leaps to mind; there, Don Knotts is his rather eccentric next-door neighbor).

Anyway, I just think that it is a breath of fresh air to see that someone did not consider himself too big--too important--to ask to bring in someone else, who would really carry the show.

[DGUtley]

With all the bad news on and no sports, I frequently watch The Andy Griffith Show for a half hour or so after I get home and then Everybody Loves Raymond comes on. If I can find something WW2 or an old movie I like then I go there. But, this is a safe and easy go-to. I didn't know this.

As for all of this rioting, we know what Barney would say:

[DGUtley]

[pragmatic]

Don Knots played a great character.

In later years after the series ended, "Barney Fife" had somewhat of a cult following on the interwebs. Particularly among college students and a subset of spirited "twenty-somethings".

[stephenpe]

When the series began Griffith and company believed the humor would stem from his character and if you listen he had a much more country accent and demeanor. Griffith quickly realized Knotts was the funny one and he was able to play his part much more straight. I have read everything I can find about them and the series. I have read that Griffith was more like his character on A Face In The Crowd than his Andy character. Im sure the answer is somewhere in the middle. Either way he captured something real on the Andy Griffith show that still resonates today. Ron Howard certainly had an amazing career after his child acting days were over with Andy.

[Standing Wolf]

I recall that in a very early episode of the show Barney called Griffith "Cousin Andy", though the idea that they were cousins was apparently dropped soon thereafter.

I especially liked the episodes that featured Ernest T. Bass.

[Cotton1]

I love the Andy Griffith Show. The world is so ugly at this time I find pleasure in watching simple and corny things with old fashioned values. I watch Andy, The Waltons, Heat of the Night, Adam 12, The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcok, Svengoolie, Matlock