I've always watched the Andy Griffith show and I still watch it in reruns.
For some reason I felt like looking for the pilot. Kinda interesting the way some things changed for the series. Andy Griffith Show Pilot (complete show) - YouTube

__________________
Keep on Chooglin'

I recently saw that episode on a channel that regularly shows episodes of the Andy Griffith Show. First time I'd ever seen that particular episode. Very interesting how characters evolve during the course of a show.

It's funny, but you never see reruns of the Danny Thomas show...or at least not on any channel we get.

Thanks snubbyfan, really enjoyed it, also watch the series when it shows up like yourself. Great humor

__________________
Doesn't hasta call me Johnson

I get to watch his shows on Me TV, but like 4 in the morning.

__________________
Doesn't hasta call me Johnson

Andy Griffith show = one of my favorites. good entertainment and a breath of fresh air amongst all the so called "reality" TV....

__________________
There's nowt so queer as folk

Did you notice there was no windshields or glass in the cars in the beginning?

Opee was so young how old is this pilot?

February 1960

The thing that stands out the most to me is the change Andy Taylor's character went through early on in the series. In some of the early shows, Andy appears a lot more like the pilot character. Not sure how to describe it but Andy seemed to be a lot more "folksy" in the beginning. As Barney's character was fleshed out and he was given the comic relief responsibilities, Andy became more "down to earth," at least to me.

__________________
Greg

That's it, the producers found that the show worked better with Andy as the straight man to Barney's bumbling comedic bumbling.

__________________
Keep on Chooglin'

I believe I heard that Barney was originally considered to be the straight man to Andy's comedy, but it became immediately obvious that the reverse was a more successful formula.

That's it, they were going for the same dynamic Don knotts and Andy Griffith had in the movie "No time for Seargents," with Don Knotts as the straight man.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYjoUpRsWGE

__________________
Keep on Chooglin'

Was this originally aired as an episode of the Danny Thomas show? It would not have been titled the Andy Griffith show if he was merely one of the characters. Then again, maybe I missed something.

Thanks for the thread. I am enjoying the show. Back to Mayberry now.

I believe that was the case...and was the introduction of the Andy Griffith character.

I like to read trivia about movies and TV shows, and it's amazing what goes on behind the scenes. For example, Andy Griffith and Frances Bavier (Aunt Bea) didn't get along in real life. In fact, Griffith and Ron Howard paid her a visit at her home in Siler City, North Carolina in 1972, but she wouldn't see them. (She later contacted Griffith when she was terminally ill, and apologized.)

On a different show, I Love Lucy, the actors who played Fred and Ethel despised each other. Some of the supposedly good-natured animosity between their characters was in fact very real.