The Andy Griffith Show: An Observation

shouldazagged said:
I enjoyed the show, but it was already an exercise in nostalgia when it first ran. Less and less of the country's population was living in places like the idyllic Mayberry. Even then it was, for much of the viewing public, an homage to "the America that once was".

Don Knotts will always be the ridiculously swaggering Barney Fife, determined to nip things in the bud, for me. And like many of us, I knew at least one Floyd and many renditions of Aunt Bee.
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Wow, do you enjoy telling kids there's no Santa as well?

Barney Fife has to be one of the most memorable characters of all time.

"You have not seen the last, of Ernest T. Bass!"
 
Andy was my fifth cousin on my Dad's Mom's side of the family and yes there is a Snappy Lunch and also a for real Floyd's Barber shop. He also based a lot of the characters on real life people he grew up with. Otis Campbell's first name was taken from my Dad (also mine) and, there are some Campbells in the area I think. He and my Dad played together as Kids.

I saw the program so much when I was a kid growing up I can't hardly bear to watch them now.

If you have never been, there is what they call an Autumn Leaves festival each year as best I recall it's late Sept. or early October. They close off Main street and have a huge street fair with all kinds of crafts and there is plenty of great music both from professional and non professional groups. Best part is it's all free except for what food and crafts that you buy.
 
Though I've never been a big fan of TV or the dramatic art in general, it seems to me that this show was the best I've ever seen, and I find it really entertaining. It's cast superbly, but the thing which stands out to me is the brilliance of the writing. A lesson or two in every episode and consistently funnier than any comedy show I can recall.

One of my favorites: Andy has to spend most of a day out of town and puts Barney in charge, who takes things so seriously that he arrests all the major characters(including Aunt Bea) for dubious offenses. When Andy gets back he notices the streets are unusually quiet. He walks in the door and everybody's packed in the cell and yelling at Andy to get him/her out. Hilarious!

Regards,
Andy
 
Here is something to think about. I sure ain't opposed to bein' married. Am happily so myself for nearly 50 years, but when I read the following, I had to stop and think about it. Made me grin!!!! See what you think ...

Did you ever wonder why Mayberry was so peaceful and quiet? ....nobody was married. Here are the single people that come to mind. Andy, Aunt Bea, Barney, Floyd, Howard, Goober, Gomer, Sam, Ernest T Bass, the Darlin family, Helen, Thelma Lou, Clara...

In fact, the only one married was Otis and he stayed drunk most of the time!!!
 
jtcarm said:
Wow, do you enjoy telling kids there's no Santa as well?

Barney Fife has to be one of the most memorable characters of all time.

"You have not seen the last, of Ernest T. Bass!"
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You completely missed my point, which was that I loved Barney's ridiculous swagger and the rest of his quirks, as most of America did. Knotts made him a truly memorable character who still makes me laugh today. Nobody else could have played the part.
 
My Wife went to the Town They used for Mayberry and She said it was just like the Show,They even had the Theme song being played over a Speaker.
The funny thing I found out was Aunt Bea actually did not like Andy in real Life and in a interview He was asked about it and He said He never figured out what it was She didnt like.
All in All that had to be the best show ever next to I love Lucy.
 
It's my favorite show of all time. No cussing, no nudity and no real violence. Just a homey little town I would love to live in.
My favorite characters are Rafe Hollister for one. I had a comment on doctors yesterday about the episode where Ainge took the county nurse up to his farm to give him a tetanus shot. He said we don't need no doctors, as nobody gets sick up there. "When I was born I had my Momma, when I die I'll have the undertaker, don't see any need to mess things up in between".:eek: They showed him a thermometer. He says he has one on the barn, only bigger. They said it showed how hot HE was. He said "I know how hot I am...DANG hot". They reminded him he said nobody gets sick up there. He responded "Balls a'fahr, Ma'am, bein' hot ain't sick, sooner or later you're bound to get cold agin'".:cool: We need more guys like Rafe.
Then there was Ainge's girlfriend, Peggy McMillan. She was a BABE! Looked remarkably like my first real girlfriend.:cool:
They made 249 episodes. About 20 years ago I taped 'em all.
Still watch 'em.:cool:
Jim
 
e3mrk said:
My Wife went to the Town They used for Mayberry and She said it was just like the Show,They even had the Theme song being played over a Speaker.
The funny thing I found out was Aunt Bea actually did not like Andy in real Life and in a interview He was asked about it and He said He never figured out what it was She didnt like.
All in All that had to be the best show ever next to I love Lucy.
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It was also rumored that she didn't much like people either. After she retired and moved to N C she became a virtual recluse and wouldn't have anything to do with anyone. Actually had a pretty nasty attitude.
 
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Just wondering if any body ever saw an obscure little tv movie called Pray for the wildcats. Starred Andy Griffith, William Shatner and Marjoe Gortner.

Andy's Character was pure evil. He was the meanest kind of man. After that Sheriff Taylor never looked quite the same to me. I never would have believed that He could play such a part and play it so well. He had acting skills that a lot of people never saw.
 
I used to tend bar at a place that catered to daytime drinkers. The regulars would line up to watch the Three Stooges, followed by Andy Griffith, then Newhart.

The best tip days were when Curly was on the Stooges episode and Barney was on Andy Griffith.

It was grim when it was a Shemp followed by a non-Barney.

By the time Newhart came on they were usually hammered and playing "Hi Bob".

I still remember the poem the Mayberry kids used to taunt poor Barn:

There once was a deputy called Fife,
Who carried a gun and a knife.
The gun was all dusty,
And his knife was all rusty,
Because he never caught a crook in his life.
 
sheepdawg said:
My favorite episode is the one where Otis comes in to the jail to lock himself up and the moonshiners had been caught by Andy. They were out to get Otis since he had changed suppliers and they thought he had ratted on them. Andy couldn't put Otis in the cell so he had to take him home. Of course Aunt Bee put Otis to work and Otis kept getting caught trying to escape. He told Andy that being at his house was like being at "The Rock."


Otis kept singing "The Dipsy Doodle" when he was hammered.

Aunt Bee the Warden - Mayberry Wiki
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That is another of my favorite EPs as well as the haunted house episode w/ Gomer in it.
 
e3mrk said:
My Wife went to the Town They used for Mayberry and She said it was just like the Show,They even had the Theme song being played over a Speaker.
The funny thing I found out was Aunt Bea actually did not like Andy in real Life and in a interview He was asked about it and He said He never figured out what it was She didnt like.
All in All that had to be the best show ever next to I love Lucy.
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Speaking of not getting along, Fred and Ethal did not like each other either.
 
Walkin' Jack said:
Just wondering if any body ever saw an obscure little tv movie called Pray for the wildcats. Starred Andy Griffith, William Shatner and Marjoe Gortner.

Andy's Character was pure evil. He was the meanest kind of man. After that Sheriff Taylor never looked quite the same to me. I never would have believed that He could play such a part and play it so well. He had acting skills that a lot of people never saw.
Click to expand...

He made a movie called "A Face In The Crowd" about a superficially charming, manipulative, amoral con man. Played it very well. Pretty depressing little flick, and he showed his versatility as an actor. I suspect I was one of maybe seventeen people in North America who saw it.
 
P&R Fan said:
It's my favorite show of all time. No cussing, no nudity and no real violence. Just a homey little town I would love to live in.
My favorite characters are Rafe Hollister for one. I had a comment on doctors yesterday about the episode where Ainge took the county nurse up to his farm to give him a tetanus shot. He said we don't need no doctors, as nobody gets sick up there. "When I was born I had my Momma, when I die I'll have the undertaker, don't see any need to mess things up in between".:eek: They showed him a thermometer. He says he has one on the barn, only bigger. They said it showed how hot HE was. He said "I know how hot I am...DANG hot". They reminded him he said nobody gets sick up there. He responded "Balls a'fahr, Ma'am, bein' hot ain't sick, sooner or later you're bound to get cold agin'".:cool: We need more guys like Rafe.
Then there was Ainge's girlfriend, Peggy McMillan. She was a BABE! Looked remarkably like my first real girlfriend.:cool:
They made 249 episodes. About 20 years ago I taped 'em all.
Still watch 'em.:cool:
Jim
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Speak in of more favorites, this reminds me of another favorite. Remember when they thought the goat ate the TnT. Every time there was an explosion, some lady would call the sheriffs office wondering if it were the Yankees.
 
shouldazagged said:
My late brother and I exchanged short and frequently scurrilous parodies of TV shows, B movies, TV commrcials, etc.

We had one running gag with Aunt Bee as a dominatrix and Floyd her best client. :D

There were others that were much worse. Blasphemy, I know. :o:o:D
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I can't imagine one worse than that unless it involves human sacrifice or Otis and farm animals.....:eek:






Rustyt1953 said:
shouldazagged said:
My late brother and I exchanged short and frequently scurrilous parodies of TV shows, B movies, TV commrcials, etc.

We had one running gag with Aunt Bee as a dominatrix and Floyd her best client. :D

There were others that were much worse. Blasphemy, I know. :o:o:D
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I just threw up in my mouth.
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I hear ya!
...........though the thought of Floyd being hurt is somewhat comforting. I just wouldn't want him to enjoy it. :D
 
Frances Bavier (Aunt Bee) wasn't bad looking in her younger years. Here's a pic from her better days.

John

frances_bavier-andy-auntbee3_zpsn9p5upyy.jpg
 
I think there was only one character on the show that was married and he was the drunk. All the others were not married.
I love to watch the reruns.
 
I actually quoted Barn today when I submitted my latest PI column for the newspaper. I am talking about child custody cases, something I have been very successful in investigating. I mentioned I advise my clients to keep a journal. This will help them remember events, can be used in court hearings, and as my favorite LEO, Barney Fife advised Ainge....."it's Therapetic".:cool:
Barn wasn't talking about keeping a journal, I think he just wanted Ainge to bare his soul about his heartbreak with his latest girlfriend, but I like the quote.:D
Jim
 
Don Knotts, who played Barney, was a regular on the old Steve Allen show on TV. Steve did a gag "man on the street" interview schtick often.

One night, he approached Don as the "man on the street", and it went something like this, as I remember. Don was mostly known as "The little shaky guy."

-----------------------------------------------------

Good evening sir. What is your name?

K..K...K...B...B... M-M-Morrison.

And what do you do for a living, Mr. Morrison?

I-I-I- p--p--p--put th..th..p-p-pins in h-h-h-hand grenades!

I see sir. I can sure see that would make one very nervous. By the way, what does "K.B." stand for?

"K-K-K-KA-BOOM!"

-------------------------------------------

Totally cracked me up, and I never forgot it. They don't make 'em like that any more.


John
 
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opaul said:
I think there was only one character on the show that was married and he was the drunk. All the others were not married.
I love to watch the reruns.
Click to expand...

It just dawned on me why Mayberry was so peaceful and quiet....nobody was married.



Here are the single people that come to mind: Andy, Aunt Bea, Barney, Floyd, Howard, Goober, Gomer, Sam, Ernest T Bass, the Darlin family, Helen, Thelma Lou, Clara...



In fact, the only one married was Otis and he stayed drunk.
 
Marlon Perkins on the Wild Kingdom show: "While Jim wrestles with the nine crocodiles, I go back to the boat for more film. Did you know Mutual of Omaha will insure you just like it does Jim?"
 
HOUSTON RICK said:
Marlon Perkins on the Wild Kingdom show: "While Jim wrestles with the nine crocodiles, I go back to the boat for more film. Did you know Mutual of Omaha will insure you just like it does Jim?"
Click to expand...

My wife and I picked on this back in the 60s ....we laughed and watched to see what danger the big handsome guy would get each week.
 
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