I would argue that it is easily the greatest show in the history of television. My enjoyment in learning about the Andy Griffith Show is not on par with my affinity for JFK. But it's damned close. Both the on-screen stuff, but moreso the behind- the-scenes stuff. I've tried to identify my favorite episode of all-time, and cannot.
I've seen every episode ... own them actually but I don't know much of the behind the scenes stuff. Wasn't Frances Baviar and Andy's relationship pretty contentious?
I also like the first episode, "The New Housekeeper" and the one where Barney dresses up in the wedding dress and pretends to be Earnest T's bride (can't remember the title)
Citizens' arrest! Citizens' arrest! The first episode with the Darlings is up there too. Also, for anyone with kids. Have you watched Sheriff Callie's Wild Wild West? They basically took Andy Griffith Show and made it a kids cartoon.
Curiously, many claim just the opposite, and say that he was a [Penis] of the highest order. Particularly, the people from his hometown in Mt. Airy, where he refused to even visit for decades at a time. He only came back a handful of times later in life - such as when the Governor dedicated a highway in his name (just outside of the town), and TVLand unveiled the famous "Andy and Opie" statue, which they had donated, and was erected in front of his museum. There are dozens stories of his encountering people in his adopted hometown of Manteo, NC (on the outer banks), such as at shops and restaurants, where someone would simply say how much they admired or appreciated his work, and he would scream at and berate them for simply having spoken to him. By Andy's own admission, he believed that he had failed at theatre, and in film (although his role in "A Face in the Crowd" is widely considered to be a masterful, Oscar-worthy performance), and only looked to TV as an option of last resort, and begrudgingly at that. While he appreciated the fame and money of the Andy Griffith Show (hereafter referred to as "TAGS"), he grew to resent that he was so closely identified with the role, and felt that it was stifling. He blamed his role on TAGS as being stifling to his career later in life, as evidenced by the large gap of little to no work between TAGS and Matlock. Despite the beloved fame of his role as Andy Taylor, Griffith never achieved any award-worthy praise for it, a fact which he greatly resented, especially when considering that Don Knotts won 5 Emmys (IIRC) for his work as Barney Fife. In fact, Knotts and Griffith were actually lifelong friends, and Knotts was well-aware of his sensitivity to the issue, so much so that he would remove his Emmys from their usual shelves and hide them whenever Andy would visit his home, in hopes of sparing his feelings, and continued to do so throughout both of their lives. Again, by his own account, it was Andy who vetoed the re-signing of Knotts when his contract ran out at the end of the 5th season, because Knotts was asking for a stake of the licensing and royalties of the show, just as Andy and other producers had been given, and which many of the same felt that Knotts had rightfully earned. In fact, Griffith only began negotiating to even get Knotts to consider a return until after Knotts had already verbally agreed to a 5-movie deal with Universal, and could not have returned unless he violated that agreement. Andy's a difficult character, on screen and in real-life.
Yes. Bavier was a theatre-trained actress and felt that TV may pay the bills, but was largely beneath her. She had her scrapes with several members of the crew, but particularly loathed Howard Morris, who not only played Ernest T. Bass, but directed several episodes. One famous encounter came when Morris (while directing) instructed Frances to stand in a certain spot, by saying, "And Frances, I'll put you right here." Always sensitive about her weight, Bavier erupted on the set, screaming, "You will not put me anywhere! I am not a couch!" Despite having no ties to the area, whatsoever, Bavier moved to Siler City, NC after retiring. For some years, she lead a normal life as a member of the community, albeit always protective of her privacy. Several years later, both Andy and Ron Howard were together and decided to drive to see her for an unannounced and surprise visit. When they arrived at her home, Bavier was appalled that they would show up unexpectedly, and screamed her refusal to see them from behind her front door, and which she never opened for them. They left without ever laying an eye on her. She became a recluse in her later life, and never left her home for months at a time. After her death, dozens of cats were found to have taken over her home, including the discovery of a large bathtub which she had partially filled with kitty litter, and which had not been cleaned in some time, despite the the cats having extensively used it. Despite the large home she lived in, it was also discovered that she had essentially confined herself to living in only 1-2 rooms on the bottom floor, and it appeared that neither she nor anyone else had likely been upstairs in several years. The car (Studabaker?) which she owned while living in Hollywood, and drove across country when moving to Siler City, was found dust-covered in her garage, sitting on four flat and dry-rotted tires.
I discovered the show later in life. As a kid, I always equated black and white TV with bad TV for some reason. That was my loss.
Even though it makes no difference in the quality of the show, hearing the behind the scenes stuff tarnishes the legacy some for me.
Did you know that many of the buildings that you see in Mayberry were originally built as part of the set for Gone with the Wind? Did you know that there is a Star Trek episode where the Enterprise crew comes to earth, and they used Mayberry to film it (both shows were owned by Desilu Productions)? That's why you can see things like this in that episode: That's the hotel, and Andy's Church (All Saints) in the background:
I used to love the show where the Darlin's sang Dooley. Then THE sonofa[itch bay] even ruined that for me.
I often wonder: is it the acting career that causes people to be like this or is it that they are like this that leads them to acting? While her case is extreme, it does often seem that actors are often a few degrees off of plumb in how they view the world at large. Hers is a tragic story, and very sad. As for TAGS, I have never been a big fan, but found the show to be humorous. Particularly Otis, and how he would lock himself up and let himself out every day.
