The show revolves around happenings in the fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina, and in the lives of its residents,mostly the Taylors and those close to them. The stories are tales of small-town and rural life. The show promotes spiritual and moral values such as church attendance and doing the right thing,along with human values such as neighbors helping neighbors and helping anybody in distress. As a native North Carolinian, I am proud that this show represents my home state well. These are values we Tar Heels share.
The show has its share of hilarious episodes, my favorite episodes include Aunt Bea's pickles that she wanted to enter in the county fair but Andy and Barney did not have the heart to tell Aunt Bea how badly her pickles tasted. Andy and Barney replaced Aunt Bea's pickles with store-bought pickles. It is hilarious when Barney tries smuggling Aunt Bea's pickles out of the house in a suitcase,only for the clinking sound of the jars inside that almost give away what Barney is doing. Another favorite is when Andy runs out of room at the jail,so town drunk Otis Campbell must stay overnight at Andy's house. Aunt Bea treats Otis' stay as a jail sentence and makes him work hard around the house and forces him to give up liquor. The show's Christmas episode is excellent when Mayberry's own version of Scrooge makes it clear that he wants no part of Andy's Christmas celebration but in reality, he is lonely and wants to take part in the festivities so he gets himself arrested and brings Christmas presents for everybody. The "fun girls" episodes are funny also,especially when Helen and Thelma Lou get the wrong idea when they see Andy and Barney with other women. The Darling family episodes are great also,especially Charlene and her crush on Andy. The Darling brothers were played by the Dillards, who in real life perform bluegrass music professionally.
Another hilarious episode is when Barney and Floyd the barber are held hostage by escaped women convicts. One of the escaped convicts dances with Barney right out the door to Andy,who immediately arrests her. I also like the episode when Andy and Helen are trapped in a cave after a rock slide but discover a way out,only to return and spare Barney embarrassment after he organizes a rescue party.
It makes me want to cry when I see Opie crying when he carries a mother bird he accidentally killed with his slingshot. That is some of the most powerful acting ever done on any show,comedy or drama. For punishment,Andy makes Opie listen to the baby birds crying out for their mother. Opie raises the baby birds until they are fully grown,when he releases them.
There are so many other priceless moments on this show. Howard Morris is hilarious as Ernest T. Bass.
As with most long-running series, "The Andy Griffith Show" endured its share of changes.
Ellie Walker was gone after the first season when Elinor Donahue left the series. Barney was romantically involved with Juanita (or "Nita" as he called her),who worked at the Mayberry Diner but was never seen. Barney later found romance with Thelma Lou though she eventually left town. Barney is crushed when he finds out Thelma Lou is married when she returns to Mayberry for a visit. After the fifth season, Don Knotts left the series, with Barney Fife having moved to Raleigh,where he became a police detective. Don Knotts returned for occasional guest appearances. Andy eventually finds romance with Opie's schoolteacher Helen Crump. On the first episode of Andy Griffith's successor, "Mayberry RFD", Andy and Helen marry and move away. Opie grows out of the little boy phase and starts taking an interest in girls in the show's later years. Howard McNear,who played Floyd the barber,suffered a stroke,resulting in a long absence from the series. He eventually returned to the show. Mr.McNear passed away in 1969. Early in 1968, even though his show was still number one in the ratings, Andy Griffith announced he was ending his show.
By the fall of 1968, "The Andy Griffith Show" was no more. In its place was "Mayberry RFD", starring Ken Berry as Sam Jones, a widower like Andy Taylor. Sam also had a son, Mike. CBS retained the original cast,sans Andy Griffith and Ron Howard. Frances Bavier left as Aunt Bea in 1970 after 10 years in that role and was replaced by Alice Ghostley (who at that time also played Esmeralda on "Bewitched") as Aunt Alice. "Mayberry RFD" was canceled by CBS in 1971 when the network purged their "rural-oriented" shows for supposedly more sophisticated,urban fare such as newcomer "All In The Family". "The Beverly Hillbillies", "Green Acres",and "Hee Haw" were also canceled by CBS for the same reason. The line went that CBS canceled any show "that had a tree in it".
By the fall of 1968, "The Andy Griffith Show" was no more. In its place was "Mayberry RFD", starring Ken Berry as Sam Jones, a widower like Andy Taylor. Sam also had a son, Mike. CBS retained the original cast,sans Andy Griffith and Ron Howard. Frances Bavier left as Aunt Bea in 1970 after 10 years in that role and was replaced by Alice Ghostley (who at that time also played Esmeralda on "Bewitched") as Aunt Alice. "Mayberry RFD" was canceled by CBS in 1971 when the network purged their "rural-oriented" shows for supposedly more sophisticated,urban fare such as newcomer "All In The Family". "The Beverly Hillbillies", "Green Acres",and "Hee Haw" were also canceled by CBS for the same reason. The line went that CBS canceled any show "that had a tree in it".
Notwithstanding, "The Andy Griffith Show" remains enormously popular and is shown on local stations and TV Land,with new generations of viewers enjoying the show. Mayberry is a fictional town but will always be real in the hearts of millions of fans. Andy Griffith's hometown of Mount Airy, North Carolina, hosts an annual event known as "Mayberry Days", when actors and actresses from the show and people who worked behind the scenes on the show visit with fans and sign autographs. There is a Barney Fife impersonator. There is a reproduction of Sheriff Taylor's car. Fans dine at a local eatery known as the Snappy Lunch,believed to be the real-life inspiration for the Mayberry Diner. Andy Griffith lives on Roanoke Island, North Carolina, where he began his acting career portraying Sir Walter Raleigh in "The Lost Colony". Frances Bavier passed away in 1989 after having moved to Siler City, North Carolina, many years before. Don Knotts starred as landlord Ralph Furley on "Three's Company" in the early 1980s and had a successful movie career, sometimes appearing with Tim Conway. Don Knotts passed away in 2006. Andy Griffith had another long-running TV series in the 1980s and 1990s, "Matlock",on which he played folksy Atlanta attorney Ben Matlock. Ron Howard starred as Richie Cunningham on the long-running sitcom "Happy Days" and later found success as a movie director.
"Gomer Pyle,USMC" was a successful spin off of "The Andy Griffith Show",with Jim Nabors in the role he began on 'The Andy Griffith Show" as filling station attendant and auto mechanic Gomer Pyle, who had joined the Marines. Gomer was replaced as a filling station attendant and auto mechanic by his cousin Goober Pyle, played by George Lindsey.
Most of the cast of "The Andy Griffith Show" reunited for the 1986 made for TV movie "Return To Mayberry". Andy and Helen return to Mayberry. Barney is now sheriff. Opie and his wife are expecting a baby. Andy helps deliver his grandchild after his daughter-in-law goes into labor. Barney and Thelma Lou get married. Most of the supporting characters return,though Aunt Bea was written out as having passed away,even though Frances Bavier was alive.
With so much junk on TV nowadays,it is comforting that a wholesome series with excellent writing,great comedy,and timeless values such as "The Andy Griffith Show" remains an American classic and will entertain future generations.
"Gomer Pyle,USMC" was a successful spin off of "The Andy Griffith Show",with Jim Nabors in the role he began on 'The Andy Griffith Show" as filling station attendant and auto mechanic Gomer Pyle, who had joined the Marines. Gomer was replaced as a filling station attendant and auto mechanic by his cousin Goober Pyle, played by George Lindsey.
Most of the cast of "The Andy Griffith Show" reunited for the 1986 made for TV movie "Return To Mayberry". Andy and Helen return to Mayberry. Barney is now sheriff. Opie and his wife are expecting a baby. Andy helps deliver his grandchild after his daughter-in-law goes into labor. Barney and Thelma Lou get married. Most of the supporting characters return,though Aunt Bea was written out as having passed away,even though Frances Bavier was alive.
With so much junk on TV nowadays,it is comforting that a wholesome series with excellent writing,great comedy,and timeless values such as "The Andy Griffith Show" remains an American classic and will entertain future generations.
