The Making Of TV Hit The Andy Griffith Show

With a great cast featuring Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, Frances Bavier, and Ron Howard, The Andy Griffith Show was a quaint portrayal of life in the small town of Mayberry, North Carolina. The show charmed so many Americans in the 1960s that it ran for eight seasons featuring 249 high-rated episodes. It won numerous Emmy Awards and left a lasting impression on viewers throughout the US. 

In an episode of The Danny Thomas Show called “Danny Meets Andy Griffith”, Danny runs through a stop sign in Mayberry. As a result, the sheriff, played by Andy Griffith, pulls him over and arrests him for breaking the law. 

Andy Griffith fans likely know the opening credits and theme song well, but did you know that Ron Howard (who played Opie Taylor and was only six years old at the time) needed some help with his rock throwing when they filmed it?

Andy Griffith and Don Knotts had unique comedic chemistry in their hit show, and it made them superstars. They became the best of friends not just on-screen but off-screen as well, but did you know they were besties before the show even started?

Viewers of The Andy Griffith Show loved Deputy Barney Fife – played by Don Knotts – since the show began. Although he appeared in almost every episode, he was not originally intended to be a permanent character on the show.

The Andy Griffith Show has been aired so many times since the late 1960s that it seems immortal. It will, of course, come to an end at some point. Mayberry will not be around forever. However, from 1960 to 1968, the show was a staple of primetime television ratings.

Just as music by The Beatles provided the backdrop for much of The Andy Griffith Show, cars also played an important part. In fact, several of their best episodes centered on cars and the people driving them. Probably the most recognizable vehicle in the series is the Mayberry patrol car.

The whistling melody of The Andy Griffith Show theme song is still recognizable decades after the show went off the air. The song was composed and whistled by music producer Earle Hagen. It remains one of the musician’s most popular works.

We hate to be the ones to tell you this, but Mayberry – the setting of the popular show – never really existed. Some fans think it was based on Griffith’s hometown, Mount Airy, North Carolina, but he always denied this rumor.

Andy Griffith was the father we all wanted – a man with whom we would have enjoyed many fantastic fishing excursions. His calm demeanor and friendly smile helped shape the way people of various generations thought about fatherhood.

Gomer Pyle was the simple-minded gas station attendant who later became an auto mechanic in the American TV sitcom The Andy Griffith Show. He provided much of the comic relief during his two-year stint on the show, usually by uttering, “Shazam!” after being astonished by something.

In early episodes of The Andy Griffith Show, Andy Taylor was always the one to get the punchlines. However, producers decided that Barney Fife would serve as a better comic relief character. They then changed the show around to make Andy the “setup man” and Barney the “funny man.”

Andy Griffith wore a bandage on his right hand for two episodes of the show. You can see it in “Aunt Bee the Warden” and “The County Nurse.” The injury is addressed quickly, with a line about how the sheriff got into a scuffle with some bad guys off-screen.

There have been many spin-offs of successful series that had pilots within the established show, but The Andy Griffith Show did it differently. After the conclusion of its eighth season in 1968, the main character was leaving, but CBS wanted to keep the series on the air. 

The Andy Griffith Show remained a black-and-white program throughout most of its run, but the show took on a brighter look in its final season, switching from black-and-white to full color. Like many television shows at the time, the show changed formats during a time of transition in America.

Griffith was well known for his television work, starring in many TV shows and movies, often being cast as a folksy character with a native Blue Ridge drawl. The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock were two of the most popular shows in which he appeared.

Ron Howard got his first major acting job at the age of six when he landed a role on The Andy Griffith Show. He played the lovable Opie Taylor and became one of the show’s most memorable characters. Howard was incredibly young when he received his big break on the sitcom, but his father was around to support him every step of the way. 

When The Andy Griffith Show premiered in 1960, Ron Howard, Frances Bavier, and Andy Griffith were all relative newcomers to major acting roles. All three owe their success to the show, but Bavier had already reached legendary status on Broadway.

While few details are known about Barney Fife’s early life, fans of the show often wonder about the character’s middle name. The actor who played Barney throughout the series, Don Knotts, was asked what it was on multiple occasions, but he allegedly gave out at least two different answers.

Barney Fife, the bumbling deputy sheriff played by Don Knotts, was a beloved character in Mayberry. However, many fans don’t realize that he wasn’t a full-time cast member of The Andy Griffith Show in every year of its production. Knotts took time away from the show to pursue a film career.

As we mentioned, Don Knotts left his role as Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show to pursue a film career. He returned in 1966 and 1967 for two more seasons, earning two more Emmy awards for outstanding performance in a supporting role in a series.

Though immensely talented, actress Francis Bavier, who played the wonderfully doting Aunt Bee on the long-running television series, was said to be a bit of a diva. Some people attributed her behavior to the fact that she was used to working on feature films and stage productions.

Griffith and Knotts initially signed five-year contracts for The Andy Griffith Show. That’s why during the fifth season, Knotts began looking elsewhere for work, eventually getting an opportunity to sign a five-year contract with Universal Pictures. 

If you’ve ever wondered why the character Helen Crump, played by Aneta Corsaut, was given such a peculiar name, it’s because she was only supposed to appear in one episode.

Another resident of Mayberry beloved by fans was this cute character, played by Ron Howard’s real-life brother, who was largely silent on the series. Clint Howard, the adorable peanut butter-and-jelly-loving cowboy, appeared in several episodes as Leon. It makes sense that he became an accomplished child actor!

The identity of “Mr. Schwamp” was a mystery for 60 years. It’s hard to imagine that an actor on a popular television show could remain unknown for six decades. Yet, somehow, this familiar face from The Andy Griffith Show baffled fans for 60 years. Just who in the world was Mr. Schwamp?

Despite using the name “Andy” in most of his dealings with Andy, Barney frequently addressed his superior as “Ange.” This may seem strange or even disrespectful at first glance, but it is actually evidence of Andy and Barney’s close bond.

Elinor Donahue’s portrayal of Ellie Walker, who takes over her uncle’s drugstore and eventually begins dating Andy Taylor, was not a favorite among the show’s writers. In fact, in the show’s first season, Elinor Donahue asked to be let go from her three-year contract. 

Sitcoms filmed in the ‘50s and ’60s were traditionally recorded in front of a live studio audience. Andy Griffith, who created the seminal small-town sitcom that shared his name, had no interest in having audiences sit in on the filming of his program.

Howard McNear had an extensive career in radio and television for years when he began playing Floyd, a character described by Wikipedia as “a vague and chatty barber.” Unfortunately, the actor suffered a stroke in the middle of the show’s run. This left his left side partially paralyzed.

When Don Knotts, who was popular for his portrayal of bumbling Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show, left the series in its fifth season, the show’s producers weren’t sure what to do. They introduced a new character to fill the gap Knotts was leaving, but this move failed miserably.

It was no surprise that Sheriff Andy Taylor fell for Mayberry’s new nurse, Peggy McMillan, played by blonde beauty Joanna Moore. During the show’s third season, Moore was, in fact, married to Hollywood superstar Ryan O’Neal. The couple had two children together, including daughter Tatum, who still holds the record for being the youngest competitive Oscar winner in history.

Andy Griffith, himself, revealed that the fictional town of Mayberry actually had a different name when they first started filming. Apparently, the show’s creatives threw around many ideas of the name of the town which Andy did not approve of.

Andy’s real-life wife, Barbara, made a small appearance on the show in the Mayberry choir in season 4. Her character was referred to simply as Sharon and had one line to the choir director: “I’m sorry, Mr. Masters”.

Even the iconic Frances Bavier played a different role in the beginning of the show. Frances is known for her role as Aunt Bee, but in the pilot episode she played someone known as Mrs. Henrietta.

Joanna Moore was the blond beauty who played Peggy on the Andy Griffith Show. In the episode “Opie’s Rival” she can be seen wearing pants. This was the first woman who wore pants on the show.

Paul Hartman played Emmett Clark on the Andy Griffith Show. He ran Emmett’s Fix-It shop in Mayberry. The second year of the Tony’s they created an award for Best Actor in a Musical and Paul won that award.

Howard Mcnear played the welcoming face of Floyd Lawson at Floyd’s Barbershop between the years of 1961 and 1967. Tragically, it would be the last major role of his career because he had a stroke on the show.

Betty Lynn is well known for her role as Thelma Lou, Barney Fife’s sweetie. She appeared in 26 episodes of the show between the years of 1961 and 1966. Barney Fife, played by Don Knotts, left the show.

While Mayberry was a fictional town made up for the show, it did have characteristics of a real town in North Carolina. Mt. Airy is the inspiration for the town of Mayberry and it is the actual hometown of Andy Griffith.

Andy Griffith always denied that the show was based on his home town of Mount Airy, but inspiration was certainly pulled from North Carolina without a doubt. Some evidence seems to point towards Mt. Airy being an inspiration for the show as well.

Like the character of Mr. Schwamp, the character of “Nice Dress Nellie” was also a mystery for many seasons of the show. She can be seen in the background of episodes throughout the entire show.

Some of your favorite Andy Griffith Show episodes were written by the same writer as the beloved show “Saved By the Bell”. Sam Bobrick wrote many hilarious Barney episodes including “Barney and Thelma Lou, Phfftt”.

It’s usually not a great idea to lie on your resume, but in this case, it worked out for James Best. He claimed to be an excellent guitar player to get cast on the show and in reality he couldn’t play a lick!

True fans will remember this home in Mayberry where more than one of Andy’s girlfriends lived. Helen Crump, the school teacher lived in the 323 house and his girlfriend from earlier that season, Peggy McMillan did as well.

You might not know Colin Male by his face, but if you’re a fan of the show you certainly know his voice. Colin did make an on-screen cameo on the Andy Griffith Show.

Andy Taylor was a man of humble earnings on the show, but off-screen, Andy Griffith indulged in the fancier things in life. Andy was fascinated by cars and collected restored vintage cars for most of his life.

During the earlier runs of the show, Andy and Barney hold their annual Christmas party at the police station. They open a slew of Christmas cards in the process. The funniest greeting was from the Hubacher brothers – a family who were all incarcerated.

In the early years of television reruns and syndication, successful series such as Seinfeld would often be rebranded with a different name for reruns. Syndicators did this so viewers and programmers would know to expect an older episode rather than a new one.

When Don Knotts left the series in 1980, Jerry Van Dyke guest-starred as a carnival musician. He appeared as a potential replacement to the point that he was actually offered a full-time job on the series. However, Van Dyke declined the offer.

Andy Griffith was born on June 1st, 1926 in Mount Airy, North Carolina. He was the first and only child of his parents, Carl Lee Griffith and his wife, Geneva.

When Andy Griffith turned 18 he was required to register for the military–the same as everyone else. While undergoing a required medical evaluation a discovery was made that would impact his military service.

After Andy graduated college he went on to become a highschool teacher of drama and music. He taught at Goldsboro High School in North Carolina and stayed for several years.

Or more than twice if you want to get into the weed about it. He first married Barbara Griffith from 1949-1972 before splitting. Next he married Solica Casuto in 1973. This relationship lasted until 1981.

Andy Griffith adopted two children. One was a daughter who was named Dixie Nann Griffith and a son named Andy Samuel “Sam” Griffith Jr. For the latter child, Sam, he was adopted a year after he was born by Andy Barbara, his first wife.

Sam, Andy’s only son, had some troubles in his life. He was married to a woman named Renee Denise Griffith. In 1992 he was arrested and sentenced to three years probation for a domestic dispute.

After his son died, Andy did not attend the funeral. According to his daughter Dixie, “My brother had some trouble, but it wasn’t my dad’s fault.”

Dixie, Andy’s only daughter worked as an apprentice on not one but two of her father’s made for TV films, however ultimately decided not to pursue acting or a career in film, herself.

Andy Griffith once sued a man who had legally changed his own name to Andy Griffith. The man, William Fenrick, was running for town sheriff and perhaps wanted a leg up.

Andy Griffith died at 86 years old on July 3, 2012. Not many people were shocked at his death as Andy had a lot of health issues that cropped up in old age. Andy suffered a heart attack in his home.

It was not yet five hours when Andy Griffith was lowered into the ground of the Griffith family cemetery on the private estate property.

Andy Griffith was notoriously private in his life. This is what led many people to speculate over the nature of his death and incredibly quick burials. Perhaps this is what the star had requested, and they were following his wishes.

In a memoir released in 2021 named The Boys Ron Howard wrote that his view of Andy Griffith from his boyhood of a warm-hearted, kind mentor remained the same into adulthood. Howard and Griffith joined forced again in 1986 for the television reunion movie Return to Mayberry, and realized not much had changed between the two.

Actor, director, and producer Ron Howard was born on March 1, 1954 in Duncan, Oklahoma. Howard’s mother, Jean, was an actress and professional photographer while his father, Rance, was a successful actor and director.

Believe it or not, Howard’s first acting gig was not the Andy Griffith Show. Howard appeared in his first movie, Frontier Woman (1956), when he was just 18 months old. Howards then went on to make his stage debut at the age of 2 in a production of The Seven Year Itch. 

Rance Howard made sure his son Ron knew it was up to him to decide whether or not he wanted to become an actor. Ron recalls his father talking in a respectful manner and conveying how seriously he took the decision. 

On October 3, 1960, Howard made his first appearance as Andy Griffith’s son, Opie, on The Andy Griffith Show. Little did anyone know just how life changing this role would be for the young boy.

Throughout Howard’s early success, his family made sure to provide a grounding influence they felt the young star would need. Howard’s parents made it clear from very early on that  despite his growing success Howard should be able to experience a typical childhood.

 At his father’s request, Howard maintained a public school education throughout his budding career, but it came at a cost for the young actor. It is no surprise that kids can be cruel and his classmates often bullied Howard for his role as Opie.

 During his time at John Burroughs High, Howard began to dabble in amateur filmmaking. Howard began to feel right at home behind the lens of a Super 8 camera. He also began to study and question the film crew while on different sets.

After The Andy Griffith Show ended filming in 1968 Howard starred in a few different roles, but his acting career really took off when he got offered a leading role as Richie Cunningham in the TV series Happy Days. The 1974 series leading role quickly elevated Howard to superstardom.

In 1975, during the peak of his Happy Days career Howard decided to make it official and marry his long-term girlfriend and high school sweetheart, Cheryl Alley.

Howard left Happy Days after seven seasons as he began to feel the show’s focus shift to co-star Henry Winkler’s character Fonzie. 

While making an appearance in John Wayne’s last film, The Shootist, Howard met Hollywood movie producer Roger Corman. The two struck up an agreement where Howard would star in Corman’s movie Eat My Dust in exchange for Corman’s help in directing Howard’s first movie.

Released in 1977, Grand Theft Auto was shot in just 22 days with a modest budget of $602,000. The film was not only Howard’s debut as a director, but a box office hit, grossing $15 million dollars.

 In 1979 Howard appeared in More American Graffiti which would become his last major acting role. In 1980 Howard signed a three-year exclusive contract with NBC to become a full-time executive-director.

Throughout the years Howard has had immense success with his directing career including massive box office hits like Cocoon– 1985, Apollo 13– 1995, How The Grinch Stole Christmas– 2000, A Beautiful Mind– 2001, Cinderella Man– 2005, The DiVinci Code– 2006, and more recently, Thirteen Lives- 2022.