Inside Stories And Secrets About “The Andy Griffith Show” (Including What The Stars Are Up To Today!)
Every television series has hidden stories and hilarious anecdotes behind them that even adoring fans of the show may not know about. The Andy Griffith Show is no different. Fans may be in the dark about what weird things fans mailed to series star Don Knotts, for example.
The show itself was a wholesome slice of Americana, delivering good life lessons that the whole family could enjoy and watch together. However, there were some things going on behind the scenes that will no doubt surprise Andy Griffith fans.
Andy And Don Were Real-Life Best Friends
Andy Griffith and Don Knotts exhibited a strong chemistry of friendship on The Andy Griffith Show. It helped that they were amazing pals off the small screen, too. Some of that can be chalked-up to the shared life experiences they had when they were younger.
Although the two grew up in separate states, they can both claim to be from the Mid-Atlantic, as Andy grew up in North Carolina and Don has his roots in West Virginia. Both also came of age during the Great Depression. It's likely that both faced the same struggles, or at least understood them, that the other one endured during this time.
Friends To The End
In Hollywood, friendships don't always last a long time, let alone several decades. Andy and Don defied the odds.
Andy Griffith and Don Knotts didn't know each other when they were growing up, but they did meet prior to the development of The Andy Griffith Show. They even appeared in a movie together called No Time for Sergeants, which was based on a popular Broadway play, in 1958. The friendship they established on the big screen lasted through the many seasons of the show and beyond, up until Don's passing in 2006. When Don died, Andy was at his bedside. Talk about a deep and lasting friendship! Andy himself passed away six years later.
Frances Bavier Wasn't As Wholesome As Aunt Bee
Although many of the off the screen antics of co-stars on The Andy Griffith Show demonstrated that they had good senses of humor about them, one of the cast members was notoriously not having it.
Frances Bavier, who played Aunt Bee on the program, didn't have much of a sense of humor at all, according to some accounts. Bavier came from a well-off family, lived much of her life in New York City, and had a "sophisticated air" about her. Unlike many of her co-stars, she also had formal acting education from Columbia University and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
The Cast Played Pranks On Andy
Andy Griffith wasn't the only one dishing out the jokes, however, and often the cast would play pranks right back at him. On one occasion, the group stole Andy's street shoes, which forced him to wear his big Sheriff boots home after a day's work in them!
The pranks must have been a lot of fun, and perhaps inspiring, because there were often pranks that were played out in the script of The Andy Griffith Show, too. In an episode called "The Runaway Kid," for instance, Opie and a group of friends pranked Andy (the show's character, not the actor) by moving his car in front of a fire hydrant, which resulted in the Sheriff of Mayberry embarrassingly getting a parking ticket.
Andy Liked To Call Don "Jess"
One of Andy Griffith's favorite things to do on the set of his eponymous show was to prank his fellow co-stars — best bud Don Knotts was often his favorite target. As a sign of their close friendship, Andy would often refer to Don by his real name, Jesse, teasingly calling him "Jess" on the set.
Perhaps Andy was simply trying to get the humor out of his system, as he recognized he was meant to play the calm, collected character on the show. "By the second episode, I knew that Don should be funny and I should play straight," Andy once recalled.
Andy And Frances' Difficult Friendship
Frances Bavier and Andy Griffith didn't necessarily see eye to eye on the set of The Andy Griffith Show. Bavier, much like Aunt Bee had been some of the time, was more business-professional than Griffith was. After all, the latter was playing practical jokes against his former co-stars (jovially). Bavier, on the other hand, didn't care for such interactions.
The two didn't get along great on set, but that didn't mean they couldn't be friends in later years. Indeed, Bavier was able to reconcile with her former co-star, phoning him to apologize for her being "difficult" in those years, shortly before she died in 1989.
Andy Griffith's Ford Galaxie(s)
For some reason, several television shows in the 1960s were known for having iconic cars for their characters. Batman had the Batmobile, the Monkees had the Monkeemobile, and Andy Griffith had his Ford Galaxie sheriff's vehicle.
It turns out that the production company got the Galaxie for free from a local Ford dealership. What's more, the dealer and the show had a great partnership — one that entailed the show getting a replacement Galaxie every time Ford came out with its next yearly model! After the replacement vehicle was given to the show, the dealer would take the old one, repaint it, and sell it back on his lot. He probably could have made more money, however, if he had merely sold the car as "Andy Griffith's Galaxie." Oh well.
More Cars Than There Were Seasons
The show got a good deal out of getting the free Galaxies. Ford probably got a good deal out of it, too, as it was free advertising for their product. The show was likely sponsored by Ford at the time, which also helped.
Over eight seasons, there were 10 different Galaxies showcased on The Andy Griffith Show. A lot of replicas of the car (decked out in police paint and the light/siren on top) are out there, but if you're an avid car collector searching for Andy Taylor's old sheriff's car, remember: the chances of you finding an authentic one are pretty slim!
Opie Couldn't Throw The Rock
In one scene from the show, Opie, played by Ronny Howard (who goes by Ron nowadays), had to throw a stone into the lake. Problem was, Ronny was only 6-years-old at the time, and didn't have the strength to throw it far enough! Fortunately, the show came up with a solution that helped make it look like Opie had a great throwing arm.
Instead of having Ronny throw the stone himself, he'd mimic the action of throwing one. Off the screen and behind a bush, a props man would throw a real rock, which landed in the lake. If you take a closer look at that scene, you'll even see a longer delay than what would really happen if the rock were thrown by Opie himself.
What About Opie's Mom?
Many fans have wanted to know more about Opie's mother. Unfortunately, not much is said about her during the series' run. In only one episode, entitled "Wedding Bells for Aunt Bee," is Opie's mother even mentioned, as Andy describes how much he loved her. After that...nada.
Devoted fans of The Andy Griffith Show will note, however, that on The Danny Thomas Show (which was responsible for the creation of the character of Andy Taylor), she is mentioned at least one time on that program. Andy mentions that Opie's mom died when he was "just the least little speck of a baby." It doesn't provide much more insight about her, but it does give us a little bit to go on.
Andy's And Helen's Rumored Off-Screen Romance
Just because the program showcased down-to-earth wholesome values doesn't mean the show's actors didn't have their fair share of controversies. Andy Griffith himself reportedly had a relationship with Aneta Corsaut, who played Andy Taylor's love interest Helen Crump on the show. That in itself isn't so bad, except that Griffith was married at the time!
Andy would go on to divorce his wife he was married to when the show aired. He would have three marriages in his life total before he passed away years later.
A Top Rated Show, Even In Its Final Season
The Andy Griffith Show lasted for eight seasons in total and went from black and white TV to color during that time. Many shows suffer from viewer fatigue if they last that long, but not this one. An amazing accomplishment from the show is that it ended things while it was still on top — the show had the highest Nielsen's Ratings for its time slot when it went off the air.
That's not a feat that has been accomplished by a lot of shows — only I Love Lucy and Seinfeld have done the same. On top of that, the show remained popular — reruns have played on television since the series' end.
Barney Fife Wasn't A Sure Thing Past Episode 1
Although it's absurd to think about now, there wasn't any guarantee that Don Knott's character Barney Fife was going to last beyond the first episode! That's because Knotts appeared on the first day of filming The Andy Griffith Show without having formally signed a contract to play the character.
We're glad he stuck around, and the series' fans feel the same way. In fact, the character of Barney Fife is ranked ninth on the TV Guide's "50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time" list that was compiled in 1999. We're pretty sure he would still have a high ranking on that list today, too.
Andy And Aneta's Romance Ruined His Marriage
The romance would have remained a secret until a prank caught the pair in a lie. During one of the pranks that went terribly awry, a crew member on The Andy Griffith Show was supposed to dress up as a waiter and deliver a dinner to Andy's hotel room.
Unbeknownst to the crew member, Andy wasn't alone! That "waiter" caught Andy and Aneta in a compromising situation. That sort of thing didn't typically happen in Mayberry — but in Hollywood, even Andy Griffith had a little controversy about him. That scandal coupled with the divorce from his first wife Barbara proved he wasn't as wholesome as he seemed.
Jim Nabors' Passing, At Age 87
Jim Nabors died at the age of 87 in late November of 2017. He had been battling chronic health issues for quite some time, according to a family friend who released a statement detailing how the actor, who played Gomer Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show, had passed away. Nabors had a liver transplant 20 years prior to his death, which likely contributed to his declining health.
Nabors' husband, Stan Cadwallader, was by his bedside at the time of his passing. In a statement about his untimely death, Cadwallader explained in simple terms how many of us felt about the man who played Gomer Pyle. "Everybody knows he was a wonderful man. And that's all we can say about him. He's going to be dearly missed," Cadwallader said.
Andy's And Ron's Favorite Episodes
The cast of The Andy Griffith Show definitely had favorite episodes that made them laugh the most or tugged their heartstrings in just the right way. For Andy, his favorite episode actually centered around Barney Fife (co-star Don Knotts). The episode, called "Barney's First Car," appeared in season three of the show, and involved Barney buying his first motor vehicle with his life's savings...and it ending up being a pile of junk.
Ron Howard recalls a different episode as being his favorite. The script was actually written by Ron's real-life dad, Rance Howard. It involved Andy being the umpire for one of Opie's baseball games, and his worries over possibly playing favorites and being impartial.
"Kerosene Cucumbers"
Don Knotts had an affinity for a different episode all together: "The Pickle Story." The plot centers around Aunt Bee making a large number of pickles. They don't particularly taste good, and the cast makes sure the audience is well-aware of that fact, making awful faces and describing them in disgusting terms (Barney Fife calls them "kerosene cucumbers").
Unfortunately, a hilarious set of circumstances forces both Andy and Barney to consume eight whole quarts of the pickles — yikes! There's a lot to laugh about during this episode, and it's clear the cast thinks it's hilarious as they're filming it too.
Don Knotts Proved He Deserved A Contract
As mentioned previously, Don Knotts' character Barney Fife wasn't a guaranteed thing beyond episode one. However, the chemistry between Andy and Don (the two had been friends before the show's start) was so obvious and enjoyable that the producers understood it was necessary to keep him on the show.
A one-year contract was written up for Knotts after seeing how the two performed together. Later on, they made the contract a five-year one. Griffith understood his dynamic between the two of them, later commenting, "The second episode was called 'Manhunt' and I knew by that episode that Don should be the comic and I should play straight for him. That made all the difference."
Whistling And Walking To The Old Fishing Hole...
One of the more memorable aspects of The Andy Griffith Show (which can still be recognized by fans today) is the program's opening theme song and credits. Whistle the tune on any street in America, and you're bound to find someone whistling it right back (in harmony, if you're lucky!).
The opening credits scene shows Andy Taylor and son Opie walking, fishing poles in hand, while the tune plays on. The park where they're walking by isn't in North Carolina, where Andy Griffith has said the fictional Mayberry was set in, but actually in Franklin Canyon Park, which is located at the eastern edge of the Santa Monica Mountains in California.
Where Are They Now?
The Andy Griffith Show was an enjoyable series for millions of fans, in no small part due to the actors who portrayed lovable characters. Sadly, many of them have passed away, but a few of the original cast are still with us.
Regardless if they've departed from this world or not, much of the cast went on to perform in other roles that fans could watch and enjoy for an entirely different set of reasons, including Andy Griffith and Ron Howard. He might not be in Mayberry any longer, but you probably know some of the work Ron has been up to, given that he's won some awards for them...
Ron Howard — From Actor To Director
Ron Howard has won many accolades, both for acting and for directing. He followed The Andy Griffith Show up by taking on the role of Richie Cunningham on Happy Days. Because of the two iconic roles he played, Howard was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 2013. He also has not one, but two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (Not bad for a kid who couldn't toss a rock very far!)
Ron has also gone onto direct many classic films. He directed Apollo 13, Frost/Nixon, and A Beautiful Mind, which won him the Academy Award for Best Director.
Frances Bavier Left Acting And Became A Recluse
Four years after The Andy Griffith Show ended its eight seasons on the air, Frances Bavier retired from acting entirely. Her feud with Andy on the show left her unable to work. She led a reclusive life after that, living alone in a two-story home in Siler City, North Carolina, where she decided to live after deciding not to move back to New York. She barely left the building while living there.
Reportedly, she spent most of her time in one large room in the house. There was just a bed, a desk, television, and an end table stocked with her favorite treat — black licorice.
Frances Bavier Stays In North Carolina
As we noted before, Frances Bavier was a trained actress from New York City, who had a difficult time getting along with many of her co-stars. She later reconciled with fellow actor Andy Griffith, luckily doing so before she passed away in 1989.
One thing that Andy helped Frances with, however, was finding her next home, albeit in an inadvertent way. Frances Bavier fell in love with North Carolina, where the fictional Mayberry took place, and decided to stay there rather than move back to New York. Some people simply fall in love with the places they end up working in!
Making Amends With Andy Griffith
In an interview in 1998, Andy Griffith went into details about his relationship with Frances Bavier while the two were on The Andy Griffith Show. Andy was an avid prankster, while Frances took a more serious tone on the show. In spite of their differences, Andy explained in his interview that Frances had called him in the 1980s to explain she was apologetic for "being 'difficult'" while working with him.
Frances passed away at the age of 86, only eight days away from her birthday. The cause of death was determined to be congestive heart failure, coronary disease, and other difficulties.
Jim Nabors And Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C
Gomer Pyle was a lovable side character on The Andy Griffith Show, portrayed by the equally enjoyable actor Jim Nabors. He was so likable, in fact, that he got his own spin-off show.
The program was titled Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. It featured the titular character joining the U.S. Marine Corps, and the various antics he got into there. Nabors didn't just act, however — he also had an incredible singing voice. In fact, Nabors recorded 28 albums outside of his acting career. In November 2017, Nabors passed away at the age of 87. Find out about Nabors' wedding in 2013 by reading on...
Nabors Gets Married In 2013
Being in a same-sex relationship before the past couple of decades was a controversial thing. But Nabors was reportedly in a relationship with the same man from 1975 until his death in 2017. Nabors publicly came out in 2013 when he announced his marriage. He didn't think much of it, beyond the need to announce his getting married — indeed, as he explained it, the need to announce his being gay didn't really cross his mind at all.
"I'm 82 and he's in his 60s and so we've been together for 38 years and I'm not ashamed of people knowing, it's just that it was such a personal thing, I didn't tell anybody," Nabors said at the time.
Aneta Corsaut Continued Her Drama Studies During Filming
Aneta Corsaut portrayed Helen Crump on The Andy Griffith Show, the woman who was the love interest of Sheriff Andy Taylor (and rumored to be a love interest for Griffith off the screen, too). When she was cast for the show, Aneta had to drop out of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where she was enrolled, studying and majoring drama at the time. When she moved to California for filming of the series, she didn't just do acting — she also continued her studies there, pursuing her major while studying at the University of California, Los Angeles. What a work ethic!
Aneta Continued Acting Outside Of Mayberry
Aneta Corsaut continued acting long after The Andy Griffith Show ended. She had a series of roles on a number of programs, including Rich Man, Poor Man, The Runaways, Gunsmoke, and more. She also appeared on The Andy Griffith Show reunion episodes, 1986's "Return to Mayberry" and 1993's "The Andy Griffith Show Reunion."
One of her last non-Mayberry related appearances that Aneta made on television still related to Andy Griffith — she was a judge, in four separate episodes, alongside Andy on his television series Matlock. That show ran until 1995 — coincidentally, the same year that Corsaut died of cancer.
Otis Locked Himself Into The Jail Cell
Mayberry was full of many colorful characters, and despite the show being gone for several decades now, they still live on in our hearts. One such character was that of Otis, portrayed by Hal Smith.
Otis could often be seen meandering around town on his way to the jail cell, which he would open himself and let himself into. He was the town drunk, and he knew what was best for him: to sleep it off in the Mayberry jail, where he couldn't be a harm to anyone else. Taking a serious problem like alcoholism and taking it lightly like this might not have worked on any other show, but on The Andy Griffith Show, Otis was a staple.
Smith Lends His Voice To Famed Cartoon Roles
If Otis' voice sounds familiar, there is a very good reason for that: Hal Smith lent his voice to a variety of characters for cartoons in the years after he left his The Andy Griffith Show persona behind. He was Kaa in The Jungle Book, Uncle Tex in The Flinstones, and Pooh Bear in Winnie the Pooh. He also played Goliath in Davey and Goliath, and voiced a number of background characters on a number of Hanna-Barbera shows
In 1992, Hal's wife, Louise, passed away. Hal was devastated from the loss, and his health deteriorated as a result. In 1994, he, too, passed away, dying of a heart attack.
Floyd The Barber
The Andy Griffith Show featured a lot of "regular folk" on it — the town drunk Otis among them — and that's what, in large part, made the show very charming. Another character that caught viewers' eyes was Floyd the Barber.
Most television series don't highlight the work of menial tasks in their programming, but Floyd could be seen giving Andy haircuts on the series. Absent-minded Floyd could always be relied upon to give a few great lines in the show. Sadly, Howard McNear, the character who played Floyd, died of a stroke in 1969. He had just left the show two years earlier because of other health problems.
Nirvana's Awkward Tribute To Floyd
Kurt Cobain was born the same year that Howard McNear left The Andy Griffith Show, so it seems weird that his band Nirvana might pay tribute to him, years after the show itself ended and Howard passed away. But if you recall, the popularity of the show allowed it to remain in syndication, up until the present time. Cobain likely watched the show as a youth growing up in Washington State.
Still, the song "Floyd the Barber," which references the character played by McNear, isn't the tribute that members of the show probably had hoped for. The song features the residents of Mayberry, including Floyd, attempting to kill Cobain.
Gomer's Cousin Goober
Gomer Pyle was a beloved character on the show, but he wasn't the only one of his family members featured on it. Gomer's cousin, Goober, who was portrayed by actor George Lindsey, was also featured in some of the series' episodes and even had a famous "Goober Dance" showcased on The Andy Griffith Show.
Beyond Mayberry, Goober...er, we mean, George...acted in various other programs during that era of television, including making appearances on The Twilight Zone, Hee Haw, Gunsmoke, and more. He also does a pretty good Cary Grant impression! Goober also made appearances on the spin-off series, Mayberry RFD.
George Provided Laughs On-Screen, Charity Off Of It
George's antics as Goober were hilarious on The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry RFD. The character could always be relied upon to provide comic relief on the program. Off of the small screen, George Lindsey provided monetary help in the form of charity funds toward many important causes.
For instance, within the George Lindsey Celebrity Weekend and Golf Tournament, George was able to raise more than $1,000,000 over the course of 17 years. That money went to help fund the Special Olympics for the state of Alabama. George Lindsey passed away at the age of 83 in the year 2012.
Come And Knock On His Door...
If you had to ask someone who the most memorable Don Knotts role was to them, undoubtedly nine times out of ten that person is going to tell you it's his portrayal of Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show. The actor and the character are tied together for all time, but that doesn't mean Knotts didn't have other roles to play.
He's appeared in numerous television series and movies, making cameos and having roles within them. Like Andy Griffith, Knotts also had success on television in a regular role on Three's Company, where he played paranoid landlord Mr. Furley.
Andy's Last Words To His Friend
Andy Griffith and Don Knotts were really good friends — before, during, and after The Andy Griffith Show. As Don was on his deathbed, Andy visited him, speaking to his friend one last time before he passed away.
Andy recalled his last words to his friend in an interview years later. Don wasn't conscious at the time, but Andy believed he could hear him speak. "I told him that I loved him, and I told him...I said 'Jess [Don's real first name], breathe. You've gotta make this, you've gotta pull through. Breathe.' And you know, I saw his chest heave, and I said 'That's a boy. Keep breathing. Just keep breathing.' And his shoulder moved, so I believe he heard my voice."
From Andy Taylor To Ben Matlock
Andy Griffith knew what it was like to serve as sheriff — well, maybe not in real life, but at least portraying one on TV. Decades later, in 1986, he took on a different role related to the law — that as a lawyer named Ben Matlock on the television show named for the character, Matlock.
The series lasted for many seasons, and renewed Griffith's standing as a television star. It's rare for any actor to have a successful series, let alone two. That Griffith was able to captivate audiences in the 1960s and the 1980s is nothing short of remarkable.
Aneta Corsaut In Matlock
Aneta Corsaut played Helen Crump on The Andy Griffith Show, Sheriff Andy Taylor's love interest. In real life, the two were rumored to have had a secret relationship as well! That relationship, whether confirmed or not, apparently didn't make things too awkward between the actors, as it wouldn't be the last time Corsaut would be cast alongside her former Mayberry co-star.
Aneta would also appear on Matlock in seven episodes on the series. This time, her role was that of Judge Cynthia Justin. Instead of Andy being the sheriff in town, Aneta was the one in charge! It must have been a fun time to be cast together again for the pair, especially given the dynamics change.
Giving His Audience A Voice
Andy Griffith was a respectable voice for his generation of television viewers. Whether as the sheriff of Mayberry, or as the lawyer Ben Matlock, his portrayal of these admirable characters meant that he himself was viewed as a respectable man, too.
As such, Andy starred in numerous commercial public service announcements to help seniors discover the benefits of new health care reforms that were passed. He also supported many political causes and candidates in his career. Even though he was portraying a fictional character on both shows, his respectability was high among those who enjoyed his acting.
Andy's Health Issues, And Death
Andy Griffith faced many health difficulties in his life. Some of the more serious ones happened in the 1980s, and continued on until his death.
In 1983, Andy came down with a disease called Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a neurological disorder that confuses the body's immune system response into thinking it needs to attack nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord. The syndrome is typically not life-threatening, and indeed Andy made a full recovery. In 2000, he had heart problems, and underwent a quadruple hear-bypass surgery. His heart issues continued to last, and in 2012 Andy died of a heart attack. He is buried on Roanoke Island, North Carolina.
