"The Andy Griffith Show" (1960) TV series 1960-1968

Creator:

Sheldon Leonard

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Release Date:

3 October 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

Widower Sheriff Andy and his son Opie live with Andy's Aunt Bee in Mayberry NC. With virtually no crimes to solve...

Plot Keywords:

Aunt | Sheriff | Mayberry | Widower | Deputy Sheriff

Awards:

Won 6 Primetime Emmys. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Nov. 22	3:00 PM	TVLAND	Barney and the Governor	#3.15
Sun. Nov. 22	3:30 PM	TVLAND	Man in a Hurry	#3.16

Cast

Andy Griffith	...	Sheriff Andy Taylor (249 episodes, 1960-1968)
Ron Howard	...	Opie Taylor (210 episodes, 1960-1968)
Frances Bavier	...	Aunt Bee Taylor (175 episodes, 1960-1968)
Don Knotts	...	Deputy Barney Fife / ... (141 episodes, 1960-1968)

Also Known As:

Andy of Mayberry (USA) (rerun title)

Runtime:

30 min (249 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (1960-1965) | Color (1965-1968)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) (video rating) | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

Rockne Tarkington is the only African-American actor ever to have a speaking role on the show. He appeared in one episode as Opie's piano-playing football coach.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: It's been established that the Mayor's Office is above the courthouse and jail. However there is no indication either inside or outside the courthouse that there is any access to the Mayor's office from the street level or inside the jail. At one point early in the series there was a door to the left of the jail cells which was later removed that could have been an access to the upstairs offices but since no one was ever seen using it and it was later removed from the set, there's no way of knowing.

Quotes:

Barney Fife: The last big buy was my mom's and dad's anniversary present.
Andy Taylor: What'd ya get 'em?
Barney Fife: A septic tank.
Andy Taylor: For their anniversary?
Barney Fife: They're awful hard to buy for. Besides, it was something they could use. They were really thrilled. It had two tons of concrete in it. All steel reinforced.
Andy Taylor: You're a fine son, Barn.
Barney Fife: I try.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: SST: Death Flight (#1.13)" (1989)

Soundtrack:

Fishin' Hole Theme

Why don't they release more of the B&W Episodes on DVD?

I recently purchased the double DVD of "Andy of Mayberry" at MediaPlay and my spouse and I had a good laugh looking at all of them. We also saw the Andy Griffith Reunion Show on TV a few weeks ago. I've always had a tremendous fondness for this series, and such a crush on Andy when I was a girl. The series was ahead of itself in its day in concept and psychology; I don't think any of the other series at or around the time ("Bewitched," "I Dream of Genie," "Father Knows Best," "Leave it to Beaver" or "I Love Lucy") had quite the same combination of warmth and realism that this show had, despite its zaniness.

At present, there are two versions of the double DVD that you get at media stores, both with all the same episodes: "High Noon at Mayberry" (one of the funniest!), "The Big House" ("Here at the ROCK..."), "Andy Discovers America" (one of my faves because Griffith gives a tour de force performance in his story about Paul Revere to the rapt school boys and the credulous Barney. This episode also introduces Helen Crump, the exacting school teacher). "Barney's New Car" (terrific! Knott's at his funniest!). Then there is "Class Reunion," which in my opinion has one of the sexiest and most romantic--because restrained and shy--kisses in all of film history besides "It's a Wonderful Life." Poor Sharon and Andy, drawn to one another and drawn away from one another because of professional differences and attitudes about fulfillment. "I like "A Wife for Andy" because of the hilarious demonstration of reverse psychology: Barney gets Andy interested in Helen precisely because she is "all wrong for him": a modern career woman who can't cook: "This dame's not for Andy. Let's get this dinner over with." I could do without "Here Come the Darlin's" (Charlene annoyed me), as much as I admire the Dillards and their fine Blue Grass music. And why oh why do they have "Dogs Dogs Dogs" and not "Opie the Birdman"? I'd also like to see the episode where Gomer runs around after Barney: "Citizen's Arrayest! Citizen's Arrayest!" And the one where Aunt Bee is eager for Andy to buy her a little cape she sees in one of the department store windows, but he doesn't take the hint and gets her pickling jars instead. Then the rotten mayor (I think), knowing Aunt Bee wants the cape, buys it himself and Andy has to negotiate with him. In short, I want more of the B&W episodes on DVD, but they seem to have stopped at sixteen.

On TVL presently, it seems to be mostly the color-episodes. I've read every comment on this board before offering my own, and y'all are right: WHAT HAPPENED TO ANDY? It's as though when Don Knotts left the show, all the "twinkle" went out of Sheriff Taylor. Maybe it's because the rapport built up between the two, where Andy would tease and Barney would get "sensitive," wasn't there any more, but like many of you said, Andy turns into a curmudgeon, a nag, constantly annoyed, inflexible in his handling of Opie, unresourceful, and lacking in that incandescent joy that was his hallmark early on--as though he has fallen into a depression. What made the series for me in its early years (besides the incredible comic talent of Knotts!) was the steady and happy presence of this sheriff who acted as a catalyst for settling chaos, whose patience, intelligence, sense of humor, keen observation, and basic love of life--that electrifying grin!--was a stabilizing presence on the show. Look at how he dealt with Opie's request to run away in the first episode! When they made the color episode about "Daisy," and Andy's so ticked off about Opie bringing the sick horse home, had the writers forgotten what he taught Opie about respecting animals in "Birdman?" In the color episode where Opie wants to take piano lessons and play football but the activities conflict, why did it take the coach to teach Andy, whose IQ seems to have declined, that an athlete can also be a pianist: just reschedule Opie's practice time! Had the writers forgotten that Andy Taylor the Sheriff (along with Andy Griffith the actor) is also a keen musician? Look at him playing Blue Grass with the Dillards. Or accompanying Rafe Hollister.

In short, I'd like to have access to more of the black and white episodes on DVD. Is that a possibility, O Beings In Charge?

Post Script: What is "Opie" short for? Is it Obadiah, or is it the initials O. P.? Do we ever find out? :)