Mayberry R.F.D. (TV Series) The Race Horse (1968) User Reviews

Gingersnap

[JordanThomasHall · 6/10 · 1 October 2019]

Sam's cousin Vince (voice actor Jack Grimes), a former jockey turned horse trainer, phones that he is coming to visit. Vince soon arrives with a thoroughbred racehorse named Gingersnap that he was given in lieu of payment. Gingersnap is a poor racehorse despite good bloodlines. Vince is planning to leave the industry and join a friend in Baltimore as a partner in a restaurant. He asks Sam to leave Gingersnap and try and sell him for $300. Aunt Bee laments Gingersnap's fate. Mike enjoys teaching Gingersnap tricks. Emmett tells Sam he believes he has a buyer in Mr. Bowers (Byron Morrow) who runs Walnut Hills Girls' Boarding School. When he arrives to inspect the horse, Aunt Bee purposely scares him off from the horse. She asks Sam to race Gingersnap at Morgan Downs and offers to put up the fees herself. Aunt Bee arranges with the track manager Brice (Judson Pratt) for a jockey (Lou Wagner, "Planet of the Apes") to race Gingersnap in the Blue Ridge Stakes. Aunt Bee's discredited advice may have a lasting effect.

Dreadful

[vitoscotti · 1/10 · 27 September 2023]

A weak remake in a way of a combination of much better Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier) "The Andy Griffith Show" themed episodes. Only here with poor writing, and bland actors. Goober (George Lindsey) supplied the only mild laughs. Ken Berry a talented comedic actor here played perpetually in a strained state vanilla stoically unfunny Sam Jones. Andy Taylor (Griffith) gets an odd "Where's Andy?" mention.

The highlights are a stunning glammed up Millie (Arlene Galonka) and Bryon Morrow of "I Dream of Jeannie". Trivia we see California palm trees at the North Carolina racetrack. The actors seem struggling to be enthusiastic delivering their sinking lines. Good to see the actors who shined in better shows.