Return to Mayberry (1986)

After being away for awhile, Andy Taylor returns home to Mayberry to visit Opie, now an expectant father. While there, he ends up helping Barney Fife mount a campaign for Sheriff.

Director:

Bob Sweeney

Writers:

Harvey Bullock, Everett Greenbaum

Stars:

Andy Griffith, Ron Howard, Don Knotts

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Andy Griffith	...	Andy Taylor
Ron Howard	...	Opie Taylor
Don Knotts	...	Barney Fife
Jim Nabors	...	Gomer Pyle
Aneta Corsaut	...	Helen Crump Taylor
Jack Dodson	...	Howard Sprague
George Lindsey	...	Goober Pyle
Betty Lynn	...	Thelma Lou
Howard Morris	...	Ernest T. Bass
Maggie Mancuso	...	Charlene Darling (as Maggie Peterson-Mancuso)
Denver Pyle	...	Briscoe Darling
Hal Smith	...	Otis Campbell
Rodney Dillard	...	Rodney Darling
Doug Dillard	...	Doug Darling
Mitch Jayne	...	Mitch Darling

Storyline

This was a reunion bringing back most of the characters from The Andy Griffith Show. It begins with Andy Taylor returning to Mayberry and planning to run for his old job of Sheriff but when he arrives, he discovers that his old deputy and friend, Barney Fife, is planning to run also. So Andy decides to back down. And at the same time there are some strange things going on, and Barney's stumped, so Andy has to help him out. Also Barney's planning to propose to his old girlfriend Thelma Lou, and Opie, Andy's son is about to become a father.

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Plot Keywords:

sheriff | mayberry | actor reprises previous role | rural setting | election | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 April 1986 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Arroyo Grande, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Strathmore Productions, Viacom Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Andy and Helen had a baby after moving away from Mayberry (this was depicted in Mayberry R.F.D. (1968)). In this movie, however, there is no mention of Andy, Jr.

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Goofs

When Andy first enters the courthouse to surprise Barney, he walks by the window on his way to greet Barney. Visible through the window is a construction project showing a new building being built. When they exit the building at the end of that scene, the scene beyond the window is now that of a completed structure that resembles an office of some type.

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Connections

Followed by The Andy Griffith Show Reunion: Back to Mayberry (2003)

User Reviews

Sweet reunion

No it is not a classic. But for ANY fan of the Andy Griffith Show "Return to Mayberry" is a sweet movie that reunites almost all of the original cast. The story is somewhat lame but it's fun just to sit back and watch the old gang at work. It is even more bittersweet knowing that 3 of the cast members (Aneta Corsaut, Jack Dodson, and Hal Smith) have since died. And kudos go most of all to Ron Howard who is now one of the top directors in Hollywood. He easily could have thumbed his nose at this movie. It just goes to show that there really are nice people still in Hollywood.