The Andy Griffith Show

"The Andy Griffith Show", in my opinion, will always be in the top 10 of my favorite shows, and I've watched the reruns numerous times since the first episode in 1960. I'm sure Danny Thomas has received many accolades for creating this timeless classic. My only criticism is that it stayed on the air three years too long. When Don Knotts exited, that's where it should have ended. The support characters of Goober, Howard and Emmitt never captured the comic timing or spirit of the original cast, and the storylines were bland. I especially detested Jack Burns' character Warren. He was very annoying. The last three years just weren't funny or even compelling enough to bother watching. Even Andy became more cranky and less down-home. He even lost his southern accent and laid-back ways.

THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW (CBS, 1960-1968) is not only Andy Griffith's first TV show, but his best. Griffith, who made his mark on Broadway, TV and screen adaptation of NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS, might have turned that into a weekly comedy series. Instead, Griffith was offered an original premise about the life and times of a southern sheriff in Mayberry. With the show's opening shows off a father and his young son walking towards the pond with fishing poles carried over their shoulders to whistling score, "The Fishing Hole," it's become one of those rare cases where a series, lasting eight successful seasons, to resume that same basic introduction. There were some minor changes over the years where it converted from black and white to color, and the growth of the sheriff's young son. During its eight seasons, this wholesome sit-com not only centered upon Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith), but on the citizens of Mayberry, North Carolina. Naturally a series with such a lengthy run would go through some dramatic or necessary changes, such as the loss of certain characters, (Deputy Barney Fife), and addition of others (Goober Pyle, Howard Sprague), having one basic show with two different formats.

Andy Taylor is described as an easy-going, sometimes laid back sheriff seldom in complete uniform, unlike his bumbling deputy, Barney Fife, who not only dresses accordingly, ranging from tie, hat and a gun in his holster containing one bullet.going strictly by the book of the law. Together Andy and Barney team up for some humorous police work with Andy playing the straight man, and Barney providing his quota of laughs. At times, Barney becomes the bumbling fool in the eyes of the people. It is up to Andy to prove them wrong by helping Barney restore his confidence usually by giving Barney the credit actually due to the sheriff himself. Aside from their professions in keeping law and order in Mayberry, certain episodes would set focus on their personal lives, particularly on Andy, a widower/ father to his young son named Opie (Ronny Howard), cared for at home by his matron Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier). The first season to THE GRIFFITH SHOW did find Andy romantically involved with Ellie Walker (Elinor Donahue), the lady druggist. Seasons two and three found Andy sporadically having new love interests. By the time he acquired one in Helen Crump (Aneta Corsaut), Opie's school teacher, Andy lost his strong Southern accent for more natural tone. As for Barney, he's a carefree bachelor with his heart set on Thelma Lou (Betty Lynn). Unlike Andy (who would make Helen his bride in the premiere spin off series of MAYBERRY RFD in 1968), Barney would never marry.

After five seasons of black and white episodes, the remaining three seasons converted to color. Aside from that change, the Barney Fife character was gone, but not forever, making occasional returns once or twice a year for old times' sake. During Barney's absence, Andy acquired a substitute deputy, Warren (Jack Burns), written out of the show after 12 episodes, leaving Andy to sheriff about town alone and deputy position permanently vacant. With passage in time, Andy's police work would become less frequent, having ts main focus more on Andy's home-life and citizens of Mayberry. Otis (Hal Smith), the town drunk, would eventually be phased out.

While normally programs such as this losing a key supporting character such as Don Knotts would suffer in the ratings, THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW continued to prosper for the next three years, becoming the number one show by the time Griffith gave up his badge by the end of the eighth season (1968). By then, the show acquired additional characters to the lineup: Goober Pyle (George Lindsay), Howard Sprague (Jack Dodson) and handyman, Emmett Clark (Paul Hartman), who replaced by Floyd, the Barber (Howard McNear), upon his death during the 1967-68 season; Clara Jackson, later Edwards (Hope Summers), Bee's closest friend; all new characters part of the Mayberry family.

What has become the secret to the success of THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW? Was it the father and son relationship between Andy and Opie, (who affectionately calls addresses him as "Paw.")? The chemistry between best friends Andy and Barney? Or the now familiar faces and classic characters who took part as citizens of Mayberry that made the show special? One thing for sure, there's nothing dated about THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW. It could be set anywhere at anytime, since it hardly dealt with issues or political issues of the day.

During its initial years, THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW played funny without becoming too silly, except in some cases with the wild and crazy Ernest T. Bass (Howard Morris). The final years dealt more on serious issues without getting overly sentimental, though some early ones, "Opie the Birdman" (1962) and "Aunt Bee's Romance" (1964) went strictly on the dramatic side. The final three seasons moved towards a more wholesome, down to earth setting, even modernizing Aunt Bee from homemaker to independent woman acquiring both a driver's and pilot's license, and the teenage Opie having new friends (Johnny Paul and then Arnold), interests in girls and becoming part a rock and roll band.

While the Andy Taylor character had been originally introduced in an episode of MAKE ROOM FOR DADDY (1959) starring Danny Thomas, characters introduced on THE GRIFFITH SHOW spawned spin-offs as well: Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors), for GOMER PYLE, USMC, and Sam Jones (Ken Berry) for MAYBERRY, RFD.

After THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW ended its run in 1968, it has never gone from view. Many of its 249 episodes in reruns have become favorites, even classics, especially those involving Barney Fife. These and other shows can still be seen and appreciate in its seasonal package on DVD or countless other cable TV channels. (****)

In celebration of the show's anniversary this was one of the most endearing sitcoms in television history for the eight seasons that it ran on CBS. The basis came from an episode of "Make Room For Daddy",aka "The Danny Thomas Show" titled "Danny In Mayberry"(Season 7,Episode 20) that originally aired on February 15, 1960. On the strength of that episode which was a bonafide hit the producers Sheldon Leonard along with Danny Thomas and Ronald Jacobs(who served as executive producers)gave the greenlight for this series which was placed on CBS' Monday night prime-time schedule producing a total of 249 episodes that ran from October 3, 1960 until the final episode of the series on April 1, 1968. Out of the 249 episodes,only 159(Seasons 1 thru 5)were in black and white from October 3, 1960 until May 3, 1965. Seasons 6 thru 8 produced 90 episodes in color from September 13, 1965 until April 1, 1968. Only Danny Thomas, Sheldon Leonard, Ronald Jacobs and Aaron Ruben were the producers from Seasons 1 thru 5. Bob Ross was the producer for Seasons 6 thru 8. The show launched two spin-offs "Gomer Pyle,USMC" (1964-1969),and "Mayberry RFD"(1968-1971). Throughout its eight-year run the show won six Emmys and was nominated for 8 Emmys including Best Comedy Series. Between 1961,1962,1963,1966 and 1967 actor Don Knotts won back-to-back Emmys for Outstanding Performance in a Supported Role for Prime-Time as Deputy Barney Fife for the episodes "The Return of Barney Fife"(Season 6, Episode 17-airdate January 10, 1966),and for the episode "Barney Comes To Mayberry"(Season 7, Episode 19-airdate January 23, 1967). Actress Frances Bavier(Aunt Bee) won the Emmy in 1966 for Best Supporting Actress for Outstanding Role in a Prime Time Series. The show's sponsors throughout it's run were The General Foods Corporation and the Ford Motor Company. The Chrysler Corporation sponsored its final season.

The Andy Griffith Show was just that: the sheriff with a heart of gold and a big smile to match along bringing the moral values and lessons that you see in today's shows of this magnitude or any other,and it still holds up to this day. What really made that show what it is brings up to the great writing and storytelling,combining that with good ole North Carolina humor along with country comedy and add just a touch of Southern Gothic for a good measure. What really made that show hum like a fine motor for the first five seasons was the feisty spit and polish and by the book lawman deputy Barney Fife played with great precision and timing by Don Knotts who won five emmys for his work on that series. What really brought that show out was the father and son relationship of Sheriff Taylor and his son Opie(played by Ron Howard). Andy taught Opie valuable lessons on character and important values and morals as well as development of him from a boy into manhood. The characters that really brought that show out were certain individuals the gave Sheriff Taylor major fits(and Barney as well)like Goober,his cousin Gomer,and the nuttiest of them all: Ernest T. Bass,as well as Otis the town drunkard. After Knotts left the show to pursue other interests in 1965,the show wasn't the same as it was,but it never gave up on interest on the situations that went on in Mayberry. The black and white episodes were simply the greatest ever with Knotts in them,but kinda changed course when the show went to color. One of my all time best ever. Interesting Note on Andy Griffith: When the show left the airwaves on April 1, 1968 on the CBS network,it was the #1 show on television. *Commentary revised on December 10, 2015 in collaboration with the show's golden anniversary.

The Andy Griffith Show will always be remembered as one of the great slice of life series that ever came on television. It represented the ideal small town full of not only ordinary citizens but the crazies that inhabited it as well, especially characters like Ernest T. Bass and the Darlings. The thing that really made this show great was the relationship between the ever cool Sheriff Andy Taylor and the hyperactive Barney Fife. It was Barney as well as the characters of Aunt Bea, Floyd, Otis, Gomer, Goober and, later, Howard and Emmitt that made this show the classic that it was. Also, in later years this show was criticized for not having any black characters on it. If you think about it, this show was merely a reflection of the times that the show took place in, the early to mid 1960's. Despite that, this show will always be a classic.

Also, one of my favortite episodes will always be the bootlegging episode with the two sisters when you get to see Barney let loose and go POW, POW, POW with his trusty ax.

When Television programming was entertaining, AND wholesome, and funny.

Andy Griffith fits the bill for all three. One of my favorite episodes is when Aunt Bee wins some expensive prizes as a game show contestant. I love the shows with the Darlings (The Dillards), and one where Barney Fife tries to find Andy a girlfriend.

As I was growing up, my brothers and I were allowed to watch this show freely, and we used to compete with each other to see who could whistle the theme song the best.

I highly recommend watching this show whenever you can. It's incredibly funny without being skanky, like many modern day sitcoms, and wholesome without being preachy. It just WAS.