The Andy Griffith Show - General Discussion

[Starleigh]

Yes, I think that was in the first episode, but never mentioned again.

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 hour ago, BigBingerBro said:

I'm sorry if this has been mentioned previously.  I caught one of the very early episodes, and most likely the first episode that Barney appears.  Did anyone else catch that Andy mentions that Barney is his cousin??  They dropped that pretty quick as I don't think it was mentioned ever again.

 

28 minutes ago, Starleigh said:

Yes, I think that was in the first episode, but never mentioned again.

It was the pilot. A lot of things don’t carry over. Like how Andy just gave Barney the deputy’s job. Then in season four Andy is talking about celebrating how Barney has been a deputy for 10 years!

Oh and mystery solved as to how Opie got to California from North Carolina—he told Gomer that he lied to the airline that he was traveling with his grandmother and they got separated. So the airlines put him on a plane to California.

[cooksdelight]

12 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

It was the pilot. A lot of things don’t carry over. Like how Andy just gave Barney the deputy’s job. Then in season four Andy is talking about celebrating how Barney has been a deputy for 10 years!

Oh and mystery solved as to how Opie got to California from North Carolina—he told Gomer that he lied to the airline that he was traveling with his grandmother and they got separated. So the airlines put him on a plane to California.

This show has a lot of things that magically change with no explanation. Barney also had a five-year anniversary and got a stainless steel watch. He has had three different middle names. Clara has had the most for the regulars: Clara Edwards, Clara Johnson, Bertha Edwards, Miss Bedloe.

[mmecorday]

I don't like the color episodes because Andy seems so grumpy all the time and I HATE Howard Sprague. I caught the episode about Aunt Bee's cooking show this morning before work. Because the show films during suppertime, Andy and Opie are left to their own devices. In other words, they're helpless. They watched Aunt Bee's show. Why couldn't Andy and Opie make the recipes that Aunt Bee demonstrated? Oh, that's right. They're men and this was the 1960s,

[GHScorpiosRule]

25 minutes ago, mmecorday said:

I don't like the color episodes because Andy seems so grumpy all the time

This is it, exactly! Even on Gomer Pyle last night, All I saw was anger and no understanding why Opie would run away. And this was like the third time! For the same reason! I thought the last time Opie ran away, or tried to, and told Andy he planned on coming back when Andy could be proud of him again, would have settled the issue. But nooooo. It's so aggravating. Especially when Andy knows that he's lucky he's got such a good son in Opie.

[CrazyMoon]

On 7/28/2020 at 10:30 AM, GHScorpiosRule said:

This is it, exactly! Even on Gomer Pyle last night, All I saw was anger and no understanding why Opie would run away. And this was like the third time! For the same reason! I thought the last time Opie ran away, or tried to, and told Andy he planned on coming back when Andy could be proud of him again, would have settled the issue. But nooooo. It's so aggravating. Especially when Andy knows that he's lucky he's got such a good son in Opie.

When your kid runs away 3000 miles and you have to go trailing after them it's ok to be mad first...not everything can be handled 'hug it out'...

[Browncoat]

My local station is showing an episode now that I don't remember at all.  It has both Ernest T. Bass and Malcolm Merriweather!  It's one of the in color ones, and I'm not as familiar with those, but still, Ernest T. and Malcolm!

[Maverick]

 Yes, that was an odd pairing/crossover.  And I believe it was both the last appearance for each character and their only one in color. The Darlings also only had only appearance in color (it was Helen's turn to be the object of a Darling's attention).

[Browncoat]

Hm.  My local station seems to be airing these shows in random order.  Yesterday, the Taylors came back to Mayberry from Hollywood, and this afternoon, they arrived in Hollywood.

It cracks me up, though, that Gavin MacLeod plays Sheriff Taylor in the "Sheriff Without A Gun" movie, but was a bank robber in the B&W episode where they pretended to be TV people making a "Sheriff Without A Gun" TV show.  That Captain Stubing really got around!

And now, in the next episode, they're trying the same tired escargot line.  We all know Andy's encountered escargot before (with Peggy early on, and with Barney, too), but he acts like he's never heard of it.  I know, continuity was never a strong suit with this show, but it seems like it got worse with the color episode.

Meanwhile, Helen is, as usual, being a jealous shrew.

Edited August 7, 2020 by Browncoat

[Oosala]

20 hours ago, Browncoat said:

Meanwhile, Helen is, as usual, being a jealous shrew.

My least favorite of all of Andy's girlfriends.  She was such a preachy hag.  I liked Ellie but she quit the show because Andy Griffith kept pressuring her into dating him and she didn't want to.  I think that happened to more than one of his TV girlfriends.  Maybe Peggy?  Can anyone corroborate this?  I first read this here.

Edited August 8, 2020 by Oosala

[Browncoat]

1 minute ago, Oosala said:

My least favorite of all of Andy's girlfriends. 

Same.  

[curbcrusher]

Finally found the ticket I can support. 🙂

 

[cooksdelight]

Anyone ever notice that Sarah works the switchboard 24/7?? No matter what time of day, she answers to connect your call.

[Browncoat]

39 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

Anyone ever notice that Sarah works the switchboard 24/7?? No matter what time of day, she answers to connect your call.

Except on Sunday afternoons, when the Mendelbright sisters chat about their feet falling asleep.  

[CarolinaPam]

I wonder what causes that? 😊

[Browncoat]

I’d forgotten there was a class reunion episode in color.  Too bad Andy’s high school sweetheart didn’t show up (or was even mentioned) — Helen’s head would have completely exploded with jealousy!

[BigBingerBro]

I always tune into the TVLand afternoon/evening block of TAGS, but I really wish they would play the colorized later seasons, just to add some variety.  It seems like they stick to the first 2 seasons on an endless loop.

[TheLastKidPicked]

On 8/6/2020 at 3:42 PM, Browncoat said:

My local station is showing an episode now that I don't remember at all.  It has both Ernest T. Bass and Malcolm Merriweather!  It's one of the in color ones, and I'm not as familiar with those, but still, Ernest T. and Malcolm!

 

On 8/6/2020 at 7:25 PM, Maverick said:

Yes, that was an odd pairing/crossover.  And I believe it was both the last appearance for each character and their only one in color.

Around the time of the Malcolm Merriweather episodes, the actor who played him (Bernard Fox) was becoming more popular in the U.S.  He played Dr. Bombay in Bewitched and people liked him.

When you watch the Andy Griffith episodes with Malcolm, it makes you wonder if they were setting him up for his own spin off series.

 

[CrazyMoon]

28 minutes ago, TheLastKidPicked said:

 

Around the time of the Malcolm Merriweather episodes, the actor who played him (Bernard Fox) was becoming more popular in the U.S.  He played Dr. Bombay in Bewitched and people liked him.

When you watch the Andy Griffith episodes with Malcolm, it makes you wonder if they were setting him up for his own spin off series.

 

Perhaps. He also had a recurring role on "Hogan's Heroes" as Col. Crittenden...a bumbling, cowardly, higher-ranking-than-Hogan POW...I think a Malcolm Merriweather spin off would have been very charming....documenting his exploits around the country...

 

[BooksRule]

On 8/8/2020 at 1:59 PM, Oosala said:

I liked Ellie but she quit the show because Andy Griffith kept pressuring her into dating him and she didn't want to.  I think that happened to more than one of his TV girlfriends.  Maybe Peggy?  Can anyone corroborate this?  I first read this here.

According to the book 'Andy & Don: the making of a friendship and a classic American TV show', it was true.  I highly recommend this book (which was published several years ago).  It seems to be a good balance of the 'good' and 'bad' about both actors and has some good behind-the-scenes about the show. As far as I know, Ron Howard hasn't written an autobiography yet, but I wish he would.  I've only read little snippets about what it was like for him to be a child actor, especially on TAGS, and would love to know the whole story. He was one of the few child actors who seemed to have come through the experience with little or no bad problems.  (I would like to read more about his parents, too, since I know they had a lot to do with it, especially his dad.)

I hadn't checked this thread in a while, and now I want to watch some of the older episodes.  It's been a while (I think the only channel I get that is showing TAGS right now is Sundance.)

[GHScorpiosRule]

23 minutes ago, BooksRule said:

As far as I know, Ron Howard hasn't written an autobiography yet, but I wish he would.  I've only read little snippets about what it was like for him to be a child actor, especially on TAGS, and would love to know the whole story. He was one of the few child actors who seemed to have come through the experience with little or no bad problems.  (I would like to read more about his parents, too, since I know they had a lot to do with it, especially his dad.)

In all the interviews I’ve seen with Ron Howard-he’s had nothing but good things to say about Andy. And that Andy was “family” to him. Not like a dad because he had a father. His dad, Rance, was always on set. He appraisals one of the Darlings, but I can’t remember which episode. They were very close.

I think I posted the story of how Ronnie would go to Andy after Rance disciplined him once, and Andy sided with Rance, a few pages back.

You could see the affection between them in the reunions and interviews they did together.

[Browncoat]

I rag on Helen a lot, but sometimes Andy's no real prize, either.  I'm watching the episode now where he finds an old newspaper clipping of Helen being arrested, and instead of just saying to her, "Hey, what's this all about?", he sneaks around and calls the newspaper of all things.  If he's going to be stupid about it, you'd think he'd call whichever law enforcement office in Kansas City instead of the newspaper.

It's the same kind of bullshit that had him eating three spaghetti dinners.  Just be honest and straightforward!

 

Edited September 7, 2020 by Browncoat

[cooksdelight]

On 9/6/2020 at 9:59 PM, BooksRule said:

I would like to read more about his parents, too, since I know they had a lot to do with it, especially his dad.

When Ron directed Apollo 13, the whole family appeared in the movie. Brother Clint played one of the mission control guys. His father played a priest sitting with one of the families. His mother played Jim Lovell’s mother, she was in a wheelchair.

[chessiegal]

My husband and I are watching Leave It To Beaver on MeTV. In early Season 2, filmed in 1958, Wally and Beaver go to the barber shop, and are given haircuts by Floyd! (Howard McNear). His character is named Andy. 3 years later he shows up as Floyd the barber on The Andy Griffith Show. That gave us a laugh.

[Katy M]

On 8/11/2020 at 3:30 PM, curbcrusher said:

Finally found the ticket I can support. 🙂

 

But, what if Andy died.  You just gave Barney access to nuclear weapons.  

[mmecorday]

I have been watching the color episodes in the mornings. I don't think they are as good as the black and white episodes, mostly because Howard Sprague never should have become a main character. Also, the quality of the color is off. The greens and blues seem too harsh. The skin tones look unnatural.

In this morning's episode the character of Millie Hutchins was introduced and Andy, Goober and Howard were all interested in her cream buns.

[sATL]

just popping in to see if any anyone had intel as to why Andy and company is on the air so much...lately

To lazy to change the channel - one of my favorites aired lately. When Gomer joined the USMC. I thought it was a great way to announce a spin off series. Andy tricking Sargent Carter that Gomer was a legacy was - great.

[BigBingerBro]

It was an anniversary of sorts a few weeks ago.  I think that's why there has been an uptick in it being on the air so much lately.

[GHScorpiosRule]

2 hours ago, sATL said:

just popping in to see if any anyone had intel as to why Andy and company is on the air so much...lately

To lazy to change the channel - one of my favorites aired lately. When Gomer joined the USMC. I thought it was a great way to announce a spin off series. Andy tricking Sargent Carter that Gomer was a legacy was - great.

Lately? This show has been on the air in blocks for years.

[sATL]

10 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Lately? This show has been on the air in blocks for years.

It took over a mini-marathon time slot that was held by MASH on Sundace. And now it follows MASH on MeTv. haven't checked TVland -  but I think it  has a home there too.  I think I saw it while a scrolling on Saturday/Sunday, too

But if its an anniversary of  premier/cancellation/etc, I guess that makes some sense.

Edited November 12, 2020 by sATL

[BigBingerBro]

"The Andy Griffith Show" marks 60th anniversary

[Browncoat]

As annoying as Howard was, and he was very annoying, I'll take him over Warren any day.  I think with Warren, they tried too hard to recreate the Barney character, and it just falls so flat for me.  The actor doesn't help, either.

My local station is back to the color episodes again, and is showing them in what seems to be a random order.  

 

[VCRTracking]

Thinking about that episode where the big city businessman's car breaks down in Mayberry and he learns from the townsfolk how to slow down and enjoy life instead of being so obsessed with work. That's essentially the plot of the movie "Doc Hollywood" and every Hallmark movie except with a young, female protagonist!

[Maverick]

 Nah, all those Hallmark movies have a Christmas tree farm (or pumpkin patch if it's Fall). 

[Browncoat]

5 hours ago, VCRTracking said:

Thinking about that episode where the big city businessman's car breaks down in Mayberry and he learns from the townsfolk how to slow down and enjoy life instead of being so obsessed with work. That's essentially the plot of the movie "Doc Hollywood" and every Hallmark movie except with a young, female protagonist!

The best part is that that guy plays a different businessman whose car breaks down in Mayberry in one of the in-color episodes.  He really needs to find a different route.

[marypat57]

Didn’t Andy and Helen get married sometime near the end of the series?  I also seem to remember them leaving Mayberry when Andy took a job with the state police (not sure) and they moved to another part of NC.  I think I also remember that they returned to Mayberry RFD a year later to have their son christened.  
 

Maybe I’m imagining things.....

[GHScorpiosRule]

Just now, marypat57 said:

Didn’t Andy and Helen get married sometime near the end of the series?  I also seem to remember them leaving Mayberry when Andy took a job with the state police (not sure) and they moved to another part of NC.  I think I also remember that they returned to Mayberry RFD a year later to have their son christened.  
 

Maybe I’m imagining things.....

They got married on Mayberry R.F.D. based on imdb.

[Maverick]

 Yes, they were married in the first episode of Mayberry RFD.  That was the setup for Aunt Bee staying on RFD.  She didn't want to be a third wheel living with the newlyweds so widower Sam asked here here to move in and help with his son.  

 Andy was a guest star in a few first season episodes but eventually he and Helen were said to have moved away.  They did return to have Andy Jr. Christensed which saw Goober, Howard and Emmett fighting over who would be the godfather. 

[Katy M]

1 minute ago, Maverick said:

Andy was a guest star in a few first season episodes but eventually he and Helen were said to have moved away.  They did return to have Andy Jr. Christensed which saw Goober, Howard and Emmett fighting over who would be the godfather.

I don't care if he was there or not.  Nobody could be godfataher but Barney.

[mmecorday]

I tend to avoid the color episodes so a lot of them are new to me when I see them. There was one of TVLand this morning about Emmett's 25th wedding anniversary. His wife wants a mink coat.  Because Emmett works in a repair shop and has not yet struck oil, he can't afford mink. There was a woman named Edna who seemed to be taking Aunt Bee's place. She was even wearing one of Bee's outfits. Who was this woman?

Also, many of my contemporaries are celebrating 25+ years of marriage and none of them look as haggard and worn out as Emmett and his wife did.

[BigBingerBro]

2 hours ago, mmecorday said:

There was a woman named Edna who seemed to be taking Aunt Bee's place. She was even wearing one of Bee's outfits. Who was this woman?

I saw that episode this morning too.  I wonder if Ms Bavier was supposed to be in that episode but she become ill or unavailable so they substituted Edna.  Mrs Emmet even commented that she was staying at the Taylor's that week.

[mmecorday]

The last few episodes were on TVLand this morning. Who in their right minds though that Ken Berry could replace Andy Griffith? The weird thing is that Opie is about 14 in the last season, about the same age Ritchie Cunningham would have been in the first season of "Happy Days."

Whoa. I think I just blew my mind.

[GHScorpiosRule]

13 minutes ago, mmecorday said:

The weird thing is that Opie is about 14 in the last season, about the same age Ritchie Cunningham would have been in the first season of "Happy Days."

I think Ritchie was supposed to be 16; recall that it was clear he, Potsie, and Ralph were 16 for two seasons, so they could be high school seniors by season 4 when they graduated. Or they were 17 for two seasons!

[CrazyMoon]

12 minutes ago, mmecorday said:

The last few episodes were on TVLand this morning. Who in their right minds though that Ken Berry could replace Andy Griffith? The weird thing is that Opie is about 14 in the last season, about the same age Ritchie Cunningham would have been in the first season of "Happy Days."

Whoa. I think I just blew my mind.

In 1968 Ron Howard was, indeed, 14...He was 18 when he played Richie Cunningham for the first time on a "Love American Style" vignette called "Love & the Happy Days" in 1972. "Happy Days" began in 1974 with the 20yo Howard playing the 16yo Richie...

 

[BigBingerBro]

1 hour ago, mmecorday said:

Who in their right minds though that Ken Berry could replace Andy Griffith?

I actually didn't mind him in Mayberry RFD.  I don't think of him as a replacement of Andy though, more like just another character.  Considering they had the comedy coming from Emmit, Howard and Goober, Berry as the straight man worked well, IMO.

[mmecorday]

Because I generally avoid the color episodes, a lot of them are new to me. There was one on TVLand this morning about Helen Krump becoming a published author. She simply dropped a manuscript in the mail and then received an advance of $1000. Just like that! She's a literary sensation over night! This doesn't sit well with grumpy ole Andy who finds himself having to take care of Helen while she works around the clock on rewrites. He even has to wear an apron! I really hated how this show discouraged women from becoming their best selves because that ultimately only inconveniences the men in their lives.

[Browncoat]

This show, overall, was very sexist.  They even changed Helen Crump -- when we first meet her, she can't cook, and she has zero plans of ever quitting teaching, even if she gets married. 

Ellie Walker was one of the best characters -- she was a "lady druggist", and also won a spot on the town council, much to Andy's dismay.

[CrazyMoon]

24 minutes ago, mmecorday said:

Because I generally avoid the color episodes, a lot of them are new to me. There was one on TVLand this morning about Helen Krump becoming a published author. She simply dropped a manuscript in the mail and then received an advance of $1000. Just like that! She's a literary sensation over night! This doesn't sit well with grumpy ole Andy who finds himself having to take care of Helen while she works around the clock on rewrites. He even has to wear an apron! I really hated how this show discouraged women from becoming their best selves because that ultimately only inconveniences the men in their lives.

Yet Helen triumphs in the end...remember, this is 1966/67 when women were just starting to come out of their male-imposed shells...My dad's contribution to housekeeping was vacuuming the stairs when asked and picking up after himself (he was tidy by nature) and keeping up the yards/fixing stuff...If you recall, the first social meeting of Andy & Helen (dinner at Thelma Lou's) Barney asked her if she planned to stop working when she married...She told him no, she'd hope to keep teaching...then Andy says "women don't do that anymore, it is the 20th century"...

 

[mmecorday]

Also, Helen made it clear from the beginning that she didn't cook. But in the episode I mentioned, she makes a celebratory meal for her and Andy,

[CrazyMoon]

19 minutes ago, mmecorday said:

Also, Helen made it clear from the beginning that she didn't cook. But in the episode I mentioned, she makes a celebratory meal for her and Andy,

She may have made the effort to learn to cook...which when you want to please your man, is a common thing to do...they'd been going together several years by then...