Posted on 11/14/2004 2:21:13 PM PST by silent_jonny
November 12, 2004 - You can't grow up in North Carolina without being subjected to endless reruns of The Andy Griffith Show. Though the show was a bit harder to find once I moved to San Francisco, I still made a point of seeking out the reruns wherever I could find them. The nostalgic show, produced by Sheldon Leonard and Danny Thomas, looks back to an idealized time and place that never really existed. The popularity of the show lasted a full eight seasons and it was, along with I Love Lucy and Seinfeld, one of the few shows to ever end its run while still at the top of the Nielsen ratings. Though the show has thrived in syndication ever since it went off the air (or morphed into the decidedly unfunny Mayberry R.F.D.), fans have long been waiting for a comprehensive DVD version of the show. Thankfully, Paramount has finally consented to release the entire first season in a remastered DVD format, available November 16.
(Excerpt) Read more at dvd.ign.com ...
Amen to that.
Great site! Thanks for the link.
In the old shows, the police procedures are a trip, no computers, everything done manually by some guy behind a desk sorting through index cards. The radio shows are interesting because in many, Friday had a Hispanic partner with a midwest drawl, before Ben Alexander.
Warren! He was the worst -- it's clear the show realized they made a big mistake in casting him, as he didn't even last one season, and Andy never had another deputy sidekick.
On another subject, one of the (unintentionally) funnier color episodes was when Howard got a swinging bachelor pad!
I smell Howard's feet whenever I see that episode.
BTW: I'm not sure, but I don't think Warren lasted more than 4 or 5 shows. Good riddance.
As I recall, "Petticoat Junction" came first (actually after "TAGS"). Anyone remember the opening where the girls were bathing in the water tower? I think it was on Saturday nights.
"The Beverly Hillbillies" was next; occasionally the Clampetts would visit town.
"Green Acres" was a later spin off; it definitely had more of an edge than "Petticoat Junction." Uncle Joe was in a few early episodes of "Green Acres', but later is was mostly Mr. Haney.
I think all these shows were Desilou productions.
;Another thing I remember is that many characters smoked; went with the commercials.
TAGS, like a lot of shows of the period, had in-character commercials at the end of certain episodes. The one I've seen features Opie bringing in a bottle of Sanka on a pillow. The characters discuss how fine Sanka tastes. Surely these scenes haven't been added back in, or have they?
Warren Ferguson, wasn't it? Wasn't he ostensibly from Boston?
I told people all through the recent campaign that that was who Kerry reminded me of, but no one knew what I was talking about.
From what I've read, I don't believe so. The episodes are complete and uncut, but if a coffee ad doesn't pertain to the plot, then I assume it would be left out :(
There was definitely a Petticoat Junction--Green Acres connection. I'm not sure about Beverly Hillbillies.
As I recall, "Petticoat Junction" came first (actually after "TAGS"). Anyone remember the opening where the girls were bathing in the water tower? I think it was on Saturday nights.
"The Beverly Hillbillies" was next; occasionally the Clampetts would visit town.
"Green Acres" was a later spin off; it definitely had more of an edge than "Petticoat Junction." Uncle Joe was in a few early episodes of "Green Acres', but later is was mostly Mr. Haney."
Not quite right.
BH debuted in September 1962.
PJ was spun off the next year with a Jethro/Pearl Bodine connection.
Green Acres was not spun off PJ until 1965.
It's probably a good thing. I wouldn't mind having those scenes in an extras directory, but that didn't happen. I believe they did do something like that on the Lucy sets.
The Andy Griffith Show
1966; Episode: The Barbershop Quartet
The Mayberry Four is going for its third win in three years in the towns quartet contest. The lead character (Howard) came down with a cold. Andy sings bass. Andy recruits a member from the jail. The tenor in the quartet is played by Burt Mustin of the Reseda Chapter (now Valleyaires); he has since passed away. The show segment is about the quartet and the contest even winning the trophy with Barbershop Quartet Championship on the loving cup. Comedy-->Harmony-->Fun!
When Opie was about 5 or 6 he was just too cute. He was the best little actor. The earlier episodes are my favorites. Some of them are real tear jerkers.
Now don't go ruining Skip (or was it Daphne) for me! ;)
"No coffee, tea or punch, thank yooooo."
"My Fair Ernest", one of the best eps of any sitcom ever!
"Creach-ster? She called me a creach-ster!"
The wonderful Delores Packer played Mrs. Wi-iley.
And, according to fundrace, he gave money to the traitor with the long chin.
I woulda courted the Darlin' girl!
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