Don Knotts, star of 'The Andy Griffith Show,' dead at 81

The Los Angeles Times ^ | February 25, 2006 | Scott Collins

[Clintonfatigued]

Knotts died Friday night of pulmonary and respiratory complications at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills.

[capt. norm]

I grew up watching him on Three's Company and thought he was great.

If you get a chance to pick him up on the "Andy Griffith" reruns on the TVLand channel, you will see him at his best.

From Google I learned:

For playing Deputy Barney Fife, Don was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor five times from 1961 to 1967, winning each time.

[don-o]

Pay no attention to the Posting Police. Thanks for the link to the LAT story.

[DM1]

[prisoner6]

Last summer Morgantown WVA - his hometown - was planning a big shindig for The Barnster. I was going to go but had heard he wasn't doing well and at the last minute the event was canceled. Word was he REALLY wanted to come home but his doctors advised h im to not make the trip...he probably wouldn't survive.

I had been doing a run up for the event...mentioning it whenever I could on WJAS radio Pittsburgh and was really hoping it would work out. Sadly that was not the case.

I still try to play "Whatever Happened to Mayberry" whenever I can. Do a Google and you might be able to find it...it's a cool bluegrass kinda group mixed with a Don Knott as Barney imitator. Well worth the listen.

Oh heck as long as I'm at it...a couple of verses

Whatever happened to Mayberry?
Like the one they had on the TV
With Andy and Opie and Barney and Aunt Bea
Whatever happened to Mayberry?

Towns like that you just can't find
On any old map just any old time
Where friends help friends when they're in need
Whatever happened to Mayberry?

Can't find a town this day and time
A sheriff with no gun and there's no crime
The jail is open, come and go as you please
Whatever happened to Mayberry?

Several more verses with Barn checking in on the chorus...good stuff!

Awhile back Floyd opened his barbershop in the sky...I believe Howard is there...Ole Ernest T. Bass left us last year...

Dang...makes me just wanna...sigh.

God bless ya Barn...and thanks for making my life a little better...imortalizing what Hometown USA was, should and still can be.

prisoner6

[yarddog]

I always wondered about the Sheriff with no gun part. Of course he didn't wear one but had guns and did use them when needed.

Also there was some crime in Mayberry.

[prisoner6]

Yuppers...thats for sure. I saw the other threads and it hit me so hard it's taken me this long to be able to get myself together enough to post a comment. Dupe posts can be a problem, especially for JR and the cost of running FR, but every thread is a bit different and I appriciate dupes.

prisoner6

[don-o]

Don Knotts starred in one of my all time favorite films, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.

Billy Bob Thornton said that in his interview on the recent re-release of "Slingblade."

[prisoner6]

Interestingly enough the show was a spinoff from Danny Thomas - Make Room for Daddy. IIRC. Danny got stopped for speeding in Mayberry. I can't recall for certain if Barn was in that episode, but I think he was.

While I'm a fan of Andy Griffith, I agree with you it was the supporting cahracters that made the show. Pity it had to finish As Mayberry RFD or whatever that shadow was.

prisoner6

[fedupjohn]

The Incredible Mr. Limpet,

My favorite; God rest your soul, Don. GODSPEAD.

[Lx]

Good by Mr. Limpit. Rest in Peace!!


Another good one gone...

[Tim Long]

I used to watch that multiple times in a row as a child.

[prisoner6]

As witnessed by Earnest T breaking windows, Otis the Drunk and the several times when the bank in Mt Airy was robbed and Andy or Barney nabbed em. They had some really good character actors playing those guest roles.

prisoner6

[capt. norm]

...imortalizing what Hometown USA was, should and still can be.

You struck chord with me on that. I'd give anything to live in "Mayberry" and commute to work, if necessary.

[Mike Bates]

Danny got stopped for speeding in Mayberry. I can't recall for certain if Barn was in that episode, but I think he was.

I don't believe he was in that pilot. Frances Bavier (later Aunt Bee) was in it, but not as Aunt Bee.

[Texas Songwriter]

Did you see Barney in "No Time for Sargeants", with Andy Griffin?

[Husker8877]

Love that movie to. And I think the best Andy Griffith show was the one called "Dogs, Dogs, Dogs".

Don/Barney gave this absolutely wonderful soliloqoy to Opie, as he tried to convince Opie (and himself) that the littlest dog of a bunch of dogs that were lost in the thundering rain was being watched out for by the other dogs... it went like this, paraphrased from memory:

"Dogs are given coats that keep them cool in the summer, and warm and dry in the winter! And you don't have to worry about them gettin' hit by lightning...cause dogs are built low to the ground so lightning can't strike 'em. And they watch out for the other dogs...especially the little, trembly ones... Now giraffes, giraffes are so tall! They'd be out running around in the rain by themselves, gettin' hit by lightning, not caring about the others, always looking out for number one...boy giraffes are selfish!"

I love that scene, and it epitomizes the tremendous writing and acting by all the writers, producers, and cast of that show...and Don/BArney is just my favorite comedic actor o that time period...