158 Fun Facts About Andy Griffith

Which North Carolina town, Andy Griffith's birthplace, inspired the fictional Mayberry?

Andy Griffith's childhood home of Mount Airy, North Carolina, served as the primary inspiration for the beloved fictional town of Mayberry in 'The Andy Griffith Show.'

Andy Griffith earned a degree in what field from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?

Griffith graduated from UNC in 1949 with a bachelor's degree in music, having entered as a pre-divinity student before switching majors.

In the 1969 comedy 'Angel in My Pocket', Andy Griffith played what kind of professional?

Angel in My Pocket cast Griffith as a minister, the Reverend Samuel D. Whitehead, a new pastor trying to win over a fractious small Kansas town in the 1969 Universal comedy.

Which widowed small-town sheriff was the title character of a CBS sitcom that ran from 1960 to 1968?

Sheriff Andy Taylor, a widower raising his son Opie with help from Aunt Bee, kept the peace in fictional Mayberry, North Carolina, from 1960 to 1968.

What was the profession of Andy Griffith's character, Ben Matlock, in the TV series 'Matlock'?

Defense Attorney Ben Matlock, a folksy lawyer in a trademark pale gray suit, won nearly every case by unmasking the real killer on the witness stand.

How many seasons did 'The Andy Griffith Show' originally run on CBS?

The Andy Griffith Show ran 8 seasons on CBS, premiering October 3, 1960 and ending April 1, 1968, when Griffith chose to leave.

Who was Andy Griffith's first wife, whom he married in 1949?

Griffith married Barbara Bray Edwards on August 22, 1949; they adopted two children, Sam and Dixie, before divorcing in 1972.

Andy Griffith's 1997 Grammy-winning album, I Love to Tell the Story, was a collection of what?

I Love to Tell the Story: 25 Timeless Hymns, a 1996 collection of hymns, won Griffith the 1997 Grammy for Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album and was certified platinum.

Who played Opie, the sheriff's only child, in 'The Andy Griffith Show'?

Billed as Ronny Howard, he later directed Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind.

Andy Griffith died at his home in Manteo, on which part of the North Carolina coast?

Manteo sits on Roanoke Island, where Griffith had performed for years in the outdoor drama The Lost Colony; he was buried in the family plot on the island.

Before entertaining full-time, Andy Griffith briefly taught which subjects at high school?

Griffith taught music and drama at Goldsboro High School for three years after graduating from UNC in 1949, before leaving to perform full-time.

Who won the 1960 Tony for Best Actor in a Musical, beating Griffith's Destry Rides Again?

Jackie Gleason took the 1960 Tony for Best Actor in a Musical for Take Me Along, beating Griffith, Robert Morse and Anthony Perkins.

What was the last film Andy Griffith appeared in, released in 2009?

Play the Game, a 2009 romantic comedy in which Griffith played a widowed grandfather re-entering the dating scene, was his final film role.

Which 'Andy Griffith Show' co-star also appeared with him on stage and screen in 'No Time for Sergeants'?

Don Knotts, who famously played Barney Fife, had a long professional relationship with Andy Griffith, appearing with him in 'No Time for Sergeants' on both Broadway and in the film adaptation before 'The Andy Griffith Show.'

In what year was Andy Griffith born?

Andy Griffith was born on June 1, 1926, in North Carolina, the only child of carpenter Carl Lee Griffith and his wife Geneva Nunn Griffith.

Andy Griffith was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame as part of which class?

He was still starring in Matlock at the time; the show ran until 1995.

Which of these was a spin-off series from 'The Andy Griffith Show'?

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. sent Jim Nabors's gas-station attendant into the Marines; the backdoor pilot aired as the season-four finale in May 1964.

What medical condition did Andy Griffith suffer from in 1983 that temporarily paralyzed his lower legs?

In 1983, Andy Griffith was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, which caused temporary paralysis of his lower legs and required extensive physical rehabilitation.

In the outdoor drama The Lost Colony, which historical figure did Andy Griffith eventually play?

Griffith spent several summers in Paul Green's outdoor drama The Lost Colony, working up from bit parts to the role of Sir Walter Raleigh, the failed colony's sponsor.

Which Greek actress was Andy Griffith's second wife?

Griffith married Greek actress Solica Cassuto in 1973, a year after his divorce from his first wife; the marriage ended in 1981.

Who composed the whistled theme of 'The Andy Griffith Show', and did the whistling himself?

Earle Hagen composed the theme, titled 'The Fishin' Hole', and whistled it himself on the recording; his partner Herbert Spencer shared the composer credit.

What was the original network that aired 'Matlock' before it moved to ABC?

Matlock premiered on NBC in March 1986 and ran there six seasons before ABC picked it up in November 1992 and kept it until May 1995.

Andy Griffith received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in what year?

George W. Bush presented Griffith with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on November 9, 2005, in a class that included Muhammad Ali, Aretha Franklin and Alan Greenspan.

Which real-life bluegrass band portrayed the Darling family on 'The Andy Griffith Show'?

The Dillards, a bluegrass band from Salem, Missouri, played the near-silent Darling boys in six episodes from 1963 to 1966, performing their own numbers on screen.

Andy Griffith's final guest-starring television role, in 2001, was on which teen drama?

Griffith's 2001 guest spot on Dawson's Creek, the WB teen drama that shot on the North Carolina coast, was his final guest-starring television role.

Which character from 'The Andy Griffith Show' was known for locking himself in jail when he was drunk?

Otis Campbell, the town drunk, let himself into the cell with the key and let himself out again when sober.

In 'No Time for Sergeants', Griffith's draftee Will Stockdale hails from which Southern state?

Will Stockdale, the guileless draftee Griffith played on stage and screen, is a Georgia farm boy, drawn from Mac Hyman's 1954 novel of the same name.

Frugal lawyer Ben Matlock, despite his high fees, loved which food?

Ben Matlock's trademark meal was hot dogs, which the famously thrifty lawyer bought from street vendors and ate even while working cases.

Andy Griffith's third and final wife, whom he married in 1983, was named Cindi how?

Andy Griffith married his third wife, Cindi Knight, on April 12, 1983, and they remained married until his death.

In which city did Ben Matlock run his private law practice?

Ben Matlock practised out of Atlanta, Georgia, where the series' cases played out in the city's courtrooms; the lawyer himself hailed from small-town Mount Harlan, Georgia.

Under what churchly persona was Griffith billed on his 1953 comedy monologue records?

The 1953 single was credited to 'Deacon Andy Griffith', a bewildered rural churchman puzzling over a college football game in thick Carolina dialect.

When "Matlock" changed networks in 1992, production moved to which state to spare Andy Griffith a commute?

North Carolina's EUE/Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington became the new home; the show had shot in California for its entire NBC run.

What instrument did Andy Griffith play as a child and later in his church band?

As a child, Andy Griffith played the slide trombone and continued to play it in his church band.

On which 1997 series did Andy Griffith reprise Ben Matlock in a crossover?

Griffith played Ben Matlock in Diagnosis: Murder's 1997 two-part episode 'Murder Two'; the Dick Van Dyke series shared its producers with Matlock, which eased the crossover.

In what year did Andy Griffith pass away?

Andy Griffith died of a heart attack on July 3, 2012, at age 86, at his home in Manteo, North Carolina.

Which actress played Leanne MacIntyre, Ben Matlock's daughter, in the show's ABC seasons?

Brynn Thayer joined Matlock in 1992 as Leanne MacIntyre, Ben's lawyer daughter, when the series moved to ABC, and stayed through the 1993 season.

Andy Griffith's Lonesome Rhodes in 'A Face in the Crowd' rises to fame via what medium?

Discovered in a small-town Southern jail by radio reporter Marcia Jeffries (Patricia Neal), Rhodes rides local radio to a national television show whose audience makes him a kingmaker.

How many Emmys did Don Knotts and Frances Bavier win for The Andy Griffith Show combined?

Don Knotts won five Emmys as Barney Fife and Frances Bavier one as Aunt Bee, six in all; Griffith himself and the series never won one.

Andy Griffith's 1960 Grammy-nominated comedy album folksily retold which Shakespeare play?

Griffith's 'Hamlet' retold Shakespeare's tragedy as a rambling country yarn and earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Performance, Spoken Word.

Which small label first released Andy Griffith's 1953 comedy single before Capitol bought the master?

Orville Campbell's tiny Colonial Records of Chapel Hill issued the single in late 1953; Capitol then bought the master and took it into the national top ten in 1954.

Andy Griffith lent his voice to which animated holiday special in 1976?

Griffith narrated Rankin/Bass's Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976), taking over from Jimmy Durante, who had narrated the 1969 original before a stroke ended his career.

The exterior shots of Mayberry for 'The Andy Griffith Show' were filmed at what location in California?

The exterior sets for Mayberry, including the iconic courthouse and main street, were filmed at the 'Forty Acres' backlot in Culver City, California.

Which instrument did Sheriff Andy Taylor often play on the front porch in Mayberry?

Andy Taylor often closed an evening strumming his guitar on the front porch; Griffith was an accomplished guitarist who sang folk songs and hymns with the cast on screen.

In the 'Matlock' pilot, who played Ben Matlock's daughter Charlene before being replaced?

Lori Lethin played Charlene in the 1986 pilot 'Diary of a Perfect Murder'; Linda Purl took over for the first season before the character left for Philadelphia.

Andy Griffith was inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame in what year?

The same year he earned a second Grammy nomination for the gospel album Just As I Am.

As a UNC student, Griffith sang in operettas such as The Mikado and The Gondoliers by which duo?

At UNC Griffith sang leads in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas including The Mikado and The Gondoliers, as well as H.M.S. Pinafore, before graduating in 1949.

After Griffith left in 1968, which revamped continuation took his time slot to keep his audience?

Mayberry R.F.D. kept the Monday-night slot and most of the supporting cast for three seasons, 1968 to 1971, and Griffith guest-starred in its early episodes.

In 'Return to Mayberry', Andy withdraws from the sheriff's race so who can win?

Andy withdraws from the sheriff's race so that Barney Fife, the acting sheriff, can win the job; Barney then marries Thelma Lou in the film's closing scenes.

In the 2007 film 'Waitress', Andy Griffith played the crusty owner of what kind of business?

A diner owner who takes a shine to Keri Russell's pie-making waitress was the part; the film later became a Broadway musical.

How many episodes of 'The Andy Griffith Show' were made in total?

The Andy Griffith Show made 249 half-hour episodes between October 1960 and April 1968, all for CBS.

Which sitcom's episode served as the backdoor pilot for the 1960 Mayberry series?

The Danny Thomas Show episode 'Danny Meets Andy Griffith' (February 1960) had Sheriff Andy Taylor arrest Danny Williams for running a stop sign in Mayberry.

Roughly how many people were said to live in Mayberry?

On-screen references put Mayberry's population at roughly 2,000 to 5,000, a sleepy county seat small enough for the sheriff to know everyone by name.

Along with I Love Lucy and Seinfeld, the show shares what ratings distinction?

The Andy Griffith Show ended its run ranked number one in the Nielsen ratings for 1967-68, a distinction it shares with I Love Lucy and Seinfeld; it never finished below seventh.

Which two actors replaced Griffith and Howard as leads in 'Mayberry R.F.D.'?

Ken Berry's widowed farmer Sam Jones and Buddy Foster as his son Mike became the leads of Mayberry R.F.D., which ran 78 episodes over three seasons.

Which veteran comedy writer created the pilot for Griffith's series?

Arthur Stander, a veteran of Danny Thomas's writing staff, wrote the pilot, which made Andy Taylor sheriff, justice of the peace and newspaper editor of Mayberry.

Which character did Frances Bavier play in the 1960 backdoor pilot?

Frances Bavier played the widow Henrietta Perkins in the 1960 pilot, then joined the series proper as Aunt Bee when it premiered that October.

Which company was the show's sole sponsor?

General Foods was the show's sole sponsor throughout its run, and the cast filmed commercials for its brands; Ford supplied the squad cars as promotional consideration.

Where were the show's woodsy scenes, including the 'fishin' hole' credits, filmed?

The opening-credits walk to the fishing hole and other woodsy scenes were shot at Franklin Canyon, a park north of Beverly Hills; interiors were done at Desilu Studios.

Which actor wrote lyrics for the theme in 1961, creating 'The Fishin' Hole'?

Actor Everett Sloane, who guest-starred as moonshiner Jubal Foster in 'The Keeper of the Flame', wrote the lyrics that turned the whistled theme into 'The Fishin' Hole' in 1961.

Which director handled the first three seasons except the premiere?

Bob Sweeney directed nearly every episode of the first three seasons after the premiere; the producers were Aaron Ruben (1960-65) and Bob Ross (1965-68).

Which two mayors served Mayberry over the course of the series?

Mayor Pike was relaxed but indecisive; Roy Stoner was more assertive.

Who played Ellie Walker, Andy's girlfriend in the first season?

Elinor Donahue, fresh from Father Knows Best, played pharmacist Ellie Walker for season one only; later girlfriends included nurse Peggy McMillan (Joanna Moore) and Helen Crump.

Who played Deputy Warren Ferguson, Barney's replacement in season six?

Comedian Jack Burns, of the Burns and Schreiber duo, played Deputy Warren Ferguson in eleven sixth-season episodes before the character was quietly dropped.

Which actor played wild mountain man Ernest T. Bass?

Morris also directed eight episodes and voiced Leonard Blush.

Which unseen Mayberry character worked as the telephone operator?

Sarah, Mayberry's switchboard operator, was spoken to constantly but never seen; Barney's diner-waitress girlfriend Juanita was likewise never shown on screen.

Besides Griffith, Howard, Bavier and Knotts, who was the only actor to appear in all eight seasons?

Hope Summers, who played Aunt Bee's friend and rival Clara Edwards, turned up in every season from 1960 to 1968, the only supporting player to do so.

When Don Knotts left 'The Andy Griffith Show' in 1965, where did the storyline say Barney Fife had gone?

The script sent Barney to the Raleigh Police Department, where he started in the fingerprint section and later made detective; Knotts returned for five guest appearances in the colour seasons.

Who played drill instructor Sergeant Vince Carter on 'Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.'?

Frank Sutton played the sergeant for all five seasons; the spinoff ended its run as the second-highest-rated show, behind only Laugh-In.

Which country-variety show featured George Lindsey as Goober for years after 1971?

George Lindsey played Goober on Hee Haw for two decades from 1972, after CBS's 1971 'rural purge' cancelled Mayberry R.F.D.

What was the name of Griffith's character in his ten-episode 1971 follow-up series?

In The New Andy Griffith Show (1971), Griffith played Mayor Andy Sawyer of Greenwood, North Carolina; Goober, Barney and Emmett guest-starred and treated him as if he were Andy Taylor.

Why did Frances Bavier not appear in 'Return to Mayberry'?

Aunt Bee is portrayed as deceased, and Bavier died three years after the film.

Which political campaign did Griffith and Howard support in a 2008 Funny or Die skit as Andy and Opie?

In the 2008 Funny or Die video, Griffith and Ron Howard revived Andy and Opie to endorse Barack Obama; Griffith also backed Bev Perdue for North Carolina governor that year.

Which episode did TV Guide rank No. 24 on its 100 Greatest Episodes list in 1997?

TV Guide later ranked the show ninth on its 50 Best Shows list.

Which cereal put Griffith as Sheriff Taylor on its box beside a lemon pie recipe in 1966?

Very little merchandise was produced during the show's original run.

Which country band released a 2003 song called 'Mayberry' paying tribute to the show?

Rascal Flatts' single 'Mayberry', from their album Melt, longs for a slower life 'like Mayberry' and topped the country chart in 2004.

Which network erected bronze statues of Andy and Opie in Mount Airy and Raleigh?

TV Land, which aired the show in reruns, unveiled bronze Andy-and-Opie statues in Raleigh's Pullen Park in 2003 and in Mount Airy in 2004.

Why did 16 third-season episodes fall into the public domain?

CBS failed to renew the copyrights on sixteen third-season episodes, putting them in the public domain; a 2007 ruling nonetheless protected them as derivative works of copyrighted earlier episodes.

As a baby, where did Andy Griffith sleep for several months?

Griffith's parents, too poor at first to afford a crib, bedded the infant in dresser drawers for several months while they lived with relatives.

Griffith began college intending to become a minister in which church?

Griffith, raised in the Moravian church, entered UNC as a pre-divinity student aiming at the Moravian ministry, but left that path for the Carolina Playmakers.

Which future NPR newsreader was among Griffith's students at Goldsboro High School?

Griffith taught music and drama there after graduating from UNC.

Which Shakespeare play did Griffith's rustic narrator explain on the B-side of the football single?

The B-side gave a bewildered country-boy summary of Romeo and Juliet, a routine Griffith also performed on television variety shows.

Which anthology series aired Griffith's 1955 teleplay 'No Time for Sergeants'?

The United States Steel Hour broadcast Ira Levin's one-hour adaptation of Mac Hyman's novel on March 15, 1955, with Griffith as Will Stockdale; Levin then expanded it for Broadway.

Which actor beat Griffith to the 1956 Tony for 'No Time for Sergeants'?

Ed Begley took the 1956 Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Play for Inherit the Wind, beating Griffith's Will Stockdale; Griffith did win a Theatre World Award that year.

Which 1958 military comedy cast Griffith as a US Coast Guard sailor?

Onionhead (1958), with Griffith as Coast Guard cook Al Woods, was Warner's attempt to repeat No Time for Sergeants and flopped with critics and audiences alike.

Who co-starred with Griffith in the 1959 Broadway musical 'Destry Rides Again'?

Dolores Gray played the saloon singer Frenchy opposite Griffith's Destry in the 1959 Broadway musical, which ran 472 performances at the Imperial Theatre.

Which actress made her film debut opposite Griffith in 'A Face in the Crowd'?

Lee Remick made her film debut as Betty Lou Fleckum, the teenage drum majorette whom Lonesome Rhodes impulsively marries.

Which 1974 TV film marked Griffith's first villainous role since 'A Face in the Crowd'?

Pray for the Wildcats (1974) cast Griffith as Sam Farragut, a ruthless executive on a dirt-bike trip, his first villain since Lonesome Rhodes; he played another in Savages that year.

Griffith's only Primetime Emmy nomination came for which 1981 TV film?

Murder in Texas (1981) earned Griffith his only Emmy nomination, as Ash Robinson, the oil millionaire father of the murdered socialite Joan Robinson Hill.

Which music legend played the sheriff opposite Griffith's villain in 'Murder in Coweta County'?

Johnny Cash played Sheriff Lamar Potts, who pursues Griffith's brutal landowner John Wallace across the county line in the 1983 film Murder in Coweta County.

In 'Washington: Behind Closed Doors', Griffith played a former president loosely based on whom?

Griffith's ex-president Esker Scott Anderson in the 1977 Watergate-inspired miniseries was modeled on Lyndon B. Johnson, down to the Texas accent and earthy manner.

Which police chief character did Griffith play in two failed 1977 NBC pilots?

Griffith played Chief Abel Marsh, a small-town police chief, in the 1977 NBC pilot films The Girl in the Empty Grave and Deadly Game, neither of which led to a series.

Which 1975 comedy cast Griffith opposite Jeff Bridges as a crusty 1930s western actor?

Hearts of the West (1975) cast Griffith as Howard Pike, a faded cowboy-movie actor who mentors Jeff Bridges's would-be writer; like his other mid-1970s films it flopped.

Which Leslie Nielsen spoof featured Griffith as a comical villain in 1996?

In Spy Hard (1996) Griffith played General Rancor, the megalomaniac villain hunted by Leslie Nielsen's Agent WD-40, Dick Steele.

Which two relatives of Opie's actor joined Griffith in the cast of 'Play the Game'?

Ron Howard's father Rance and brother Clint Howard both appeared in Play the Game; Clint had played Leon, the cowboy-suited toddler with the peanut butter sandwich, on the old show.

Which record label released Griffith's platinum 1996 album 'I Love to Tell the Story'?

Sparrow Records, the Christian label, released I Love to Tell the Story in 1996; it went platinum and won a Grammy in 1997, and Sparrow followed with Just As I Am in 1998.

In which country star's 2008 video 'Waitin' on a Woman' did Griffith appear?

Griffith played the elderly man dispensing wisdom from a bench in Brad Paisley's 2008 'Waitin' on a Woman' video, a year after his role in Waitress.

A Wisconsin man legally took Griffith's name in 2006 to run for what office?

William Fenrick of Wisconsin legally took the name Andy Griffith to run for sheriff of Grant County; he lost the election, and a federal judge later rejected Griffith's trademark suit.

Which North Carolina governor's 2000 win was dubbed the 'Mayberry Miracle' after Griffith's endorsement?

Griffith declined a 1989 offer to run against Senator Jesse Helms.

Griffith met his third wife Cindi Knight when she was a cast member of what?

Cindi Knight was a young actress in The Lost Colony company at Manteo when Griffith, a veteran of the same outdoor drama, met her; they married in April 1983.

Griffith underwent what surgery in May 2000?

Griffith had quadruple heart bypass surgery in May 2000 at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Virginia, and recovered at his Manteo home.

Which SNL episode did Griffith cameo on, hosted by Ron Howard?

Ron Howard hosted Saturday Night Live on October 9, 1982, with The Clash as musical guest, and Griffith made a cameo as his old TV father.

Who created 'Matlock', a series similar in format to Perry Mason?

Dean Hargrove created Matlock, with Fred Silverman as executive producer; the pair had revived Perry Mason with Raymond Burr in the 1985 TV film Perry Mason Returns.

Which law school is Ben Matlock a graduate of?

He worked as a public defender before opening his Atlanta practice.

Which car did Ben Matlock drive, always in gray?

Matlock drove a plain gray Ford Crown Victoria, a sedan as unshowy as his suits; on the old show, Ford had supplied Sheriff Taylor's squad cars too.

What retainer fee did Ben Matlock typically charge?

Matlock's standard retainer was $100,000, paid up front, though he waived or reduced it for clients he believed in or who could not pay.

Which actress starred in the gender-flipped 'Matlock' reboot that premiered in 2024?

It debuted on CBS on September 22, 2024.

Who played Matlock's first private investigator, stock-market whiz Tyler Hudson?

Kene Holliday played Tyler Hudson, the sharp-dressed investor turned investigator, for Matlock's first three seasons; Clarence Gilyard Jr.'s Conrad McMasters replaced him.

Which 'Matlock' character was a district attorney who became Ben's good friend?

Julie March, the assistant district attorney played by Julie Sommars, sparred with Ben in court and became his close friend, appearing from 1987 through the final season.

Which West Virginia city was Don Knotts born in?

He later graduated from West Virginia University there in 1948.

Which sitcom character did Don Knotts play from 1979 to 1984?

Don Knotts joined Three's Company in 1979 as Ralph Furley, the leisure-suited landlord who fancied himself a ladies' man, and stayed until the show ended in 1984.

On whose variety show did Knotts play the 'extremely nervous man' in Man in the Street interviews?

Knotts's jittery 'nervous man' was a fixture of the Man on the Street interviews on The Steve Allen Show from 1956 until the 1959-60 season.

What did Knotts's wartime ventriloquist act reportedly do with his dummy Danny?

Knotts, touring the Pacific with the Army's Stars and Gripes revue, grew to hate ventriloquism and reportedly threw his dummy Danny overboard from a troop ship.

Which soap opera gave Knotts his first TV break from 1953 to 1955?

Knotts's first TV break was Search for Tomorrow, on which he played Wilbur Peterson from 1953 to 1955 while also appearing on Howdy Doody as Tim Tremble.

Which episode convinced Griffith that Knotts should be the comic and he the straight man?

Watching 'Manhunt', the second episode, Griffith saw how funny Knotts's Barney was and decided to play straight man from then on.

Where did TV Guide rank Barney Fife on its 50 Greatest TV Characters list in 1999?

TV Guide placed Barney Fife ninth on its 1999 list of the 50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time; Knotts himself had ranked 27th among its 50 Greatest TV Stars.

Why did Knotts really leave the series in 1965?

Griffith had said the show would end after five seasons, so Knotts signed a five-picture deal with Universal; when Griffith changed his mind, Knotts honored the film commitment.

What is the Mayberry sheriff's full name?

Andy's full name, Andrew Jackson Taylor, surfaces on the show; he was also Mayberry's justice of the peace and, in the pilot, editor of its newspaper.

Which sidearm was Andy Taylor issued but rarely carried?

He kept it unloaded on a shelf at home and grabbed a rifle when he needed a weapon fast.

Which 1951 sci-fi classic featured Frances Bavier as Mrs. Barley?

Frances Bavier played boarding-house resident Mrs. Barley in The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), one of more than a dozen film roles she had before Mayberry.

Aunt Bee logged how many years in Mayberry, more than any other character?

Aunt Bee spent ten years in Mayberry, from the 1960 premiere through the second season of Mayberry R.F.D. in 1970, longer than any other character.

What is Aunt Bee's full first name?

Aunt Bee's full name is Beatrice Taylor; the sister of Andy's father, she came to keep house for him and Opie in the very first episode.

What did Andy and Barney secretly call Aunt Bee's pickles?

In 'The Pickle Story', Andy and Barney privately dub Aunt Bee's homemade pickles 'kerosene cucumbers' and secretly swap in store-bought jars to spare her feelings.

Gomer's surname was borrowed from which Andy Griffith Show actor?

Writer Everett Greenbaum based him on an incompetent gas station attendant he met.

Which Marine base does Andy accompany Gomer to in the Gomer Pyle pilot?

The pilot was filmed in 1963 but not aired until 1964.

In 'Return to Mayberry', Andy returns from a job as what in Cleveland?

Andy comes home from Cleveland, where he had been a U.S. postal inspector, to see Opie become a first-time father and finds Mayberry changed.

What job has the sober Otis Campbell taken in 'Return to Mayberry'?

The film was the highest-rated TV movie of 1986.

In which body of water do Gomer and Goober see a 'monster' in 'Return to Mayberry'?

The 'monster' Gomer and Goober spot in Myers Lake, the town's fishing hole, turns out to be a publicity stunt rigged by businessman Wally Butler.

Which actress played Sam's cousin who replaced Aunt Bee as housekeeper in 'Mayberry R.F.D.'?

Alice Ghostley joined Mayberry R.F.D. as Sam's cousin Alice for its final season after Frances Bavier's Aunt Bee left in 1970.

Which song did Jim Nabors sing before the Indianapolis 500 for decades?

Back Home Again in Indiana was Nabors's pre-race ritual almost every year from 1972 to 2014.

At which Santa Monica nightclub did Griffith discover Jim Nabors?

Griffith saw Nabors's singing-and-comedy act at The Horn, a Santa Monica cabaret, and brought him onto the show; the hayseed character Nabors did there already resembled Gomer.

What was Goober's surname when George Lindsey first joined the show in 1964?

Lindsey's Goober was first surnamed Beasley, then renamed Goober Pyle so he could be Gomer's cousin and inherit the filling station when Jim Nabors left.

Which radio Western character did Howard McNear originate before Floyd the barber?

Howard McNear created Doc Adams on the radio Gunsmoke, playing the frontier physician from 1952 to 1961, while Milburn Stone played the part on television.

Which Winnie the Pooh character did Hal Smith voice in four shorts?

Hal Smith, Mayberry's Otis, voiced Owl in Disney's four Winnie the Pooh featurettes, later took over Pooh himself, and was the voice of Goofy from 1967 to 1983.

What annual September festival in Mount Airy celebrates Griffith's show and its cast?

Mayberry Days, first held in 1990, brings fans and former cast members to Mount Airy each September for a parade, celebrity guests and trivia contests.

Which Mount Airy diner, famous for its pork chop sandwich, was a boyhood haunt of Griffith's?

Snappy Lunch, open on Main Street since 1923, was a boyhood haunt of Griffith's and earned a mention on the show; its breaded pork chop sandwich is the signature dish.

'A Face in the Crowd' was based on a Budd Schulberg short story with what title?

Schulberg expanded his short story 'Your Arkansas Traveler', from the 1953 collection Some Faces in the Crowd, into the screenplay; Lonesome Rhodes blended Will Rogers, Huey Long and Arthur Godfrey.

What faux product does Lonesome Rhodes pitch as a male enhancement supplement?

Rhodes turns the worthless pep pill Vitajex into a craze with suggestive ads promising vigor; the film entered the National Film Registry in 2008.

Which magazine printed Griffith's 1953 comedy monologue as an illustrated feature in 1958?

Mad magazine ran an illustrated version of the monologue in 1958, five years after the record made Griffith a national name.

Which 1950 film featuring Betty Lynn was later remade with Steve Martin?

Betty Lynn appeared in the 1950 Cheaper by the Dozen alongside Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy; Steve Martin headlined the loose 2003 remake.

Aneta Corsaut made her film debut opposite which future superstar in 'The Blob'?

Steve McQueen had his first starring role in The Blob (1958) opposite Aneta Corsaut, who later played Helen Crump and, on Matlock, Judge Cynthia Justin.

In which episode did Helen Crump first appear?

Helen Crump, Opie's new schoolteacher, debuted in 'Andy Discovers America' in 1963, clashing with Andy over history homework; she married him in the first episode of Mayberry R.F.D.

Which Broadway play did Griffith see Jack Dodson in before hiring him as Howard Sprague?

Griffith saw Dodson opposite Jason Robards in Eugene O'Neill's Hughie on Broadway in 1964 and hired him; Dodson first played insurance agent Ed Jenkins in 'Lost and Found' before becoming Howard Sprague.

Which recurring 'Happy Days' role did Jack Dodson play?

Jack Dodson played Mickey Malph, Ralph Malph's father and an optometrist, in several Happy Days episodes.

Which jazz standard did Earle Hagen write in 1939 as a tribute to Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges?

Hagen composed 'Harlem Nocturne' in 1939 for the Ray Noble orchestra, evoking Johnny Hodges's alto sax; decades later it became the theme of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer.

Which series earned Earle Hagen an Emmy in 1968?

Sheldon Leonard insisted on original music for every episode of I Spy.

In which Oklahoma town was Ron Howard born?

Ron Howard was born in Duncan, Oklahoma, on March 1, 1954; his father Rance had changed the family name from Beckenholdt to Howard as a stage name in 1948.

Which 1962 musical film did the young Ron Howard appear in?

Ron Howard played lisping Winthrop Paroo, singing 'Gary, Indiana', in the 1962 film of The Music Man, shot during a break from the sitcom.

Which 1977 film was Ron Howard's directorial debut?

Grand Theft Auto (1977), a Roger Corman car-chase comedy Howard also starred in, was his feature directing debut; he left Happy Days in 1980 to direct full-time.

Where does Barney Fife keep his single bullet, on Andy's orders?

In his shirt pocket, because Andy makes him carry his revolver unloaded; Barney tends to load it anyway and fire it by accident.

How are Andy and Barney said to be related in a few early first-season episodes?

Early first-season episodes call Andy and Barney cousins, a nepotism gag explaining how Barney got the deputy's job; the writers quietly dropped the relationship.

What is Barney Fife's full first name?

Barney's full name is Bernard P. Fife; his middle name was a running continuity gag, given variously as Milton, Oliver and just 'P.'.

For which home-made treat, a favourite of Barney's, is Thelma Lou especially celebrated?

Thelma Lou's homemade cashew fudge was Barney's weakness; Betty Lynn played her in 26 episodes from 'Cyrano Andy' onward, and her surname was never given.

At whose funeral in 1960 did Barney first meet Thelma Lou?

She is also said to have graduated from Mayberry Union High in the same class as Barney and Andy.

Which character did George Lindsey originally read for before being cast as Goober?

Lindsey auditioned for Gomer Pyle, but the part went to Jim Nabors; both were Alabamians, Lindsey from Jasper and Nabors from Sylacauga.

Which episode is the only one in which Gomer and Goober appear together?

'Fun Girls' (1964) marked Goober's first appearance and is the only episode in which he and Gomer share the screen; both cousins worked at Wally's Filling Station.

What health crisis struck Howard McNear, Floyd the barber, midway through the third season in 1963?

McNear suffered a serious stroke in 1963 that left him with limited use of his limbs; when he returned in 1965, Floyd was filmed seated or propped against a support.

Ernest T. Bass proudly calls himself the best what 'in the county'?

Ernest T. Bass boasts he is the best rock thrower in the county, hurling rocks through windows across Mayberry and taking fierce pride in his aim.

How soon after his death in 2012 was Andy Griffith buried, with no services held?

By prior arrangement Griffith was buried within five hours of his death on July 3, 2012, in the family cemetery on the North Carolina island where he had long lived, with no public service.