Any other fans of 'The Andy Griffith Show' out there? (Color seasons 6-8 added)

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02-13-2010, 06:03 PM
scottwheels

Any other fans of 'The Andy Griffith Show' out there? (Color seasons 6-8 added)

If so, share your favorite episode, scene or line. Here's my faves: Best episode, Season 1 'Cyrano Andy': Some classic early Don Knotts stuff in this one. His scenes in the back room of the pharmacy with Elinor Donahue are pure gold. Too bad Miss Ellie left the show after one season. She was some serious eye candy and could have really stirred things up with the men of Mayberry had she stayed in town. Runner-up, Season 1 'Stranger in Town': Barney suspects the stranger is a spy and tries to trip him up with unexpected questions in badly mispronounced German and Spanish. 'Sprecken da doich'? Best episode, Season 2 'Barney and the Choir': OK, by now you've figured out I'm a big Don Knotts fan. His Barney Fife is one of the most iconic characters in television history. Barney's off-key warbling (and his ignorance of it) is the comic focus here. The final concert scene is one of the best of the entire TAGS run.
Runner-up, Season 2 'The Clubmen': The Esquire Club?....THE Esquire Club?!? Andy and Barney are prospective members. Of course, Barney blows their chances by being....well, by being Barney. Best episode, Season 3 'Convicts at Large': Probably my favorite all-time TAGS episode. Big Maude.... Al....burnt hamburgers....the concluding Tango. What a hoot! Runner-up, Season 3 'The Darlings are Coming': Just edges out 'The Bed Jacket' and 'Mountain Wedding'. We're introduced to the Darling family, mountain folk who make the citizenry of Mayberry seem cosmopolitan by comparison. Bluegrass legends, the Dillards, play the stone-faced Darling Boys. Best episode, Season 4 'My Fair Ernest T. Bass': This episode showcases Howard Morris's bizarre Ernest T. Bass character. Morris is always a stitch (or a "creech-ter") but he really shines here. Will he change his ways to win the heart of his beloved Ro-meena? Runner-up, Season 4 'Fun Girls': Meet Daphne and Skippy, two wacky bimbos who almost come between Andy/Helen and Barney/Thelma Lou. "Oh Bernie, you're a SCREAM!!!" I believe this episode also marks the first appearance of George Lindsey as Gomer Pyle's clueless cousin Goober. Best episode, Season 5 'Three Wishes for Opie': One of the more creative TAGS story lines. Barney is front and center again, this time dealing with the 'supernatural'....much kooky fun ensues. Runner-up, Season 5 'Goober and the Art of Love': 'The Arrest of the Fun Girls' or 'The Education of Ernest T. Bass' are obvious choices here, but let's finish with an under-appreciated episode that packs a lot of laughs. The 'peeping Goober' scene on Helen's front porch is hilarious.Best episode, Season 6 'Aunt Bee Takes A Job': No real standout episodes in the first color (and my least favorite) season of TAGS. This moderately amusing one finds Andy piecing together a puzzle regarding a counterfeiting ring that involves (gasp!) Aunt Bee. I'm not sure if there's another series episode that features Andy shooting at somebody so, if nothing else, that merits a look-see. Runner-up, Season 6 'The Return of Barney Fife': No Barney, you can't go home again. One of only five Don Knotts appearances during the final three 'color' seasons. The magic is gone somehow as Knotts tries too hard and ends up caricaturing a caricature. This somewhat melancholy episode closes the book on the Barney-Thelma Lou romance and is largely notable for that. Best episode, Season 7 'Dinner at Eight': How many times can Andy eat a spaghetti dinner in one evening? Only Goober knows for sure. A silly premise that amuses, mainly because of Andy's increasing ire that builds to a point where you fear he just might (as he threatens) kill Goober. Do YOU know the secret ingredient? Runner-up, Season 7 'A Visit to Barney Fife': The one colorized episode with Don Knotts that works, though it pales in comparison to anything in seasons 1-5. An unusual non-Mayberry setting helps here as does the introduction of a goofy criminal family that adopts Barney as one of their own. A return to the tried and true 'Barney screws up, Andy bails him out and gives Barney the credit' formula that worked so well throughout the series. Best episode, Season 8 'Howard's Main Event': Jack Dodson's Howard Sprague character is reviled by many TAGS fans, but he's kind of grown on me over the years. Kind of Mayberry's version of Charlie Brown, he's so dang sincere that his shortcomings can be forgiven. This is Howard at his best as he turns on the charm to woo Millie from the bakery then stands up to her old beau, a bully who can't seem to take no for an answer. If you don't like Howard, you'll get a hearty chuckle from the last scene in this episode. Runner-up, Season 8 'Opie's First Love': I resisted temptation to select another Howard Sprague episode and settled on this ode to young love. Ronnie Howard's performance presages his Richie Cunningham character a few years down the road. It won't be long before he's cavorting with Ralph and Potsie, trying to score with chicks in tight sweaters on 'Happy Days'. This is the end of the innocence.........
02-13-2010, 06:13 PM
JEBlade

Right here Scott. Love the show. My favorite would have to be Citizen's Arrest. The Darling's episodes are always hilarious and I too like the Barney singing ones too. John
02-13-2010, 06:41 PM
Beach bomb

"Hooow do you do mrs wiiiiley?" 
I don't think I've ever flipped channels and passed an Andy Griffith show. 
Tim
02-13-2010, 06:41 PM
mr haney

I'm an Andy Griffith guru, I have seen every episode too many times, I know all of the lines by memory. I have a complete collection on VHS. Anybody want to try and stump me? Ask me any trivia question from any of the episodes. 
My favorite episode is when drunken Otis rides a cow into town, and thinks that it is a horse. My least favorite episodes are when Helen gets mad at Andy. Usually because Barney mistakenly starts the rumor that Helen and Andy are getting married. 
BTW Helen Crump (real name Anita Corsaut) played opposite Steve McQueen in the Horror movie "The Blob" 
I also consider my self an expert on the Honeymooners, and it would be hard, or almost impossible to stump me on Honeymooner trivia. 
I watched way too much TV in my life.......I only wish that my education had stuck in mind like old TV programs do, I even remember the commercials from the 50's and 60's. 
Thanks for posting.....Michael
02-13-2010, 07:04 PM
Charger68

I loved the one where Goober was put in charge of the Sheriff's office and his gas station cronies kept bugging him with repairs and he ended up rebuilding an entire car in the office! The black and whites were the best, once Barney left and Opie got older the magic started to leave...what chemistry!!
02-13-2010, 07:27 PM
cockycpa

Hands down, my favorite episode is the one with Mr. McBeevy, the guy Opie supposedly makes up. What a great lesson in parenting and trust.
02-13-2010, 08:07 PM
camarocrazy2

I use to love watching that show about twenty years ago. After I had seen every episode about three or four times I can't watch it anymore. I don't hate it though.
02-13-2010, 09:39 PM
FabFaux

There are so many to list, but that episode where Opie kills a little bird in the tree, and Andy teaches him a good lesson in life. ANY episode where little Leon offers the Mayberrians a bite of his peanut butter sandwich!<img src="http://static.yuku.com/domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/laugh.gif"> Just too many to list, but the above sticks out.
02-13-2010, 09:44 PM
rumbler bob

it's a great show. The episode where Opie breaks a rose that aunt Bee had grown for a rose tournament and than gets a picture of it for aunt Bee.
02-13-2010, 10:00 PM
Phildirt

"The 'peeping Goober' scene on Helen's front porch is hilarious." "HE'S GONNA DO IT! HE'S GONNA DO IT!!! YEAH ANDAYYYYYY!!!!!" My favorite episode featured Julie Adams as the county nurse. I could look at her all day. I never cared for Helen, she seemed too severe to me. Andy's previous gals were all better, Miss Ellie, Miss Peggy, even that lady lawyer from Raleigh. The show itself was a parenting handbook. I think the show's creative well ran dry when they concocted storylines revolving around Howard Sprague. What were they thinking?
02-14-2010, 02:09 AM
JamHud22

Growing up it was always on just before or after Hogan's Hero's and for many years that was an hour of television not to be missed at our home.All re-runs by the way. One question comes to mind as I read this thread that I do not believe I ever knew the answer.Was there ever any mention or story line regarding Opie's mother?He was SO young when that show began. Ron Howard kind of grew up before the nation with the Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days.
02-14-2010, 03:37 AM
mr haney

The only mention that I remember is in the episode when aunt bee pretended to be in love with Mr Goss who owned the Mayberry dry cleaners, Opie and Andy were discussing aunt Bee's up coming marriage and Andy told Opie that people get married when they had that "special kind of love", and Opie asked, did you and Ma have that special kind of Love when you got married? 
Another mention is the first episode with Ellie. Opie introduces himself by making faces through the glass door at her then he ask's Ellie if she is married? he told her that his Pa ain't married either, then he says I ain't got no Ma, (so apparently she is dead) but I've got Aunt Bee, she takes care of me. Michael
02-14-2010, 07:55 AM
cockycpa

<blockquote>FabFaux wrote:
<hr>
There are so many to list, but that episode where Opie kills a little bird in the tree, and Andy teaches him a good lesson in life. ANY episode where little Leon offers the Mayberrians a bite of his peanut butter sandwich!<img src="http://static.yuku.com/domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/laugh.gif"> Just too many to list, but the above sticks out.</blockquote>Yeah, that's a powerful episode. Another one I like is the one where Andy is embarrased becasue Opie won't give any of his money to charity. Turns out he is saving his dough to buy a little girl a coat. Also, a bit of trivia. I'm pretty sure Leon was Clint Howard, Ron Howard's brother.
02-14-2010, 08:48 AM
1Perry

It's a great show. I still watch all the time.
02-14-2010, 12:49 PM
scottwheels

Michael, you are certainly a go-to-guy for TAGS trivia! Here's one for you...what was the name of Thelma Lou's husband? 
Scott
02-14-2010, 04:06 PM
cockycpa

I think my favorite color episode is the one where Howard creates a swinging bachelor pad and decides to have a party. Of course, the only gal that shows up is Helen, with Andy. I love this episode for the absurdity of it all.
02-14-2010, 04:49 PM
1Perry

The one where Barbara Eden plays the manicurists wanting to set up at Floyds was great. Man, she was hot. (still is)
02-14-2010, 07:17 PM
Phildirt

Something I never quite got: Helen, a teacher, had her own house. Thelma Lou (occupation unknown) had a house. Andy had at least a 3 bedroom home with wide porch and a beautiful big flagstone fireplace. For Barney, it's either a dank boarding house room, or a cot in the back room of the courthouse. I mean, I know he sent his Ma a little each month, but WTF? Yeah, Leon was Clint Howard. Here's some odd trivia - remember back in the late '80s when there was much talk about colorization of old films and shows? I met a Turner rep at the time who acknowledged that TAGS in b&w was more sacred than most movies (Turner was a major force in colorization back then).
02-14-2010, 07:28 PM
Charger68

HAHAHAHAHAHH!!!!!! GREAT call Phil, never thought about Barney and his living arrangements, he lived like a troll in the back of the jail, the rest lived high on the hog, relatively!!!!!
02-14-2010, 08:04 PM
mr haney

<blockquote>scottwheels wrote:<hr>Michael, you are certainly a go-to-guy for TAGS trivia! Here's one for you...what was the name of Thelma Lou's husband? 
Scott</blockquote>I am pretty sure his name was Gerald, but you might have on this one....Michael Clint Howard had his own series in 1967 called Gentle Ben. About a boy and his pet bear
02-14-2010, 08:22 PM
mr haney

Gomer was the one who had miserable living conditions he lived in the back of Wallys filling station, all that he got was a cot and a one burner stove. At least Barney had a room at Mrs. Mindelbrights boarding house but at first he wasn't even allowed to cook there, plus he could only use a 40 watt bulb. Michael
02-14-2010, 08:39 PM
Charger68

I thought he lived in the back room of the sheriff's office?? Mrs. Midnlebrights was later??? Andy would dip Barney's hand in the bowl of hot water to make him......uhhhhhhhh.....................???
02-14-2010, 09:10 PM
mr haney

<blockquote>Charger68 wrote:<hr>I thought he lived in the back room of the sheriff's office?? Mrs. Midnlebrights was later??? Andy would dip Barney's hand in the bowl of hot water to make him......uhhhhhhhh.....................???</blockquote>Never happened Dave, When Barney napped in the back room, Andy hid his shoes one time, and swapped hats with him another episode. Another time Andy tucked Barneys blanket in under the feet of the bed so that Barney was trapped, then he slammed the court house door, and yelled for Barney. My favorite prank was when Barney was napping outside of the drug store, and Andy put some of Aunt Bee's lipstick on Barneys fingers and ticked his nose, causing Barney to smear lipstick all over his face. Like I said "I've watched way too much TV".... Michael
02-14-2010, 09:32 PM
cockycpa

I seem to remember Barney living in the back of the Sheriff's office when he and Ms. Mindelbright got into a pi$$ing contest over something (Maybe cooking in his room?) Then, he and Andy saved her from getting swindled by a con-man and Barney moved back. Of course, I may be mixing together a couple episodes.
02-16-2010, 01:57 AM
sunburninaz

TAGS has always been a favorite of mine - when I first started working from home years ago, it happened to be on when I'd stop for lunch. I actually had every episode recorded on VHS - long since replaced by DVD's (I've got the entire series of Dick Van Dyke too, but that's a different thread). <blockquote>Yeah, Leon was Clint Howard.</blockquote>Ron Howard's dad, Rance, also played several roles on TAGS. Remember when Barney's cousin Virgil came to town? Rance was the bus driver that left without him. Or how about when Barney ticketed the Governor's limo? Rance was the chauffeur. He was also one of the treasury agents when the gold shipment was coming through Mayberry and there were several times when he was in the crowd at different events. I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite - picking a least favorite is easier (that'd be any of the episodes where Warren - Barney's replacement deputy - played a significant role). I'm tempted to take Michael up on his trivia challenge - not because I know all the answers (though I could hold my own) but because my mom thought that I needed to have the Andy Griffith Show trivia game a few years back... Doug
02-16-2010, 11:56 AM
scottwheels

Mike, you got the first name of Thelma Lou's husband correct....Gerald Whitfield. I'm impressed! It didn't say much for old Barn that between the end of season five (when Don Knotts left TAGS) and the middle of season six ('The Return of Barney Fife') Thelma Lou left town, started a new life, fell in love and found a husband! She and Gerald had been married six weeks when they returned for the Mayberry Union High reunion. 
Doug, if you're talking about TAGS Mayberry Mania Game (black and white box) it's a must have for fans. An old friend of mine helped bring it to market a decade or so ago. We used to watch TAGS back in college between classes and dinner from 5-6. Our favorite episode at that time was 'Bargain Day'. Count how many times an exasperated Andy tells Aunt Bee to "Call the man!". 
Scott
02-16-2010, 12:28 PM
Phildirt

I'd like to see "TAGS Week on Jeopardy". What fun it'd be to see competition on this subject -- not just a category, but the whole game every day for a week. I wouldn't win but it'd be FUN!
02-16-2010, 12:49 PM
mr haney

I have a trivia question for anybody who can answer it. In one episode of TAGS, Jerry Van Dyke guest starred as a one man band in a carnival playing the backup music for a hochie cochie girl. Towards the end of the episode, Aunt Bee got her purse snatched by two guys, Jerry found out who took it and had a fight with them. One of the two thieves later went on to co-star, in what may be the most popular movie ever made. Who was he? 
I'll reveal the answer tomorrow if nobody gets it by then.....Michael
02-16-2010, 02:41 PM
sunburninaz

Michael - You have yuku... Doug
02-16-2010, 05:05 PM
JEBlade

<blockquote>mr haney wrote:<hr>I have a trivia question for anybody who can answer it. In one episode of TAGS, Jerry Van Dyke guest starred as a one man band in a carnival playing the backup music for a hochie cochie girl. Towards the end of the episode, Aunt Bee got her purse snatched by two guys, Jerry found out who took it and had a fight with them. One of the two thieves later went on to co-star, in what may be the most popular movie ever made. Who was he? 
I'll reveal the answer tomorrow if nobody gets it by then.....Michael</blockquote>Easy one. Lee Van Cleef. John
02-16-2010, 05:22 PM
cockycpa

Today I learned that was the last B&W episode.
02-16-2010, 06:30 PM
mr haney

That didn't take long, Doug was the quickest. You guys certainly know your TAGS trivia. 
I almost lost interest in the show when Don Knotts left, it was like Laural without Hardy, or Kramden with Norton, The brilliance of the best comedy duos is in the way that they play off of each other and that was certainly was the case on this show. Warren just didn't have it... 
I saw most of Don's Knotts movies after he left the show, They were all right, but nothing special. Ive heard that he was a drill instructor in the marines so I checked it out and this was the answer. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
he was an actor on movies and classic tv shows.At 19 Knotts joined the Army and served in world war 2 as part of a traveling GI variety show and as a nurse.He did not serve in the marine corps as a drill instructor. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
Funny how quick that urban legends become "facts".........Michael
02-16-2010, 07:00 PM
rdln66

What? No Ernest T. Bass fans? 
Howard Morris was a HOOT!
02-16-2010, 08:59 PM
scottwheels

See original post...best episode, Season 4. Yes, the Ernest T. Bass episodes (even the semi-lame color one where he wants to fight 'Englishter' Malcom Merriweather) are among TAGS's funniest.
02-16-2010, 09:43 PM
mr haney

Nobody has mentioned the Music, I love bluegrass so I really enjoyed the episodes with the Darlings. Denver Pyle has always been one of my favorite character actors too. Michael
02-16-2010, 09:47 PM
cockycpa

Speaking of music, I love the episode where James Best (later to be Roscoe P Coaltrain) is reluctant to join a travelling band as a guitarist, but Andy helps makes it happen.