The "Andy Griffith Show" love thread- Page 3

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 9:41pm

Why, thanks, Miss Penny!

I love Asheville, too. I once read a story about a bunch of North Carolineans sitting around talking about their family's origins: depending on where one's ancestors first arrived, everyone knew what occupation they'd had (e.g. "Wilmington." "Oh, pirates!")

Someone mentioned Asheville and the response was "Oh. TB?" (Famous sanitarium there, and the site of Zelda Fitzgerald's death by fire, if I'm not mistaken.)

I assume you've been to Biltmore House, which I find jaw-dropping every time I see it.

I'm from a tiny town near Charlotte. And as I mentioned, I went to school in Chapel Hill.

It's an amazing state: world-class skiing, golfing, boating, oceans.

Mind you, I think was 6 months old the first time I crawled to the state line, and they dragged me back. But it's a great place to be *from*.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/30/08 at 12:13pm

I watched one of the B&W episodes a little while ago, from Season 4. The one where Opie accidentally kills a bird with a slingshot. He was told to be careful with it, and that it could cause serious damage and harm if he didn't.

One of the things I noticed right away was that the episode was done without a laugh track. Now, I know that sort of "very special episode" approach popped up a lot in the Norman Lear '70s shows... but this was a decade before that. In fact, I can't think of another sitcom that did that before this one.

Anyway, I kept thinking today how heavy-handed the anti-this-or-that messages are on TV shows and in movies. Today, Opie would have been playing with Andy's revolver and shot a neighbor, a friend, or his own foot off. But this was Mayberry, and the same powerful message was achieved with a simple slingshot and a small bird sitting in a tree. And it worked... mostly due to the terrific acting and the solid writing. The point was made and well taken.

Just one of the reasons... one of the MAIN reasons why I love this show so much.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 8/30/08 at 1:47pm

So I'm alone in remembering Arlene's immitation cream cheese commercial? That's sad.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/30/08 at 1:52pm

I remember Arlene, but not the commercial.

Maybe it was an imitation commercial.

...and the cream cheese was real!

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 8/30/08 at 1:53pm

LOL! She actually tap danced in it. Poorly, but she did it.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/30/08 at 4:08pm

When I first moved out to L.A. in the late '80s, a friend of mine was in an acting class with Arlene. She thought that was a hoot, and she said Arlene was a lovely person.

[Mamie]

Posted: 8/30/08 at 5:00pm

I just want to mention my favorite recurring characters - Briscoe Darling (Denver Pyle) and his sons (played by bluegrass band The Dillards) and daughter Charlene (Maggie Peterson). I'm particularly grateful to them because they brought on their crazy, brick-tossing neighbor, Ernest T. Bass (Howard Morris). I used to laugh so hard at Ernest T. that I'd cry.

Mayberry was packed full of the most marvelous characters in the world!

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 1:14am

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mamie...for posting a photo of Howard Morris! I should start an "Official Howard Morris Love Thread." One of my all-time favorites, especially on "Your Show of Shows"!

Oh, and, does anyone else remember Arlene Golonka from the album "You Don't Have to Be Jewish"?

Man (Lou Jacobi): "Honey, I'm home!"
Woman(Arlene Golonka): "I'm hiding!"
Man: "Honey, I'm home from work to spend the evening with you!"
Woman: "I'm hiding!"
Man: "Honey, I brought you a present!"
Woman: "I'm hiding!"
Man: "Honey, it's a mink coat!"
Woman: "I'm hiding...in the front closet!"

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 1:16am

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mamie...for posting a photo of Howard Morris! I should start an "Official Howard Morris Love Thread." One of my all-time favorites, especially on "Your Show of Shows"!

Oh, and, does anyone else remember Arlene Golonka from the album "You Don't Have to Be Jewish"?

Man (Lou Jacobi): "Honey, I'm home!"
Woman(Arlene Golonka): "I'm hiding!"
Man: "Honey, I'm home from work to spend the evening with you!"
Woman: "I'm hiding!"
Man: "Honey, I brought you a present!"
Woman: "I'm hiding!"
Man: "Honey, it's a mink coat!"
Woman: "I'm hiding...in the front closet!"

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 9:21am

Ernest T.

At first I thought he was too insane, and way too much. But the more I watch him, the funnier he gets. What a great, silly character!

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 9:25am

On the final episodes of Andy Griffith, they introduced the Mayberry RFD gang, Ken Berry, Arlene, and Buddy Foster... Jodie Foster's older brother!

[Jon]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 2:21pm

Howard Morris appeared on Broadway as Og the Leprcaun in a revival of FINIAN'S RAINBOW.

And of course, he was on the Sid Caesar show.

And in Mel Brook's HIGH ANXIETY.

[tommyboy]

Posted: 9/1/08 at 1:18pm

At the top of this thread, someone said Francis B. was not Aunt Bea off-the-set. Any juicy stories out there?

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/1/08 at 7:05pm

Not so very juicy. It's just fairly well known, because all the people connected with the show basically have the same story.

She was "acting" the role of a warm and fuzzy aunt. But in real life, Frances Bavier wasn't warm and fuzzy. She was cordial on the set, very professional. But she didn't fraternize or socialize with the other actors much at all. She did her job, and left the set. She was a private woman, who didn't "bond" with the others.

Now, nobody connected with the show has gone so far as to say she was a bitch. You'll find some in the media who might have infer it, just to stir up a better story. The cast and crew simply say that she was "no nonsense" and "all work." Even Ron Howard has said that. They all liked her though, but they didn't really know her very well. After all those years, and all that time spent together, she kept her distance from them all.

[tommyboy]

Posted: 9/2/08 at 12:11am

And that's OK -- Some of the folks I have worked w/ have said the same things abut me.

Others say I am the tree of the cast and later, the life of the party -- And many say I am terrific in bed. Just ask the guys in Hell's Kitchen and in Chelsea and before that, the baths on 49th St. (Geh Kochen Rudy!)

[Mamie]

Posted: 9/2/08 at 8:44am

hmmm....

Glad to see this stayed on topic.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 9/2/08 at 8:55am

Frankly, I don't know why this thread would be started here on the Sarah Palin Obsessors Board. This is way off topic!

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 9/2/08 at 9:22am

My favorite episodes where the two with the Morrison Sisters and their still. Of course, being North Carolinian, I've seen them all several hundred times.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/2/08 at 11:26am

"At the top of this thread, someone said Francis B. was not Aunt Bea off-the-set. Any juicy stories out there?"

One of the stories:

One day the director was blocking a scene. He said "Francis, I'm going to move you over there". Francis got mad and said "I am not a piece of furniture. I won't be moved anywhere" and stomped off the set.

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/2/08 at 11:30am

And then she came back with a gun and shot him daid.

And then she slapped Opie and called him an "ungrateful rugrat."

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/2/08 at 11:45am

Then she announced to Confidential magazine that Clara had a boob job, Floyd got his job via the casting couch, Helen Krump and Ellie Walker were Sappho sisters and Barney often scratched his butt during rehearsals.

[Chevstriss]

Posted: 9/2/08 at 9:41pm

Me and Maggie Peterson preparing for the parade 2 yrs ago.

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/2/08 at 10:08pm

Well, first of all, Chevstriss... You're GORGEOUS.

Second of all... Charlene! That's so very cool. I loved her on Andy Griffith!

Thanks for sharing that pic. I'm star-struck-jealous!

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/2/08 at 10:14pm

Here's Charlene back in the day...

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 9/2/08 at 10:42pm

Chevi, you ARE beautiful!

Now back to Howard Morris. Oh how I loved him on YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS! (Which I only saw on DVD, BTW!)

I looked him up on IMDB and it had this interesting tidbit about Howard on THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW (if you can trust IMDB, I mean):

"He was always surprised by his notoriety because he only appeared four times as Ernest T. Bass. He made other appearances as different characters, George and Leonard and one uncredited voice over."