Network: CBS
Episodes: 249 (half-hour)
Seasons: Eight
TV show dates: October 3, 1960 — April 1, 1968
Series status: Cancelled/ended
Performers include: Andy Griffith, Ron Howard, Frances Bavier, Don Knotts, George Lindsey, Howard McNear, Aneta Coursaut, Colin Male, Jack Dodson, Hal Smith, Hope Summers, Betty Lynn, Jim Nabors, Paul Hartman, Mary Lansing, Burt Mustin, Robert McQuain, Elinor Donahue, Richard Keith, Jack Burns, Dick Elliott, Joseph Hamilton, Sheldon Collins, Dennis Rush, Roy Engel, Allan Melvin, and Howard Morris.
TV show description:
In the small North Carolina town of Mayberry, widower Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) divides his time between his duties as sheriff and raising his young son, Opie (Ron Howard).
Andy’s Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier) lives with the Taylors to help raise Opie and his incompetent cousin, Barney Fife (Don Knotts), is the deputy sheriff.
Colorful town residents include mechanic Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors), filling station attendant Goober Pyle (George Lindsey), barber Floyd Lawson (Howard McNear), school teacher Helen Crump (Aneta Corsaut), County Clerk Howard Sprague (Jack Dodson), and town drunk Otis Campbell (Hal Smith).
When Griffith left the series in 1968, many of the characters continued on in a new show, Mayberry R.F.D.
Episode 249 — Mayberry RFD
Sam Jones (Ken Berry) sponsors his old Army buddy, Mario Vinchenti (Gabrielle Tinti) from Italy, to come to help out on the farm. Mario has good intentions but brings his father (Bruno Della Santina) and vivacious sister Sophia (Letitia Roman) along without telling Sam first.
Sam agrees to let them all stay at the farmhouse but there seems to be one problem after another. Sam talks to Andy and says that he may have made a mistake. He thinks the Vincentes might be better off in a larger community, like Mount Pilot. Andy sympathizes but neither of them realize just how much of an impact the new arrivals have had on the other citizens of Mayberry.
This episode serves as the pilot for the spin-off that ran for three seasons. Though the Vinchenti family are going to stay in Mayberry by the end of the episode, they never appear in the Mayberry RFD series.
First aired: April 01, 1968.
Cindy I did the Same thing & I never Stop nor. Would I ever.
Andy of Mayberry is getting my family through the quarantine. Don’t ever cancel this show. It’s refreshing and wise. This show’s wisdom is timeless. Andy and Barney are the best duo.
Absolutely love this show. watched it when i was young and now that i’m old i still love it. all the characters meshed so well with each other. reminds me of the way we grew up. wish it was like that now.
Love the show and cast of the Andy Griffith show keep the reruns going
Still one of the best shows on TV!!!
I would love for my kids and grandkids to grow up seeing the family values of “The Andy Griffith Show” just as I did. You just never get tired of watching them.
[…] playing a country sheriff in a backdoor pilot episode of Make Room for Daddy starring Danny Thomas. The Andy Griffith Show debuted in 1960 and was a big hit for CBS. During its eight year run, it was always in the top […]
i will miss tom bosley on the happpy days he was very funnny actor i thinkl all the actors and actress like working with him he played a dad on happy days to fonzie and richie cunningham and mom on the show to marion ross may god be with his family ok liz
I love this show
I like the black & white episode’s better then the. Color ones