There Was Actually a Spin-Off
Mayberry R.F.D. is a television series produced as a spin-off and direct continuation of The Andy Griffith Show . When star Andy Griffith decided to leave the series, most of the supporting characters returned for the retitled program, which ran for three seasons (78 episodes) on the CBS Television Network from 1968 – 1971 .
During the final season of The Andy Griffith Show , widow farmer Sam Jones ( Ken Berry ) and his young son Mike ( Buddy Foster ) are introduced and gradually become the show’s focus. Sheriff Andy Taylor takes a backseat in the storylines, establishing the new premise. The show’s first episode, “Andy and Helen’s Wedding”, had the highest ratings in recorded television history.Sheriff Taylor and newlywed wife Helen make guest appearances on Mayberry R.F.D. until late 1969 and then relocate with Opie. Mayberry R.F.D. (which stands for Rural Free Delivery ) was popular throughout its entire run, but was canceled after its third season in CBS’s ” rural purge ” of 1971.
Andy Was Originally Intended To Be the Comic
When the show first aired , the concept was for Andy Griffith to be the comedic lead and the funnyman who made constant jokes concerning the characters. But once Don Knotts proved his natural comedy, it was quickly decided that Barney would be the funnyman to Andy’s straight man. It was discovered that the show was funnier with the roles reversed.
As Griffith maintained in several interviews, "By the second episode, I knew that Don should be funny, and I should play straight". Knotts also revealed in an interview a little trick he did as an actor that was rooted in this special chemistry. Knotts said, "Andy found Barney funny. I think that helped, too. I could see sometimes when Andy’s eyes were just trying to keep from laughing, which would help me try and make it even funnier."
Star Trek Came To Mayberry
Ever wonder what 'The Andy Griffith Show' would look like after an apocalypse? When Star Trek first aired, the show was so underfunded that they were forced to use the set of the town of Mayberry in a few episodes. The lot was used in four Star Trek episodes — "Miri," "The City on the Edge of Forever," "The Return of the Archons" and "A Piece of the Action" — but Mayberry can best be seen in the first two.
William Shatner and Joan Collins can be seen going for a stroll outside of Floyd's barber shop in "The City on the Edge of Forever. "Miri," on the other hand, gives us a glimpse of what Mayberry might look like after an apocalypse. The dilapidated Bartlett Stables in "Miri" shows what was once the stomping ground of Opie.
They Quit While They Were Ahead
So many shows drag on and on, eventually causing audience fatigue. To prevent this from happening to The Andy Griffith Show, the producers made the wise decision to end it after the eighth season. In its entirety, the series never placed lower than seventh in the Nielsen ratings - and the show had the distinct honor of being one of only three shows that ended atop the chart. “I Love Lucy” and “Seinfeld” are the only other two.
On separate occasions, it has been ranked by TV Guide as the 9th-best and 13th-best show in American television history. Though neither Griffith nor the show won awards during its 8-season run, co-stars Knotts and Bavier accumulated a combined total of six Emmy Awards .
Andy and Frances Never Struck the Right Chord
Even though Andy Griffith and Aunt Bee had a general fondness for each other on the show, the two never could get along off screen. The reason being, Frances considered herself far too serious of a dramatic actress to play opposite the wisecracking Andy Griffith. His constant joking and pranking got on her nerves on a regular basis.
Andy and Aunt Bee did make amends years later, though, and she called him to apologize for the conflict between them just months before her death. Thankfully, they were able to end on an amicable note.