#Andy griffith show barney fife series#

Martin Short has likewise hailed Knotts as a major influence, and at least one of Short’s recurring characters, shifty-eyed lawyer Nathan Thurm, owes a debt to Knotts’ “nervous man” character, created for “The Steve Allen Show” in the 1950s. “ ‘I watched it a hundred times when I was a kid.’ ” Chicken,”’ Carrey later told an interviewer. “I went to him, and I was just like, ‘Thank you so much for “The Ghost and Mr. Once, when Knotts visited the set of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” Carrey paid tribute. Its early mix of live action and animation was a forerunner of such later films as “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” and “Space Jam.”Īt one point, Jim Carrey was said to be considering starring in a “Limpet” remake, although the project has yet to materialize. “Limpet,” the tale of a meek man who is transformed into a fish, has particularly won recent acclaim. The latter two were made as part of a five-picture deal with Universal Pictures. Chicken” (1966) and “The Reluctant Astronaut” (1967).

#Andy griffith show barney fife series#

One of the bits, “The Weatherman,” concerned a TV forecaster forced to wing it after the meteorology report fails to make it to the studio by air time.ĭuring the mid to late 1960s, in a largely unsuccessful bid for major film stardom, Knotts made a series of family films that many connoisseurs now say were critically underappreciated at the time. Knotts first rose to prominence in the late 1950s, joining Louis Nye and other comedy players on “The Steve Allen Show.” In 1961, United Artists Records released a comedy album entitled “Don Knotts: An Evening with Me,” which featured various takeoffs on the “nervous man” routine the comic had made famous on Allen’s show. The new generation came to appreciate his highly physical brand of acting that, at its best, was in the tradition of silent-film greats such as Buster Keaton, Stan Laurel and Harold Lloyd. Turtle in the 1997 animated feature “Cats Don’t Dance.”Īs he grew older, Knotts became a lodestar for younger comic actors. He also did guest spots in 2005 on NBC’s “Las Vegas” and Fox’s “That ‘70s Show.” He occasionally co-headlined in live comedy shows with Tim Conway, his sometime co-star in Disney films such as “The Apple Dumpling Gang.” Knotts also appeared as the TV repairman in director Gary Ross’s whimsical 1998 comedy “Pleasantville,” and voiced the part of T.W. He lent his distinctive, high-pitched voice as Turkey Mayor in Walt Disney’s animated family film “Chicken Little,” which was released in November 2005. Knotts, who lived in West Los Angeles, died Friday night of lung cancer at UCLA Medical Center, according to Sherwin Bash, his longtime manager.įamily members said that his longtime friend Griffth was one of his last visitors at Cedars on Friday night.ĭespite health problems, Knotts had kept working in recent months. They were the stars of the hit 1930s radio show, “Fibber McGee & Molly.Don Knotts, the saucer-eyed, scarecrow-thin comic actor best known for his roles as the high-strung small-town deputy Barney Fife on the 1960s CBS series “The Andy Griffith Show” and the leisure-suit-clad landlord Ralph Furley on ABC’s ‘70s sitcom “Three’s Company,” has died. The man she loved and married was Jim Jordan, Jr. Turns out, the actress fell in love and got married. However, the year after she appeared as a character in Mayberry, Tyler decided to bring her career to an end. Some people thought that Beverly Tyler was going to be one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. This episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” aired during 1961. Beverly Tyler Quit Acting During the Early 1960s

Barney wanted to break up with Gladys and, wisely, repair his relationship with Thelma Lou. Like he was often known to do, he went to Sheriff Andy Taylor ( Andy Griffith) for help. Things move so quickly, in fact, that Barney and Gladys are engaged.īeing Barney, he quickly realized he made a mistake with this new woman.

Things begin to move very quickly between this new woman and Barney. In an episode titled, “Barney on the Rebound,” Gladys makes an appearance in Mayberry.