Authenticity is Everything
Actors and Actresses That Appeared on The Andy Griffith Show
One fascinating thing about the show is that some characters are so strong you think they were in scores of episodes, yet, in reality, they were in very few. Ernest T. Bass comes to mind. This character, portrayed by Howard Morris, appeared in only five episodes. Morris also appeared in another episode as a television repairman. His voice was on two different episodes. The Bass character was so electric that people assumed he was on many more.
Of the 249 episodes (250 if you count the Pilot, which I do), Andy Griffith was the only actor to appear in all of them. Surprisingly, Ron Howard came in second with 202 (plus 41 credits only, plus the Pilot) appearances. Frances Bavier ("Aunt Bee") appeared on 175 (including the Pilot plus 13 credits only), while Don Knotts was on 142 (plus 21 credits only). Surprisingly, no other Mayberry character reached the 100-show mark. George Lindsey, Howard McNear, and Aneta Corsaut were the only ones to appear in at least 50 episodes. Hope Summers, Jack Dodson, and Hal Smith each made over 30 appearances. Betty Lynn appeared in 26 episodes, and Jim Nabors in 23. All others had fewer than 20 episodes, including "Emmett Clark," "Ellie Walker," and "Warren Ferguson," as well as "The Darlings," all of which made fewer than ten episodes. The writing, casting, and directing were so flawless that it makes you think they were on most of the episodes.
It all started as an episode of Make Room for Daddy with Danny Thomas entitled "Danny Meets Andy Griffith," which aired on February 15, 1960. This show introduced the world to Mayberry, North Carolina, and the widower Sheriff Andy Taylor, as well as his son Opie. Francis Bavier also appeared in this episode, but not as "Aunt Bee." She was "Henrietta Perkins." Others in that episode that would later appear on The Andy Griffith Show include Will Wright, Frank Cady, and Rance Howard. This pilot episode was the true beginning of the show.
During the shows run, many actors and actresses that went on to star in movies and television shows appeared, including Barbara Eden, Hayden Rork, Buddy Ebsen, Edgar Buchanan, Don Rickles, Bob Denver, Alan Hale, Jr., Frank Cady, Alvy Moore, Sid Melton, Mary Grace Canfield, Hank Patterson, Howard Hesseman (credited as Don Sturdy), James Best, William Christopher, Jamie Farr, Gavin MacLeod, Julie Adams, Dabbs Greer, Rob Reiner, Denver Pyle, Bo Hopkins, Lee Van Cleef, Helen Kleeb, Mary Jackson, Dub Taylor, Richard Bull, Karl Swenson, Ellen Corby, Arte Johnson, Dick Haynes, Terri Garr, Elinor Donahue, Kent McCord, Ronnie Schell, George Nader and Casey Adams (aka Max Showalter). Even Jack Nicholson made two appearances on the show! Richard Crenna, although never appearing on camera, directed eight episodes of TAGS.
Barbara Griffith, Andy Griffith's first wife, appeared in one episode. Andy's father, Carl Lee Griffith, appears as "The man with the brown paper package" in the episode "The Farmer Takes a Wife." Ron Howard's father, Rance, and brother, Clint, appeared in multiple episodes of the show.
My list only includes the announcer, Colin Male, for his one appearance on-screen as a forest ranger on the show. Colin Male was the announcer for over 90 of the early episodes. I consider the announcer similar to a crew member, director, or other similar roles, but not a cast member. The announcer was not integral to any storyline.
Over 600 actors appeared on the show, not counting "Dolly the Horse" or "Old Sam the Fish." Close to 500 had "credited" roles. Scores of "extras" would likely push the list up much higher. Several unknown extras are featured in various group scenes throughout the show, including Barney's return and the class reunion episode. There are also extras seen walking across the street in background shots or sitting on benches. Most of those people are unknown and difficult to identify because of the distance. They are valuable because they bring an air of authenticity to Mayberry, being a real town, not a set, even though it was.
The names below, marked with **, have exemplars shown herein. The following is a list of cast members who appear in at least five episodes, excluding Colin Male. I thought about Thomas Jacobs and Joe Crehan since they were primarily extras, but I have left them on the list. Jacobs is listed with 72 episodes but credited in only two of those. Crehan appeared in at least 13 episodes, but was credited only in two, like Jacobs.
The number of episodes listed below refers to on-screen appearances only. For example, Don Knotts is credited with 162 episodes but was only seen in 141 of those. He was named in the credits of 21 episodes in which he did not appear. I have only used the 141 that he was seen on-screen. Ron Howard is more complicated, since, technically, he and Andy appear in all the episodes in the opening credits. Howard is credited with 243 episodes but only appears on screen in 202. He is credited only in 41 episodes,
The ones in bold face are those that exemplars are requested.
Andy Griffith "Andy Taylor" 249 episodes**(plus the Pilot)
Ron Howard "Opie Taylor" 202 **(plus the Pilot)
Frances Bavier "Aunt Bee Taylor" 175** (plus the Pilot)
Don Knotts "Barney Fife" 141**
George Lindsey "Goober Pyle" 86**
Howard McNear "Floyd Lawson" 80**
Tom Jacobs "Councilman" and "Mayberry Citizen" (72)**
Aneta Corsaut "Helen Crump" 66**
Jack Dodson "Howard Sprague" 38**
Hope Summers "Clara Edwards" 32**
Hal Smith "Otis Campbell" 32**
Betty Lynn "Thelma Lou" 26**
Jim Nabors "Gomer Pyle" 23**
Paul Hartman "Emmett Clark) 16**
Mary Lansing "Martha Clark" 15
Burt Mustin "Jud Fletcher & others" 14**
Robert McQuain "Joe Waters & others" 14
Richard Keith "Johnny Paul Jason" 13**
Joseph Crehan "Mayberry Citizen" 13**
Elinor Donahue "Ellie Walker" 12**
Jack Burns "Warren Ferguson" 11**
Dick Elliott "Mayor Pike" 11**
Joseph H. Hamilton "Mayberry Citizen" 11**
Sheldon Collins "Arnold Bailey" 9**
Roy Engel "Mayberry Citizen" 8**
Allan Melvin "Various Parts" 8**
Dennis Rush "Howie Pruitt" 8 **
Howard Morris "Ernest T. Bass" 8**
Rhonda Jeter "Karen Burgess & others" 8
Parley Baer "Mayor Stoner" 7**
Charles P. Thompson "Old Asa" later "Doc Roberts" 7**
William Keene "Rev. Tucker" 6 **
Jack Prince "Rafe Hollister" 6**
Janet Stewart (Bernice and others) 6
Forrest Lewis (Cy Hudgins; Mayberry Citizen) 6**
Joy Ellison (Effie Muggins and others) 6
Cheerio Meredith "Emma Brand" 6**
Norman Leavitt ("Wally" and others) 6**
Maggie Peterson Mancuso "Charlene Darling" 6**
Denver Pyle "Briscoe Darling" 6**
Doug Dillard (Darling brother) 6**
Rodney Dillard (Darling brother) 6**
Mitch Jayne (Darling brother) 6**
Dean Webb (Darling brother) 6**
Olan Soule (Choirmaster John Masters/hotel clerk) 5**
Jason Johnson (Mr. Weaver & others) 5
Frank Ferguson (Mr. Foley, Sam Lindsey, Wilbur Pine) 5**
Amzie Strickland (Myra Tucker & others) 5**
Sherwood Keith (Sam) 5 **
Warren Parker (County Fair Judge) 5
George Cisar [NOT the baseball player with the same name] (Cyrus Tankersley) 5
Frank Warren (Art Crowley the grocer) 5
Ruth Thom (Ella Carson) 5
Maudie Prickett (Aunt Nora and Mrs. Larch) 5**
Clint Howard (Leon) 5**
Sam Edwards (Tom Bedlow & others) 5**
These figures change as I find other episodes.
Tags: Andy, Bavier, Don, Frances, Griffith, Howard, Jack, Ken, Knotts, Lynch, More…
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on
-
Francis worked at a theater in California so had access to a lot of stars most that I have seen seem to be 40s and 50s especially.
-
-
Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on
-
It seems the cut of date for me anyway was about 1952-1955. Although Scott had some superb 1962 candid images of Judy Garland at THE Carnegie show that I purchased and wish I kept now. Color too. One with Roddy McDowell in her dressing room. Others of her performance, not all of which were disseminated by Pat McMath of the Fan Club in those years. Scott sold a lot of that too. Vintage period fan club copies.
-
-
-
PARLEY BAER (1914-2002) Parley Baer is best known as "Arthur J. Henson" on six episodes of The Addams Family and as the second mayor on The Andy Griffith Show. He played Mayor Roy Stoner for seven episodes in 1962-63. He was on two episodes of I Love Lucy and nine of Bewitched. Baer played "Buck" on three episodes of Newhart. He was "Darby" on 55 episodes of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. He did westerns like Bonanza, Wagon Train, and Death Valley Days. On the radio version of Gunsmoke he played "Chester" while Howard McNear (Floyd on The Andy Griffith Show) played "Doc Adams." Baer was asked to give the eulogy at the funeral of his close friend Howard McNear. This is a 4x6" index card part of the vast John Verzi in person collection through Tom Kramer:
-
-
-
TOM JACOBS [JACOB] (1903-1976) was the older brother of Danny Thomas. He appeared as an extra on The Danny Thomas Show, I Love Lucy, and The Joey Bishop Show. He is seen in at least 72 episodes of The Andy Griffith Show a familiar face when you know it. If I recall, he had one somewhat indistinct line in the episode "Goober Takes a Car Apart." My hearing is shot so it may just be in thinking that was somewhat soft. There is another episode he says "Welcome back" to Aunt Bee, but there again not distinct. The character Jacob[s] plays is that of a Mayberry citizen and sometimes a councilman. I have never seen an example of his signature although he may have signed some. This is the signature on his World War II draft registration card as "Thomas J. Jacob." He was married at least twice his first wife was Juanita and his second Helen Jacob. His obituaries did not mention children except for a stepson.
-
-
-
CHUBBY JOHNSON (1903-1974) born Charles Rutledge Johnson in Indiana he was one of the great western sidekicks in both movies and television for almost 30 years. Among his movies were Calamity Jane (1953), The True Story of Jesse James (1957), Support Your Local Sheriff (1969), and Sam Whiskey (1969). He was in many television westerns though often only appearing once. Among those were Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, The Lone Ranger, Wanted Dead or Alive and Maverick. He also appeared in an episode of Thriller. One of his most beloved roles was the TAGS episode "A Feud is a Feud," playing the feuding head of the Carter clan against Arthur Hunnicutt's family the Wakefields. His autograph is rare and there are fakes. This is World War II draft registration signature.
-
-
Permalink Reply by CJCollector on
-
That's awesome, Scott.
-
-
-
Hey there Christopher! Thank you I always liked Chubby Johnson I wish he was not as rare as he is.
-
-
Permalink Reply by Tim Henderson on
-
Hi Scott,
It’s been a while since I was on here. I love that you have added exemplars of Tom and Chubby! I’ve never seen a Tom autograph but I am fortunate enough to have added a Chubby to my collection. From my favorite episode Fued is a Fued!!
-
-
-
ARTHUR HUNNICUTT (1910-1979) usually played grizzled hillbilly or frontier types in movies and television. His distinctive voice and looks made him perfect for the roles he obtained. His classic Twilight Zone episode "The Hunt" is a perfect example of his casting. Although often cast in comic relief roles, he could play serious parts in movies like THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE, DISTANT DRUMS, and THE LAST COMMAND (playing Davy Crockett),
He appeared along with Chubby Johnson in the TAGS episode "A Feud is a Feud." Both men perfectly play roles in this story that blends the real Hatfield and McCoy Feud with Romeo and Juliet. Hunnicutt plays Jedidiah Wakefield, while Chubby Johnson is Mr. Carter (never learn his first name). Chubby Johnson is the more difficult to find, but Hunnicutt is also very rare. Since I added the Chubby Johnson exemplar I thought this would be a good place for Hunnicutt. This is a 3x5 index card from the 1970s.
-
-
-
-
-
Scott,
wasn't this the Confederate witch guy in the Twilight Zone episode Still Valley with Gary Merrill (Bette Davis ex)?
-
-
-
Hi Eric. Hunnicutt was only in "The Hunt" in the Twilight Zone. I know the episode you are talking about, and Vaughn Taylor was in that he was another TAGS alumni. Merrill was, in my view, an underrated actor. He was very good in anything I have seen him. I think I have him because I used to collect TZ also.
-
© 2025 Created by Steve Cyrkin, Admin.
Powered by
Badges | Report an Issue | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
