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
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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on
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SHERWOOD KEITH from the TAGS episode "Aunt Bee's Brief Encounter."
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SHERWOOD KEITH in Floyd's Barber Shop from left to right Frank Warren, Sherwood Keith and Howard McNear. This was from the episode "The Jinx" with John Qualen.
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TOD ANDREWS aka MICHAEL AMES (1914-1972) was of cast in roles similar to Ronald Reagan. He appeared in It Came From Hell (1957), Between Heaven and Hell (1956), Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), and two that came out after his death The Baby (1973) and The President's Plane Is Missing (1973). He appeared on television shows such as Gunsmoke, Suspense, The Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone, One Step Beyond and many more. He was in two episodes of The Andy Griffith Show in 1961 "The Inspector" and in 1968 "A Girl for Goober." This is a John Verzi in person card from 1966 signed as Michael Ames.
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ROBERT EMHARDT (1914-1994) the large man who resembled Sydney Greenstreet was often cast as a villain or authority figure. He appeared more in television than movies although he did his share of those. He was in an episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The Twilight Zone and The Brady Bunch among many others. Emhardt did two TAGS episodes playing Malcolm Tucker in the 1963 episode "A Man in a Hurry" and a 1966 episode as Willard Foster in "The Foster Lady." His is a scarce autograph to find.
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SYLVIA LEWIS (1931- ) began her career in mostly small uncredited roles as a dancer. She was in a Three Stooges short called Bedlam in Paradise (1955) she began getting credited roles in such shows as The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, The Bob Cummings Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Beverly Hillbillies, Gomer Pyle: USMC, and the Jerry Lewis movie Hook, Line and Sinker (1969). She appeared on two episodes of The Andy Griffith Show playing Flossie in "Banjo Playing Deputy" in 1965, and as a dancer in "A Singer in Town" in 1966. This is an illustrated 3x5 sheet.
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HOWARD MCNEAR (1905-1969) with the exception of Don Knotts perhaps no other TAGS character is as beloved as Howard McNear aka Floyd Lawson the barber of Mayberry. McNear was part of the radio show Gunsmoke where he played "Doc Adams." He was a character actor who appeared in numerous movies and television shows in the 1950s and 1960s. One credited role was in the Jimmy Stewart comedy Bell, Book and Candle (1958). In 1959 he was in another Jimmy Stewart movie this time the classic Anatomy of a Murder playing Dr. Dompierre. His was among the very controversial scenes in the movie since both he and Jimmy Stewart use the word "sperm." Jimmy showing a pair of lady's panties was another shocking scene. McNear played his role in a serious and realistic fashion proving he was not just Floyd the Barber.
McNear certainly will first and foremost be remembered for bringing to life Floyd Lawson. When McNear suffered a debilitating stroke, it was Andy Griffith who refused to give up on him. Andy made sure that when McNear returned his scenes would be shot so he was either sitting or was filmed sitting on a specially built stool that could not be seen. He also often had something in his left hand. He was featured in his last entitled "Goober's Contest" episode that aired April 10, 1967. Floyd then retired and Emmett Clark (Paul Hartman) buys his barbershop and makes it into "Emmett's Fixit Shop." Less than two years later just before his 64th birthday McNear died on January 3, 1969.
Of the dozen major actors/actresses who appeared in at least 20 episodes (not counting announcer Colin Male or extra Tom Jacobs) on The Andy Griffith Show his is the rarest autograph. This is my McNear a pre-stroke example.
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DICK ELLIOTT (1886-1961) appeared in 11 early episodes of The Andy Griffith Show as Mayor Pike. He began his acting career as a character actor in mostly bit-part roles starting in 1933. He established him so that by the late 1930s, he got some credited roles, including the Jimmy Stewart classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). He had a more prominent role as "Judge Crowthers" in the Barbara Stanwix classic A Christmas in Connecticut (1945). In 1946, he had a minor part as a man on a porch in Jimmy Stewart's It's a Wonderful Life. With the advent of television, Elliott found steady work as a doctor, businessman, judge, and mayor. He was in three episodes of The Adventures of Superman. Elliot worked on several television westerns before landing his signature role as Mayberry's Mayor Pike in 1960. There can be little doubt that, but for his death in 1961, he would have appeared on many more episodes of TAGS. His last appearance was in the episode "The Manicurist" with Barbara Eden, which aired in 1962 after his death. As a general rule, Mayor Pike is treated much kinder than his successor, Mayor Stoner (Parley Baer). Andy Griffith always hated the idea of a mayor and correctly argued that a sheriff was a county official and did not have to answer to a town mayor. Andy said it was the only major argument he and Sheldon Leonard ever had. Leonard believed that for a comedy to work, you needed a threat from an authority figure. In the end, Andy won.
As far as autographs are concerned material on Elliott is scarce though it does pop up. This is an autographed program from a play.
More exemplars may be seen here:
SCARCE DICK ELLIOTT AUTOGRAPH - Autograph Live (autographmagazine.com)
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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on
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Hi Scott,
I saw the old snapshot and thought of you.
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lol that is great one thanks Eric.
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ANETA CORSAUT (1933-1995) best known for playing opposite Steve McQueen in THE BLOB (1958) and as Helen Crump on The Andy Griffith Show appearing in 66 episodes. She also appeared as Judge Cynthia Justin on Andy Griffith's later series Matlock. She reprised her role of Helen for the RETURN TO MAYBERRY movie in 1986. Her autograph is elusive and highly sought after among collectors.
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WILLIAM KEENE (1915-1992) is perhaps best known for his two Twilight Zone appearances and many other television shows. He played Rev. Hobart Tucker/Rev. Martin in six episodes of The Andy Griffith Show reprising his role as the minister in six more episodes of Mayberry R. F. D. His last work was an episode of Little House on the Prairie. This is from Worthpoint from a John Verzi in-person index card.
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GEORGE LINDSEY (1928-2012) was a character actor best known for his role of "Goober Pyle" a character he portrayed longer than any other TAGS actor. He appeared as a sadistic small-town deputy in the Twilight Zone episode entitled "I am the Night-Color Me Black." He did more dramatic roles in his early years including episodes of Gunsmoke. He was actually cast for the role of the simple gas station attendant on TAGS, but when Andy Griffith saw a young nightclub performer Jim Nabors, he was given the role. Lindsey was obviously disappointed but he got his chance to play Gomer's cousin Goober in the fourth season (1964) episode "Fun Girls."
Lindsey played his character Goober as a regular on TAGS, Mayberry R. F. D. and Hee Haw. He also appeared as the character in episodes of Gomer Pyle: U.S. M.C., The New Andy Griffith Show and a failed pilot Goober and the Trucker's Paradise. Lindsey reprised his role with other cast members for The Return to Mayberry movie.
This is a signed back of a polaroid photograph in 1970 while still playing Goober.
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