The Andy Griffith Show facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Andy Griffith Show
Griffith and Howard
Created by	Sheldon Leonard
Starring	Andy Griffith Ronny Howard Don Knotts Frances Bavier
Theme music composer	Earle Hagen
Opening theme	"The Fishin' Hole"
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	8
No. of episodes	249 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time	25-26 minutes per episode without ads
Release
Original network	CBS
Picture format	Black and white 1960-1965 Color 1965-1968 Full screen
Original release	October 3, 1960 – April 1, 1968
Chronology
Followed by	Mayberry R.F.D.
Related shows	The Danny Thomas Show Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

The Andy Griffith Show was a very popular American sitcom (a funny TV show about everyday life). It was a huge hit when it was on TV. In fact, it was the number one show in its last year!

Meet the Characters

This show had many memorable characters. Here are some of the main ones:

• Andy Griffith played Sheriff Andy Taylor. He was the main character.
• Don Knotts was Deputy Barney Fife, Andy's funny sidekick.
• Ron Howard played Opie, Andy's young son.
• Frances Bavier was Aunt Bee, Andy's kind aunt and housekeeper.
• Elinor Donahue played Ellie Walker, who owned the drug store and was Andy's girlfriend for a while.
• Jim Nabors was Gomer Pyle, a friendly garage mechanic.
• Howard McNear played Floyd Lawson, the town barber.
• Aneta Corsaut was Helen Crump, Opie's schoolteacher and later Andy's girlfriend.
• Betty Lynn played Thelma Lou, Barney's girlfriend.
• Hope Summers was Clara Edwards, Aunt Bee's friend.
• Jack Dodson played Howard Sprague, the county clerk.
• George Lindsey was Goober Pyle, Gomer's cousin.

What the Show Was About

The show takes place in a small, friendly town called Mayberry in North Carolina. It's a fictional place, meaning it's not real. The main character is Sheriff Andy Taylor. He is a widower, which means his wife had passed away. He lives with his young son, Opie.

Andy's kind Aunt Bee also lives with them. She helps take care of the house and Opie. Andy's best friend and deputy is Barney Fife. Barney is a bit clumsy and often gets into funny situations. The show is all about the daily lives and adventures of these characters in their small town.

How the Show Was Made

The Andy Griffith Show was shown on the CBS television network. It aired from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968. The characters of Andy, Opie, and Aunt Bee first appeared in an episode of The Danny Thomas Show. This helped introduce them to TV audiences.

For the first five years, the show was filmed in Black and white. Starting with the sixth season, it switched to color. As the show went on, the humor became a bit less silly. It also started to explore more serious topics sometimes.

Awards and Recognition

Even though the show itself didn't win many awards, some of its actors did!

• Don Knotts won five Emmy Awards for his role as Deputy Barney Fife.
• Frances Bavier won one Emmy Award for playing Aunt Bee.

Don Knotts left the show after its fifth season. This was when the show was still in black and white.

Other Shows and a Movie

The Andy Griffith Show was so popular that it led to other TV shows and even a movie! These are called "spin-offs."

• Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. was a spin-off show. It followed the character Gomer Pyle as he joined the Marines.
• Mayberry R.F.D. was another spin-off sitcom. It starred Ken Berry as Sam Jones, a farmer and councilman. Many characters from The Andy Griffith Show also appeared in this show.
• Return To Mayberry was a TV movie made in 1986. It brought back most of the original cast members. Fans loved seeing their favorite characters again!

Images for kids

• 

  Knotts and Griffith as their characters in a TV special from 1965.

• 

  From left: Deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts), Opie Taylor (Ron Howard), Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith), and Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier).

• 

  Sam Jones (Ken Berry) and his son Mike (Buddy Foster) were in the last season of The Andy Griffith Show. This helped set up the new show Mayberry R.F.D..