10 Andy Griffith Show facts to liven up a party

You'll be a smash with these 10 fascinating facts!

Say, pal... Why are you standing on the wall with your hands in your pockets?

This is a party, chum! You're supposed to be living and laughing with all these other people! Go on, get in there. Have a good time.

What's that, you say? You don't have any fun personal anecdotes to liven up the conversation? Don't worry, because MeTV is here to help you out. 

For your social benefit, here are 10 facts about The Andy Griffith Show that you can dispense at your next social gathering. You'll be the hit of the party, the belle of the ball! 


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1. Theme Song

 

That whistling theme song? It's going to get stuck in all your guests' heads when you tell them about Earle Hagen. He wrote this tune, and he composed the big band intro music for The Dick Van Dyke Show. What a guy!

2. Gomer and Goober

 

Over by the punch bowl, let 'em know that Jim Nabors and George Lindsey auditioned for The Andy Griffith Show at the same time. That's right! They both tried out to be Gomer. Even though Lindsey had more experience, Nabors won the part. Luckily, he got a spinoff, and Lindsey got to be Goober!

3. Mayberry

 

As you mingle, go ahead and get everybody's attention. Bang a knife on a glass and yell "Hey gang, there's no such place as Mayberry!" There isn't... It's made up, and based on Mt. Airy, North Carolina!

4. Otis

 

If nobody got a sitter, and there's a bunch of little rascals at your party, regale them with tales of ol' Otis, the town drunk. "Children, Hal Smith hosted a weekly kids' show while he was appearing on The Andy Griffith Show." Neat!

5. Behind the Scenes

 

Chances are, Andy Griffith isn't at your party. That's okay because he also wasn't in very many episodes of the sequel series Mayberry R.F.D. However! Did you know that Griffith stuck around behind the scenes as the new show's executive producer?

6. Bless Your Heart

 

Guests at parties come and go, just like Frances Bavier left Mayberry. In her wake, Mayberry R.F.D featured Alice Ghostley as a replacement. 

7. Silence Off Set

 

While they remained good pals, Andy and Don hardly spoke while they were off the show's set. So just remember that if there's a lull in the conversation. Andy told the press it was all about how much time they spent together talking while they were on the clock. 12 hours a day, 6 days a week? That's a lot of gabbing! 

8. Ellie left early

 

Andy's first girlfriend left after the first season. Then, the Sheriff of Mayberry went without a significant other for three whole seasons before Helen Crump joined the cast. Sure, he dated, but those were brief dalliances. Just remember that, in case there's nobody to dance with at first. 

9. Remember to Have a Designated Driver

 

The ultimate party foul is getting pulled over on the way home. So, remember to leave the keys at home if you're going to drink a few sodas. The pilot of The Andy Griffith Show aired on The Danny Thomas Show, and featured Danny Thomas getting pulled over by the Sheriff of Mayberry, Andy Taylor!

10. Different Roles

 

Just remember... Today's wallflower can be tomorrow's party animal. Roles change. One of The Andy Griffith Show's co-executive producers, Everett Greenbaum, took up acting when the show ended. He then appeared on Matlock!

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17 Comments

JHP 9 months ago
I thought Everett Sloan (Jubal) did the TAGS theme...
Wapkep1982 9 months ago
The Danny Thomas Show pilot was re-aired using Bill Bixby as the inconsiderate driver who almost Hulked out!
AgingDisgracefully 9 months ago
Did everyone feel the party livening up?
Anyone?
JHP AgingDisgracefully 9 months ago
Where's Rube Sloan's still?
AgingDisgracefully JHP 9 months ago
Got took by them Revenuers.
JHP AgingDisgracefully 9 months ago
you gave me my 1st chuckle of the day:)
JohnnyBoyohBoy 9 months ago
The Goober/Gomer fact isn't exactly correct. Lindsey was actually chosen for the role before Nabors was even on the radar. Griffith saw Nabors performing at a nightclub and loved him and had him try out for Gomer after Lindsey had the part. They then decided to go with Nabors and had to tell Lindsey they were going with someone else. Lindsey tells about this in his autobiography. He said he was crushed by the news because he felt he was perfect for the role and admitted he struggled with resentment against Nabors even after they called him back to be Gomer's cousin Goober.
lighthouse5 9 months ago
Our family always loved Mayberry from the beginning. I was 15 and 16 in those days .One sister older, 2 younger. We lived in Turner/ Salem Oregon 🙏♥️🙋Love to Mayberry.
seltaeb 9 months ago
The Fun Girls would definitely liven it up!
ElwooodBlues 9 months ago
Number 8 - Not true. There were three county nurses Andy romanced with before help Helen Crump.
seltaeb ElwooodBlues 9 months ago
Yep. There were 2 nurses named Mary and then Peggy. There was also ThelmaLou's cousin Karen from Arkansas.
Zip ElwooodBlues 9 months ago
Indeed. How could they have forgotten Peggy? The girl Andy should have married(in my humble opinion).
MrSchwamp seltaeb 9 months ago
Mary was played by actress Sue Ann Langdon. Peggy was played by actress Joanna Moore and spend some time in a mental hospital in Camarillo, California.
McGillahooala Zip 9 months ago
Yep. Helen was my least favorite of Andy’s girlfriends.
FrankensteinLover 9 months ago
My favorite show ever, if you have never been do yourself a favor and visit Mount Airy North Carolina.
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