Where To Watch
About that time Don Knotts was ''Man of the Year'' at a college fraternity
We already knew Don Knotts was the man, but his former frat gave him the title of "Man of the Year."
The idea of Don Knotts being anything but the shy and nervous guy we thought he was based on his portrayal of Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show is something many can't imagine.
Knotts was best known for his role in the series, among a few others, and for his unique brand of humor. His nervous, high-strung persona mixed with his impeccable comedic timing led the entire country to fall in love with him.
He had a knack for funny one-liners and being a king of physical comedy, but nowhere in Knotts' long career would we have expected him to be a former fraternity member. Although Knotts never seemed like much of a frat boy, they loved him.
In a 1962 interview with The Times, Knotts was getting ready to be honored by his old college fraternity as their "Man of the Year." He graduated from West Virginia University where he was actively involved with the theater program in addition to his major in education.
For someone who struggled keeping control of his nerves, he had no problem fitting into any type of social group.
"Heck," Knotts said. "I don't deserve the honor. It should go to a scientist or something like that."
Be that as it may, Knotts was still voted as "Man of the Year" by the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. He was scheduled to give a speech and make a toast at a big banquet in honor of his undergrad journey and career.
"I couldn't afford to be a member, so they let me in free because I was an entertainer," Knotts said. "They were a great bunch of boys. I was so scared of flunking out of school. I worked hard enough to graduate in three and a half years."
Knotts said he loved being part of the fraternity in college, and was happy to be back at the university where it all started.
On brand as usual, Knotts used his anxiety as a way to come up with a speech fit for him.
"I've got to find a ghostwriter," Knotts said. "I'm lousy at giving speeches. I'll just have to steal a line from Jack Benny. I'll tell 'em I don't deserve the honor. But I have hay fever too, and I don't deserve that either."
Watch The Andy Griffith Show on MeTV!
Weeknights at 8 & 8:30, Sundays at 6 & 6:30 PM
*available in most MeTV markets
6 Comments
What made the character of Barney Fife so funny, I think, to viewers in the South was that there were deputies like Barney in real life. I think every Southerner has, at one time or another, even to this day, met or has had an encounter with a Deputy Fife. There was no comedian funnier. Andy Griffith was a funny guy, but in the field of comedy, Don Knotts is STILL "Man of the year".
