Barney Fife Was the Focal Point of Funny in Mayberry

Don Knotts' character, Barney Fife, was the comedic center of The Andy Griffith Show. While Andy Taylor was the moral compass, and Gomer Pyle was the town clown, Barney's well-intentioned, nervous demeanor teed up some of the biggest laughs throughout the series' eight seasons. It was because viewers inherently trusted Barney Fife, Andy's cousin and deputy, that the laughs flowed naturally. But how much of Barney is Don Knotts, and how much of Don Knotts is Barney? The two are both similar and worlds apart in who they are and how they act. 

The Broadway Beginnings of Don Knotts' Friendship with Andy Griffith

To understand where actor ends and character begins, it's important to trace the Barney Fife character back to Broadway. This is where Don Knotts first met Andy Griffith, and the two had immediate chemistry. Knotts starred alongside Griffith in No Time for Sergeants for two years before moving to Hollywood to bring the story to the big screen. It was in this role that Knotts first began exhibiting some of the nervousness he'd later embody as good ol' Barn.

The Real-Life Inspiration Behind Barney Fife’s Nervous Energy

"I wasn't really nervous," Knotts told The Evening Sentinel in 1961. "I just had a good memory. And I remembered this after-dinner I'd seen back home, in Morgantown, West Virginia. He was nervous. So I aped him. And gradually built up the routines." 

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How Don Knotts Perfected His Comedic Timing

The routines Knotts mentioned were originally comedy material developed during long waits backstage between scenes. Eventually, the act would land him Gary Moore's successful daytime talk show, before leading to a stint on Steve Allen's The Tonight Show.

Don Knotts Was Just as Funny Off-Screen

Fans will be pleased to know that, although the nervous tics were, in fact, a put-on, Knotts was maybe even funnier in real life than he was onscreen. 

"That is the funniest man I've ever known," said Griffith, of Knotts, in The Evening Sentinel. "Some of the funniest bits we had on the show last season were Don's. Just sits there, and comes up with 'em. Or he does a bit of business. Anyone else tries it, nothing. When Don does it, you fall down dead laughing."

Don Knotts vs. Barney Fife: What Set Them Apart

One other key difference between the two: Knotts differed from Barney in his overall outlook. The tortured Fife was never able to maintain a contented mood for more than a few script pages, and was not a happy man. "But I am," said Knotts. "And I love it."