You heard that right, Goober had a different name in one 'Andy' episode

Who the heck is Beasley?

"TV or not TV" marked the 10th appearance of George Lindsey on The Andy Griffith Show. The sitcom had introduced his character, Goober, a year earlier. In his first scene in Mayberry, in the season-four episode "Fun Girls," Goober met Andy at the jailhouse. Gomer introduces the two, naturally.

"Hey, Andy! Say hey to my cousin Goober!" Gomer announces. The two cousins are about to go to "the picture show." Goober then performs his hilarious Cary Grant impression — "Judy! Judy! Judy! Judy! Judy!" — not to mention his Edward G. Robinson impersonation. Then he limps around the room like Chester from Gunsmoke. It is an unforgettable first impression.

The first time we see cousin Goober in ''Fun Girls''

But they never mentioned his last name. We all just assumed it was Pyle, too.

Jump forward to season five. In "TV or Not TV," a magazine article about Andy, titled "Sheriff Without a Gun," lures curious "television producers" to Mayberry. Andy introduces these out-of-towners to the fellas sitting outside the barbershop.

"Mr. Harvey, I'd like you to meet Floyd Lawson and Goober Beasley, our barber and filling station attendant," Andy says.

Wait, what? Beasley?

Why is it that Goober had the surname Beasley in this episode? It was only mentioned in this single episode. He would later become Goober Pyle. 

The Mayberry Historical Society calls it an "error by the writers that was never caught." Or, it could be that they originally intended to call him Goober Beasley — not all cousins share a last name, after all — but later changed it to Pyle to avoid confusion. As you know, Gomer was off headlining his own sitcom by this point.

Whatever the reason for the anomaly, Goober was in good company. The last time "movie people" came calling to Mayberry in "Mayberry Goes Hollywood," Floyd was named Floyd Colby! What is it with these Hollywood folk confusing Hollywood writers?

Of course, these are two of many name discrepancies on the sitcom.

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20 Comments

JohnBates 19 months ago
Thelma Lou's last name was never revealed.
HillbillyCat72 32 months ago
The last name Beasley was used for several characters, seen and unseen, during the first 5 seasons. Goober, Juanita, Charlie, Edgar, Andrew, and Lorraine just to name a few.
Muleskinner 40 months ago
It seems to me that Asa’s last name was Breeny in one episode and Bascom in another.
JHP 42 months ago
The one thing cannot figure out and its drives me crazy is why almost in all out of court shots Andy never had his pants legs over his boots - they were always on top/and wrinkled up and looked like a bum
JHP 42 months ago
I figured it out! Goober was the brother of the doll that Buffy had in family affair! WOO HOO!

There are so many of these kind of writing faux pas in this show

Theres Clara Johnson and in one ep she's called Bertha

Rafe Hollister had a doppelganger on the show...maybe another "Fletch"
Pacificsun 42 months ago
Here's an (enjoyable) difference between the MeTV Staff writers of now, and the original ones. A lot more research, use of a lot more resources, and drilling down to some very subtle trivia.

We used to rag on you folks (interns?) in the beginning. But now you seem to have some very interested staff who really watch the Shows and look carefully through the details!!

Thank you, there's always a good article for somebody!
Shei 42 months ago
They also did the same thing with the character Clara Edwards. She was called Bertha in season 1 when Aunt B returned from taking care of her cousin Maude in Mt Pilot.
Big3Fan 42 months ago
TAGS is my favorite TV series of all time, but continuity was definitely not it's strong suit.
Pacificsun Big3Fan 42 months ago
Many Show productions never counted on the run they actually turned out having. The average Shows didn't last more than 3 years. Except for the durable ones that fill up MeTV.
Big3Fan Pacificsun 42 months ago
I remember reading somewhere that Andy only wanted to do five seasons but near the end of the run they decided to do three more. Don Knotts had already committed to doing movies for Universal. I've never felt that the color episodes were nearly as good as the black and white ones.
cmurf1960 Big3Fan 19 months ago
How about continuity between TAGS and the Gomer Pyle spin-off? In the TAGS episode “Gomer Pyle USMC”, Gomer joined the Marines, Andy drives him to the base, which is somewhere in North Carolina, and Sgt. Carter is there.

But in the first episode of Gomer Pyle USMC series, they’re in California, and it shows Gomer and Carter meeting for the first time.
RedSamRackham Big3Fan 11 months ago
* Yet I'm bored with seeing B&W episodes over & over & over. FGS MeTV show us entire series both B&W AND color episodes from apisode 1 through to end of series!
davidknol 42 months ago
I love these eccentricities.
Hogan’s Heroes with Palm trees in frigid Germany. Desilu Studios wasn’t to careful to frame shots away from these California trees. 🤪
MrsPhilHarris davidknol 42 months ago
I believe when Gomer was still in North Carolina palm trees were spotted.
Pacificsun davidknol 42 months ago
As seen, especially in window reflections!!

Look closely at the snow in Hogan Heroes. I believe someone said it was painted cereal because it was the most durable. Though you would think it would crunch easily! But I guess the paint helped preserve it!
ELEANOR davidknol 42 months ago
Let's try to figure out why they always had to have snow on the ground.
Nonflexus davidknol 42 months ago
And the sound of crickets in the winter scenes.
RedSamRackham davidknol 11 months ago
* And MY LITTLE MARGIE's NYC had background palm trees!
cperrynaples 42 months ago
Well, why not solve the mystery about how movie Andy looks like Captain Stubing with a toupee worst than Shatner's...LOL!
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