A History of the Andy Griffiths Show

The Andy Griffith Show first aired on October 3^rd, 1960. The show follows a Andy who happens to be a widower and the sheriff of a fictional town in North Carolina called Mayberry. The show was considered by many to be a derivative of The Danny Thomas Show. Sheriff Andy is just a nice as can be at all times in this town where almost no crime occurs. Like any other show on TV, Andy’s life becomes complicated as he welcomes a new housekeeper Aunt Bee, teaching his young son Opie lessons of life, and constantly trying to bring calm to his new deputy, Deputy Barney which also happens to be his cousin. Barney is only referenced as Andy’s cousin in a couple early episodes. While the show was created and aired in the 1960’s some say that the show portrayed a much earlier time in history around the 1930’s. Maybe it did early in the series as the show portrays a humbler time but eventually progressed into what we consider a display of small town America in the 1960’s. It had all the pieces of what a small town in this region of North Carolina would have had in the 1960’s. Happy go lucky people, almost no crime, and only one black character throughout the entire series which shows segregation, but in all reality could be historically and statistically correct.

History shows us that racial division was extremely common especially in the south. Mayberry was a small town located in the Appalachian mountains region of North Carolina. The small towns of this region and stretching into some counties in Tennessee were never known to have many black residents. The black population around this region was roughly estimated under 2% statistically speaking. “There are MANY towns in the south without black people. Also, you are wrong that there were no blacks in Mayberry.”(Cebula, 2008) The reason for not many black residents is because the cultivation of cotton was near impossible in this particular mountain region so not many slaves were around. Also since the cotton farming was obsolete and it was reliant on black labor during the Civil War, many of these small towns were considered sunset towns or to some the title of a novel written by James W. Loewen called Sundown Towns. Sundown towns or sunset towns are cities that predominantly white or all white. The phrase “sundown town” was derived from signs posted around the cities saying that the colored folks should not be in town after sundown. The fact that these neighboring cities were considered sundown towns, a majority of black people that actually were from there were chased away. The point of the matter is that the few black people in the background and the one black character on The Andy Griffith Show , in reality, could have been factual historically speaking. Also considering that Mayberry was centered on Andy Griffith’s actual reminiscences of his home town in North Carolina, small numbers of black people shows logic.

“The New Housekeeper” was The Andy Griffith’s Show first episode. It begins with the Griffiths housekeeper, Rose, getting married and leaving for her honeymoon. Young Opie is upset that she is leaving and he is not looking forward to his great Aunt Bee coming to replace her. Opie becomes stubborn in choice to not accept Aunt Bee as his new housekeeper by acting out. He refuses and pretends not to eat, but when Andy finds that plate in his room, Opie blames his bird. He says he wants to run away, and while Andy tries to give him great suggestion on how to run away, Opie realizes that his life is too good and decides against it. Andy tries to help Aunt Bee by trying to teach her fishing and baseball but she fails hilariously. Opie still refuses her and she decided it is time to go, but as she is leaving Opie gives in and hilariously says he wants her to stay. “What changed your mind? Well, if she goes, what will happen to her? She doesn’t know how to do anything.” (Taylor, 2006) This being the pilot episode it does a great job introducing all the characters. The father and son connection between Andy and Opie really hit it mark perfectly even though Opie stole the show. It really gives the audience a view of a meeker time in our American history.

The second episode of the series begins with Andy and Opie fishing on the lake until the boat takes on water. Returning to shore, Andy is approached by Deputy Barney only to be told that something big has happened, really big, maybe the biggest thing to ever happen to Mayberry. Barney eventually spills the news that the state police believe that an escaped criminal is heading towards Mayberry and they want to setup a roadblock and have a manhunt. When the state police arrive to Mayberry they completely act as if they are better then Andy and Barney and could care less to have them be part of the team. Andy and Barney try to inform them of other routes into Mayberry but the state police do not listen. Andy and Barney take it upon themselves to join the hunt regardless of what the state police say. Barney who always is doing his job over 100% decided to setup his own roadblock and pull everyone including his mother to check if they are the criminal. “Sorry about this, but us lawmen cant take chances. But Barney! Im your mother.” (Fife,2006) Finally the criminal shows up and catches Barney off guard and takes gun and also ties him up. Andy comes along unties him and comes up with a genius plan by simply remembering the smell of pie. While conversing with Emma and the criminal eavesdropping, Andy hints to his boat being on the shore which earlier was about to sink. Andy watches as the criminal takes the boat and has no choice but to return to shore only to be met by the state police. Andy earns the respect of the state police for his idea and it praised by the town. This episode does not progress the series but does add a new comedy to draw in an audience.

The third episode begins with an awesome guitar play named Jim Lindsey playing the guitar outside of a funeral home on the side of the street. The funeral home owner is upset about and demands its stops. After andy tells Jim how awesome he is, he hiliaroiusly says, “You also under arrest.” (Taylor, 2006) It was fine though because it was a good day to get arrested according the Andy, because Aunt Bee was cooking dumplings. After a great guitar session between Andy and Jim, andy tells Jim that he could make it big time in music and tell him to pursue it. Miraculousy a big time band stops by Mayberry for lunch, and due to their arrogant ways Andy arrest them after they mock Andy and refuse to meet Jim. Andy also arrest Jim again so he could play for the band. After arguing back and forth Jim finally plays a riff and the rest of the band joins in for a musical ending. The bands like Jim and they make deal and Jim joins up with band. In this episode a remark was made by Andy that refered back to Elvis Presley. Around the time when “Hound Dog” was released it was quick to grow in fame, and this is why Andy says, “Well now who says you got to stay in Mayberry? You heard all these fellas that come through here playing in the shows? How bout that fella we see ever now and again on television? Shaking and screaming, sounds like someone is beating his dog.”(Taylor, 2006) Andy and Elvis did a show a couple years earlier together.

The fourth episode begins with Andy, Barney, and Aunt Bee arrive at the local drugstore only to find out it is closed. Andy says Fred must not be open yet and then reaches above the door and gets the key and goes inside and pretends he runs the store. This shows the unity inside Mayberry. This introduces the character of Ellie Walker, the new pharmacist who will be helping her sick uncle Fred. Ellie arrives only to see Andy and Aunt Bee in the store so she freaks out and calls for the Barney because someone is in her drugstore. After getting to know each other, Emma walks in and tries to get her usual pills without a prescription. Ellie is not having that. She believes that if a patient does not have a prescription than they receive no medicine. Emma becomes upset and runs to Andy saying, “Hey, sheriff, I come to report a murder. A MURDER! That’s right. Somebodies been murdered? Yes! Who? Me! (Brand and Taylor, 2006) She claims it was Ellie because she will not give Emma her pills. Ellie quickly becomes hated by the town, and Emma, who is anxious, milks the illness she claims is killing her. Emma who is surviving finally is given the pills by Ellie and everything is back to normal. The pills were actually just sugar pills. Everyone is now pleased and the episode has a funny ending. This episode definitely added and progessed the series further with a new character who grew up staring in the show Father Knows Best. Ellie was supposed to be an early potential partner for Andy but he felt it wouldn’t be proper in the eyes of the American viewers considering he was much older.

The fifth episode begins with Andy talking Fred at the drugstore and Ellie joining the conversation. Andy finds out that Ellie is not going to the dance and he asks himself, “Now, why in the world do you reckon a fine looking girl like that ain’t going to the dance?” (Taylor, 2006) Andy then decided to ask her awkwardly. Ellie accepts the invite and now Andy is full of himself. After sitting around and making his own head bigger, he overthinks the situation and begins to think that Ellie and Fred have come up with a scheme to find Ellie a husband. Andy comes up a plan himself to put Ellie onto other game because she is a “desperate deteremined hunter.” (Taylor, 2006) Andy than gathers several men and describes how attractive Ellie is and how she was interested in them. Ellie eventually finds out an d breaks the date with Andy who still wants to go with Ellie. Ellie decied to take Barney but Andy convinces him otherwise and escorts Ellie himself. The show hilariously ends with all the men at the drugstore waiting for Ellie. One thing that stood out about this episode was the Sundaes for ten cent in the background. Cheap price that would be awesome in these modern times. Anyway, the story progresses in this episode as it adds to Ellie’s character in the story.

The sixth episode begins with Opie and new friend named Tex pretending to be cowboys. Opie draws against the sheriff and kills him dead except the sheriff is to be busy to play dead. Opie and the gang get bored of playing cowboys and decide to play a trick on the sheriff, by pushing car in front of a fire hydrant. Always do right Barney is not having it. Barney writes Andy a ticket and becomes judge so Andy could argue his case. Barney falls into a spell of agreeing with Andy and gives him a not guilty end. As Andy is moving his vehicle from in from in of the hydrant, Opie confesses to the crime. Andy decided to give him a life lesson. Always keep your promises he explain to Opie. Opie than tells Andy that his friend Tex is a runaway. Andy is now having trouble decideing between calling Tex’s parents or staying true to his word and not upsetting Opie. Andy as slick as he his comes up with a usual idea he has and that is to convince Tex to return home, in which he does. Opie confused with lesson realizes that he made a error in judgment and accepts the mistake and forgives his father Andy. While this episode did not add the story of the show it did give the veiwers a lesson on integrity and ethics.

The only way this show could work is to leave it with its orginal plot. It is argued that as time went by and the show went from black and white to color it changed as a whole and started going downhill. With the advancement in technology the show would be different as in these times we enjoy dry humor more than heartwarming jokes of the 1960’s. Finding another character to play Andy Griffith would be a difficult task. The innocence of Opie would be hard to duplicate also. Women would not appreciate their role in a show like this in modern times either as housekeeper and being lower than men. Maybe someone out there is creative enough to put a modern spin on the show to make it popular again, but sad to say it is highly unlikely.

Bibliography

The Andy Griffith Show. Performed by Sheriff Andy Taylor. US: Paramount Home Entertainment, 2006. DVD.

The Andy Griffith Show. Performed by Emma Brand. US: Paramount Home Entertainment, 2006. DVD.

The Andy Griffith Show. Performed by Deputy Barney Fife. US: Paramount Home Entertainment, 2006. DVD.

The Andy Griffith Show. Performed by Opie Taylor. US: Paramount Home Entertainment, 2006. DVD.

Cebula, Larry. "Northwest History: Why Come There Ain't No Black People In Mayberry?" Northwest History: Why Come There Ain't No Black People In Mayberry? July 28, 2008. Accessed December 4, 2014. http://northwesthistory.blogspot.com/2008/07/why-come-there-aint-no-black-people-in.html.