The best episodes of The Andy Griffith Show gave time over to its incredible cast of amazing supporting characters, as everyone from the local barber to the town drunk added to the community’s unique appeal. With all-time great comedians like Don Knotts and child actor-turned-filmmaker Ron Howard among its cast members, there was some serious talent on display in this series. The Andy Griffith Show has endured so well into the 21st century because it had characters that viewers just loved to watch, root for, and learn from.
10. Charlene Darling
Played by Maggie Peterson
Charlene Darling was the attractive but naive daughter of the mountain-dwelling musical family, the Darlings, in The Andy Griffith Show. As a flirtatious young blonde who always caused trouble for Sheriff Taylor, her belief in mountain lore caused its fair share of problems. As an object of desire for Ernest T. Bass, Charlene had a great love for her husband, Dud, but ended up divorcing him because he looked at another woman. Charlene often showcased her musical talents when she sang and played with her brothers Oether, Jebbin, Ward, and Frankie.
9. Floyd Lawson
Played by Howard McNear
Floyd Lawson was the town barber in The Andy Griffith Show, who was played by Howard McNear, although Walter Baldwin also played the role in the 1960 episode “Stranger in Town.” As a scatterbrained man with a love for gossip, Floyd the Barber contributed to some of the show’s funniest moments and was a quirky addition to Mayberry’s community. As an essential character who gained an important place in popular culture, Floyd’s legacy has been referenced in everything from Arrested Development to Sons of Anarchy.
As the town barber, Floyd was a central figure in Mayberry, whose interactions with the whole town meant he kept up to date with all the gossip and hilarious happenings. With a speaking style categorized by pauses and half-finished thoughts, Floyd’s constant air of confusion was also part of his charm.
8. Juanita Beasley
Unseen character
It’s a testament to the unique appeal of The Andy Griffith Show that one of its best characters was actually an unseen figure. Much like the telephone operator Sarah or the YLRB radio announcer Leonard Blush, Juanita Beasley never appeared on screen but was known to be a waitress at the Bluebird Diner in Mayberry. Despite her lack of screen time, Juanita made quite the impression as Barney Fife continually tried to plan dates with her.
As a recurring character throughout the show’s first five seasons, the fact that Juanita never actually appeared onscreen made her existence all the more hilarious. While audiences never caught a glimpse of Juanita, they did get to hear Barney on the phone with her, and their calls always ended up in embarrassing ways. Juanita sits right beside Vera Peterson from Cheers, Maris Crane from Frasier, and Bob Sacamano from Seinfeld in the long list of great unseen TV characters.
7. Opie Taylor
Played by Ron Howard
With the father-son relationship between Andy and Opie acting as the emotional core of The Andy Griffith Show, this dynamic was essential to the show’s legacy as an all-time classic. From his heartfelt bedtime talks with his father to the many lessons he learned throughout the show, Opie captured the innocence of youth in a way that aligned well with the show’s nostalgic and thoughtful values. A key moment that summed up Opie’s character was when he killed a bird with a slingshot and took responsibility for his actions by raising her baby birds himself.
6. Ernest T. Bass
Played by Howard Morris
From vandalizing property to acting improperly with women, Ernest often acted out to impress others, such as through his boasting about his gold tooth. Barney summed up Ernest’s character as he repeatedly said of him, “He’s a nut.” Despite all these faults, there was still something endearing about Ernest, and it was enjoyable to watch Andy occasionally take him under his wing and try to teach him the ways of the world. One hilarious episode saw Andy try to turn Ernest into a gentleman in a ridiculous parody of My Fair Lady.
5. Aunt Bee
Played by Frances Bavier
While it’s true that Aunt Bee literally was Sheriff Andy Taylor’s actual aunt, it shows how beloved she was in the Mayberry community that practically every other character also refers to her as Aunt Bee. As a lovable but sometimes fussy matriarch, Aunt Bee was a central figure in the Taylor household who added a sense of love, warmth, and wisdom to the lives of Andy and Opie.
4. Otis Campbell
Played by Hal Smith
Otis Campbell was the town drunk of Mayberry, whose intoxicated, troublemaking antics would often see him checking himself into jail until he sobered up. With a friendly, polite, and good-natured demeanor, despite his difficulties with alcohol, he was still intensely likable. As a lighthearted alternative to the depictions of dangerous or mean-spirited alcoholics, the happy-go-lucky nature of Otis’s character showcased that in the world of The Andy Griffith Show there was even something wholesome about binge drinking.
While Otis was a regular fixture in the early seasons of The Andy Griffith Show, as time went on, there were concerns from sponsors about the depiction of his excessive drinking, and he was phased out of the show. Some of the best episodes of The Andy Griffith Show featured Otis and his failed attempts to quit the booze, although these rarely lasted very long. However, in the 1986 television movie Return to Mayberry, Otis gets a happy ending, and it was revealed that he was at last sober and employed as the town’s ice cream man.
3. Gomer Pyle
Played by Jim Nabors
The naive but gentle auto mechanic Gomer Pyle was one of The Andy Griffith Show’s greatest breakout characters who, despite only being introduced in season 3, was an essential addition to the show. As a lovable and deeply moral man, Gomer was the only employee at Wally’s Filling Station and was an enjoyable source of comic relief as he marveled at the smallest things and uttered catchphrases like “shazam!”, “golly“, and “sur-prise, sur-prise, sur-prise!”
Gomer was occasionally deputized by Deputy Barney Fife when Sheriff Taylor wasn’t around, and although he always did his best, his ineptitude meant he was more of a hindrance than a help. Gomer’s popularity meant that his character even led his own spin-off series, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. The show was another major hit, and Jim Nabors continued playing his role as the main character for five seasons and 150 episodes.
2. Andy Taylor
Played by Andy Griffith
Andy Taylor was the embodiment of a beloved father figure, and the way he combined his work life and community spirit to become an essential pillar of Mayberry was admirable. Through the lessons he taught his young son to the way he dealt with troublesome characters like Ernest T. Bass or the town drunk Otis Campbell, Andy gave everyone he met a fair shot and always made kindness the focus of every situation.
1. Barney Fife
Played by Don Knotts
The bumbling Deputy Barney Fife was Sheriff Andy Taylor’s right-hand man and the driving comedic force of The Andy Griffith Show. With a legendary performance from Don Knotts, Barney contributed to many of the show’s funniest moments as his boastful nature and deep-seated insecurity stood in stark contrast to the unassuming nature of Sheriff Taylor. By presenting himself as an expert on everything, including firearms, martial arts, women, singing, wilderness survival, psychology, and American history, it was hilarious that Barney could rarely back up his so-called qualifications.
