It’s hard to think of a more widely beloved sitcom than The Andy Griffith Show. Set in the fictional, idyllic town of Mayberry, North Carolina — modeled after Andy Griffith’s real-life hometown of Mount Airy — the series follows simple, unassuming sheriff Andy Taylor (played by Griffith), as he raises his son Opie (Ron Howard, who would later become a famous director) and deals with the unique difficulties caused by the townspeople, especially the eccentric Barney Fife (Don Knotts).
The character of Andy Taylor first appeared in a February 1960 episode of The Danny Thomas Show. The pilot of The Andy Griffith Show aired on October 3, 1960. From its very first episode, the series became a television phenomenon, consistently ranking in the top 10 for its eight-season run. Don Knotts won multiple Emmys for his role as Barney Fife, while Griffith and the show itself were honored once more. The series also spawned spinoffs like Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. and Mayberry, R.F.D. (without Andy). More than 60 years later, the show is still regularly rerun and is considered one of the greatest sitcoms of all time.
But even longtime Mayberry residents — those who can recite every line or are even jokingly called “Floyd the Barber” by their friends — may not have heard these fun facts.
1. The show was born because Griffith failed on Broadway
Andy Griffith started out doing stand-up comedy before moving to Broadway, where he was nominated for a Tony. He then dabbled in film, starring in A Face in the Crowd (1957) and No Time for Sergeants (1958)—a film with Don Knotts.
However, by the late 1950s, Griffith felt his career was slowing down. In a 2003 interview with Larry King, he said:
“I was doing a musical called Destry, but tickets were selling very slowly. We were even selling two-for-one tickets. I went to Dave Lasfogel—President Louis Mars—and said, ‘I’ve failed in movies, and I’ve failed on stage, and I don’t want to go back to nightclubs. Maybe I should try television.'”
Lasfogel then sent producer Sheldon Leonard to see Griffith perform. The result was a test on The Danny Thomas Show, and the rest is history.
2. The Famous Fishing Lake Is Actually Right in the Heart of Los Angeles
Anyone who has seen the opening credits of The Andy Griffith Show will surely remember the image of Andy and Opie fishing hand in hand — a peaceful symbol. However, that “fishing lake” was actually filmed in Franklin Canyon Park, in the middle of Los Angeles, not in rural North Carolina.
3. Frances Bavier (Aunt Bee) Had a “Tense” Relationship with Her Co-Star
Frances Bavier, who played Andy’s Aunt Bee, was a founding member of the show from Broadway. Although she won an Emmy for the role, she once shared that being attached to a character was difficult for her:
“I was Aunt Bee for 10 years. When an actor identifies so deeply with a role, the real person is lost as a variation.”
Some colleagues also described Bavier as being quite cold on set. When actor Ken Berry called her “nice and kind,” Griffith herself said, “There was something about me that she didn’t want.”
Her feelings for the character weren’t all negative, though. After retiring, Bavier moved to Siler City, North Carolina—near Mount Airy. When she died in 1989, her gravestone bore her real name and the name that would become synonymous with television: “Auntie Bee.”
4. The Famous Theme Song Actually Had… Lyrics
Everyone remembers the whistled melody that opened The Andy Griffith Show, but few know that the song actually had lyrics, and was called “The Fishin’ Hole.” Griffith even recorded a full version with the following lyrics:
“Now put down your fishing rod
And meet me at the fishing hole
We may not get a bite all day
But don’t run away yet…”
Although the lyric version never aired in the opening credits, it survived as a special part of the syndicated version of the musical.
5. Griffith returned to television with a different version of Mayberry in 1971
After The Andy Griffith Show ended, Griffith attempted to recreate the success with a new series called The New Andy Griffith Show (1971). In it, he played Andy Sawyer — a character who closely resembled Andy Taylor — living in Greenwood, a much larger town than Mayberry.
The show also featured many familiar faces such as George Lindsey (Goober) and Paul Hartman (Emmett). Don Knotts also appeared — but not as Barney Fife, though his character was clearly original.
However, the show only lasted a 10-episode run, with ratings plummeting and CBS changing its strategy. Griffith then spent several years acting in as lawyer Ben Matlock in Matlock (1986).
If you loved peaceful mornings by the fishing pond, gentle lessons in humanity, or the endearing antics of Barney, The Andy Griffith Show is a staple of your memories — and behind-the-scenes facts like these only deepen your love.
