No Contract
Barney Fife’s character could have lasted just one episode, as Don Knotts was one of many actors who showed up on the first day of filming without a firm offer of employment. Although it’s not mentioned often, only in a few early episodes, Barney is Andy’s cousin.
The character of Barney Fife was adored by fans and was ranked Ninth on TV Guide’s “50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time” list in 1999.
The Mysterious Man And The Unknown Actor
You may have noticed a man named “Mister Schwamp” who would occasionally appear in random episodes. He was a middle-aged man with dark hair that appeared to be a toupee. He was usually found sitting on a park bench or in crowd scenes. Andy or Barney would acknowledge him with “Hello, Mister Schwamp” at which point he nodded and smiled.
He also appeared in two episodes of the spin-off Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. To This very day, nobody knows who played Mr. Schwamp although it’s a hotly debated topic among fans. The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club even staged an April Fools’ Day prank in 2012 claiming that the actor was a man named Patch S. Wimmers.
Chemistry Sells
Producers were so impressed by the chemistry between Andy and Don that they wrote up an employment contract on the spot: first for one year, then later for an additional five years.
Griffith was quoted saying, “The second episode was called ‘Manhunt’ and I knew by that episode that Don should be the comic and I should play straight for him. That made all the difference.” The duo went down as one of the best in TV history.
Galaxie: The Car That Kept Changing
The iconic squad car used by Andy and Barney on the show was a Ford Galaxie. A local Ford dealership provided the show with a free replacement Galaxie each time a new model came out.
The dealer then took the old car back, repainted, and sold it. If he had thought about it a little more, the dear could have made a lot more money selling the cars as is!
Overall, there were ten different Galaxies that were used throughout the series’ eight seasons. There are plenty of replicas out there today. The show was most sponsored by Ford Motor Company at the time, which is why the squad cars were always Ford Galaxie 500 sedans.
Ford Motor Company is thanked for its contribution in the credits of the show. The show’s sole sponsor for all of its years, however, was actually General Foods.
Jim Nabors Got His Own Show
Mayberry’s lovable buffoon Gomer Pyle was played by actor Jim Nabors. After The Andy Griffith Show ended, Jim was given a spin-off show featuring the character.
Nabors’s spin-off show was called Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., in which Gomer joins the Marines. Jim had a great singing voice and recorded 28 albums during his career.