In the Summer prior to the airing of the first episode on October 1, 1960, Look Magazine published photos as a promotion for the show.
Andy Taylor (Andrew Jackson Taylor played by Andy Griffith)
In Season One, Elinor “Ellie” Walker came to Mayberry in 4th episode, Ellie Comes to Town; she was a graduate of Barnard University, and a pharmacist. Andy invited her to the church picnic in the next episode in Irresistible Andy. She later ran for City Council in Episode 10, and finally became Andy’s “steady” in Cyrano Andy by the 22nd episode. Andy was taken over by the “Green-Eyed Monster” with jealousy in Episode 24, The New Doctor. She exited after her last episode (27) with Ellie Saves a Female. She left after the first season because she didn’t feel she and Andy had very good “chemistry” on screen as he didn’t show enough affection. All I’ve got to say to her is Arrivederci, Baby! Elinor Donahue played Betty “Princess” Anderson, the oldest daughter, in Father Knows Best; she was actually the true daughter of Robert Young and Jane Wyatt, the lead actor and actress in the series. She was in 12 episodes.
Andy and County Nurse Minnie “Mary” Simpson (Julie Adams) became in “item” in Season 2 Episode 24, The County Nurse, but in Episode 27, Nurse Simpson was replaced in Three’s a Crowd by Sue Ane Langdon
Andy and the Woman Speeder in the Second Season, Episode 3; Elizabeth Crowley (Jean Hagen) outfoxed him on the speeding ticket, and there was a bit of flirting between the two
Andy met Karen Moore (Gail Davis) in the Second Season, Episode 8 in The Perfect Female; she passed “muster” and outshot Andy in skeet.
Barbara Eden of I Dream of Jeannie made an appearance on Episode 16 in The Manicurist
In Season Three, Andy’s Rich Girlfriend, Peggy McMillan (Joanna Moore) showed up in Episode 2; Andy, Barney, Thelma Lou and Peggy double-dated, and went out to Myers Lake, and had a great time. Then, after he discovered the County Nurse is from a wealthy family, he is unsure that they are well-matched after she took his out to dinner, and tried to introduce him to escargot.
In Season Three, Episode 6, Barney Mends a Broken Heart, Barney tries to fix up Andy with Lydia Crosswaithe (Josie Lloyd), Thelma Lou’s friend, after Andy was “stood up” by Peggy. Unfortunately, Lydia doesn’t like to “chit-chat,” hates the guitar and the outdoors, and gets car sickness; she also gets herpes from being out in the sun. Then, the Fun Girls debuted, and Daphne warms up to Andy; however, her old boyfriend, Al, gave Andy a “shiner.”
Peg left the show after Season Three, Episode 10 in Andy’s Rival when Opie was jealous of Peg for his father’s attention, but then accepts her. No reason was given for her departure. In real life, Joanna Moore married Ryan O’Neal, and one of their children, Tatum O’Neal later became the youngest person to win an Oscar at the age of 10 in Paper Moon. Unfortunately, Joanna Moore had drug and alcohol issues that led to 5 DUIs in the 1980s, and she died of lung cancer in 1997.