That was Andy, though, always doing what he felt was best for the show." Not too many stars would be willing to make a change like that. "It made the show, but up til then, Andy had always been the primary comic figure. "After the first season, Andy decided to feature Don as the humorous character - from then on he played straight man to Barney Fife," she said. "They were just so skilled, and Jim Nabors was no slouch, either," Lynn said.īut Griffith is the one who impressed her the most. She described how cast and crew members would stop what they were doing to watch Knotts and Howard McNear (Floyd the Barber) play off each other. "The show had some other talented actors, as well." "Andy and Don were comedy geniuses, and I think their performances will be studied for years," Lynn said. Quiet and modest in real life, Knotts was hilarious once he put on his deputy uniform. "Don was the sweetest man - nothing like Barney Fife," Lynn said. "He's such a good guy, and he was once the nicest kid in the world," she said.įans of the "Andy Griffith Show" always ask her what Don Knotts was like. Howard, who played 5-year-old Opie Taylor when the show began, is now 61. Only Lynn, Ron Howard, Jim Nabors and Elinor Donahue, who appeared in the show's first season, survive from the cast. "Frances Bavier spent her final years in nearby Siler City. "I'm not the only cast member to settle here," she said.
"I came here for reunions, and when I decided to move from Los Angeles about a decade ago, Mount Airy came to mind," said Lynn, still sharp and witty. Newsome plays Floyd the Barber in many 'Griffith events' around Mount Airy, Andy's hometown and reputed model for the fictional Mayberry. "Betty's just a local gal on all the other days, but when she visits the museum, she's a headliner again." "Fans of the show are crazy about Betty," said Allan Newsome, who runs the website for the show's Rerun Watchers Club. On the third Friday of every month, she spends hours at the museum, meeting fans, signing autographs and posing for pictures. Today, the 88-year-old Lynn, who moved to Mount Airy, N.C., in 2006, is the star at the Andy Griffith Museum. She played Thelma Lou, girlfriend of Deputy Barney Fife, on the "Andy Griffith Show" - that is, when Barney wasn't fooling around with Juanita down at the diner. We’ll remember and love you always, Betty.More than 50 years ago, Betty Lynn won the role of a lifetime. There was no one more devoted to fans than she.
▪ Karen Knotts, the daughter of Don Knotts, said in a statement provided by the Surry Arts Council: “I’m so sad to hear that beloved Mayberry icon and friend Betty Lynn passed away last night. It was great to have known and worked with her. I saw her last a few years ago where she still lit up the room with her positivity. She played Thelma Lou on #TAGS & brightened every scene she was in & every shooting day she was on set. ▪ Ron Howard, who played Opie Taylor on “The Andy Griffith Show,” tweeted on Sunday: “RIP Betty Lynn. Her talent will continue to bring joy to her fans via ‘The Andy Griffith Show.” ▪ Upon news of her death, Elinor Donohue, a friend and fellow actor who briefly played Andy’s girlfriend on “The Andy Griffith Show,” said in a statement provided by the Surry Arts Council: “Betty was a dear and loving friend to all who knew her.
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