‘The Andy Griffith Show’ — Shocking Behind-The-Scene Secrets!
1
of
11
1 of 11
Photo credit: Getty Images
“The Andy Griffith Show” was a folksy homespun hit in the turbulent ’60s — but there was nothing sleepy about the wild private lives of stars Andy Griffith and Don Knotts!
2 of 11
Photo credit: Getty Images
Andy also had a reputation as being mean when he got drunk, which was often. He once trashed a hotel room, and another insider recalled Andy punching out a car windshield. “Friends winced at the thought of spending an evening in the Griffith home,” says Daniel de Visé, Don Knotts' brother-in-law and author of the book “Andy & Don.”
3 of 11
Photo credit: Getty Images
The sitcom ran for eight seasons, with Griffith starring as widowed sheriff Andy Taylor, who was raising his son Opie, played by young Ron Howard, in the idyllic small town of Mayberry an iconic TV relationship commemorated with a statue (left) in Andy's native Mount Airy, NC. Knotts also became a huge star as bumbling deputy Barney Fife, with the two raising big-time hell on their small-town set!
4 of 11
Photo credit: Getty Images
Andy and Don had already worked together in the 1958 film “No Time for Sergeants,” which was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. Don showed up to work on the first day of filming without a contract. But producers were so impressed by the chemistry between Andy and Don that they gave him a one-year deal on the spot!
5 of 11
Photo credit: Files
But not everything went so smoothly on the set. George Lindsey, who played Goober Pyle on the show, noted how Griffith was a brutal boss as the producer of his namesake show. In his 1995 autobiography, George wrote: “Every Monday night, he would call you if he liked your performance. If the call didn’t come, I dreaded going back to work on Tuesday morning."
6 of 11
Photo credit: Getty Images
Andy’s rages got even worse after Don left Mayberry over a money dispute. Don felt he was paid “chump change” compared to Andy, who owned part of the show and was making $1 million a year. Don asked to become a 50/50 partner. When Andy refused, Don left to make movies.
7 of 11
Photo credit: Getty Images
A friend said Andy’s white-hot rages after that were “unbearable” — partly because Don was also Andy's partner in womanizing! Aneta Corsaut, who joined the show as Helen Crump (left), became her leading man's real-life lover shortly after joining the cast in 1963. “Andy couldn’t get enough of Aneta,” said de Visé.
8 of 11
Photo credit: Getty Images
But while Andy hid his affair from then-wife Barbara, he often took Aneta on double dates with Don, who was married to first wife Kathryn Metz at the time. Don was also reportedly fooling around with Lynn Paul, the assistant to Andy’s manager — with de Visé saying Don’s marriage to Kathryn ended in 1966 after he confessed the affair to his humiliated wife.
9 of 11
Photo credit: Getty Images
A source noted that Andy later admitted seeing a shrink for more than a dozen years to control his rages and the feeling of worthlessness that tormented him. “My life has been affected by an almost total feeling of inadequacy,” he explained. “It’s been with me my whole life.”
10 of 11
Photo credit: Getty Images
Andy was especially bitter — and jealous — over Don stealing the spotlight on the show and winning Emmy Awards before making films. Andy was still holding his old friend's hand when Don died at age 81 from lung cancer in 2006, and “told Don he loved him before he died,” said de Visé.
11 of 11
Photo credit: Getty Images
And despite the show's secret scandals, "The Andy Griffith Show" remains a beloved favorite — that even went out on top in 1968! The sitcom was at the top of the Nielsen ratings during its final season. The only other television shows that can make that claim are “I Love Lucy” and “Seinfeld.”
“The Andy Griffith Show” was a folksy homespun hit in the turbulent ’60s — but there was nothing sleepy about the wild private lives of stars Andy Griffith and Don Knotts!
Photo credit: Getty Images
Andy also had a reputation as being mean when he got drunk, which was often. He once trashed a hotel room, and another insider recalled Andy punching out a car windshield. “Friends winced at the thought of spending an evening in the Griffith home,” says Daniel de Visé, Don Knotts' brother-in-law and author of the book “Andy & Don.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
The sitcom ran for eight seasons, with Griffith starring as widowed sheriff Andy Taylor, who was raising his son Opie, played by young Ron Howard, in the idyllic small town of Mayberry an iconic TV relationship commemorated with a statue (left) in Andy's native Mount Airy, NC. Knotts also became a huge star as bumbling deputy Barney Fife, with the two raising big-time hell on their small-town set!
Photo credit: Getty Images
Andy and Don had already worked together in the 1958 film “No Time for Sergeants,” which was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. Don showed up to work on the first day of filming without a contract. But producers were so impressed by the chemistry between Andy and Don that they gave him a one-year deal on the spot!
Photo credit: Getty Images
But not everything went so smoothly on the set. George Lindsey, who played Goober Pyle on the show, noted how Griffith was a brutal boss as the producer of his namesake show. In his 1995 autobiography, George wrote: “Every Monday night, he would call you if he liked your performance. If the call didn’t come, I dreaded going back to work on Tuesday morning."
Photo credit: Files
Andy’s rages got even worse after Don left Mayberry over a money dispute. Don felt he was paid “chump change” compared to Andy, who owned part of the show and was making $1 million a year. Don asked to become a 50/50 partner. When Andy refused, Don left to make movies.
Photo credit: Getty Images
A friend said Andy’s white-hot rages after that were “unbearable” — partly because Don was also Andy's partner in womanizing! Aneta Corsaut, who joined the show as Helen Crump (left), became her leading man's real-life lover shortly after joining the cast in 1963. “Andy couldn’t get enough of Aneta,” said de Visé.
Photo credit: Getty Images
But while Andy hid his affair from then-wife Barbara, he often took Aneta on double dates with Don, who was married to first wife Kathryn Metz at the time. Don was also reportedly fooling around with Lynn Paul, the assistant to Andy’s manager — with de Visé saying Don’s marriage to Kathryn ended in 1966 after he confessed the affair to his humiliated wife.
Photo credit: Getty Images
A source noted that Andy later admitted seeing a shrink for more than a dozen years to control his rages and the feeling of worthlessness that tormented him. “My life has been affected by an almost total feeling of inadequacy,” he explained. “It’s been with me my whole life.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
Andy was especially bitter — and jealous — over Don stealing the spotlight on the show and winning Emmy Awards before making films. Andy was still holding his old friend's hand when Don died at age 81 from lung cancer in 2006, and “told Don he loved him before he died,” said de Visé.
Photo credit: Getty Images
And despite the show's secret scandals, "The Andy Griffith Show" remains a beloved favorite — that even went out on top in 1968! The sitcom was at the top of the Nielsen ratings during its final season. The only other television shows that can make that claim are “I Love Lucy” and “Seinfeld.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
