
Knotts' brothers were named Willis, William, and Ralph "Sid". Don's mother was 40 at the time of his birth and his father suffered from mental illness. Afflicted with schizophrenia and alcoholism, he sometimes terrorized Don with a knife, causing Don to turn inward at an early age.
What is the real name of Barney Fife?
Barney Fife. Jump to navigation Jump to search. Bernard "Barney" P. Milton Oliver Fife is a fictional character in the American television program The Andy Griffith Show, portrayed by comic actor Don Knotts.
What happened to Barney Fife?
It was his role as Barney Fife, however, that caused many protestors to demand the statues removal. “Barney Fife, was a nervous, twitchy little man with an itchy trigger finger” said protestor Joanne Miller. “He was dirty. He was always sniffling, so he was probably on cocaine or hopped up on goofballs or something.
What does Barney Fife mean on step by step?
He later parodied Barney Fife on the "Christmas Story" episode of " Step By Step " (starring Patrick Duffey and Suzanne Somers) by playing a character named Deputy Feif. Calling a police officer or authority figure "Barney Fife" has become an American slang term for gross ineptitude or over-zealousness.
Where does Barney Live in real life?
In the episode "Sheriff Barney" we learn that Barney lives at 411 Elm Street, but it is unclear if this address refers to Barney's own home or Mrs. Mendelbright's boarding house address. Barney's main girlfriend is a local girl, Thelma Lou ( Betty Lynn ), whom he eventually marries in Return to Mayberry, a 1986 NBC movie.

Where is the real Barney Fife?
Don KnottsBornJesse Donald KnottsJuly 21, 1924 Morgantown, West Virginia, U.S.DiedFebruary 24, 2006 (aged 81) Los Angeles, California, U.S.Resting placeWestwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, Los Angeles, California, U.S.Alma materWest Virginia University5 more rows
How did Don Knotts meet the real Barney Fife?
In this interview, the reporter asked Knotts if he'd ever encountered any real Barney Fifes walking around the real world. Knotts said he absolutely had. Right in his own hometown. "I ran into one in my hometown, a perfect deputy Barney — ordering people around, acting efficient, loving his job," Knotts said.
Is Barney Fife still alive?
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Don Knotts, the skinny, lovable nerd who kept generations of television audiences laughing as bumbling Deputy Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show, has died. He was 81.
Is The Andy Griffith Show based on a true story?
The Mayberry of TV fame was a fictitious place inhabited by fictitious characters. Who can doubt that Mr. Griffith's memories of growing up were not the basis, however loosely, for some of the characters and stories we have all come to love.
What were Don Knotts last words?
While his final words were not recorded, Knott's Daughter, Karen Knotts, recalls having to leave the room to laugh out loud. Long-time friend and co-star Andy Griffith was also at Knott's bedside during his final moments. Griffith gave Knotts words of encouragement, saying “Jess (Don's real name), breathe.
How old was Barney Fife in Andy Griffith?
4. Andy and Barney's characters were approximately 36 years old during this story. 5. Opie's character would be approximately 12 years old during this television season, meaning that Andy's character had Opie when Andy was approximately 22 years old.
Is Thelma Lou still alive from Andy Griffith?
Betty Lynn, who portrayed Thelma Lou, the patient girlfriend of Barney Fife, the bumbling deputy sheriff of the homespun town of Mayberry in the long-running 1960s sitcom “The Andy Griffith Show,” died on Saturday in Mount Airy, N.C. She was 95. The death was announced by the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy, Mr.
Where is Andy Griffith buried?
July 3, 2012Andy Griffith / Date of burial
Is Charlene Darling still alive?
The family of Maggie Peterson Mancuso, who played Charlene Darling on “The Andy Griffith Show,” announced on Monday that the actress and singer died on Sunday, May 15.
Was Mayberry real?
Mayberry, the idyllic hometown made famous on The Andy Griffith Show, has long been considered a fictional place, but the real Mayberry does exist. The TV-show town was based on Griffith's hometown of Mount Airy.
Does Ron Howard still get money from Andy Griffith Show?
In 1960, Howard was cast as the character Opie Taylor in "The Andy Griffith Show". He played the son of the title character for all eight seasons of the show....Ron Howard Net Worth.Net Worth:$200 MillionProfession:Actor, Film Producer, Film director, Television producer, Screenwriter, Voice Actor, Television Director4 more rows
Are there any real towns like Mayberry?
For more than half a century, the city of Mt. Airy, North Carolina, has basked in the reflected glow of the TV screen as the real-life inspiration for the fictional Mayberry of the “Andy Griffith Show.” Mt. Airy is the hometown of Andy Griffith, who starred in the No. 1-rated CBS TV show during the 1960s.
Who was the actor who played Barney Fife?
His film roles include ‘The Ghost and Mr. Chicken’, ‘The Apple Dumpling Gang’, & ’The Incredible Mr. Limpet’. Knotts was also a trained Shakespearean actor and won a Tony award for his portrayal of Othello. It was his role as Barney Fife, however, that caused many protestors to demand the statues removal. “Barney Fife, was a nervous, twitchy little ...
Who described Barney Fife as a man of the world?
Psychologist Carl Reznick, described Barney Fife as, “outwardly smug and self-important, covering up his insecurities and low self-confidence with a display of bravado. He presents himself as an expert on such diverse subjects as firearms, martial arts, women, singing, wilderness survival, psychology and American history. Fife frequently tries to impress others with his knowledge or skill in areas where his expertise is actually quite limited. He wishes to be perceived as ‘a man of the world,’ but he is actually quite naïve, and his fear of appearing ignorant leaves him easily duped.”
Where is the statue of Barney Fife?
WV to Remove Don Knotts Barney Fife Statue Following Complaints. West Virginia will remove a statue of actor and comedian Don Knotts that is located in his hometown of Morgantown, WV. Knotts, is best known for his role as Barney Fife, the bumbling deputy on The Andy Griffith show.
What is Barney known for?
A gossip and gadfly, Barney is known for blabbing both personal and police secrets (such as Andy's scrutiny of women's rings at the jewelry store, or the locale and time of a stakeout or arrival of an armored car). While this may expose him as a halfwit, Barney is at heart a caring, amiable soul.
Who played Barney Fife in Step by Step?
Barney Fife in "Step by Step". Don Knotts appeared as Barney Fife on an episode of "The Joey Bishop Show" ("Joey's Hideaway Cabin") and the pilot episode of The New Andy Griffith Show, with Andy Griffith playing the character of Andy Sawyer. He also performed with Andy and Jim Nabors in The Andy Griffith-Don Knotts-Jim Nabors Show.
Why was Barney absent from Andy and Don?
According to Daniel De Vise's book, Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show, Don Knotts begged for time off during his time on the show, which would explain why Barney was absent from time-to-time during the first five seasons.
What episode does Barney get revenge on Andy?
Nonetheless, Barney still has his rare moments of courage and loyalty. Two episodes demonstrate Barney's ability to rise up to challenges. In the second season episode, Andy on Trial, a millionaire wants revenge on Andy for giving him a traffic ticket.
What does Barney suggest to Andy in The Keeper of the Flame?
In The Keeper of the Flame, when Jubile Foster accuses a group of kids (which includes Andy's own son Opie) of burning down his barn, Barney suggests to Andy that they conduct a "line-up", where they "call in every kid in Mayberry", presumably to line them all up for serious questioning.
Why was Barney not in the Mayberry choir?
Although, due to audition nerves , Barney missed his chance to be included in the folk album recorded in the episode Mayberry on Record, his performance talents range from the Harmonica, Bongo Drums, Cymbals, stage acting, and many types of dancing. He also has a trained singing voice which is arguably on par with Leonard Blush. He was frequently a member of the Mayberry choir but was once excluded due to receiving a cash award, making him ineligible for competitions.
What is Barney's role in the Manhunt?
In The Manhunt, Barney orders everyone off the streets in front of the courthouse after a famous convicted criminal escapes from prison, claiming that "there's gonna be trouble around here!". In The Keeper of the Flame, when Jubile Foster accuses a group of kids (which includes Andy's own son Opie) of burning down his barn, Barney suggests to Andy that they conduct a "line-up", where they "call in every kid in Mayberry", presumably to line them all up for serious questioning. Andy immediately refuses the idea and the two proceed to leave the site of the burning barn, having finished their work there. Although once in the car, Barney once again unsuccessfully tries to suggest the line-up again. On numerous other occasions, Barney swears in additional deputies, usually consisting of delinquents like Gomer Pyle, who is horrible with guns, or Otis Campbell, the town drunk. He does this anytime he fears Andy to be in any grave danger; of course, Andy is far from danger in any of these cases.
Who played Barney Fife?
Jesse Donald Knotts (July 21, 1924 – February 24, 2006) was an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show, a 1960s sitcom for which he earned five Emmy Awards. : 18 He also played Ralph Furley on the highly rated sitcom Three's Company from 1979 to 1984. He starred in multiple comedic films, including the leading role in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) and The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964). In 1979, TV Guide ranked him number 27 on its 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time list.
Who is Barney Fife's helper?
As Barney Fife, Knotts gets the help of Sheriff Taylor when his gun gets stuck on his finger.
Why did Barney keep one bullet in his shirt pocket?
This is why Barney kept one very shiny bullet in his shirt pocket. In episode #196, Andy gave Barney more bullets so that he would have a loaded gun to go after a bad guy that Barney unintentionally helped escape. While Barney was forever frustrated that Mayberry was too small for the delusional ideas he had of himself, viewers got the sense that he couldn't have survived anywhere else. Don Knotts played the comic and pathetic sides of the character with equal aplomb and he received three Emmy Awards during the show's first five seasons.
Who played Andy Griffith in No Time for Sergeants?
In 1958, Knotts appeared for the first time on film with Andy Griffith in the film version of No Time for Sergeants. In that film, Knotts reprises his Broadway role and plays a high-strung Air Force test administrator whose routine is disrupted by the hijinks of a provincial new recruit.
How many seasons did Andy Griffith have?
Knotts believed remarks by Griffith that The Andy Griffith Show would end after five seasons, and he began to look for other work, signing a five-film contract with Universal Studios.
When was the last time the Sniffer was in Air Buddies?
His last credited role was in 2006 for voicing a deputy bloodhound named Sniffer in “Air Buddies.”. “He was also a very loving father,” said Karen. “He didn’t like to go out and do things like you picture most fathers going out and doing — you know, outdoorsy stuff — because he was a very internal kind of person.
What is Karen's show about?
Karen is currently in the process of writing a memoir and is now performing a show about her childhood titled “Tied Up In Knotts!”
How many hours did Andy Griffith work?
“We didn’t see him a lot, because he worked 10, 12 hours a day,” said Karen. “And when he was home, he was always holed up in his room working on his lines and stuff like that.

Overview
Running Gags
Personal Life
Performance Talents
Slip-Ups
World War II
Other Appearances
- Don Knotts appeared as Barney Fife on an episode of "The Joey Bishop Show" ("Joey's Hideaway Cabin") and the pilot episode of The New Andy Griffith Show, with Andy Griffith playing the character of Andy Sawyer. He also performed with Andy and Jim Nabors in The Andy Griffith-Don Knotts-Jim Nabors Show. He later parodied Barney Fife on the "Christmas...
Notes
Famous Quotes
See Also