Definitive study of TV series using in-depth interviews with most of principals involved.

On the February 2, 1960, episode of The Danny Thomas Show, entertainer Danny Williams (Danny Thomas) is arrested for a traffic violation by a small-town sheriff named Andy Taylor, played by a good-natured Southern actor named Andy Griffith. Thus was born one of the most popular television shows of the 1960s--The Andy Griffith Show. From the time it officially debuted in October 1960, The Andy Griffith Show was a perennial favorite on CBS, finishing its eight-year run as the top-rated show on television. It also produced some of the most remembered characters (Andy, Opie, Aunt Bee, and Barney Fife) of the era. Each of the show's 249 episodes is fully detailed here, including air dates, cast and production personnel, guest stars, and a bevy of facts about that particular episode. The 1986 television movie Return to Mayberry is covered in detail. Brief biographies of the show's major stars, producers, directors and writers are also provided.

"Written by Don Knotts's brother-in-law and featuring extensive unpublished interviews with those closest to both men, [this book explores] the legacy of The Andy Griffith Show and ... two of America's most enduring stars"--Amazon.com.

The Andy Griffith Show was one of the most successful series in television history. It ranked among the top ten shows in the nation during each of its eight prime-time seasons, from 1960 to 1968. Over forty years later, the 249 episodes still remain some of the most frequently watched syndicated shows on television. In this book, Richard Kelly makes clear to everyone, from the occasional fan to the serious student of television, whyThe Andy Griffith Show is still so beloved. Richard Kelly is a native New Yorker and received his doctorate from Duke University in Durham, NC. Professor emeritus at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, with a focus on 19th-century English literature, he has also written biographies of Douglas Jerrold, Lewis Carroll, George du Maurier, and Graham Greene. He has been a recipient of the Lindsay Young Professorship.

A collection of essays by children of the cast, guest stars, and historians celebrating the 60th anniversary of The Andy Griffith Show's debut.

Contains a complete fan guide to the popular television series that ran from 1960 to 1968, and profiles all of the major and minor characters that appeared on the show over its history.

Looks at the history of the popular television series, provides plot summaries for each episode, and shares interviews with members of the cast