Andy Griffith Show Debut
The Andy Griffith Show debuted at 9:30 on the evening of Monday, October 3, 1960, and ran for 249 episodes, 90 of which were color. Its spin-off episode was on "The Danny Thomas Show" where Danny was arrested by a sheriff in a small town in North Carolina. The Andy Griffith Show has not been off the air since it went into syndication a quarter of a century ago.

Cast
Andy Griffith as Andy Taylor
Ronny Howard as Opie Taylor
Don Knotts as Barney Fife (1960-1965)
Frances Bavier as Aunt Bee Taylor
Hope Summers as Clara Edwards
Aneta Corsaut as Helen Crump (1964-1968)
George Lindsey as Goober Pyle (1965-1968)
Howard McNear as Floyd Lawson
Betty Lynn as Thelma Lou (1960-1965)
Hal Smith as Otis Campbell (1960-1967)
Burt Mustin as Jud Crowley (1961-1966)

Series Run
First Telecast: October 3, 1960
Last Telecast: September 16, 1968

Andy Griffith Show Trivia Facts
There were three episodes that mentioned that Andy and Barney were cousins: The New Housekeeper, The Manhunt, Runaway Kid

 Remember Juanita who got serenaded by Barney over the phone a few times. We never actually saw or heard her on the show.

Did you ever wonder how Thelma Lou could afford that house. Her job was never revealed. Yet her boyfriend Barney had a job as a deputy, but could only afford a small apartment. Barney should have married her years earlier and moved into that nice house.

The reason Don Knotts quit the show after the fifth season was originally Andy Griffith and Don Knotts had signed a five year contract. After the fifth season Don started looking for other work and got a deal with Universal Pictures. Andy then decided he wanted to go on for three more years, but it was too late for Barney to come back since he was tied into the Universal contract. That's where we got the classic comedies "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, and the "Shakiest Gun in the West"

Did you know that Don Knotts was a veteran of the Second World War who was awarded the World War II Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 4 bronze service stars, Army Good Conduct Medal, Marksman Badge with Carbine Bar and Honorable Service Lapel Pin pretty good for a guy who made a living playing a chicken on the tv and movie screen.

Don Knotts once took job plucking chickens for a market when he was told he didn't have a future in acting. Makes you wonder what would have happened if that person would have talked to Abraham Lincoln or Einstein about their future prospects. 

The squad car was a Ford Galaxy. The cars were supplied free of charge by a nearby Ford dealer,  There were about 10 different Ford Galaxies used throughout the entire series.

Andy Griffith married Helen Crump toward the very end of the show which then turned into Mayberry R.F.D.  I still think he should have married the lady druggist. 

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