75 Years of Sitcoms-- Part 2: The Beaver, Andy and Mary

**  LEAVE IT TO BEAVER  

(1957-1963)   CBS

The quintessential wholesome family comedy.  Jerry Mathers the "Beaver" charmed producers when he wore his Cub Scout uniform to his audition.

**   THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW

(1960-1968)  CBS

Among the guest stars on it were Jack Nicholson (twice) and Barbara Eden.

**  THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW

(1970-1977)   CBS

A single woman enjoying her independence and a job.  I still like that scene where Lou Grant says to her on her interview for the job, "You know what?  You've got spunk."  Then Mary smiled and thought she'd scored points when Lou continues, "I HATE spunk."  Talk about a crestfallen Mary.

--CootSpunk

Deaths: TV Producer Ben Starr

BEN STARR, 92, TV producer. //// Producer, creator, writer and playwright. //// Served in World War II as a 2nd lieutenant navigator in Army Air Corps, awarded a Distinguidhed Flying Cross. //// Wrote comedy for Al Jolson, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis and George Burns. Helped develop "Facts of Life" and was a regular screenwriter for "Mister Ed" and "All In the Family." Also wrote for "Chico and the Man," "Maude," "The Andy Griffith Show," "Petticoat Junction," "The Many Lives of Doby Gillis" and "The Brady Bunch." //// He also wrote Gary Coleman's famous catch phrase, "What you talking about, Willis?" for "Different Strokes." //// I definitely liked these shows (well, other than "Different Strokes" but I liked the catchphrase).

Andy Griffith's Life-- Part 2

NOVEMBER 1953--  Release of "What It Was, Was Football" recording on Colonial records.

MARCH 15, 1955--  On the United States Steel Hour's "No Time for Sergeants"as Will Stockdale.

MAY 28, 1957--  Premier of A Face in the Crowd where he played Larry "Lonesone" Rhodes.

OCTOBER 3, 1960--  Series premier of "The Andy Griffith Show (249 episodes in eight seasons).

APRIL 21, 1976--  Star unveiled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

SEPTEMBER 20, 1986--  Series premier of Matlock (177 episodes, 1986-95)

OCTOBER 28, 2003--  Dedication of TV Land Landmark for the Andy Griffith Show at Pullen Park in Raleigh, NC.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2004--  Replica of TC Land Landmark for the Andy Griffith Show unveiled in Mt. Airy, NC.

2008--  SEPTEMBER 26, 2009--  Dedication of the Andy Griffith Museum in Mt. Airy, NC.

2012--  Died

One of  My Favorites.  --Cooter

Andy Griffith's Life-- Part 1

From the September 18, 20111, Mayberry Confidential.

Last month, I drove through Mt. Airy, North Carolina, on my way to a visit with family in the state.  I was all set to enjoy one of those fantastic pork chop sandwiches from Snappy Lunch on Main Street, but was greatly disappoined to find the place closed for the week.

I was interested in seeing how the town was treating Andy Griffith's recent death.  There wasn't much.  One store had a giant card for people to sign and the TV Land stuatue by the Andy griffith Playhouse had flowers, but that was all I could find.

I did pick up this pamphlet thinking it would have something about his death until I saw the date.

However, it did have a chronology of his life so will pick out some dates and write about them:

JUNE 1, 1926--  Born in Mt. Airy.  Named Andy Samuel Griffith.

MAY 30, 1944--  Graduated from Mount Airy High School.

JUNE 1949--  Graduated from the University of North Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music.

1949-1952--  Worked as a music and drama teacher at Goldsboro (NC) High School.  (Hey, I was living in Goldsboro at the time, but don't remember him as I was born in 1951.)

More to Come.  --Cooter

Goodbye Andy

ANDY GRIFFITH, 86

Very sad to learn of the death of this beloved person yesterday. 

Growing up, his "Andy Griffith Show" with all those great characters, and of course, Barney, was one of my favorites.  Plus, he was from my home state, North Carolina and even a teacher for a few years at Goldsboro High School, in the town I was born in.  My mom graduated from there just a year before he arrived.

In the past ten years, a favorite stop when I'm going to and from North Carolina is Andy Griffith's home town of Mt. Airy where he was born and lived through high school.  I especially like stopping into Snappy Lunch (which he mentioned on the show) and having one of those fantastic pork chop sandwiches.

I was only too happy to have a second TV Land statue of Andy and Opie placed in Mt. Airy (the first one was in Raleigh).  I only hope that he is buried in Mt. Airy.

We Lost a Great One.