Don Knotts has passed away at age 81.

Actor Don Knotts Dies at 81

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(AP) Cast members from "The Andy Griffith Show", from left: Don Knotts as Deputy Barney Fife, Ron Howard...
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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.

Knotts died Friday night of pulmonary and respiratory complications at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills, said Paul Ward, a spokesman for the cable network TV Land, which airs "The Andy Griffith Show," and another Knotts hit, "Three's Company."

Unspecified health problems had forced him to cancel an appearance in his native Morgantown in August 2005.

The West Virginia-born actor's half-century career included seven TV series and more than 25 films, but it was the Griffith show that brought him TV immortality and five Emmies.

The show ran from 1960-68, and was in the top 10 of the Nielsen ratings each season, including a No. 1 ranking its final year. It is one of only three series in TV history to bow out at the top: The others are "I Love Lucy" and "Seinfeld." The 249 episodes have appeared frequently in reruns and have spawned a large, active network of fan clubs.

As the bug-eyed deputy to Griffith, Knotts carried in his shirt pocket the one bullet he was allowed after shooting himself in the foot. The constant fumbling, a recurring sight gag, was typical of his self-deprecating humor.

Knotts, whose shy, soft-spoken manner was unlike his high-strung characters, once said he was most proud of the Fife character and doesn't mind being remembered that way.

His favorite episodes, he said, were "The Pickle Story," where Aunt Bea makes pickles no one can eat, and "Barney and the Choir," where no one can stop him from singing. "I can't sing. It makes me sad that I can't sing or dance well enough to be in a musical, but I'm just not talented in that way," he lamented. "It's one of my weaknesses."

This isn't fair, just isn't fair. I want him back :(. Don, thanks a million for everything- you are definately one of my idols. This is the the icing on top of the cake, I need to buy all the TAGS DVD's and give you a well deserved tribute. (As well as my 3's Co. DVDs)

You are an inspiration, a king among kings; you fulfilled me. We all miss and love you terribly.

Rest in peace.

Pat

:rip:

Darn, I missed the news by 30 minutes thanks to computer problems, One of my favorite actors and a true genius who gave so many laughs to millions of viewers as both Barney Fife & Ralph Furley. Today is truely a sad day for fan's of both series.

R.I.P. Don:(

One of the greatest of the great comedic actors in American history is gone.
There's a nice obit in The Los Angeles Times (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-donknotts-obit,0,526013,full.story?coll=la-home-headlines)- it says Andy Griffith, his lifelong friend - was one of the last to visit him last night at Cedars-Sinai Hospital.
One of a kind. He will be missed.
Goodbye, Don.

-

Very sad news. He was always a reason to tune in to Andy Griffith or Three's Company. Rest in peace, Barney. You finally made it to the real Mayberry. :(

:crying: Don Knotts :rip:

Don Knotts created one of the greatest sitcom characters of all-time in Barney Fife. He was the key to the show's success. It just wasn't the same after he left.

So Long Barney:(

Say hi to Aunt Bee, Floyd, Otis, Helen, and Ernest T. Bass .

OMG! Don Knotts 1924-2006

I can not believe it! Such a shame

Don Knotts, created the best sidekick in TV sitcom history. We'll miss you .

Don Knotts created one of the greatest sitcom characters of all-time in Barney Fife. He was the key to the show's success. It just wasn't the same after he left.

My brother and I agree.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
"There's only two kinds of cops. The quick, and the dead." -- Deputy Sheriff
Bernard "Barney" Fife.

this is a very sad day. andy & barney are my favorite tv charecters and will always hold a special place in my heart. my prayers are with his family.
thank you for all the great laughs don, and i hope to pass on your amazing work to my children.
Thank You & R.I.P.

Don will definately be missed. :( I can't believe he's gone, but it must have been his time to go, which is still sad. God Bless to his family and friends. My thoughts and prayers are with them too.

This is one of the SADDEST days ever. Rest In Peace, Don! :(

rip don knotts you were a funny man ed

RIP Don. You will surely be missed. :crying: I'm still in shock about the news.

For all the Barney Fife Fans




"We Love Barney Fife" (http://www.simpleprop.com/images/wade/welovebarneyfife.mp3) by Gums 'n Roses (1990) -- Approx. 2.2 MB
[Sung to the tune of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire"]
Andy Griffith on TV, Sheriff Taylor Mayberry, Mount Pilot, North Carolina, Raleigh
Fishin' hole, Earnest T., Courthouse, Opie, Goober Pyle, Gomer Pyle, (Golllllly!)
Aunt Bea in the kitchen, lousy pickles, good friend chicken, Helen Crump, Otis drunk, Emmett's Fixit Shop
Criminals would come to town, fearless Fife tracks 'em down, his eye would pop, his gun would drop, he's a favorite TV cop
We love Barney Fife... He's the Deputy of Mayberry. We love Barney Fife.. He upholds the law with Opie's pa
Floyd the barber cuttin' hair, Howard Sprague, barber chair, barney's job is never done, law and order's in his blood, he shaky gun is at your service, catchin crooks makes him nervous, thelma lou's offical stud, nip it nip it in the bud
(This is Deputy Fife speakin' and I'm armed!!!)
Andy plays the guitar, Barney's in the squad car, driving Mayberry nuts, he's law enforcement klutz
Ticket writing everyone, he's got one bullet for his gun, bad guys are on the run, book 'em Barney murder one!
We love Barney Fife... He's the Deputy of Mayberry... Andy Griffith is our life (yeah yeah yeah), when the show is done we'll watch another one (re-run, re-run, re-run...) WE LOVE BARNEY FIFE! - 12/09/2002
__________________

Rest in peace, Mr. Donn Kotts. You were one of a kind; you've provided SO much entertainment and happiness to me and lots of people.

I pray that you rest comfortably now with God and that God comforts your family and the world who mourn you.

THE TODAY SHOW - NBC

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27
8:30AM (EST)

Andy Griffith will recall fond memories from his 50 year friendship with Don Knotts.

I was shocked to hear the news. He was certainly one of a kind.

That was very sad news. He was the actor who played Barney Fife on the "Andy Griffith Show". I have one episode on a PD DVD with a fake jazzy opening theme song. Outside of Andy Griffith, he was in a number of Disney films like "The Apple Dumpling Gang", "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again", "No Deposit, No Return", "Gus", "Hot Lead & Cold Feet" and "Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo". Outside of Disney, he was guested starred on two episodes of the "Scooby-Doo Movies". After Disney, he was in "The Private Eyes", "Three's Company", "Pleasentville" and many others. He was a great actor, he would be surely missed. RIP.:(

Just saw on TV Land, there will be a marathon of "The Andy Griffith Show" on Tuesday (2/28) starting at 8 p.m.

* Updated: This weekend there also is a marathon. 48 hours of "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Three's Company". This is going to be a good way to remember Mr. Knotts. RIP.

Watching the Larry King repeat with Andy and Don from 2003, Don really had aged, I also heard he had Lung Cancer.

RIP

I was doing busy work in my office all day Saturday and while I was working, I had the TV on watching my season 5 set of TAGS. Imagine my sadness when that night, I read that Don Knotts had passed away. So many of the great ones are leaving us now. Darren McGaven died on Sat. These great stars will be missed. The thing that upsets me is that I have not seen one mention of this on TVLand, which airs TAGS daily! There is nothing on the website about it at all. What is going on over there?!

Goodbye, Don and Darren. Rest in Peace.

Lolac
:(

One of the greatest ever. I loved Don Knotts. RIP.

RIP, Don Knotts.:(

One of Don's funniest tv roles outside of The Andy Griffith Show was in an episode of the animated series Wait Til Your Father Get's Home. His character was an exterminator that was hired to rid the Boyle home of some bees. Jack Burns was also on the series providing the voice of the Boyle's neighbor Ralph.

There is now an obituary up at tvland.com for Don Knotts. It reveals that this Tuesday night there will be a mini-marathon for The Andy Griffith Show and then...
This weekend will be a 48-hour tribute marathon to Don Knotts featuring The Andy Griffith Show AND Three's Company.

TV Land will pay tribute to dear friend Don Knotts with a Primetime Tribute Marathon of The Andy Griffith Show on Tuesday, February 28 starting at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) and a 48-Hour Don Knotts Tribute Marathon featuring The Andy Griffith Show and Three's Company this coming weekend, March 4-5.

- Don Knotts 'Andy Griffith Show' Tribute Marathon'
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET/PT
Tuesday, February 28th

8:00p #43 - The Pickle Story Rather than eat Aunt Bee's
indigestible home-made pickles, Andy and Barney secretly substitute
store-bought pickles in her preserving jars.
8:30p #52 – Barney and the Choir Andy's diplomacy and modern
engineering techniques are required to upgrade the music of the
Mayberry choir.
9:00p #78 - Barney and the Governor Barney hangs a parking ticket on the Governor's car, and refuses to tear it up.
9:30p #90 - Barney's First Car Jim Nabors appears as Gomer
Pyle as Barney invests his life's savings in a used car.
10:00p #97 - The Haunted House Andy, Barney and Gomer are a trio of laughs as they tread the boards of a "haunted house."
10:30p #116 - The Shoplifters Barney disguises himself as a dummy in an attempt to solve a series of thefts in a Mayberry department store.

48-hour weekend tribute details to follow.

Every year we're losing legends that can NEVER be replaced. Years from now, will we remember Jerry Seinfeld, Will Farrell, Tim Allen, etc. as fondly and grieve them as deeply?

I said it at the General Sitcoms board, but I'll say it again for the board dedicated to the show that defined his career:

Godspeed, Barney Fife! You are definitely going to be missed!

Thank you for letting me know. I will be watching!

Lolac
:(

Somehow I missed hearing this! This is truly sad news- he will surely be missed by many. :(

:rip: Don Knotts

You are truly missed. Thanks for bringing us Barney Fife.

BTW - Here is a nice article on Don Knotts:
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/27/031456.php

Wow! We lost 3 greats this weekend! First, Don Knotts, then Darren McGavin and now Dennis Weaver. This is truly a sad time for classic TV fans!

Lolac
:(

- Don Knotts 48 Hour Weekend Tribute
Saturday, March 4 and Sunday, March 5, 2006
6:00 a.m. March 4 thru 6:00 a.m. March 6
Tune in for Andy Griffith Show and Three's Company episodes featuring Don Knotts. See image below for episode info:

I've notcied that celebrity deaths always seem to occur in three's :(

I am really ticked off that they never had any interviews with Don nor any commentary from him on some TAGS episodes on the season sets. Now it is too late for that to ever happen. :mad:

Andy Griffith and Ron Howard will be together again as they remember their mutual friend, Don Knotts. Tonight at 9:00ET (Repeats at Midnight ET).

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/larry.king.live/index.html

:rip: Goodbye Don. Thank you for the many laughs you have given me over the years. R.I.P.

We were so sorry to hear about him. We've been watching the show ever since I was born in 1961. As a kid that courthouse was just as familiar as my own home. I enjoyed the show then & in re-runs since then & still now. ay God be with his family & co-stars. Rip...

yes, Don Knotts will be greatly missed. He was truly a great comedian. Even now, years later, as I watch the Andy Griffith Show, I still laugh at him. He was a gifted man. No one could have played Barney Fife the way he did.

Thank you Don, for so many laughs.