I thought I'd open this up for discussion after having a brief conversation with someone else who has met George Lindsey.....

I met him only once in 2004 I believe at the Mayberry Reunion in Nashville, TN (Gaylord Opryland Hotel). I got in line to get a picture and autograph and when I got to up to him, he looked at me and said, "haven't I seen you before?", I said no, he said "I think I have, you were already in line and got an autograph, you can't have more than one autograph!!", I told him i'm sorry but you must have me confused with someone else I have never been in this line before and never met you. I was totally taken aback as he came across very rude, and I almost said something I probably shouldn't and walked off. I didn't, he relented and gave me an autograph and picture opportunity (I'll post the pic later).

I have also heard from someone else he isn't so nice, does anyone else have any experiences like this? It is and was so hard for me to believe that one of the characters from one of my favorite shows could be so unlike the what he plays, i know i'm naive for thinking that but it was still dissapointing.

Maybe you have a twin that was in the line before you, lol.

I've never met George Lindsey, but I am afraid to meet some of my favorite actors, in case they turn out to be rude or jerks. I don't know if I'd be able to watch their shows or movies again without thinking of that incident.

If it means anything, when George Lindsey guest starred on an episode of "NewsRadio", the cast and crew (according to the commentaries) all got along with him and found him to be a nice guy. Maybe he was just tired the day you met him, and honestly thought you'd already been there.

You should have said "I'll bet Jim Nabors wouldn't accuse me of anything." :)

Ya never know you might be right. Once I heard this other fellow have a similar experience I thought there might be more to it. We will see if any other fans on here had experiences, good or bad.

I've never met George Lindsey, but I've heard stories from other people who've met Andy and said he wasn't very nice. But these are just second hand stories. You can't believe everything you read. But this morning, I saw an interview with Susan Olsen (Cindy Brady) of The Brady Bunch, and well, it was embarrassing, she was hung over from drinking too much wine the night before. He son was with her and said, "Watch her drink like a pig!" It was awful! I grew up with The Brady Bunch and to see that, wow, part of me does not ever want to meet the people I admired and grew up with from the TV shows I love. Another part of me does, maybe they are nice, who knows?
-Kristi

While not defending anyone's behavior, people ARE subject to moods and can't be blamed for being less than nice occasionally. How many of us are great people 100% of the time? Not me.
I heard years ago that AG wan't that pleasant to TAGS fans, as he felt many people made too much of a simple TV program, while he wanted to move on. As he said himself in interviews, 'People thought I WAS Andy Taylor, and would want to talk about the show all the time." I dont blame him. I think he's mellowed somewhat in his attitudes. Lindsay, on the other hand, is pretty much trapped in his character, hasnt been that successful in other roles (at least not to my knowledge), and must get tired of being seen as a goofball.

It's true, it must be tiring being typecast, however, that person wouldn't be who they are today hadn't been for that show they were on. This could be said about anyone on a TV show. I hope they do see the positives to it.
-Kristi

Well, I never met George Lindsey either, but he seems like he is probably a pain. He was perhaps the least talented and most annoying members of the TAGS cast anyway.

As for Andy Griffith, I know someone who worked on the series "Matlock" when they were filming most in North Carolina. Griffith is not pleasant at all. He is condescending, full of himself and can hurl insults at the drop of a hat. There was a crew member who worked on that show who also worked on TAGS. He said Griffith use to "terrorize" the TAGS set when he blew his temper. He punched walls, cursed profusely. Also, Frances Bavier referred to Griffith as a "vile human being".

Well, I never met George Lindsey either, but he seems like he is probably a pain. He was perhaps the least talented and most annoying members of the TAGS cast anyway.

George Lindsey was far from the least talented among the TAGS cast. Jack Dodson holds that distinction plus Howard Sprague is one of the most boring characters ever. I had no problem with Lindsey, I thought he fit in perfectly after Jim Nabors left. Unfortunately, he was typcecast which is a shame because the man is a very good actor and is equally effective in dramatic roles as well. A few examples of this are his roles in the Twilight Zone episode "I Am the Night-Color Me Black and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour episodes "The Jar" , "Bed of Roses" and "The Return of Verge Likens" I wonder what direction his career would've taken if he hadn't turned the role Mr. Spock.

I wonder what direction his career would've taken if he hadn't turned the role Mr. Spock.

Goober.... as MR. SPOCK?!?! :crazy:

Hi Richie. This is Ed. I'm the guy that also had that unpleasant experience with Mr. Lindsey. We talked about it at the ranch. Nice meeting you guys. Email me when you get time. Talk to you later.

Hard to imagine, but I have it on good authority that
Francis Bavier was the hardest member of the cast to
get along with. She was alleged to be impossible, always
whining about this and that. She came across as a dear
old lady on screen, but was a terror on the set and in
rehearsals.

Hard to imagine, but I have it on good authority that
Francis Bavier was the hardest member of the cast to
get along with. She was alleged to be impossible, always
whining about this and that. She came across as a dear
old lady on screen, but was a terror on the set and in
rehearsals.

I've heard that as well, I live about 20 minutes from Siler City, NC which is where Frances Bavier last resided. I heard that not long before her death that Ron Howard paid her visit and she would have nothing to do with him.

I post on another message board and someone there mentioned that George Lindsey was at a TAGS convention and a little kid asked him to do Judy Judy Judy and he screamed at the kid WHY DON'T YOU DO IT! and stormed off.

One small added note, It's ironic that your 249th post is in the TAGS forum, That as you may know was the number of episodes produced during it's 8 seasons.

I guess Mayberry really was a fantasy world. It's sad because they all made those characters just like family. I would have loved to live in a town like that. I heard Frances died as a recluse with about 9 or 10 cats in her house. She didn't want anything to do with anybody anymore. A few months before she died she called Andy to apologize for being so difficult while the show was on the air. I guess she wanted some closure.

I can believe this. My best friend worked as a Security Guard at Opryland Hotel here in Nasville back in the 80's. One night Lucille Ball showed up and my friend said she was a plain old b@tch to everyone. She said she would of never believed Lucille Ball could be so mean and rude.






I thought I'd open this up for discussion after having a brief conversation with someone else who has met George Lindsey.....

I met him only once in 2004 I believe at the Mayberry Reunion in Nashville, TN (Gaylord Opryland Hotel). I got in line to get a picture and autograph and when I got to up to him, he looked at me and said, "haven't I seen you before?", I said no, he said "I think I have, you were already in line and got an autograph, you can't have more than one autograph!!", I told him i'm sorry but you must have me confused with someone else I have never been in this line before and never met you. I was totally taken aback as he came across very rude, and I almost said something I probably shouldn't and walked off. I didn't, he relented and gave me an autograph and picture opportunity (I'll post the pic later).

I have also heard from someone else he isn't so nice, does anyone else have any experiences like this? It is and was so hard for me to believe that one of the characters from one of my favorite shows could be so unlike the what he plays, i know i'm naive for thinking that but it was still dissapointing.

I can believe this. My best friend worked as a Security Guard at Opryland Hotel here in Nasville back in the 80's. One night Lucille Ball showed up and my friend said she was a plain old b@tch to everyone. She said she would of never believed Lucille Ball could be so mean and rude.
I've never heard anything bad about Don Knotts though. Everyone that talks about him says he was rather shy...the complete opposite of Barney and Mr. Furley.

I can believe this. My best friend worked as a Security Guard at Opryland Hotel here in Nasville back in the 80's. One night Lucille Ball showed up and my friend said she was a plain old b@tch to everyone. She said she would of never believed Lucille Ball could be so mean and rude.

I wonder how old she was at the time. Sadly, she didn't age well and was a bit of a drinker. As much as I love I Love Lucy and her other shows, this isn't the first time I've heard this.

Sadly, I saw an interview several years ago with many of her sporadic
co-stars like Carroll Cook and Mary Wickes.
They ALL said that as Lucy got older she grew very nasty, sarcastic
and downright mean to
EVERYONE (writers, producers, co-stars, even celebrity guest
stars - and there were hundreds of the latter in the LUCY SHOW
and HERE'S LUCY).

In the early 90s I was a tour guide at Paramount Pictures, which had bought RKO, whose former owners had been Desi and Lucy. Our guest relations building was on the RKO 'side' of Paramount, and there was a little used drive-on gate. We were told that Lucy used to use this for her use alone, and when she was coming to work there had better be someone there to open the gate when she arrived, or she'd drive right through it. That's what we were told, anyway.

I thought that Jack Dodson was a very good actor. There's a lot of subtle humor in the character of Howard. Remember when he first met Millie and then was on cloud nine, wearing the quirky hat and saddle shoes? Jack may have been given material at times that was far from exciting, but he did a great job under the constraints of an odd character.

It's the more subtle aspects of the characters that made TAGS great, in my opinion. Don Knotts was great and over-the-top many times, but the episodes in which we got to know his character better really established our understanding of what Don was trying to do. Jack was not doing over-the-top stuff, but he still was able to form an interesting character. If some of the scripts were weak, it's unfair to imply that Jack wasn't any good.

I thought he (and his character) was great. He made a great Mayberry resident. I saw him drinking a soda in the lobby of a movie theater once. His hair was totally white. This woulda been late 80s.

Personally, I have to admit that I don't like the episodes with "Howard" in them but, IMHO, the most worthless character on TAGS was "Emmit" the repairman. I like the B/W episodes much better than the colour ones so maybe I'm just predjudiced to begin with, though.

Signed,
Respectfully,
Dutch

I don't think Emmitt (or his wife, Martha, when we see her) was conceived as a very likable character. He was there essentially to take Floyd's place; literally, as in the same shop, but also in the simple Mayberry order of things, as an informal gathering place where there is less business than casual conversation. But as he wasn't the new barber, he also wasn't to be too much like Floyd characteristically-- that could be another 'Warren mistake.' So Emmitt is more a cantankerous wisecracker than a gossip who can't keep a straight thought, and it naturally ensues that he would not as likable as Floyd (especially before Howard McNear became so reduced in his acting scope). He just "supplied" the setting for interactions and discussions, and only occasionally was he himself a major player. There is kind of a pattern in many eps with Emmitt, in which the story conflict is introduced, or furthered, in his Fix-it Shop,-- making the name symbolicly ironic-- and then often a concluding exchange is also conducted there. So the 'problem,' like a out-of-order appliance, is brought in to be fixed, then the final exchange is conducted by the end.

Lindsay, on the other hand, is pretty much trapped in his character, hasnt been that successful in other roles (at least not to my knowledge), and must get tired of being seen as a goofball.

He was in an episode of M*A*SH* playing a surgeon of all things, but he was also on Hee Haw, for many years, playing...Goober. :eek:

I don't think Emmitt (or his wife, Martha, when we see her) was conceived as a very likable character. He was there essentially to take Floyd's place; literally, as in the same shop, but also in the simple Mayberry order of things, as an informal gathering place where there is less business than casual conversation. But as he wasn't the new barber, he also wasn't to be too much like Floyd characteristically-- that could be another 'Warren mistake.' So Emmitt is more a cantankerous wisecracker than a gossip who can't keep a straight thought, and it naturally ensues that he would not as likable as Floyd (especially before Howard McNear became so reduced in his acting scope). He just "supplied" the setting for interactions and discussions, and only occasionally was he himself a major player. There is kind of a pattern in many eps with Emmitt, in which the story conflict is introduced, or furthered, in his Fix-it Shop,-- making the name symbolicly ironic-- and then often a concluding exchange is also conducted there. So the 'problem,' like a out-of-order appliance, is brought in to be fixed, then the final exchange is conducted by the end.

So, who gave the haircuts in Mayberry? Was this ever mentioned?

Mount Pilot (12 miles?) is a long way to go just for a haircut... there's possibly three drug stores in Mayberry, but no barber shop?

I know it is probably like the Sheriff who replaced Andy, there's a barber in town but after Floyd, he was never very popular .

Have to jump in about George Lindsey. I always dismissed George as just able to play rather dim-witted characters and sidekicks but I have to also disagree that he had no talent. Have you checked him out on Alfred Hitchcock Hour in The Jar? It’s just a supporting role but for several minutes he has a riveting moment describing what he sees in the jar. He doesn’t blink the whole time he’s talking. It’s emotional and rather brilliant. I look at his Goober differently.

As for Jack Dodson as Howard, I think some of the most hilarious episodes feature Howard as a fastidious and rather obsessive Mayberry resident. Howard throwing a bash in his bachelor pad is memorable, planning to marry Millie and how he wants to spend the honeymoon and save money is priceless and when he shucks his boring job to go live in the south seas is just too funny. I always thought why didn’t he just take a week vacation to see what he thought of it instead of packing up and moving. Either way his dialogue and delivery were perfect.

So, who gave the haircuts in Mayberry? Was this ever mentioned?

Mount Polt (12 miles?) is a long way to go just for a haircut... there's possibly three drug stores in Mayberry, but no barber shop?

I know it is probably like the Sheriff who replaced Andy, there's a barber in town but after Floyd, he was never very popular .

Later there was a Mayberry RFD episode, with a storyline about Emmett's hair thinning out. He went to a local barber played by Allan Melvin, and eventually got a toupee.

Have to jump in about George Lindsey. I always dismissed George as just able to play rather dim-witted characters and sidekicks but I have to also disagree that he had no talent. Have you checked him out on Alfred Hitchcock Hour in The Jar? It’s just a supporting role but for several minutes he has a riveting moment describing what he sees in the jar. He doesn’t blink the whole time he’s talking. It’s emotional and rather brilliant. I look at his Goober differently.

As for Jack Dodson as Howard, I think some of the most hilarious episodes feature Howard as a fastidious and rather obsessive Mayberry resident. Howard throwing a bash in his bachelor pad is memorable, planning to marry Millie and how he wants to spend the honeymoon and save money is priceless and when he shucks his boring job to go live in the south seas is just too funny. I always thought why didn’t he just take a week vacation to see what he thought of it instead of packing up and moving. Either way his dialogue and delivery were perfect.

Dodson had some pretty funny episodes. Seeing a travelogue and deciding to move to a south seas isle without even trying it out is pretty unlikely, but it's still a pretty funny episode. The dream sequence with the zombie-like guy sitting in the general store whittling and withering away was pretty imaginative.

One of his funniest episodes was Howard The Dream Spinner, in season 3 of Mayberry RFD.

The train trip to Wheeling for Howard's cancelled wedding is an OK episode. Too bad Helen didn't stay there.

Yeah Andy could have left Helen in Wheeling and taken up with Mavis Neff (how did I remember that) who liked to say things like wubbly bubbly. Or I think they should have brought back Lydia Crosswaite who was one of the funniest characters on TAGS.

I really liked it when Helen did a slow boil in the diner when Mavis was doing her bubbly wubbly thing, lap wrinkles, etc.

This author episode was one where Andy was wrong. But she was so bad with jealousy, when Andy had to visit Lee Drake the lawyer, he was right--he was almost forced to make up lies, knowing how bad she was.

I thought that Jack Dodson was a very good actor. There's a lot of subtle humor in the character of Howard. Remember when he first met Millie and then was on cloud nine, wearing the quirky hat and saddle shoes? Jack may have been given material at times that was far from exciting, but he did a great job under the constraints of an odd character.

It's the more subtle aspects of the characters that made TAGS great, in my opinion. Don Knotts was great and over-the-top many times, but the episodes in which we got to know his character better really established our understanding of what Don was trying to do. Jack was not doing over-the-top stuff, but he still was able to form an interesting character. If some of the scripts were weak, it's unfair to imply that Jack wasn't any good.

I'm watching season 8 and noticed probably the most suggestive comment ever on the show came from Jack Dodson, planning to propose to Millie how he was "pulsing and throbbing" over her... racy stuff!

While not defending anyone's behavior, people ARE subject to moods and can't be blamed for being less than nice occasionally. How many of us are great people 100% of the time? Not me.
I heard years ago that AG wan't that pleasant to TAGS fans, as he felt many people made too much of a simple TV program, while he wanted to move on. As he said himself in interviews, 'People thought I WAS Andy Taylor, and would want to talk about the show all the time." I dont blame him. I think he's mellowed somewhat in his attitudes. Lindsay, on the other hand, is pretty much trapped in his character, hasnt been that successful in other roles (at least not to my knowledge), and must get tired of being seen as a goofball.

No excuse for bad behavior, its not like youre interrupting his dinner ,He is there to meet and greet people.

I have no reason to doubt that George acted and said those things. I don't think there's any way to rationalize his bad remarks or behavior. If an actor agrees to be paid to show up a fan convention, then he needs to be willing to be gracious and polite.

On the other hand, Mr. Lindsey wasn't making a ton of money by going to meet the star conventions. Yes, the stars are being compensated for sitting at an autograph table but it's not a gold mine. I could see how the irritated Goober would explode.

I thought that Jack Dodson was a very good actor. There's a lot of subtle humor in the character of Howard. Remember when he first met Millie and then was on cloud nine, wearing the quirky hat and saddle shoes? Jack may have been given material at times that was far from exciting, but he did a great job under the constraints of an odd character.

It's the more subtle aspects of the characters that made TAGS great, in my opinion. Don Knotts was great and over-the-top many times, but the episodes in which we got to know his character better really established our understanding of what Don was trying to do. Jack was not doing over-the-top stuff, but he still was able to form an interesting character. If some of the scripts were weak, it's unfair to imply that Jack wasn't any good.

Howard was definitely a great addition to the Mayberry group.

Howard was definitely a great addition to the Mayberry group.

Howard was an awful character. TAGS should have ended it with the black and white eps.