I read somewhere that when she retired in 1970, the show went downhill fast in the ratings...

I would say so. I know that Goober and others from TAGS were still around, but Aunt Bee was really the last link to the Taylor family.

Francis Bavier was probably the most popular person on Mayberry RFD for the reason Monika mentioned however Ken Berry was the star of the show since he played the main character.

No Ken Berry was the star. Frances was just one of the many supporting characters that came over from TAGS. All the rural sitcoms had their ratings fall that season and Mayberry RFD was still in the top 15 when it was cancelled. :ohno:

I recall her being a pretty minor character on the show, and didn't have good chemistry with Ken Berry, but Berry was rather dull as I recall.

She was on the first two seasons, and Alice Ghostly replaced her in season 3.

No Ken Berry was the star. Frances was just one of the many supporting characters that came over from TAGS. All the rural sitcoms had their ratings fall that season and Mayberry RFD was still in the top 15 when it was cancelled. :ohno:

The way I heard it, it wasn't so much because of low ratings, it was more about how CBS wanted to get rid of ALL the "rural shows" being aired at that time...They thought there was a "glut" of such ilk (sic) on just 1 network...

MRFD was one of the last to leave the network....Good thing too - it just never measured up to its predecessor imho...Dull, just like somebody upthread just said...:(

Ken Berry said that CBS was known for their rural shows and they got teased by being called The Coutry Broadcasting Company and according to Mr. Haney they cancelled everthing with a tree in it:D.

Did Aunt Bea have a last name?

RFD did drop off after Aunt Bea left. But I think that the "rural purge" had a lot to do with the shows demise. CBS wanted more urbane programming and wanted to clear out a lot of the 1960's shows, especially those that skewed to older viewers and not the demographic the advertisers wanted (20 to 45).

Ken Berry, for you younguns......was a bad ass dancer. That was his trade, as a song and dance man. Next to Astaire and Kelly, he was the best around. There is a YouTube video of him on the Carol Burnett show where he does some cheesy 1970s routine, but he was so good (or dare I say....bad ass in it) One move he made I could never figure out. He pivots his left foot and moves his whole body across the stage. I tried to do that.. Fail. I think that some performers were born in the wrong time, and although Berry had a successful career, if he were an adult with his skills in the 1930s/1940s, he would have been an A Lister like Astaire or Kelly. Berry caught a small wave in 1970s variety shows, fut his true gifts in my opinion were never fully realized.

Did Aunt Bea have a last name?

RFD did drop off after Aunt Bea left. But I think that the "rural purge" had a lot to do with the shows demise. CBS wanted more urbane programming and wanted to clear out a lot of the 1960's shows, especially those that skewed to older viewers and not the demographic the advertisers wanted (20 to 45).

Ken Berry, for you younguns......was a bad ass dancer. That was his trade, as a song and dance man. Next to Astaire and Kelly, he was the best around. There is a YouTube video of him on the Carol Burnett show where he does some cheesy 1970s routine, but he was so good (or dare I say....bad ass in it) One move he made I could never figure out. He pivots his left foot and moves his whole body across the stage. I tried to do that.. Fail. I think that some performers were born in the wrong time, and although Berry had a successful career, if he were an adult with his skills in the 1930s/1940s, he would have been an A Lister like Astaire or Kelly. Berry caught a small wave in 1970s variety shows, fut his true gifts in my opinion were never fully realized.

That's a good point, I agree that Berry was, indeed, born at the wrong time in terms of making the most of his skills. Had he been in his prime during Hollywood's heyday of musicals, he likely would be remembered as an all time great.

Did Aunt Bea have a last name?



Aunt Bee was Bee TAYLOR, same as Andy and Opie.

I think Ken Berry hit his peak in Mama's Family. ;)

Did Aunt Bea have a last name?

RFD did drop off after Aunt Bea left. But I think that the "rural purge" had a lot to do with the shows demise. CBS wanted more urbane programming and wanted to clear out a lot of the 1960's shows, especially those that skewed to older viewers and not the demographic the advertisers wanted (20 to 45).

Ken Berry, for you younguns......was a bad ass dancer. That was his trade, as a song and dance man. Next to Astaire and Kelly, he was the best around. There is a YouTube video of him on the Carol Burnett show where he does some cheesy 1970s routine, but he was so good (or dare I say....bad ass in it) One move he made I could never figure out. He pivots his left foot and moves his whole body across the stage. I tried to do that.. Fail. I think that some performers were born in the wrong time, and although Berry had a successful career, if he were an adult with his skills in the 1930s/1940s, he would have been an A Lister like Astaire or Kelly. Berry caught a small wave in 1970s variety shows, fut his true gifts in my opinion were never fully realized.

Frances Bavier became mentally ill in her later years and was a recluse. I'm not sure when it started. But the show took its biggest quality nosedive when Don Notts left. There simply wasn't any way to replace that talent.

Ken Berry may have been a talented dancer, but putting him a close third to Astaire and Kelly is absurd. Ray Bolger, Donald O'Connor, Gene Nelson and a host of others could dance rings around him.

Take a look at this clip of the Nicholas Brothers if you want to be amazed at some dancing.

_8yGGtVKrD8

Frances Bavier became mentally ill in her later years and was a recluse. I'm not sure when it started. But the show took its biggest quality nosedive when Don Notts left. There simply wasn't any way to replace that talent.

Ken Berry may have been a talented dancer, but putting him a close third to Astaire and Kelly is absurd. Ray Bolger, Donald O'Connor, Gene Nelson and a host of others could dance rings around him.

Take a look at this clip of the Nicholas Brothers if you want to be amazed at some dancing.

_8yGGtVKrD8

I don't know if I would go as far as to say she was "mentally ill". She was a spinster and reclusive pretty much most of her life.

She was a great actress though. She really made you care about Aunt Bee and made her a real person. She was like part of the family. It's sad how she ended up though.

She was a great actress though. She really made you care about Aunt Bee and made her a real person. She was like part of the family. It's sad how she ended up though.


Yeah she was a good actress. She really seemed like a real Aunt! :) Sad to here about what became of her, Poor lady! :(

Francis Bavier was probably the most popular person on Mayberry RFD for the reason Monika mentioned however Ken Berry was the star of the show since he played the main character.

Obviously, Ken Berry filled the gap left by Andy, or at least attempted to.

She was on the first two seasons, and Alice Ghostly replaced her in season 3.

Alice Ghostly always brought her own special charm to a show, as well, though, so she was a pretty good addition.

I watched a good deal of the marathon and as the show went further along,Francis Bavier's character did become more of a minor character.She was getting older and probably was tired of the grind and just wanted to retire.She of course moved to Siler City NC and bought a big house sight unseen.She drove around in the 1966 Studebaker that I'm pretty sure she drove on RFD.I noticed the car on her last episode "The Minah Bird".She became a recluse in Siler City.Probably tired of being constantly harassed by the locals who could not and would not accept her as Francis Bavier. In their eyes she was Aunt Bea and nobody else.I imagine that would be very irritating.

She was a minor character on TAGS until Knotts left, then she was elevated to main cast.

She missed several episodes on MRFD in the second season, and then retired. So I'd have to think her health was slipping then.

I agree that Ken Berry almost found his calling on Mama's Family. On MRFD, he was pretty dull. Howard Sprague came off better, and that's saying something...