were they ever in any of the color episodes? Or on MAYBERRY R.F.D.?

No. By the time of the color episodes, the network wanted the show to be a little more politically correct, as PC as someone was in 1965. Gone was Otis and the moonshiners. Howard Morris who played Ernest T Bass was actually a successful movie director and he was only on the show, I think six times.

I couldn't tell you about the Darlings, but I do not think they were on after the color episodes either. Again, CBS wanted the show to be more urbane and less hick (even though Howard Morris was more like Woody Allen than a hillbilly)

since I asked that I remember seeing Ernest T. Bass in a couple of the color episodes and the Darlings in one. But you're wrong about Otis, I've seen him in 2 of the color episodes.

I think Otis and Ernest were in at least 1 color episode.

But if I remember right Otis was drinking anymore.

No. By the time of the color episodes, the network wanted the show to be a little more politically correct, as PC as someone was in 1965. Gone was Otis and the moonshiners. Howard Morris who played Ernest T Bass was actually a successful movie director and he was only on the show, I think six times.

I couldn't tell you about the Darlings, but I do not think they were on after the color episodes either. Again, CBS wanted the show to be more urbane and less hick (even though Howard Morris was more like Woody Allen than a hillbilly)


Wasn't this actually one of the side effects of the departure of Don Knotts and the inability (for a varity of reasons) of developing someone else for Andy to play off of at the jailhouse. The first five seasons are filled with office /jailhouse episodes, but the last three (after Warren was written out) seldom feature Andy actually engaged in any enforcement activities. Ernest T and Otis were jail based characters, the Darlings only slightly less so.

I think Otis and Ernest were in at least 1 color episode.

But if I remember right Otis was drinking anymore.
they were each in at least 2 color episodes.

What I read and understood was that by the time of the color episodes, the bigwigs wanted to tone down the alcohol humor.

But to be honest, I do not know because I have not watched a color epsisode in ages. Not only was Barney Fife gone, so was Thelma Lou, more or less Floyd (due to a stroke and health issues, although he was in some color episodes), and Gomer Pyle Emmet and Howard Sprague couldn't replace them (although I do like Howard). Goober was okay, but again, was not Gomer.

Andy Griffith was grumpy during that period too, and seemed to go through the motions and the show lost what it had during the black and white years. Aneta Crosaut, who played Helen to me never meshed well with the rest of the show. But the color epsiodes actually has better ratings than the black and white ones.

Ernest T was in one color episode - Malcolm at the Crossroads. The Darlings were also in one - The Darling Fortune. Otis was in two - Otis the Artist and Otis the Deputy.

Ernest T was in one color episode - Malcolm at the Crossroads. The Darlings were also in one - The Darling Fortune. Otis was in two - Otis the Artist and Otis the Deputy.

Oh yeah, I remember Otis as avant garde painter, now.

One of the relatively few color episodes I enjoyed fully.

:D

What I read and understood was that by the time of the color episodes, the bigwigs wanted to tone down the alcohol humor.

But to be honest, I do not know because I have not watched a color epsisode in ages. Not only was Barney Fife gone, so was Thelma Lou, more or less Floyd (due to a stroke and health issues, although he was in some color episodes), and Gomer Pyle Emmet and Howard Sprague couldn't replace them (although I do like Howard). Goober was okay, but again, was not Gomer.

Andy Griffith was grumpy during that period too, and seemed to go through the motions and the show lost what it had during the black and white years. Aneta Crosaut, who played Helen to me never meshed well with the rest of the show. But the color epsiodes actually has better ratings than the black and white ones.

One thing that just grates about the later episode was the awkward way the various characters were given the spotlight...

Howard moves away to a south seas island... or gets a swinging pad...

Aunt Bea (Bee) learns to fly an airplane, and other truly awful stories.

And so on, in mind numbing silliness... done in such a clueless and serious attempt to be funny, while utterly failing, in my opinion.

Some of these are just so cringe inducing, I pity the cast, and most of all, the poor inept writer.

But... I still watch them over and over. Because bad TAGS is still... pretty good.

:D