or is Barney Fife one of the best characters in all of television history?? For sure in the sitcom realm, but in my opinion he has to rank up in the top 50 of all time in all genres. I have only watched this show in syndication, but Don Knotts was the electricity that made this show work. What are your thoughts?

I agree, I don't see how anyone can have a top 50 TV characters list and not include Barney Fife somewhere on it unless they're not a fan of the show. However, there are those that don't care for it and prefer Don Knotts as Ralph Furley.

Barney Fife (Don Knotts) was the best part of the Andy Griffith Show and I agree he should be in the top 50 of best tv characters. I never get tired of watching him on that show, he was just so hilarious.

Don Knotts was hysterical and so good at playing Barney. Loved him, and the show wasn't the same when he left.

Ralph Furley was basically the 1970's Southern California version of Barney Fife.

I wonder who, when having to replace the landlord on Three's Company went "Hey, what about Don Knotts?" Brilliant move whoever it was.

luv don knots....he was a hoot and a half...

Barney Fife had a lot better luck with women than Andy. He had the hot Thelma Lou and he was also banging Juanita Beasley from the coffee shop. Much better than Andy who lost all his hot girlfriends and ended up with a harridon named Helen Crump.

Not lying about Thelma Lou being a hottie. Here is Betty Lynn's IMDB page.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0528619/?ref_=nv_sr_1

It's not just you. Barney was a wonderful creation by Knotts.

He was hilarious, of course, but he's memorable because there was a sad and tragic vulnerability to him, too. Knotts played all sides of him brilliantly, and for all of his crazy antics, never let him slip into self parody, which is a lesson most of today's comic actors could learn.

To me, The Andy Griffith Show was the first five seasons of black and white. The three color seasons don't count.

Don Knotts was the genius of the program. Notice the first season when Andy is the "humorous one" who was doing a more intelligent version of his character in "No Time for Sargeants" (by the way is funny as sh-t if you have never seen it, also with Don Knotts). It was shown rather quickly that Andy needs to play "straight" and let Don be the zany one.

Also, in addition to Barney gone, most all the great main and side characters like Gomer (who had his own show), Thelma Lou, Otis, Ernest T. Bass, more or less Floyd were gone. The new characters were not nearly as good.

Not a big fan of the show, but whoever decided to cast Don Knotts in Three's Company was a genius.

To me, The Andy Griffith Show was the first five seasons of black and white. The three color seasons don't count.

Don Knotts was the genius of the program. Notice the first season when Andy is the "humorous one" who was doing a more intelligent version of his character in "No Time for Sargeants" (by the way is funny as sh-t if you have never seen it, also with Don Knotts). It was shown rather quickly that Andy needs to play "straight" and let Don be the zany one.

Also, in addition to Barney gone, most all the great main and side characters like Gomer (who had his own show), Thelma Lou, Otis, Ernest T. Bass, more or less Floyd were gone. The new characters were not nearly as good.

Not a big fan of the show, but whoever decided to cast Don Knotts in Three's Company was a genius.

It seems the version of "No Time for Sargeants" that I've always seen had someone else playing the Don Knotts role?

Is there one I haven't caught?

Don Knotts was one of the greatest comic actors of all time. He was the best part of the AGS. The show wasn't the same after he left. He was great in TC too. I loved him in The Apple Dumpling movies as well.