I'm watching The Andy Griffith Show on Me-TV, right now they're doing the season 5 (1964-65 season) episodes.

But... the intro theme music is still the same as it was for season 1 (in key of G), rather than the lower-pitched version (in E flat) used for the closing credits; the voiceover announcing the title of the show and the cast is still intact as well. I remember on (W)TBS, WGN and TV Land that the S5 intro theme is an abridged version of the closing credit version theme (as heard from season 2 on, the one in the key of E flat) and loses the voiceover.

Season 1-5 intro:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvSXdO7SDCE

Season 6-8 intro (color):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz5MjoKraos

Does anyone remember if the correct S5 intro theme should be the same as the closing credit version (seasons 2-8)? Meaning, would it be in G or E-flat? I do understand about certain alterations for syndicated prints and DVDs.

~Ben

Never noticed the whistling was higher pitched in earlier seasons. Playing your links proves it was.

I also start to wonder if the syndicated version of the S5 intro, if it is indeed, is just the colored intro (seasons 6-8) but desaturated into monochrome, a la the more recent prints of the first two seasons of Bewitched that also just used the color intro from seasons 3-5 that was desaturated?

~Ben

The intros for this show are so messed up. For years, my local station NEVER showed the correct season 1 intro, with Elinor Donahue credited for the episodes in which she appeared. And they always used the high-pitched whistle theme for all the B&W episodes, with actors only credited in voiceover, and “The Andy Griffith Show” title staying on screen for the entire theme.

But then I saw it on TV Land years later, and they credited Donahue in season 1, and used the lower-pitched theme for season 5, without a voiceover and with Andy, Ron, and Don credited onscreen. So I assumed that this version of season 5 is correct, and was also wondering why MeTV wasn’t using it. The HD versions of the show on Netflix also use the high-pitched theme for season 5.

So, after all that, my answer is: I don’t know what the hell is going on, or what is correct for season 5.

I've always wondered why the "powers that be" change these intros so much, after the original airings. You'd need to obtain a print of the original show to know what was used in many cases, not just TAGS. Even the TAGS DVD sets are wrong, IMO.

My opinion is that what was used on TV Land years ago, without the voiceover, is correct. Just as they changed the fonts on the closing credits, they probably redid the opener, as well. For season 6 they reshot it in color and elevated Frances Bavier.

In many cases, it's probably difficult to edit these opening credits for syndication, since so many of them had sponsors so prominently included.

The opening or coming in/out out of commercials i remember in the 60s had a cartoon squad car with a sponsor being plugged. I've never been able to find it on YouTube.

So it's possible, like on I Love Lucy, the original opener was shelved and never used again. They probably should have resurrected it for the DVDs.

A lot of those ad bumpers are dropped after original airings. Also, as I've said on other threads, I remember seeing later season episodes with the closing credits playing over live-action of Andy and Opie returning from the fishin' hole. I know I've even seen those on syndicated episodes, years ago.

I wasn’t around when the show first aired. Did season 5 and the color episodes originally have a voiceover? It may have been removed for syndication. I have seen an opening of Mayberry RFD with a voiceover, but never heard one in reruns (though I admit I haven’t seen many).

In syndication years ago the later-season b-w episodes used the faster-paced show intro (never with the announcer, but I think I've heard it with an announcer someplace). Also in many cases the color episodes used the original closing credits, which were played over the background of Andy and Opie returning from fishing. For an unknown reason these were changed to a blue background, probably when the syndication episodes were mastered to videotape.

It's a mystery why they didn't use the original openings and closings on the DVD sets.