What do you think about this character? To me he seemed like someone the writers didn't know quite what to do with. First he appeared as violent and hostile, shooting at people as they drove up to his farm house (in "The Inspector," though I don't think he was named Rafe Hollister at the point). Then he became a sort of survivalist, refusing to take his shots from the county nurse, and again violent. Then, he suddenly became a talented singer (??).

The way actor Jack Prince played the part, he came off as a sort of second rate Otis. I never liked his seedy, unshaven appearance and the odd facial mugging he did when he sang. Maybe a more skilled actor could have made more of the part, or maybe it was just not written well.

I'd be interested to hear other opinions.

I think that Prince's musical talent got him in the back door with the show, and what we see on the screen is more or less a compromise.

I thought he was a great singer! I generally liked his character as I think he was intended to be a "hayseed" type of guy, and he played it well, I thought.
I see what you are saying about his "odd facial mugging" and I agree it was a bit weird looking, but I just figured it was the actor's way of singing the notes.

The way actor Jack Prince played the part, he came off as a sort of second rate Otis. I never liked his seedy, unshaven appearance .

Thinking further about this, I'm quite sure that there was a "don't judge a book by it's cover" moral lesson intended here. And the reason why I say that I'm sure of it, was the scripted "ill fit" of the suit they at first put him in, trying to conceal his rough edges.

They were trying to prove that the rough edges could neither be concealed, nor mattered.. Sort of a "Festus Haggen" type thing.

Seems like a number of co-stars had musical backgrounds.

Seems like a number of co-stars had musical backgrounds.

That's right - besides Jack Prince you had Jim Nabors, James Best, the Darlings. And of course Andy Griffith himself.

When I first heard him sing I wondered if that was him or a singer they dubbed in.

That's right - besides Jack Prince you had Jim Nabors, James Best, the Darlings. And of course Andy Griffith himself.

James Best had no musical background unless you count the fact that he was a cousin of the Everly Brothers. He wanted to do the show and when asked by the producers if he could play guitar he lied and said he could.

https://www.metv.com/stories/james-best-lied-about-his-guitar-skills-to-get-cast-on-the-andy-griffith-show