https://www.metv.com/stories/thelma-lou-was-told-she-was-replaceable

Don Knotts said that they wouldn't have let her go, but Betty Lynn wasn't so sure.

https://www.metv.com/stories/thelma-lou-was-told-she-was-replaceable

Don Knotts said that they wouldn't have let her go, but Betty Lynn wasn't so sure.

It's amazing she made so little money on the series, based on the figures given her entire earning during the series run was about $15,000. I have speculated in the past that even if Barney remained with TAGS, the Thelma Lou character might have been written out.

Many of the Warren episodes were obviously written for Knotts and adapted for Jack. The episode Girl-Shy in which Warren becomes a sleepwalker and makes a play for Helen stands out in my mind. The concept would have been a homerun for Don, this material is right in his wheelhouse, but I don't think it would have worked if Thelma Lou was still a series character. This is episode 15 from season 6, episode 17 is the high school reunion episode which to some extent is a reworking of Class Reunion from season 3. They could easily have inserted an offscreen breakup of Barney and Thelma Lou and played these two episodes as written with some minor adjustments, maybe using that as an explanation for the sleepwalking. The writers would also have been freed up to do stories about Barney's hunt for a new love interest. Jack Dobson was once asked why were there so many single people on the series, his response, it makes it easier for the writers to develop story angles.

Don (Barney) was now carrying the comedy load on his own, the relationship between Barney and Andy had changed over the years. Andy had turned into a more serious character no longer engaging in the teasing and joking with Barney that was so much a part of the early seasons. Having Barney play the field would have allowed Don to bring comedy elements into the series that he could work without Andy needing to be part of the routines.

It's amazing she made so little money on the series, based on the figures given her entire earning during the series run was about $15,000. I have speculated in the past that even if Barney remained with TAGS, the Thelma Lou character might have been written out.

Many of the Warren episodes were obviously written for Knotts and adapted for Jack. The episode Girl-Shy in which Warren becomes a sleepwalker and makes a play for Helen stands out in my mind. The concept would have been a homerun for Don, this material is right in his wheelhouse, but I don't think it would have worked if Thelma Lou was still a series character. This is episode 15 from season 6, episode 17 is the high school reunion episode which to some extent is a reworking of Class Reunion from season 3. They could easily have inserted an offscreen breakup of Barney and Thelma Lou and played these two episodes as written with some minor adjustments, maybe using that as an explanation for the sleepwalking. The writers would also have been freed up to do stories about Barney's hunt for a new love interest. Jack Dobson was once asked why were there so many single people on the series, his response, it makes it easier for the writers to develop story angles.

Don (Barney) was now carrying the comedy load on his own, the relationship between Barney and Andy had changed over the years. Andy had turned into a more serious character no longer engaging in the teasing and joking with Barney that was so much a part of the early seasons. Having Barney play the field would have allowed Don to bring comedy elements into the series that he could work without Andy needing to be part of the routines.

I wonder if Barney was given a spin off rather than Gomer Pyle would he have taken that rather than the I'll fated movie career.

A Barney Fife "big city detective" aeries would absolutely been a big hit.

I wonder if Barney was given a spin off rather than Gomer Pyle would he have taken that rather than the I'll fated movie career.

A Barney Fife "big city detective" aeries would absolutely been a big hit.

I concur, but they would have needed to rework the way Barney interacted with his fellow police officers/detectives in Raleigh. Those people treated him terribly. From the secretaries to the police captain, they treated Barney less than garbage. I actually have more sympathy for that Ma gang where he was boarding. This was the S7 Ep 18 A Visit to Barney Fife.

I'd like to know who told her that. I suspect it was Sheldon Leonard. He'd be that brutal. I don't think Aaron Ruben would.

I'd like to know who told her that. I suspect it was Sheldon Leonard. He'd be that brutal. I don't think Aaron Ruben would.

I don't know about that. There's a pecking order on the set of any series, Betty I imagine was not in a position to approach Leonard. She probably spoke with an assistant producer responsible for the appearances fees paid for recurring cast members. What happened to her agent in all this, wouldn't that be his job.

I wonder if Barney was given a spin off rather than Gomer Pyle would he have taken that rather than the I'll fated movie career.

A Barney Fife "big city detective" aeries would absolutely been a big hit.

An interesting comment. I think Andy Griffith would have made an interesting subject for an in depth biography. The Gomer spinoff was probably inspired by No Time for Sergeants, but I can't understand why Griffith couldn't see how this would effect Don's relationship with the series. It's like any workplace, you have someone doing a great job for a longtime with an organization and then he gets passed over a big promotion for a relatively new hire. They could have offered Don a spinoff. The new series could have been introduced (back door pilot) towards the end of season 6 with some ownership considerations. Those movies he did were modest productions to say the least and could have been completed while working a TV series (after all he wasn't making Doctor Zhivago). Something should have been done, and Griffith would have made even more money having a piece of the new series. I can't understand Griffith not seeing it, and Sheldon with his experience, doesn't make sense.

I concur, but they would have needed to rework the way Barney interacted with his fellow police officers/detectives in Raleigh. Those people treated him terribly. From the secretaries to the police captain, they treated Barney less than garbage. I actually have more sympathy for that Ma gang where he was boarding. This was the S7 Ep 18 A Visit to Barney Fife.

With respect to that episode, the pilot would need to be completely different. Richard Slattery is too hard-edged to play the captain, and a female detective might be added (a 99 type) to "assist" Barney with his police work. Barney Fife would have to be tweaked a bit in a manner similar to the way Gomer was tweaked, with all his stumbling and bumbling and nervous characteristics he would have to succeed on his own with just a little help from his female counterpart.

There are a number of interviews of Betty now on YouTube where she says that she never had a contract for the part with the show. She was just called in whenever they wanted to use her in an episode, so it would have been easy to do away with Thelma Lou at any time had they wanted to. Thankfully she got to remain until Don left the show.