I bought every exsisting episode on tape a while back and noticed that Kingfish is the star of the show, followed second by Andy. But Amos doesn't seem to be there all the time. Why wasn't the show titled "Kingfish N' Andy" or "The Kingfish Show"?

Good question. I used to wonder the same thing when I first came in contact with this show back in the early 1980s, as by the time this show preimered on tv in the early 1950s The Kingfish WAS the star of the show.

But it wasn't always the case. When "Amos 'n' Andy" first appeared on the radio in 1928, it was the story of two Black Men from the deep south who moved to Chicago for a better life. Amos was a somewhat naive character, and Andy was a big blowhard character who pretended to be smarter than he was. The Kingfish aka George Stevens, was the head of the local chapter of The Mystic Knights of the Sea, a somewhat shady fraternal organization.

In the beginning Amos and Andy were clearly the stars of this show, but, as the series progressed, Amos became a more responsible (and smarter) character, whereas Andy remained about the same, though shaded with some depth of characteration after a while. But The Kingfish's exploits began to overshadow A&A's more sentimental characteristics, and by the time the radio serial was transformed into a radio sitcom in 1943, the Kingfish, crooked though he was, had evolved into a more sympathetic character...and that was the format used when the radio sitcom was brought to tv in 1951.

Oddly enough, when the tv version was cancelled in 1953, the producers toyed with a spinoff called, "The Adventures of The Kingfish", in which the Stevens Family was transported to the suburbs, but it never got past the idea stage (and was possibly stillborn because of the controversy that "The Amos 'n' Andy Show" had generated when both the NAACP and The Urban League protested the show for being a racist depiction of African-Americans). Still, it would have made for some interesting viewing...:thought:

Oddly enough, when the tv version was cancelled in 1953, the producers toyed with a spinoff called, "The Adventures of The Kingfish", in which the Stevens Family was transported to the suburbs

So you're saying there had been the possibility of the Stevens "Movin' On Up?" :lol:

In the TV version of Amos N Andy, the character of Amos was given little to do. The comedy was largely carried by Andy, The Kingfish, and Calhoun. Amos was the more educated and cultured one of the group. His part in the episodes was basically trying to help Andy and The Kingfish get out of the current predicament they got themselves into.

In the TV version of Amos N Andy, the character of Amos was given little to do. The comedy was largely carried by Andy, The Kingfish, and Calhoun. Amos was the more educated and cultured one of the group. His part in the episodes was basically trying to help Andy and The Kingfish get out of the current predicament they got themselves into.

I think what Amos usually did was clue in Andy about what con Kingfish was pulling, since Andy was incapable of knowing it on his own...Amos was sensible, Andy was gullible, and Kingfish was incorrigible.

I think what Amos usually did was clue in Andy about what con Kingfish was pulling, since Andy was incapable of knowing it on his own...Amos was sensible, Andy was gullible, and Kingfish was incorrigible.

Many episodes dealt with Amos warning Andy about the Kingfish's latest con. Before the episode was over, Kingfish was often in trouble himself and Amos had to try and get both of them out of hot water.

Two of my favorite episodes are Traffic Violations and Kingfish's Last Friend. Both of those have a good plot twist at the end.

I think my favorite is the one when Kingfish takes money from Andy to take him on a vacation around the country, and Andy has to wear dark glasses, so he can't see where he is. Then, Kingfish takes him in a camper through Central Park and makes things up to have Andy believing he is in different places around the country. I don't recall the name of it.

I think my favorite is the one when Kingfish takes money from Andy to take him on a vacation around the country, and Andy has to wear dark glasses, so he can't see where he is. Then, Kingfish takes him in a camper through Central Park and makes things up to have Andy believing he is in different places around the country. I don't recall the name of it.

That episode is titled The Vacation Show. Another good one is Andy Buys A House. Some hilarious stuff happens in that episode.

One of the things I really like about the show is that although the Kingfish is always trying to pull outrageous scams on Andy, for the most part Andy ends up getting over on Kingfish in the end (usually aided by advice from Amos).

One of the things I really like about the show is that although the Kingfish is always trying to pull outrageous scams on Andy, for the most part Andy ends up getting over on Kingfish in the end (usually aided by advice from Amos).

Yep, like in Traffic Violations when Andy cons Kingfish into letting him use his name in traffic court. Kingfish ends up responsible for Andy's tickets.