Last regular Don Knotts Episode

[sarumanthewhite]

Was it the last episode of season five? Did they do a send off of sorts?????

[vze3t9q9]

I think the last episode Don was in involved using Andys house as a summit meeting location. The episode was about 10 episodes from the end. THe episode ran the other day on Tvland and the announcer said when it first aired it got a high rating. I saw it and thought it was corny.

[sar]

From Mayberry.com's database:
Don's last regular ep was no. 157, 'Opie Flunks Arithmetic', from season five. No. 159 was the last of that season. He returns for five more eps, the last being no. 240, 'Barney Hosts a Summit Meeting'. The last ep of the series is no. 249, 'A Girl for Goober'.

[gilligan fanatic]

I liked "Barney Hosts a Summit Meeting"

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by sar

From Mayberry.com's database:
Don's last regular ep was no. 157, 'Opie Flunks Arithmetic', from season five. No. 159 was the last of that season. He returns for five more eps, the last being no. 240, 'Barney Hosts a Summit Meeting'. The last ep of the series is no. 249, 'A Girl for Goober'.

Good information to have, thanks.

[TheLittleFaerie]

The last couple of black and white episodes without Barney, I wonder if Barney had already left and was at his new job, or was he just off-screen?

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by gilligan fanatic

I liked "Barney Hosts a Summit Meeting"

Agreed, I could easily watch that one s couple more times.

🙂

[SarahBellum]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

The last couple of black and white episodes without Barney, I wonder if Barney had already left and was at his new job, or was he just off-screen?

Not sure. There were several episodes throughout seasons 1-5 in which Don did not appear. I have always wondered why. Was there something in his contract that limited the number of TAGS episodes he could appear in? Or was he out due to "low blood sugar content" or some other illness?

[rusty spike]

If Don used the time he missed certain episodes to pursue his future, then good for him.

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by SarahBellum

Not sure. There were several episodes throughout seasons 1-5 in which Don did not appear. I have always wondered why. Was there something in his contract that limited the number of TAGS episodes he could appear in? Or was he out due to "low blood sugar content" or some other illness?

Yes, sometimes Opie or Aunt Bee would sit out an episode.

[Duster76]

Looking at Don's credits during the series run it appears contractually he was given a specific episode commitment. In the first season he did not appear in two of the episodes, during the second season 3, after that it jumps to 5 episodes for both season 3 and season 4, season 5, it was 5 s well which turned into 6. Rather than using Don for the final episode of the season a new character was introduced. The last episode of season 5 introduces Jerry Van Dyke as a temporary deputy, the plan at that point in time was to have Jerry assume the role of Deputy when the show returned in the fall.

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by Duster76

Looking at Don's credits during the series run it appears contractually he was given a specific episode commitment. In the first season he did not appear in two of the episodes, during the second season 3, after that it jumps to 5 episodes for both season 3 and season 4, season 5, it was 5 s well which turned into 6. Rather than using Don for the final episode of the season a new character was introduced. The last episode of season 5 introduces Jerry Van Dyke as a temporary deputy, the plan at that point in time was to have Jerry assume the role of Deputy when the show returned in the fall.

I've often thought Jerry Van Dyke would have been an interesting replacement Deputy, although I know My Mother The Car" changed those plans.

[Duster76]

Originally Posted by Will Dockery

I've often thought Jerry Van Dyke would have been an interesting replacement Deputy, although I know My Mother The Car" changed those plans.

Jerry who wanted to star in his own series like his brother certainly made some questionable decisions during this period of time. Like a contestant on Let's Make A Deal, Jerry was presented with three doors, two with great prizes behind them and one with a booby prize and he choose the door with the booby prize.

Sherwood Schwartz tried to get him to play the role of Gilligan and he turned it down to do a pilot for a series that didn't sell. Who know what might have happened if he had taken the Mayberry role, he might have stayed in that role for the final three seasons and then possibly become the lead in the RFD series. Instead he winds up on My Mother the Car, a show that disappeared after one season.

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by Duster76

Jerry who wanted to star in his own series like his brother certainly made some questionable decisions during this period of time. Like a contestant on Let's Make A Deal, Jerry was presented with three doors, two with great prizes behind them and one with a booby prize and he choose the door with the booby prize.

Sherwood Schwartz tried to get him to play the role of Gilligan and he turned it down to do a pilot for a series that didn't sell. Who know what might have happened if he had taken the Mayberry role, he might have stayed in that role for the final three seasons and then possibly become the lead in the RFD series. Instead he winds up on My Mother the Car, a show that disappeared after one season.

A shame, at least JVD got a chance to shine many years later on Coach.

[SarahBellum]

It was probably a good idea for TAGS to drop the idea of replacing a bumbling deputy with another bumbling deputy.