Was Don Knotts estranged from his hometown?

[Schmo]

Andy Griffith was allegedly estranged from his hometown of Mount Airy, North Carolina. Some people claim he was bullied for being poor. Did Knotts have similar problems with his hometown of Morgantown, West Virginia?

[Yong Fang]

From documentaries I have seen, Knotts came from somewhat of a dysfunctional family. He wasnt born until his mother was 40 years old and Don was an "accident", an unplanned birth. Knotts had a couple of brothers (I think three) who were much older than him, who were teenagers when he was born. Of the brothers, Don was close to one of them who died of an illness. Like mentioned before, his siblings were nearly grown when he was born.

Knotts' father had mental problems (maybe schitzophrena) and was an alcoholic who once pulled a knife on Don or maybe his mother. Don was scared of his father for good reason. Fortunatly he died when Knotts was 13, but this means being raised by a single mother in the Depression of the 1930's. This was West Virginia....in the 1930's. Everyone was poor, this included the richest guy in town.

Knotts did go to West Virginia University and graduated and probably still lived at home. I think he was actually a popular student with teachers and peers.

I think Knotts however was very nice person from everything I have ever read about him. Anyone who knew him, liked and loved him. Knotts was always welcoming and cordial to his fans. Professionally everyone always had a kind word for him. I think the cast of Three's Company loved him since he was always humble, willing to help and willing to do whatever to make that show better. Hell, his ex-wives said he was a nice and good man (who had his problems like everyone else).

Andy Griffith wasn't a very nice man. You had to know him, and you had to earn his respect or you were beneath him. Griffith was friends with Ronnie Howard as a child because Ron was so intelligent and professional. But he wasnt Knotts who embraced fans and people on the street. There is even a article online about Griffith and his behavior.

Griffith had a very dim view of his hometown of Mt Airy, and maybe some of it had to do with him being poor BUT again, in context, Griffith grew up in a small southern town in the Depression era, who had money in his hometown? His family was about the same as most of the people in his town, farmers, mill workers. His father was a carpenter. Griffith went to the University of North Carolina out of high school, somehow he supported himself and was an active student in Music and the Arts. He was never in the military unlike Knotts was. Griffith never struggled really after college, his hard work paid off quickly in the 1950's, was in two major films (No Time for Sargeants and A Face in the Crowd) in that decade and then headlined his own network show in 1960.

Griffith never had it bad. There is a Youtube video (I love Youtube) where he does a brief interview complaining about the people in his hometown and that they have capitalized on his name and basically called them a bunch of liars. Some people might have did him wrong but this happens to everyone, but Mt. Airy must have had a good enough high school for him to go to a prestigious University and was a millionaire in his 30's. Griffith refused until he was older to even go back home for Mayberry Days. Griffith was a great actor who gave us wonderful TV shows but the man himself was spiteful and a jerk. Three wives, an alcoholic adopted son and he was buried quickly with no fanfare upon his death.

Two men who lived in very similar circumstances but one loved people who loved him and the other one who didnt. But even Griffith has shown, jerks can and do great things.

[TSMIV]

Griffith had a very dim view of his hometown of Mt Airy,

This is strange because everybody always assumes the show was loosely based on his real hometown.

[GrtGzu]

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

From documentaries I have seen, Knotts came from somewhat of a dysfunctional family. He wasnt born until his mother was 40 years old and Don was an "accident", an unplanned birth. Knotts had a couple of brothers (I think three) who were much older than him, who were teenagers when he was born. Of the brothers, Don was close to one of them who died of an illness. Like mentioned before, his siblings were nearly grown when he was born.

Knotts' father had mental problems (maybe schitzophrena) and was an alcoholic who once pulled a knife on Don or maybe his mother. Don was scared of his father for good reason. Fortunatly he died when Knotts was 13, but this means being raised by a single mother in the Depression of the 1930's. This was West Virginia....in the 1930's. Everyone was poor, this included the richest guy in town.

Knotts did go to West Virginia University and graduated and probably still lived at home. I think he was actually a popular student with teachers and peers.

I think Knotts however was very nice person from everything I have ever read about him. Anyone who knew him, liked and loved him. Knotts was always welcoming and cordial to his fans. Professionally everyone always had a kind word for him. I think the cast of Three's Company loved him since he was always humble, willing to help and willing to do whatever to make that show better. Hell, his ex-wives said he was a nice and good man (who had his problems like everyone else).

Andy Griffith wasn't a very nice man. You had to know him, and you had to earn his respect or you were beneath him. Griffith was friends with Ronnie Howard as a child because Ron was so intelligent and professional. But he wasnt Knotts who embraced fans and people on the street. There is even a article online about Griffith and his behavior.

Griffith had a very dim view of his hometown of Mt Airy, and maybe some of it had to do with him being poor BUT again, in context, Griffith grew up in a small southern town in the Depression era, who had money in his hometown? His family was about the same as most of the people in his town, farmers, mill workers. His father was a carpenter. Griffith went to the University of North Carolina out of high school, somehow he supported himself and was an active student in Music and the Arts. He was never in the military unlike Knotts was. Griffith never struggled really after college, his hard work paid off quickly in the 1950's, was in two major films (No Time for Sargeants and A Face in the Crowd) in that decade and then headlined his own network show in 1960.

Griffith never had it bad. There is a Youtube video (I love Youtube) where he does a brief interview complaining about the people in his hometown and that they have capitalized on his name and basically called them a bunch of liars. Some people might have did him wrong but this happens to everyone, but Mt. Airy must have had a good enough high school for him to go to a prestigious University and was a millionaire in his 30's. Griffith refused until he was older to even go back home for Mayberry Days. Griffith was a great actor who gave us wonderful TV shows but the man himself was spiteful and a jerk. Three wives, an alcoholic adopted son and he was buried quickly with no fanfare upon his death.

Two men who lived in very similar circumstances but one loved people who loved him and the other one who didnt. But even Griffith has shown, jerks can and do great things.

So much of what you posted is true, as I have read the accounts as well...When I watched "A Face in the Crowd" the other day on the "Movies" channel, I thought about how they say "art imitates life"...He was made fun of when he was a young man because he lived "across the tracks" and thought to be "less than" according to other folk whenever he came to town, and probably couldn't WAIT to leave Mt. Airy after he graduated college which he got in on a music scholarship, (which is why you see the "Mayberry Band" in a couple eps)...It took a LOT for him for come to back to Mt. Airy for Mayberry Days after he "reckoned with it" and accept how people really loved him even though he still had some "issues" to work thru...He was also battling that awful pain known as guillian barre syndrome (not sure if I got the name right) that probably drove him up the wall as well...I'm still struggling with how he started drinking and became so abusive in his relationships with women but once again, watching A Face in The Crowd seems to lend itself to an insight as to "why?"....

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by GrtGzu

So much of what you posted is true, as I have read the accounts as well...When I watched "A Face in the Crowd" the other day on the "Movies" channel, I thought about how they say "art imitates life"...He was made fun of when he was a young man because he lived "across the tracks" and thought to be "less than" according to other folk whenever he came to town, and probably couldn't WAIT to leave Mt. Airy after he graduated college which he got in on a music scholarship, (which is why you see the "Mayberry Band" in a couple eps)...It took a LOT for him for come to back to Mt. Airy for Mayberry Days after he "reckoned with it" and accept how people really loved him even though he still had some "issues" to work thru...He was also battling that awful pain known as guillian barre syndrome (not sure if I got the name right) that probably drove him up the wall as well...I'm still struggling with how he started drinking and became so abusive in his relationships with women but once again, watching A Face in The Crowd seems to lend itself to an insight as to "why?"....

I'm surprised to remember that after all these years of watching Andy Griffith's work I still haven't managed to catch "A Face In The Crowd", and it's been at least forty years since I watched "No Time For Sergeants". I never seem to see them showing on television and never come across them on DVD.

A rights issue on these films, perhaps, that keeps them from wider distribution/broadcast?

[Doug-oh]

Originally Posted by Will Dockery

I'm surprised to remember that after all these years of watching Andy Griffith's work I still haven't managed to catch "A Face In The Crowd", and it's been at least forty years since I watched "No Time For Sergeants". I never seem to see them showing on television and never come across them on DVD.

A rights issue on these films, perhaps, that keeps them from wider distribution/broadcast?

No, Face in The Crowd appears on TV from time to time. Wife and I saw it a year or so ago on one of a local station's digital channels, MOVIES?

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by TSMIV

This is strange because everybody always assumes the show was loosely based on his real hometown.

True, there seem to be so many similarities.

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by Doug-oh

No, Face in The Crowd appears on TV from time to time. Wife and I saw it a year or so ago on one of a local station's digital channels, MOVIES?

Hopefully someone will give us a heads up here the next time the film airs.