Why did Francis Bavier leave the show? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

MichaelKeith · 06-19-2023, 08:22 AM

What was the reason she left in real-life and what was the explanation they gave on the show? Surely they had a send-off episode for so central a character? I missed this episode on the Catchy Comedy weekend binge.

ThisLittlePiggy · 06-19-2023, 11:38 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OD27jOeky8

When Aunt Bee Disappeared! Why Was She Replaced?

MichaelKeith · 06-19-2023, 12:43 PM

Thanks, ThisLittlePiggie, for posting this reply. I found it very interesting. My take is that she just wanted to be off the show at this point, having portrayed Aunt Bee for 10 years. But it's also very possible that Andy Griffith decided to fire her based on the umbrella incident with George Lindsey.

ThisLittlePiggy · 06-19-2023, 01:18 PM

You're welcome. Yes, I found it interesting too. I can't remember if Aunt Bee ever visited her sister on TAGS. But I think she might have.

Duster76 · 06-19-2023, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelKeith

Thanks, ThisLittlePiggie, for posting this reply. I found it very interesting. My take is that she just wanted to be off the show at this point, having portrayed Aunt Bee for 10 years. But it's also very possible that Andy Griffith decided to fire her based on the umbrella incident with George Lindsey.

A couple of points, "The Race Horse" episode referenced was the third episode of the series! I doubt it took two years to fire her. I tend to agree with your take on the matter, she was getting on in years, she was 67 at the end of 1969, and probably just decided to retire. She had been on the two Mayberry shows for a total of 10 years, she had no way of knowing how many more years RFD would last, I think the evidence suggests she just had enough. Her next and final acting credit was in 1974, Benji.

With respect to the comment about her being tired of being recognized as Aunt Bee, that's a real headscratcher, Mayberry was a small town in North Carolina, if she didn't want to be recognized as Aunt Bee, then why on Earth did she retire to a small town in North Carolina!

A final point, none of the characters we became familiar with actually had an episode devoted to them leaving even Andy, when Gomer left we see him joining the marines but there is no sentimentality associated with it.

MichaelKeith · 06-19-2023, 02:39 PM

Duster76, good points. One would think that with a show like TAGS and MRFD, with them portraying small town values and families, there would have been more sentimentality when a major character was leaving the show. I still like both shows anyway.

stevea · 06-19-2023, 08:33 PM

One thing not mentioned in the video was that she missed at least 2 episodes she was supposed to appear in, in season 2. Probably having to rewrite due to an absent lead actor does not go over well.

After the Race Horse/Lindsey incident (which I'd never heard about), there was a later season 1 two-part episode, where Aunt Bee fell in love with a sea captain, played by Will Geer. This would have been an ideal time to write her out of the show, since she accepted his marriage proposal (but later got cold feet).

Actually, if all the problems they had with her are true, I'm not sure why they kept her in the cast after TAGS ended.

ThisLittlePiggy · 06-20-2023, 12:18 AM

So I guess Aunt Bee's sister is named Nora. She visited the Taylors with her husband and two boys in the episode The Family Visit. Aunt Bee was said to have been staying with her sister when she left Mayberry RFD. They never mentioned any detail but I would presume her sister was ill or she herself was.

MichaelKeith · 07-11-2023, 09:09 AM

Okay, so as I'm making my way through the second season of MRFD, I'm noticing that Aunt Bee is missing from several episodes under the explanation of off caring for her sick sister. There are other matronly actresses filling in for her housekeeping duties. And I really like the "Flora" character. They should have kept her on the show.

I guess the producers were starting to ease Bavier out as she was unhappy being there. Shame though, as there will always only be one Aunt Bee and she was it. What an iconic TV character she personified.

ThisLittlePiggy · 07-11-2023, 01:13 PM

Yep, Frances Bavier was a very good actress. I just saw her on Perry Mason earlier today.

stevea · 07-11-2023, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelKeith

Okay, so as I'm making my way through the second season of MRFD, I'm noticing that Aunt Bee is missing from several episodes under the explanation of off caring for her sick sister. There are other matronly actresses filling in for her housekeeping duties. And I really like the "Flora" character. They should have kept her on the show.

I guess the producers were starting to ease Bavier out as she was unhappy being there. Shame though, as there will always only be one Aunt Bee and she was it. What an iconic TV character she personified.

I'm doing the same and I've noticed these other actresses. There was one actress who was subbing for Aunt Bee in the Mike's Birthday episode, another one in the episode where Sam brought on a hired hand to harvest the corn. There may have been another episode that actress appeared in, as well.

On IMDb it's stated there are two episodes where Frances has screen credit but does not appear. So with these substitutes and scheduled appearances that did not happen, you'd have to think something was going on. Then, she appeared in the final episode of the season, and that was her final appearance, which was not acknowledged until Alice Ghostley joined the cast in season 3. You'd have to think she was fired, or let go by mutual agreement.

I agree, the character was iconic, and gained importance as TAGS progressed. Even more so after Don Knotts left. Also agree she was an excellent actress. And, assuming the stories that she was difficult to work with are true, she's certainly not unique in that regard.

MichaelKeith · 07-11-2023, 04:30 PM

Stevea, Yeah, I'm anxious to see that final season 2 episode to see if there is any change in her acting or attitude knowing by then that she was leaving the show either by her own choice or not. Or, perhaps the final episode of S2 was filmed and aired out of production order so that it was filmed earlier in the season and held for airing till the end. Who knows?

Willbo · 07-11-2023, 05:31 PM

I have just always heard she wanted to retire. The grind of a series was getting to her. She may have asked for fewer episodes during the 2nd season. Not sure if we will ever know.

MichaelKeith · 07-12-2023, 08:47 AM

I watched a couple more episodes yesterday evening and Bavier does appear in the Palm Springs episodes. In fact, it's because of Aunt Bee that the gang gets to go there. I hope she's in more of the remaining S2 episodes and I will report back as soon as I have watched more of them.

Will Dockery · 08-27-2023, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelKeith

Okay, so as I'm making my way through the second season of MRFD, I'm noticing that Aunt Bee is missing from several episodes under the explanation of off caring for her sick sister. There are other matronly actresses filling in for her housekeeping duties. And I really like the "Flora" character. They should have kept her on the show.

I guess the producers were starting to ease Bavier out as she was unhappy being there. Shame though, as there will always only be one Aunt Bee and she was it. What an iconic TV character she personified.

That's Flora, diner waitress and sometimes girl friend of Goober?

Did Flora continue on in Mayberry RFD as well?

06-19-2023, 08:22 AM	#1
MichaelKeith Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2007 Posts: 1,139	Why did Francis Bavier leave the show? What was the reason she left in real-life and what was the explanation they gave on the show? Surely they had a send-off episode for so central a character? I missed this episode on the Catchy Comedy weekend binge.

06-19-2023, 11:38 AM	#2
ThisLittlePiggy Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Nov 02, 2013 Posts: 83,179	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OD27jOeky8 When Aunt Bee Disappeared! Why Was She Replaced?

06-19-2023, 12:43 PM	#3
MichaelKeith Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2007 Posts: 1,139	Thanks, ThisLittlePiggie, for posting this reply. I found it very interesting. My take is that she just wanted to be off the show at this point, having portrayed Aunt Bee for 10 years. But it's also very possible that Andy Griffith decided to fire her based on the umbrella incident with George Lindsey.

06-19-2023, 01:18 PM	#4
ThisLittlePiggy Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Nov 02, 2013 Posts: 83,179	You're welcome. Yes, I found it interesting too. I can't remember if Aunt Bee ever visited her sister on TAGS. But I think she might have.

06-19-2023, 02:39 PM	#6
MichaelKeith Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2007 Posts: 1,139	Duster76, good points. One would think that with a show like TAGS and MRFD, with them portraying small town values and families, there would have been more sentimentality when a major character was leaving the show. I still like both shows anyway.

06-19-2023, 08:33 PM	#7
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,177	One thing not mentioned in the video was that she missed at least 2 episodes she was supposed to appear in, in season 2. Probably having to rewrite due to an absent lead actor does not go over well. After the Race Horse/Lindsey incident (which I'd never heard about), there was a later season 1 two-part episode, where Aunt Bee fell in love with a sea captain, played by Will Geer. This would have been an ideal time to write her out of the show, since she accepted his marriage proposal (but later got cold feet). Actually, if all the problems they had with her are true, I'm not sure why they kept her in the cast after TAGS ended.

06-20-2023, 12:18 AM	#8
ThisLittlePiggy Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Nov 02, 2013 Posts: 83,179	So I guess Aunt Bee's sister is named Nora. She visited the Taylors with her husband and two boys in the episode The Family Visit. Aunt Bee was said to have been staying with her sister when she left Mayberry RFD. They never mentioned any detail but I would presume her sister was ill or she herself was.

07-11-2023, 09:09 AM	#9
MichaelKeith Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2007 Posts: 1,139	Okay, so as I'm making my way through the second season of MRFD, I'm noticing that Aunt Bee is missing from several episodes under the explanation of off caring for her sick sister. There are other matronly actresses filling in for her housekeeping duties. And I really like the "Flora" character. They should have kept her on the show. I guess the producers were starting to ease Bavier out as she was unhappy being there. Shame though, as there will always only be one Aunt Bee and she was it. What an iconic TV character she personified.

07-11-2023, 01:13 PM	#10
ThisLittlePiggy Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Nov 02, 2013 Posts: 83,179	Yep, Frances Bavier was a very good actress. I just saw her on Perry Mason earlier today.

07-11-2023, 04:30 PM	#12
MichaelKeith Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2007 Posts: 1,139	Stevea, Yeah, I'm anxious to see that final season 2 episode to see if there is any change in her acting or attitude knowing by then that she was leaving the show either by her own choice or not. Or, perhaps the final episode of S2 was filmed and aired out of production order so that it was filmed earlier in the season and held for airing till the end. Who knows?

07-11-2023, 05:31 PM	#13
Willbo Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 10, 2012 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 859	I have just always heard she wanted to retire. The grind of a series was getting to her. She may have asked for fewer episodes during the 2nd season. Not sure if we will ever know.

07-12-2023, 08:47 AM	#14
MichaelKeith Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2007 Posts: 1,139	I watched a couple more episodes yesterday evening and Bavier does appear in the Palm Springs episodes. In fact, it's because of Aunt Bee that the gang gets to go there. I hope she's in more of the remaining S2 episodes and I will report back as soon as I have watched more of them.