Ken Berry reveals what it was like to replace Andy Griffith

[TMC]

https://www.metv.com/stories/ken-ber...-andy-griffith

Being the big cheese in Mayberry was a tall order.

[Duster76]

Originally Posted by TMC

https://www.metv.com/stories/ken-ber...-andy-griffith

Being the big cheese in Mayberry was a tall order.

The article's title is a bit misleading, it's more about the work in progress that became Mayberry RFD. I found this statement most interesting:

"Originally it was planned for me to bring to Mayberry a family of Italian farmers I had met while in the service. now that we've done the show, I understand the family won't be used, after all, just one Italian."

Ken's comments suggest there was a clear difference of opinion between the production team and perhaps the network on how this show would be oriented. The vision going into the pilot would have had the three Italian farmers added to the cast that would feature widower Sam and his son Mike. That's 5 slots, TAGS operated with 7 characters, so did Mayberry RFD. In other words, several actors would not have transitioned to the new series. Goober is mentioned in the story so he may have been referenced in the article itself so we can assume he would have been retained. That leaves one opening, the town council aspect might suggest that Howard would also have been retained. That leaves three characters, Emmett, Aunt Bee and Millie out (although Millie might have been a recurring character).

The pilot obviously did not sit well with some party, it could have been the network, the CBS executives may have just wanted the new show to replace Andy with as little disruption as possible. The final three seasons had been very successful, the attitude may have been why reinvent the wheel. At the time of Ken's interview he's seems to be under the impression that his Italian army buddy would be retained.

I thought Mayberry RFD could have been a better show, I blamed Andy and his team on their ultra conservative approach to the show which seemed to restrict it from growing in any way. It may have been the network that held the show back.

[biffbronson]

Was the episode featuring the arrival of the Italian family truly a "pilot?" It was not the final filmed episode of TAGS; Sam Jones appeared again in the traditional Mayberry setting as a "townie" of sorts, going by production order.

Clearly a decision was made for the rural-themed episode with the Italians on the farm to be intentionally held back, as a way to transition to RFD. So there was more time to decide on characters going forward; with the presentation order, it gives us the impression that the Italian characters were abruptly jettisoned -- I think watching in production order gives us a better insight.

[vitoscotti]

If the Italian family idea staying had not been changed MRFD would have been even worse than it was. I've heard the Italian family staying thing multiple times only from Ken Berry. Ken Berry and Buddy Foster's 2 bland lead characters doomed the show from the start. The show seemed to rarely let loose and be zany like TAGS. When MRFD did it it was markedly better than the formula teaching a life lesson "We've all learned something today" shtick.

[Duster76]

Originally Posted by biffbronson

Was the episode featuring the arrival of the Italian family truly a "pilot?" It was not the final filmed episode of TAGS; Sam Jones appeared again in the traditional Mayberry setting as a "townie" of sorts, going by production order.

Clearly a decision was made for the rural-themed episode with the Italians on the farm to be intentionally held back, as a way to transition to RFD. So there was more time to decide on characters going forward; with the presentation order, it gives us the impression that the Italian characters were abruptly jettisoned -- I think watching in production order gives us a better insight.

I never considered it a pilot episode until I read Ken's comments. I worked under the assumption that RFD was kind of a 4th season of the Barneyless/TAGS era departing characters were replaced by similar new characters. It appears the development of the companion series was a little more complicated than that. There were two different visions and it might be more accurate to say very different visions. The production team was really committed to the rural concept, Sam was a farmer, 5 of the seven main characters would reside on the farm, and they went so far as to put rural in the title, RFD (Rural Free Delivery). I guess CBS turned it down wanting the to replicate the existing series to the extent possible.

I agree with you with respect to production order, I would love to know when this episode was produced.

One interesting footnote, Bruno Della Santina who played Papa Vincente in the episode died on 9/1/68, so he wouldn't have made it to the series premiere date.

[Duster76]

[QUOTE=vitoscotti;6240595]If the Italian family idea staying had not been changed MRFD would have been even worse than it was. I've heard the Italian family staying thing multiple times only from Ken Berry. Ken Berry and Buddy Foster's 2 bland lead characters doomed the show from the start. The show seemed to rarely let loose and be zany like TAGS. When MRFD did it it was markedly better than the formula teaching a life lesson "We've all learned something today" shtick.[/QUOTE

A couple of points, the TAGS "zany" years were seasons 1-5, the final three seasons had almost none of that. The show was doing light-hearted slice of life episodes. The ratings didn't dip at all, the idea worked! I guess it was CBS who decided to let it ride. My point, Ken was playing the role the way he was instructed to play it, we know he had more talent than that. The show needed to evolve as it entered the 70's and there was talent there, Berry is a very good physical comedic actor, Arlene Golonka was a major upgrade over Corsaut, and the addition of Alice Ghostley gave the show enough firepower to do some very funny episodes. CBS had a half hour slot on Friday night available for the 71-72 season that would have been perfect for the series, but talent was not properly utilized and a stronger case for renewal could not be made.

I do agree with you with respect to the Italian farming family angle, that wouldn't have worked.

I mentioned this fact in my comment to biffbronson, the actor that played the papa (Bruno Della Santina) of the Italian farming family died on 9/1/68 prior to the first RFD episode being aired.

[vitoscotti]

Originally Posted by Duster76

...the TAGS "zany" years were seasons 1-5, the final three seasons had almost none of that...

I did a rough count of TAGS S6-8 and I'd say roughly ⅓ of the 90-some episodes are extremely zany. Some of my favorite go to big laughs episodes are S6-8. S1 not too many zany with dopey country bumpkin Andy and the Barney character developing. S2-5 of course very zany with many of classic sitcom TV's greatest episodes ever.

Everybody has their own opinions.

[biffbronson]

Originally Posted by Duster76

I never considered it a pilot episode until I read Ken's comments. I worked under the assumption that RFD was kind of a 4th season of the Barneyless/TAGS era departing characters were replaced by similar new characters. It appears the development of the companion series was a little more complicated than that. There were two different visions and it might be more accurate to say very different visions. The production team was really committed to the rural concept, Sam was a farmer, 5 of the seven main characters would reside on the farm, and they went so far as to put rural in the title, RFD (Rural Free Delivery). I guess CBS turned it down wanting the to replicate the existing series to the extent possible.

I agree with you with respect to production order, I would love to know when this episode was produced.

One interesting footnote, Bruno Della Santina who played Papa Vincente in the episode died on 9/1/68, so he wouldn't have made it to the series premiere date.

That's good info regarding elderly Santina. I see too that Paul Hartman (Emmett) died in the fall of '73, so his time was limited if RFD were to go on as a long-running series.

I think it's interesting to consider the question of Berry's pilot-or-not episode; I wish actors & producers somehow had 100% reliable memories, so often we read/hear conflicting accounts of what was going on.

One thing I wanted to mention was in regard to George Lindsey, Jack Dodson, and Hartman: obviously with their characters being town people by occupation, it's a little difficult to envision the RFD series truly focusing on Sam's farm, severely limiting their involvement. (Though Goober's gas station varied in depiction as to how far from main street.) All 3 must have been very pleased with how RFD went.

With Arlene Golonka as Millie though, I think the RFD episode where she struggles with her little farm without Sam's help shows how her character could apply in the rural setting. And of course Frances Bavier as Bee would be a fixture at Sam's house in any scenario.