The Incredible Mr. Don Knotts: An Eye-Popping Look at His Movies

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When a Gazette editor asked me to review a Don Knotts book, it didn't take long to say yes. Everyone knows I love "The Andy Griffith Show" and the sheer comedic artistry the Morgantown native and WVU grad brought to it.

"This is a coffee table book," she said. I could keep it as partial payment in these thorny economic times. I've worked cheap before.

"The book's about his movies," she said.

His movies?

I've never been one to totally dismiss Knotts' films, as some do. They never earned him an Academy Award nomination, but they made a nice profit for Universal and Disney - the two studios for which he did the great majority of his work.

Knotts sums up the best of his output at the beginning of "The Incredible Mr. Don Knotts - An Eye-Popping Look at His Movies," by Stephen Cox and Kevin Marhanka.

His personal favorite is "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken," the first feature he did after leaving "The Andy Griffith Show."

Knotts also includes "The Apple Dumpling Gang," a Disney gem with Tim Conway, and "The Incredible Mr. Limpet." Limpet is a sweet, ahead-of-its-time movie with a unique feel. It used to beguile me as a kid. Knotts' voice of the animated fish is perfect, revealing a hint of beyond-crazy-comedy ability.

Knotts died in February 2006. He received few subsequent chances to venture far beyond the "nervous little guy" character who took full flight on the Griffith show. While mining the mania, however, Griffith allowed Barney Fife to be a full person - a man-child, granted, but at times competent, successful with women and compassionate under all his insecurities.

As time wore on, Knotts' roles became more and more narrow and he became the poster child of typecasting. He had to take what work he could find, which usually meant recycling Barney's broader routines - eyes bugged, mouth agape, the whole bit.

That reality does not stop Cox and Marhanka from cataloguing every film in boring, encyclopedic form. Each entry begins with a list of the cast, right down to folks like Maxine Semon (Occult Society Clubwoman) in "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken."

"Ghost" is a great movie. The "Attaboy, Luther!" line lives on in Knotts lore. But with all respect to dear dead Maxine, who cares that she was one of the "Occult Society Clubwomen?" It's like a pilot telling you you're cruising at 40,000 feet. How are you supposed to use that information?

Another curious book feature is its many profiles of unknown character actors who wound up in Knotts' movies. Having tried my hand at community theater a few times, I know that even bush league show business ain't the easiest gig in the world. I respect any paid actor.

But again, I'm not moved a whole lot by Ruth McDevitt. Who's Ruth McDevitt? I rest my case.

All is not lost. The book is packed with pictures, including a glossy, color section collectors may enjoy. And some of the profiles are more interesting than others.

Conway says that Knotts became very withdrawn and depressed toward his latter years.

". . . I don't think he really had much to do with people toward the end. He just got away from it. I called a lot and left a lot of messages. I used to call just to get his answering machine because his voice was on his service."

Skip Homeier, another C-lister, recalled working with Knotts on "Ghost." He says Knotts kept to himself, though "Ghost" came at Knotts' highest professional point.

"He didn't socialize or say good morning or good night or let's go to lunch to anybody," Homeier recalled.

Others recall a shy and humble Knotts, including fellow West Virginian Joyce DeWitt of "Three's Company." Knotts spent five seasons as Mr. Furley, the landlord. ". . . He was the kind of person you wanted to make sure was taken care of because Don would never ask for himself," DeWitt said.

The authors got one thing right: Knotts' departure from "Andy," though it didn't show up in the ratings, sounded a death knell in quality. This observation occurs in the first 16 pages, the narrative section. This is beneficial, because the rest of the good stuff must be ferreted from the maddeningly mundane.

Cox and Marhanka point out that even on camera Griffith "took on a meaner disposition and rarely smiled" in the post-Knotts seasons, distinguished for their color film. Griffith's thoughts about Knotts are tender.

"This may sound strange from a man to another man, but I loved Don, and when he left, I missed him very, very much, in my life, too. I missed him so dreadfully, I can't tell you. When Don left, the show lost its heart and soul."

As you can see, there are a few nuggets in "The Incredible Mr. Knotts." The person who must possess all things Knotts may find it worthwhile.

At $26.95, however, even the hardcore fan might expect a little more. Or less.