Was it True That Frances Bavier (Aunt Bea) Was The Real Star of 'Mayberry RFD?' - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 09-16-2010, 12:59 AM

I read somewhere that when she retired in 1970, the show went downhill fast in the ratings...

catlover79 · 09-16-2010, 01:53 AM

I would say so. I know that Goober and others from TAGS were still around, but Aunt Bee was really the last link to the Taylor family.

Marvo301 · 09-16-2010, 02:13 AM

Francis Bavier was probably the most popular person on Mayberry RFD for the reason Monika mentioned however Ken Berry was the star of the show since he played the main character.

Mr. Television · 07-04-2012, 07:21 PM

No Ken Berry was the star. Frances was just one of the many supporting characters that came over from TAGS. All the rural sitcoms had their ratings fall that season and Mayberry RFD was still in the top 15 when it was cancelled.

hno:

lucyandethel · 07-12-2012, 11:13 AM

I recall her being a pretty minor character on the show, and didn't have good chemistry with Ken Berry, but Berry was rather dull as I recall.

McGillicuddy · 08-08-2012, 07:19 PM

She was on the first two seasons, and Alice Ghostly replaced her in season 3.

GrtGzu · 11-05-2012, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

No Ken Berry was the star. Frances was just one of the many supporting characters that came over from TAGS. All the rural sitcoms had their ratings fall that season and Mayberry RFD was still in the top 15 when it was cancelled.

hno:

The way I heard it, it wasn't so much because of low ratings, it was more about how CBS wanted to get rid of ALL the "rural shows" being aired at that time...They thought there was a "glut" of such ilk (sic) on just 1 network...

MRFD was one of the last to leave the network....Good thing too - it just never measured up to its predecessor imho...Dull, just like somebody upthread just said...

comedyfreak · 09-27-2013, 11:13 AM

Ken Berry said that CBS was known for their rural shows and they got teased by being called The Coutry Broadcasting Company and according to Mr. Haney they cancelled everthing with a tree in it

.

Yong Fang · 10-19-2013, 02:46 AM

Did Aunt Bea have a last name?

RFD did drop off after Aunt Bea left. But I think that the "rural purge" had a lot to do with the shows demise. CBS wanted more urbane programming and wanted to clear out a lot of the 1960's shows, especially those that skewed to older viewers and not the demographic the advertisers wanted (20 to 45).

Ken Berry, for you younguns......was a bad ass dancer. That was his trade, as a song and dance man. Next to Astaire and Kelly, he was the best around. There is a YouTube video of him on the Carol Burnett show where he does some cheesy 1970s routine, but he was so good (or dare I say....bad ass in it) One move he made I could never figure out. He pivots his left foot and moves his whole body across the stage. I tried to do that.. Fail. I think that some performers were born in the wrong time, and although Berry had a successful career, if he were an adult with his skills in the 1930s/1940s, he would have been an A Lister like Astaire or Kelly. Berry caught a small wave in 1970s variety shows, fut his true gifts in my opinion were never fully realized.

Tweety · 10-19-2013, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

Did Aunt Bea have a last name?

RFD did drop off after Aunt Bea left. But I think that the "rural purge" had a lot to do with the shows demise. CBS wanted more urbane programming and wanted to clear out a lot of the 1960's shows, especially those that skewed to older viewers and not the demographic the advertisers wanted (20 to 45).

Ken Berry, for you younguns......was a bad ass dancer. That was his trade, as a song and dance man. Next to Astaire and Kelly, he was the best around. There is a YouTube video of him on the Carol Burnett show where he does some cheesy 1970s routine, but he was so good (or dare I say....bad ass in it) One move he made I could never figure out. He pivots his left foot and moves his whole body across the stage. I tried to do that.. Fail. I think that some performers were born in the wrong time, and although Berry had a successful career, if he were an adult with his skills in the 1930s/1940s, he would have been an A Lister like Astaire or Kelly. Berry caught a small wave in 1970s variety shows, fut his true gifts in my opinion were never fully realized.

That's a good point, I agree that Berry was, indeed, born at the wrong time in terms of making the most of his skills. Had he been in his prime during Hollywood's heyday of musicals, he likely would be remembered as an all time great.

McGillicuddy · 06-28-2014, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

Did Aunt Bea have a last name?

Aunt Bee was Bee TAYLOR, same as Andy and Opie.

visaman666 · 06-28-2014, 07:31 PM

I think Ken Berry hit his peak in Mama's Family.

Babalu · 06-28-2014, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

Did Aunt Bea have a last name?

RFD did drop off after Aunt Bea left. But I think that the "rural purge" had a lot to do with the shows demise. CBS wanted more urbane programming and wanted to clear out a lot of the 1960's shows, especially those that skewed to older viewers and not the demographic the advertisers wanted (20 to 45).

Ken Berry, for you younguns......was a bad ass dancer. That was his trade, as a song and dance man. Next to Astaire and Kelly, he was the best around. There is a YouTube video of him on the Carol Burnett show where he does some cheesy 1970s routine, but he was so good (or dare I say....bad ass in it) One move he made I could never figure out. He pivots his left foot and moves his whole body across the stage. I tried to do that.. Fail. I think that some performers were born in the wrong time, and although Berry had a successful career, if he were an adult with his skills in the 1930s/1940s, he would have been an A Lister like Astaire or Kelly. Berry caught a small wave in 1970s variety shows, fut his true gifts in my opinion were never fully realized.

Frances Bavier became mentally ill in her later years and was a recluse. I'm not sure when it started. But the show took its biggest quality nosedive when Don Notts left. There simply wasn't any way to replace that talent.

Ken Berry may have been a talented dancer, but putting him a close third to Astaire and Kelly is absurd. Ray Bolger, Donald O'Connor, Gene Nelson and a host of others could dance rings around him.

Take a look at this clip of the Nicholas Brothers if you want to be amazed at some dancing.

ILuvCarolBurnett · 07-05-2014, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babalu

Frances Bavier became mentally ill in her later years and was a recluse. I'm not sure when it started. But the show took its biggest quality nosedive when Don Notts left. There simply wasn't any way to replace that talent.

Ken Berry may have been a talented dancer, but putting him a close third to Astaire and Kelly is absurd. Ray Bolger, Donald O'Connor, Gene Nelson and a host of others could dance rings around him.

Take a look at this clip of the Nicholas Brothers if you want to be amazed at some dancing.

I don't know if I would go as far as to say she was "mentally ill". She was a spinster and reclusive pretty much most of her life.

Mr. Television · 07-05-2014, 09:42 PM

She was a great actress though. She really made you care about Aunt Bee and made her a real person. She was like part of the family. It's sad how she ended up though.

09-16-2010, 12:59 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	Was it True That Frances Bavier (Aunt Bea) Was The Real Star of 'Mayberry RFD?' I read somewhere that when she retired in 1970, the show went downhill fast in the ratings... Attached Images
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09-16-2010, 01:53 AM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	I would say so. I know that Goober and others from TAGS were still around, but Aunt Bee was really the last link to the Taylor family.
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09-16-2010, 02:13 AM	#3
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,450	Francis Bavier was probably the most popular person on Mayberry RFD for the reason Monika mentioned however Ken Berry was the star of the show since he played the main character.
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07-04-2012, 07:21 PM	#4
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,125	No Ken Berry was the star. Frances was just one of the many supporting characters that came over from TAGS. All the rural sitcoms had their ratings fall that season and Mayberry RFD was still in the top 15 when it was cancelled. hno:
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09-27-2013, 11:13 AM	#8
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,058	Ken Berry said that CBS was known for their rural shows and they got teased by being called The Coutry Broadcasting Company and according to Mr. Haney they cancelled everthing with a tree in it.
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07-12-2012, 11:13 AM	#5
lucyandethel Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 18, 2009 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 435	I recall her being a pretty minor character on the show, and didn't have good chemistry with Ken Berry, but Berry was rather dull as I recall.

08-08-2012, 07:19 PM	#6
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	She was on the first two seasons, and Alice Ghostly replaced her in season 3.

10-19-2013, 02:46 AM	#9
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,072	Did Aunt Bea have a last name? RFD did drop off after Aunt Bea left. But I think that the "rural purge" had a lot to do with the shows demise. CBS wanted more urbane programming and wanted to clear out a lot of the 1960's shows, especially those that skewed to older viewers and not the demographic the advertisers wanted (20 to 45). Ken Berry, for you younguns......was a bad ass dancer. That was his trade, as a song and dance man. Next to Astaire and Kelly, he was the best around. There is a YouTube video of him on the Carol Burnett show where he does some cheesy 1970s routine, but he was so good (or dare I say....bad ass in it) One move he made I could never figure out. He pivots his left foot and moves his whole body across the stage. I tried to do that.. Fail. I think that some performers were born in the wrong time, and although Berry had a successful career, if he were an adult with his skills in the 1930s/1940s, he would have been an A Lister like Astaire or Kelly. Berry caught a small wave in 1970s variety shows, fut his true gifts in my opinion were never fully realized.

06-28-2014, 07:31 PM	#12
visaman666 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 06, 2007 Posts: 818	I think Ken Berry hit his peak in Mama's Family.

07-05-2014, 09:42 PM	#15
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,125	She was a great actress though. She really made you care about Aunt Bee and made her a real person. She was like part of the family. It's sad how she ended up though.