10 Best Characters In The Andy Griffith Show, Ranked - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 02-10-2025, 09:48 PM

https://screenrant.com/andy-griffith...s-ranked-list/

Beyond just Andy Taylor and Barney Fife, the community of Mayberry in The Andy Griffith Show was populated by countless beloved TV characters

SarahBellum · 02-11-2025, 03:07 PM

Sorry, but Juanita doesn't belong in there.

Duster76 · 02-11-2025, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarahBellum

Sorry, but Juanita doesn't belong in there.

Agreed, putting her on the list is ridiculous. Holland might as well have put Emma Watson and Leon on the list.

Duster76 · 02-11-2025, 05:03 PM

The list is bad both in the character rankings and who is included and not included. This is my list:

10. Otis Campbell

9. Thelma Lou

8. Goober

7. Howard Sprague

6. Floyd Lawson

5. Gomer

4. Opie

3. Aunt Bee

2. Barney Fife

1. Andy Taylor

Andy is the most important character on the show, and it's not even close. The Mayberry universe is centered around him. Barney can't be Barney without Andy, the show wouldn't work. Unlike Bewitched which lost half its audience within two years of Dick York's exit, TAGS ranked 6, 3, and 1 the final three Barneyless seasons.

stevea · 02-11-2025, 10:59 PM

It's funny they included Juanita and state she never appeared on screen. You might as well include Sarah the telephone operator too.

Not sure i agree with including Charlene Darling or Ernest T. either. You could create a list of best secondary characters, which might include these characters, and the fun girls.

Also I was just thiking Helen Crump bacceame a pretty important character

vitoscotti · 02-12-2025, 10:19 AM

10b Fun girls
10a The Dillard's
9 Charlene Darling
8 Howard's mother
7 Otis Campbell
6 Allan Melvin roles
5 ET Bass
4b Warren
4a Goober
3 Floyd
2 Andy
1 Barney

Duster76 · 02-12-2025, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

It's funny they included Juanita and state she never appeared on screen. You might as well include Sarah the telephone operator too.

Not sure i agree with including Charlene Darling or Ernest T. either. You could create a list of best secondary characters, which might include these characters, and the fun girls.

Also I was just thiking Helen Crump bacceame a pretty important character

Helen Crump is a tough one. The character appeared in 66 episodes becoming a regular character in season 5 and remaining one for the rest of the series run. I know Aneta Corsaut played the part the way Griffith wanted it played but she gave her character no detail whatsoever. It was more line reading than acting I just can't bring myself to recognize a performance that limited as one of the 10 best series characters.

vitoscotti · 02-15-2025, 10:25 AM

An interesting category would be actors who were on tags only one time with a very impactful performance.

Some off the top of my head;

Alan Hale Jr
Edgar Buchanan
Susan Oliver

stevea · 02-15-2025, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vitoscotti

An interesting category would be actors who were on tags only one time with a very impactful performance.

Some off the top of my head;

Alan Hale Jr
Edgar Buchanan
Susan Oliver

Karl Swenson (Mr. McBeevee)
Jean Hagen
Don Rickles
Jerry Van Dyke

vitoscotti · 02-17-2025, 12:23 PM

I like to occasionally go to a classic sitcom's IMDb cast section. Scroll from the top all the way down to the one episode actors and work my way back up. Can be fun and really eye-opening. So many amazing actors and actresses contributing to the shows.

icecream · 02-18-2025, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vitoscotti

10b Fun girls
10a The Dillard's
9 Charlene Darling
8 Howard's mother
7 Otis Campbell
6 Allan Melvin roles
5 ET Bass
4b Warren
4a Goober
3 Floyd
2 Andy
1 Barney

Warren not only making the list but tied for 4th? And Howard's mother making it over Opie, Aunt Bee, and Gomer? Yikes!

vitoscotti · 02-18-2025, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icecream

Warren not only making the list but tied for 4th? And Howard's mother making it over Opie, Aunt Bee, and Gomer? Yikes!

Yes.

SarahBellum · 02-18-2025, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vitoscotti

An interesting category would be actors who were on tags only one time with a very impactful performance.

Some off the top of my head;

Alan Hale Jr
Edgar Buchanan
Susan Oliver

A few more:

Buddy Epsen - David Browne
Ellen Corby - Mrs. Lesh
Sterling Holloway - Bert Miller
Bill Bixby - Ronald Bailey
Michael Pollard - Virgil
Robert Emhardt - Malcolm Tucker (although he also appeared in a color episode as a different character)

02-10-2025, 09:48 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 127,188	10 Best Characters In The Andy Griffith Show, Ranked https://screenrant.com/andy-griffith...s-ranked-list/ Beyond just Andy Taylor and Barney Fife, the community of Mayberry in The Andy Griffith Show was populated by countless beloved TV characters

02-11-2025, 03:07 PM	#2
SarahBellum Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 15, 2007 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 3,874	Sorry, but Juanita doesn't belong in there.

02-11-2025, 05:03 PM	#4
Duster76 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2008 Location: New jersey Posts: 1,657	The list is bad both in the character rankings and who is included and not included. This is my list: 10. Otis Campbell 9. Thelma Lou 8. Goober 7. Howard Sprague 6. Floyd Lawson 5. Gomer 4. Opie 3. Aunt Bee 2. Barney Fife 1. Andy Taylor Andy is the most important character on the show, and it's not even close. The Mayberry universe is centered around him. Barney can't be Barney without Andy, the show wouldn't work. Unlike Bewitched which lost half its audience within two years of Dick York's exit, TAGS ranked 6, 3, and 1 the final three Barneyless seasons.

02-11-2025, 10:59 PM	#5
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 45,057	It's funny they included Juanita and state she never appeared on screen. You might as well include Sarah the telephone operator too. Not sure i agree with including Charlene Darling or Ernest T. either. You could create a list of best secondary characters, which might include these characters, and the fun girls. Also I was just thiking Helen Crump bacceame a pretty important character

02-12-2025, 10:19 AM	#6
vitoscotti Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 14, 2017 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,084	10b Fun girls 10a The Dillard's 9 Charlene Darling 8 Howard's mother 7 Otis Campbell 6 Allan Melvin roles 5 ET Bass 4b Warren 4a Goober 3 Floyd 2 Andy 1 Barney

02-15-2025, 10:25 AM	#8
vitoscotti Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 14, 2017 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,084	An interesting category would be actors who were on tags only one time with a very impactful performance. Some off the top of my head; Alan Hale Jr Edgar Buchanan Susan Oliver

02-17-2025, 12:23 PM	#10
vitoscotti Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 14, 2017 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,084	I like to occasionally go to a classic sitcom's IMDb cast section. Scroll from the top all the way down to the one episode actors and work my way back up. Can be fun and really eye-opening. So many amazing actors and actresses contributing to the shows.