"Romeo and Juliet" - Andy Griffith Style (1962)

The Andy Griffith Show was always one of my favorites. The mixture of comedy with some basic lessons in life was the hallmark of the show, and it wasn't lost on me. I actually "got" it. When Opie killed a bird I knew it was wrong; just as I knew that his father's solution to have Opie care for that bird's hatch-ling was right.

In this classic episode Sheriff Taylor has been a bit humiliated. The night before this scene takes place he was confronted at home by 2 young people wanting to get "hitched" by that Justice of the Peace. Although both were of legal age the sheriff was unable to complete the ceremony when the fathers of the bride and groom showed up with shotguns. It seems that the two families were "a fueding";  in the parlance of the time and place.

Andy needs to recover his "lost face" and begins by explaining his actions; or non-actions; of the night before by making an appropriate comparison between the situation at hand and Romeo and Juliet. This is what made Andy Griffith so famous to begin with. He told stories. His legendary "What It Was Was Football" is the vehicle which took him from the Ed Sullivan Show to headlining on Broadway in "No Time for Sergeants."

From there he hit the screen with an Oscar worthy performance as Lonesome Rhodes in the 1958 film “A Face in the Crowd” which co-starred Patricia Neal. In that film Andy Griffith gives one of the best performances of his career as a drunken guitar playing bum who finds himself catapulted to fame. 

It’s not a pretty picture to watch as he becomes a controlling and nasty individual, pushing away all those who love him. It’s a far cry from the roles he became known for as Sheriff Taylor on TV’s “The Andy Griffith Show” and later as the homey attorney “Matlock.” If you have never seen the film before, you should.

Meantime, enjoy the clip above and hit you tube for a peek at Andy Griffith playing Lonesome Rhodes in “A Face in the Crowd.” You will be astonished. Here’s a clip; make sure you catch the performance at about 3 minutes into the clip. 

"Aunt Bee's Medicine Man" - The Andy Griffith Show (1963)

When the Patent Medicine Man arrives in Mayberry to sell his “cure”, the ladies all flock to him. With his pseudo-western clothing and knowledge of things unfamiliar in the small town he quickly becomes somewhat of a celebrity. And the women are all in a great mood! So, what’s up in Mayberry and who’s going to find out?

Between Barney’s suspicious nature, and Aunt Bee’s sudden desire to play piano and sing around the house, Andy is forced to do a little digging of his own. And when he’s done with his investigation there’s going to be a big crowd in the town jail.

Proving once again that although life may be complicated, Ockham’s Razor still applies in certain instances, Andy sees that Justice is done on all three fronts in this episode from Episode 3 of the iconic series.

John Dehner plays the role of the medicine man, Colonel Harvey. He began his show business career in an unusual fashion, working as an animator for Walt Disney.  He also worked as a disc jockey and professional pianist. With his deep and rich voice he appeared in about a dozen films during the 1940’s; mostly as a card sharp, or outlaw. He was also known for his work on the TV series “The Roaring Twenties” in which he played a crusading news reporter.

But this appearance made him a member of a very exclusive club from the Andy Griffith Show. Some very famous, up and coming actors appeared in Mayberry. Maybe next week I will post the one with Jack Nicholson. They’re all in Public Domain at this point. Meantime, enjoy the show!

"Houston, We've Got a Problem."

These are the worst words you can hear from the commander of a space capsule. More importantly, these are the worst words that commander will ever have to utter. The cold, harsh reality of space takes over at a time like that. You realize, possibly for the first time, that in spite of the team on the ground; essentially; you’re alone. Everybody else gets to go home for dinner, but not you.

Thursday was the anniversary of the launch of Apollo 13. If you, or your children, have never seen one of these blast-offs before- it’s worth watching for that alone. But the real meat of the story is told using clips of both the ground crew, and the astronauts themselves, as they rack their brains for a solution to the problem, which is carefully explained in the video. That problem occurred in the early hours of April 14^th when an oxygen tank ruptured.

Ron Howard did an exceptional job with Tom Hanks in chronicling the Apollo 13 flight and it’s near disaster. But nothing can compete with the actual events, as evidenced in this short film from NASA, and available on you tube. Only some duct tape and a ballpoint pen saved the day for the crew. The ground support team worked long and hard to devise the “fix” that would allow the crew of Apollo 13 to return to Earth safely.

For several days the world watched and waited as the Apollo capsule got closer and closer to its scheduled splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.  Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert may not have made it to the Moon as planned, but they achieved something far greater in their victory over technology gone wrong almost 200,000 miles from the nearest repair facility. That they did so with an improvised solution, under such arduous conditions, made the feat all the greater. We had already been to the Moon and back. But this was a real “cliffhanger”, as the whole world watched and waited for their safe return.

"Andy Discovers America" - The Andy Griffith Show (1963)

I am an unabashed fan of the Andy Griffith Show. The earlier shows, from the first 3 seasons, contain all that you need to know about living in harmony with your fellow man. Although not overtly religious, these shows are like sermons, espousing a hard work ethic along with self-reliance and responsibility. Andy Taylor, the Sheriff of Mayberry, does all he can to instill these values into his son, Opie, who grew up to be the great film director Ron Howard. But sometimes even Andy speaks out of turn, and without thinking, winds up with his foot in his mouth, just like a politician.

In this episode from the 3^rd season, Opie is having a problem with his new teacher, Ms. Crump, and her lessons in history. When Sheriff Taylor agrees with him that history is unimportant, he unknowingly sets off a rebellion in Ms. Crump’s classroom, as the boys refuse to do their history homework. When Ms. Crump confronts Sheriff Taylor, he is at once speechless, and slightly smitten with her. Now, all he has to do is undo the damage he has done, while still saving face with his son and the other boys. And let’s not forget his need to repair his reputation with Opie’s teacher, Ms. Crump.

The Andy Griffith Show - Opie's Hobo Friend (1962)

When a hobo named David Browne comes to Mayberry he meets Andy and Opie fishing. They strike up a conversation with Mr. Browne, who is played by Buddy Ebsen, known universally as the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz”. Andy and Opie both take an instant liking to this affable man, but Barney is instantly suspicious of Mr. Browne, and brings him in on a vagrancy charge.

But Andy sees something more in this drifter, and even offers him a place to stay and some odd jobs in order to earn some cash. But there’s trouble in Mayberry as Mr. Browne regales Opie with stories of magic and shows him how to take the short cuts in life. His favorite word in the English language is tomorrow. There is nothing, in his estimation, that can’t be put off until then.  When Opie begins to cut school and slack in his chores, Sheriff Taylor is forced to confront Mr. Browne, who is clearly becoming a bad influence on Opie.

But just as you think you know this drifting man, he does something very noble. Knowing that being forced to leave town will only cause a rift between the Sheriff and Opie, Mr. Browne engineers his own expulsion from town by giving Barney just the excuse he needs to run him off. And though it breaks Opie’s heart to lose his new found friend, he is cognizant of the right and wrong involved.

These old Andy Griffith shows are like Sunday sermons. They each convey a message of tolerance, while at the same time delineating the fine line between right and wrong. Buddy Ebsen, of course,  would go on to portray Uncle Jed in “The Beverly Hillbillies” later that same year, a role he would play for the next 8 seasons.   

"The Music Man" with Robert Preston, Shirley Jones and Buddy Hackett (1961)

This is a timeless film which never grows old. With Robert Preston reprising the Broadway role he performed 1,375 times, and teamed with veteran Shirley Jones, this film is still a sure fire piece of entertainment. From the opening scene with the salesmen on the train until the final moments of the story, you can count on feeling the lure of a nation once made up of the small towns, and the equally small hustlers who traversed the country in search of that most desirable gem; “the rube.”


When Professor Harold Hill, played by Robert Preston, arrives in River City, Iowa, he is there for one purpose only; to scam the townsfolk into forming a band for the boys, purely out of concern for their well-being. At least that’s his rap. What he really wants is to get as many orders as possible for the band outfits and instruments necessary for the band before he leaves town, intent on never returning. He is, in short, a con artist.

But, even the most well laid plans of mice and men; it is said; often go astray. And that’s exactly how it goes for Professor Hill. After stepping off the train he meets his old cohort, Marcellus Washburn, played by Buddy Hackett, who has settled happily into small town life working at the local livery stable. Professor Hill is appalled at this, and quickly moves to enlist his old friends help in getting the town excited about having a Boy’s Band. It will, he tells them, elevate their town above all others in the state. But to accomplish this ruse he must win over the town’s icily cold widowed librarian, Marian Paroo, played by Shirley Jones. And as he attempts to do that, he finds himself falling in love with the librarian, as well as the town.

Ron Howard plays the librarian’s son Winthrop, who lives with Marion and her mother, Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn, played by Hermione Gingold. The elder woman is much taken by Professor Hill, while her daughter is more than indifferent to him. Indeed, she is hostile towards him, displaying her distrust of his motives from the very first time they meet. But the salesman in Professor Hill has a need to win at all costs, even if it means an end to his wayward profession.

This film was released just as Ron Howard was making his television debut on the Andy Griffith Show, where he played Sherriff Taylor’s son Opie. Watching him in this film is really interesting. It’s a tribute to the people surrounding him in this film; as well as the Andy Griffith Show; that he grew up to become one of the most beloved, and respected of Hollywood filmmakers.

Filled with great musical numbers; my favorite being “You’ve Got Trouble”, and also the moving “Til There Was You”, which was even a hit for The Beatles in 1963; this movie is a sheer delight to watch.  The embedding codes were disabled for "You've Got Trouble"; but here is the link to that wonderfully exciting number. With words and music by Meredith Wilson, the song is tailor made to highlight Robert Preston’s unique talents;

http://youtu.be/LI_Oe-jtgdI