The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club: eBullet Vol 10 Issue 2 April 2010

If you cannot view the HTML newsletter (photos), click here to read it at our Web site.

*********************************************
The eBullet
An Online newsletter of
"The Andy Griffith Show" Rerun Watchers Club (TAGSRWC)
Volume 10, Issue 2
April 2010
*********************************************

Welcome to our second eBullet for 2010, the 50^th Anniversary Year for "The Andy Griffith Show!" We're about to get into a big wave of events and appearances by TAGS cast members as we roll into late April and on into May and. Some new Mayberry products have also come out this year, and some more are expected later in the year.

Some of the most energized daily and weekly Mayberry activity is on the Web. For the past year and a half, www.iMayberry.com/podcasts has been the home of the Two Chairs, No Waiting Internet Radio Show (a podcast) hosted by TAGSRWC's own Allan Newsome.

As most of our readers likely know, Allan is our Webmaster at iMayberry.com and has been very active in TAGSRWC for almost two decades. If you've attended various Mayberry events through the years, you've probably seen Allan as a tribute artist for Floyd the Barber.

Two Chairs, No Waiting has TAGS news, interviews and pretty much whatever happens to be going on in and around Mayberry. Each one lasts between 10 and 20 minutes. There's a new episode every Tuesday and also an Archives in case you want to listen to episodes you've missed. (They're have been almost 80 so far!) We think you'll find these podcasts creative, fun and informative. Many of the podcasts have interviews with cast members, including ultra-rare ones, such as recent editions including 1991 press conference comments by Don Knotts, Hal Smith, and George Lindsey. There's a lot of info and discussions that you simply won't find anywhere else.

If you've got sound on your computer or have an iPod or similar device, you can easily tune in or download these podcasts. There are all sorts of ways to interact with the podcasts, including several options for giving your feedback. And there are other links, including a companion Facebook page, to keep up with all the goin's-on. And probably the easiest way to make sure you don't miss an episode is to subscribe to the podcasts. (They're free.)

So pull up a chair, grab a bottle of pop, and enjoy the fun of listening to what is basically Radio Free Mayberry to you wherever you and your ears happen to be!

And TAGSRWC now has an official page on Facebook, too! It's www.facebook.com/tagsrwc. We started the page just a few months ago and already over 3,500 folks have found us. Of course, there are several tribute pages to TAGS on Facebook, including some for individual TAGSRWC chapters and members. There's a lot of mighty good folks to have as Facebook Friends.

We hope you'll check out our Facebook page and be a part of helping it grow and spreading the word about Mayberry news and activities. Lots of folks enjoy just trading favorite lines or memories from the show. And it's a great place to find rare photos (we're adding more as often as we can) and interesting links. We invite you to share whatever's on your mind about Mayberry, and see what others are saying.

Floyd's Barbershop
Bulletin Board & Event Calendar

There's already a bunch of activities posted on Floyd's bulletin board for this year. Many are happening in just the next few weeks, so check out the listings below to make sure you don't miss something you want to do.

* Apr. 17: Author and teacher Neal Brower gives the third of five lectures at the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy, N.C. The topic of this lecture is "The Production of 'The Andy Griffith Show.'" Each lecture starts at 2 p.m. and costs $10, which includes admission the Andy Griffith Museum. To register for a lecture, e-mail jessica@surryarts.org or call (336) 786-1604.

* Apr. 19-25: Week-Long Tribute to "The Andy Griffith Show" on WLGA-TV47 Columbus, Ga./Opelika-Auburn, Ala. WLGA-TV47 proclaims the week of April 19-25, 2010 to be Mayberrython Week. Starting that Monday at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT, for seven nights in a row, WLGA-TV47 will broadcast some of the all-time TAGS favorites, beginning with Episode #1, "The New Housekeeper," and ending with the 249^th episode broadcast, "Mayberry, R.F.D.," on Sunday the 25th. In all, there will be 18½ hours (37 episodes) of "TAGS" 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET/7:00-9:00 p.m. CT, and 11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/10:00-10:30 p.m. CT Monday through Sunday, April 19-25, and also 5:00-6:00 p.m. ET/4:00-5:00 p.m. CT on Sunday.

* Apr. 22-24: Maggie Peterson is a presenter (at the Betty Lynn Luncheon) and a performer at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Marshville, Mo. Among the other special guests are a great-grandson of Sir Winston Churchill and the descendants or relatives of several U.S. presidents. For more info, visit www.cherryblossomfest.com.

* Apr. 23: Roland White and his band perform at 9:00 p.m. at the Station Inn in Nashville, Tenn.

* Apr. 23 and 24: James Best is guest for a book and art show in the Camden Room at the Holiday Inn Express in Athens, Tenn. Times are 6:00-9:00 p.m. on Fri. and 1:00-4:00 p.m. on Sat.

* Apr. 30: David "Mayberry Deputy Browning provides border security at Bristol, Tenn./Va. Sign Celebration.

* Apr. 30: James Best greets fans and signs copies of his Best in Hollywood memoir from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at Sherlock's Books in Lebanon, Tenn. For more info, visit www.sherlocksbooks.com.

* May 1: James Best is at the downtown Nashville location of Sherlock's Books from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. to sign his book, Best in Hollywood. Some of his original paintings will also be shown at the store as part of the popular First Saturday Art Crawl in downtown Nashville. For more info, visit www.sherlocksbooks.com.

* May 1: Neal Brower gives the fourth in the series of five lectures at the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy, N.C. The topic of this lecture is "Music and Musical Scoring of 'The Andy Griffith Show.'" Each lecture starts at 2 p.m. and costs $10, which includes admission the Andy Griffith Museum. To register for a lecture, e-mail jessica@surryarts.org or call (336) 786-1604.

* May 1: 23^rd Annual Uncle Jesse Big Bass Classic in memory of Denver Pyle in Paris, Tex. Visit www.unclejessefishing.com for more info.

* May 5: David Browning waxes the steps at the BBB Seniors Event in Charlotte, N.C.

* May 6 and 7: The Annual Eagles' Wings Golf Tournament and Dinner/Auctions, in Tuscaloosa, Ala., will feature several Mayberry tribute artists, including David Mayberry Deputy Browning, Allan "Floyd" Newsome, Kenneth "Otis" Junkin, Tim "Goober" Pettigrew, Jeff "Howard Sprague" Branch, and Gary "Gomer" Crain. The golf tourney is on Thurs. and the dinner/auctions are on Fri. The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels will also be performing in Tuscaloosa that weekend.

Eagles' Wings is a non-profit organization providing services for adults with special needs. The Tuscaloosa group has a strong bond with several TAGSRWC chapters and members, as well as cast members and fans of "The Andy Griffith Show" who have participated in fundraisers and other efforts in recent years. For more info, visit www.eagleswingsoftuscaloosa.org.

* May 7: Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform at The Dillard House in Dillard, Ga.

* May 8: Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform at Bill's Music Shop & Pickin' Parlor in West Columbia, S.C.

* May 29 and 30: James Best is featured at AdventureCon at the Pigeon Forge Convention Center in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. For more info, visit www.adventurecon.com.

* May 30: Jim Nabors is back again at the Indy 500 to sing "Back Home Again in Indiana." If Ernest T.'s math is right, this will be Jim's 32^nd time singing the welcoming tune at the big race since he began doing so in 1972.

* June 2: David Browning helps salute goals reached at DARE Graduation in Rocky Mount, N.C.

* June 4 and 5: Mule Day/Chickenfest in Gordo, Ala., starring Maggie Peterson and featuring Mayberry tribute artists, including Allan "Floyd" Newsone, Tim "Goober" Pettigrew, Jeff "Howard Sprague" Branch, and Kenneth "Otis" Junkin. There will also be a carnival in town in conjunction with Mule Days, as well as National Guard race cars and assorted military displays, and much more. (No doubt including mules and chickens.) Details to come. For more info, visit www.gordochamber.com.

* June 4 and 5: James Best is guest of honor for the "Jimmie's Coming Home" celebration in his hometown of Corydon, Ind. He will present two performances of his one-man show, "In His Own Words" at Hayswood Theatre at 8:00 p.m. on both Fri. and Sat. Tickets are $30 each and include a reception with snacks to give attendees an opportunity to meet James. Tickets are on sale now at the Blaine Wiseman Visitor Center in Corydon. Cash money or good check accepted. Tickets are expected to sell quickly as the theater seats only 70.

In addition, a brief ceremony to honor James will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sat., followed by a book signing at the Gerdon Youth Center in downtown Corydon.

For more info, contact Karen Schwartz, president of the Historical Society of Harrison County, at (812) 736-2373 or (812) 738-2828.

* June 5: Neal Brower gives the final installment in his series of five lectures at the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy, N.C. The topic of this lecture is "The Influence of Southern Culture and Mount Airy on 'The Andy Griffith Show.'" Each lecture starts at 2 p.m. and costs $10, which includes admission the Andy Griffith Museum. To register for a lecture, e-mail jessica@surryarts.org or call (336) 786-1604.

* June 5: David Browning's jaw muscles work at the Clinch River Festival in St. Paul, Va.

* June 12: David Browning races the bases at the Lexington (Ky.) Legends baseball game.

* June 19: We'll be darned if David Browning isn't at the Salem (Va.) Red Sox game.

* June 24: Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform at 7 p.m. at the IBMA Hall of Fame ROMP (River of Music Party) in Owensboro, Ky.

* June 26: Roland White and his band perform at the ROMP Festival in Owensboro, Ky.

* July 10-11: 10th Annual Mayberry Squad Car Nationals and 6th Annual "Mayberry Comes to Graysville" Festival in Graysville, Ala. Rodney Dillard and Maggie Peterson are the first guests announced. Other guests and details TBA.

* July 16 and 17: James Best appears at the Johnny Lightning Fest in Dyersville, Iowa.

* July 23-24: Mayberry in the Midwest IV in New Castle, Ind. CANCELED! Unfortunately, all the pieces to the puzzle weren't able to come together and the stars didn't quite align for this much anticipated Mayberry cast reunion event this time around. We can hope it comes together for another year sometime down the road, because the first three editions of this event were some of the best ever.

* July 25: Jim Nabors is in concert for a rare performance after his official retirement in 2008. He'll be at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster, Penn., for a show at 3 p.m. Tickets are $50 and are on sale now. For more info, visit www.amtshows.com.

* Aug. 7: Rodney Dillard are joined by Maggie Peterson and several of the Mayberry Tribute Artists (including David "Mayberry Deputy" Browning, Kenneth "Otis" Junkin, and Jeff "Howard" Branch) for a concert benefiting the Montgomery County DARE program. The evening concert will be at the James H. Garner Center in Troy, N.C. Tickets are $20 reserved and $15 general admission. For tickets and more info, visit www.bluegrassintroy.com.

* Aug. 22: Maggie Peterson and Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform in the Mayberry Celebration at the Fountain of Life Bible Church in Johnson City, Tenn.

* Sept. 5: Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform at the Boone Plantation BBQ Festival in Charleston, S.C.

* Sept. 16: Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band perform in Fort Payne, Ala. Details TBA.

* Sept. 23-26: 20th Anniversary Edition of Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, N.C. This is the big one! Guests confirmed so far include: Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou), Doug Dillard (the banjo-playing Darling boy), Maggie Peterson (Charlene Darling), Rodney Dillard (the guitar-playing Darling boy), Elinor Donahue (Ellie Walker), James Best (Jim Lindsey), Jackie Joseph ("Sweet Romeena"), LeRoy McNees (one of the Country Boys in "Mayberry on Record"), George Spence (Frank the Fiance in "Guest in the House"), David Morris (son of Howard Morris), Laura Hagen (widow of Earle Hagen), and Karen Knotts (daughter of Don Knotts). More to come. Other festival favorites include a lecture by Neal Brower and a concert by the VW Boys. Full details, updates and tickets to those portions of the weekend that require a ticket are available online at www.surryarts.org. We generally try not to be in a hurry in Mayberry, but we do suggest that you not delay in making your plans for Mayberry Days. Tickets and hotel rooms can become scarce.

* Oct. 2: Long Branch Baptist Church in Autryville, N.C., will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of TAGS with a day of music, memories and down-home fun. Scheduled to appear: Rodney Dillard, Maggie Peterson, David "Mayberry Deputy" Browning, Jeff "Howard Sprague" Branch, and Allan "Floyd" Newsome. Other special guests TBA.

The day will feature two shows by the performers listed above as well as a meet-and-greet lunch. There will also be a pickle-making contest, a whistling contest, trivia contests and other activities throughout the day. More events still TBA. There will be a Facebook page and Web site up in the coming weeks.
Autryville is located approximately 60 miles south of Raleigh, 15 miles east of Fayetteville/Ft. Bragg and 80 miles northwest from Wilmington.

* Oct 16-21: A Cruise to Mayberry 5 to the Bahamas aboard Carnival's Fascination with the VW Boys and Mayberry tribute artists and others TBA. For more info, call (336) 538-4926 or toll-free (800) 832-7993, or visit www.allaboutcruisesnc.net

The DVD for Play the Game, Andy Griffith's most recent movie, is scheduled for release in May. And the long-anticipated DVD for the movie version of No Time for Sergeants is also being released in May. Hooray! (We'll have both at Weaver's online as soon as they're available.)
Ron Howard is executive producer for "Parenthood," which has just started in March on NBC. His next film as director is currently scheduled to be Your Cheating Heart with Vince Vaughn. It's slated to be in theaters in 2011.

George Lindsey had a very successful 13th Annual George Lindsey UNA Film Festival at the University of North Alabama, his alma mater, in Florence, Ala., in early March. The festival had large and enthusiastic crowds.

Several members of the cast and crew of the Back to the Future films participated. And there was also a full-size replica of the DeLorean time machine. In addition to all of the other benefits of the festival, photo ops with the DeLorean raised over $1,000 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Read, see, and hear more about this year's festival at www.lindseyfilmfest.com.

Maggie Peterson says she doing well and has several irons in the fire, including some Mayberry-oriented appearances starting later this spring. And she has been doing occasional jazzy singing performances, accompanied on piano by sister Phyllis Eaton.

Ronnie Schell hosted another (the 10^th!) highly successful Veterans of Comedy Wars fundraiser for San Francisco State University, his alma mater. Tim Conway and a star-studded lineup wowed the capacity crowd at the University's McKenna Theater.

We're sad to note that actor Sandy Kenyon died at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., on February 20, at age 87. He appeared in two episodes of TAGS, as Bill Lindsay in "Goober Makes History" (Episode #196) and as George Hollander in "Opie Steps Up in Class" (Episode #225). He also was in the "Gomer Untrains a Dog" episode of "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C."

Sandy Kenyon was born on August 5, 1922, in New York. After serving as a pilot in the Army Air Corps in WWII, he moved back to New York to pursue his career in acting, and then moved to Los Angeles in the 1950s. He appeared in hundreds of productions for the stage and big and small screens, and for many years led his own Interact Theatre Company. Mayberry is fortunate to have him as part of its history.

We only recently heard the news of the passing of actor Claude Johnson, who played the Romeo-esque Josh Wakefield in "A Feud Is a Feud" (Episode #9), and passed away almost a year ago, on May 18, 2009, one day after his 71^st birthday. Details are extremely sketchy about his life before TAGS, which is his first film appearance that we know of. He made a lot of one-episode guest appearances on TV shows throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

His longest recurring role was for about 15 episodes as Officer Brinkman (and other officers) in "Adam-12" during the 1970s. After the ‘70s. details about his life become sketchy once again.

We were faster, but no less sad, to hear the news that actor Eddie Carroll, passed away after a battle with brain cancer on April 6. He was 77. He had a small part in TAGS as the airport clerk in "A Trip to Mexico" (Episode # 222).

Eddie Carroll was born in Edmonton, Alberta, on Sept.5, 1933. He played lots of parts similar to the airport clerk, including two episodes as a sergeant on "Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C." He also was a regular on "The Don Knotts Show" in 1970.

He is probably remembered best for his more than 30 years as the primary voice of Jiminy Cricket for all manner of Disney productions.

And he was renowned for his professional impersonation of Jack Benny. He also wrote with fellow TAGS one-timer Jamie Farr for some Hanna-Barbera Productions. Among his survivors is Carolyn, his wife of 47 years.

That brings us to a total of 1,350 chapters founded since TAGSRWC itself was founded in 1979. (By 1982, we had grown widespread enough to start having chapters.)

If you're interested in starting a chapter of TAGSRWC, all you need to do is choose a name that hasn't already been picked, and submit it with a list of your founding members by U.S. mail to TAGSRWC's HQ in Nashville. The hardest part is simply finding a name that hasn't already been chosen. There's a searchable list of chapter names at www.tagsrwc.com.

Once you successfully choose a name that's all yours and nobody else's, you'll receive your Official Chapter Charter, fancily inscribed (and "suitable for framing") by a genuine Compelsion Nut in East Tennessee.

What you do as a chapter is entirely up to you. Your group can do as much or as little as you like. The idea is simply to have lots of Mayberry fun with whatever you do.

Or if you're feeling more like a joiner than a starter, you can write to us about how to contact a chapter near you. Our address is TAGSRWC, 9 Music Square South, PMB 146, Nashville TN 37203-3211. Or you can join our online "Who's Been Messin' Up the Bulletin Board?" chapter. (It's really quick and easy to do. Info is at tagsrwc.com.)

A vintage putter, golf balls, shirt and autographed photo from George Lindsey make up one of the rare collections of items currently offered as charity and event fundraisers online at our Weaver's Department Store.

We've had two new licensed Mayberry items come out so far this year. And there are more items in the works throughout this year. Also, don't forget about the full array of Mayberry-related products (T-shirts, books, board games, music, DVDs and much more) available at our Weaver's Department Store online at www.iMayberry.com.

We've also been digging into ol' Ben Weaver's storeroom and the TAGSRWC Archives and have found ones and twos of some really rare older items (including a Mayberry cookie jar signed by Don Knotts!). They're scattered throughout our online site, but you'll find the highest concentration of them in the Collectibles & Special Items section at this link: www.weaversdepartmentstore.com/catalog.php?category=46

So, if you haven't visited Weaver's in the last few weeks or months (or maybe years?), you might want to take a quick peek at some of the special items that maybe you thought you'd never see again...or never even knew existed. Meanwhile, here the two newest items, followed by some of our top sellers:

What a great way to start off the celebration for the 50^th Anniversary of TAGS! This beautiful print is sure to be a cherished lifetime keepsake marking this special year in the history of TAGS. But more than a keepsake, it's a superb work of art whose many smiling faces will bring an instant grin to the face of everyone who sees it.

Printed with premium inks on archival paper, this outstanding 12 in. x 16 in. collage pencil portrait is signed and numbered by talented Wilmington (N.C.) artist George Murray and officially licensed by CBS Consumer Products. It's limited to a maximum of 10,000 prints.

The suggested gallery price for this commemorative print is $60, but our Early Bird Special gets the Nod at just $40. (Don't tell Ben Weaver!) And if you spend too long blinkin', you just might miss out on this price!

This keen tin is brand new in '10! It measures 16 in. x 12.5 in. Get tough in your neighborhood with a tin that'll really make folks grin! (And of course, no law office or law enforcement or security location is complete without one!)

This 2010 edition has all black-and-white images. Many will seem very familiar. It's a super item for marking the show's 50^th year.

We also have a Special Combo with 2009 and 2010 Wall Calendars for $23.00. And we still have several calendars from previous years. (The previous editions have become very popular collectibles!)

As of now, it looks as though there won't be an official "Andy Griffith Show" Wall Calendar for 2011, which make this year's edition the Last of the Mayberrian, at least for a while. So, if you don't already have a Mayberry calendar to enjoy this year, get one while you still can. The year is still young!

We also have individual complete seasons of TAGS on DVD at a nice price. And we have individual seasons and the Complete Series box set of "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." and the first four seasons of "Matlock." (The fourth season has just been released in March!)

Coming Attractions: The movie version of No Time Sergeants starring Andy Griffith and featuring Don Knotts is being released on DVD in early May. The quartermaster at Weaver's has promised to have it locked and loaded on our shelves as soon as it's available.

In addition to accepting orders online or by mail, our Weaver's Dept. Store has a phone number FOR ORDERS ONLY (615) 604-1298. The phone number is generally in operation from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday.

Please call this number only for ordering or for inquiring about orders placed by phone. All inquiries about online orders should be made online by writing weavershop@aol.com.

Malcolm Merriweather's Merrymakers of Merry Old England, Arkansas chapter (England, Ark.) reports that in its TAGS trivia contest for the winter quarter, the Carter Men regained possession of the coveted "A Feud Is a Feud" trophy (see photo) from the Wakefield Women.

For its monthly gathering, Barney chapter (Greensboro, N.C.) is planning a road trip to Mount Airy on April 17^th to have a meal and sightsee and take in chapter leader Neal Brower's lecture at the Andy Griffith Museum..

Ten members of The Schwumpsters chapter (Stephens City, Va.) got together in March for their first meeting in, well, "a while." (They would have gotten together a little sooner, but their plans were snowed out in February.) "It was long past due, but it was wonderful," they reported. "We are so glad we took the time to do this."

For the record, the chapter had dessert, shared news and then watched "Barney's First Car" and "Convicts-at-Large." More meetings are planned. And the big news is that members of The Schwumpsters have already booked their hotel room for Mayberry Days! They were regulars for the annual event in its early years, and they delighted folks with a return trip a couple of years ago. And now they'll be back for Mayberry Days this year to join the celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of TAGS!

It is with great sadness that we report the recent passing of three especially involved TAGSRWC members.

On Feb. 19^th, Tony Terry of Mayberry Undercover Agents (Danville, Va.) passed away at the age of 42. Tony was a great friend of many TAGSRWC members and stars of the show.

Tony regularly attended Mayberry events within striking distance of the Danville area, especially Mayberry Days. He and his chapter and their Mayberry squad car replica have been a fixture in the Mayberry Days parade almost since the beginning. Tony was also instrumental in the chapter's hosting of a significant reunion event of TAGS cast members in 2000 in Danville.

Tony, a talented woodworker, unfortunately had a series strokes in recent years. He had recovered well enough for a return visit at Mayberry Days last year, which delighted his many friends. Family and friends were shocked and saddened when Tony suffered another stroke in February from which he did not recover.

Tony is survived by a loving family, including wife Robyn and their young children, son Cody and daughter Brittany.

February 20^th, the day following Tony Terry's passing, Nadine Lowery, founder of "Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy!" chapter (Sumter, S.C.), passed away at age 76. Nadine's many loyal years with TAGSRWC were the flipside to Tony Terry's experience. Because of the constraints of health concerns, Nadine was never able to attend any Mayberry events with cast members.

She had always wanted to make the trip to Mount Airy, especially for Mayberry Days, but was never able to do so. What Nadine lacked in ability to travel she more than made up for with enthusiasm for TAGS. She was an avid collector of every Mayberry item she could find. And her small chapter was also the subject of local media coverage. On at least one occasion, her collection garnered a huge spread in the local paper. (And she always made sure that TAGSRWC's newsletters were aware of her devotion and activities!)

And it could very well be that, day in and day out, year in and year out, Nadine regularly watched TAGS reruns more than any other one person. She watched the episodes whenever they were on TV Land and her local station. All day and all night. The only thing to rival TAGS was her love of watching wrestling, but really, even that was no match for Mayberry.

Nadine was a great correspondent, and she checked in with TAGSRWC HQ by phone probably more than any other chapter in our history. The U.S. Mail and AT&T were the most available means of communication with fellow fans for Nadine, and she made the most of them. We really miss those calls and letters.

Nadine is survived by a large family, including four children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Her family tells us that they plan to continue keeping up with TAGSRWC through The eBullet and other means. Nadine would surely be pleased by that.

And on April 2^nd we received the news that we feared was coming. Holmes Underwood, a stalwart member of "Shakedown! Shakedown!" chapter (Laurinburg, N.C.), died after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 63.

Many folks in our online Mayberry community had sent cards of encouragement to Holmes during his final weeks, while in hospice. On several occasions, he expressed his deep appreciation to his fellow fans, many of them total strangers, for the kind gestures of support. The bond of support from fellow Mayberry fans meant a lot to him and his family during his last weeks.

Holmes served his country in the Coast Guard, worked at a glass company for 25 years and then operated his own embroidery business. All the while, he was devoted to his family and dedicated to his community and church.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and chapters of these three TAGSRWC members.

We had some hearty entries for this quiz. When the dust settled, only one contestant got all of the answers right. His name is Dennis. No, not multi-time Mayberry Days Trivia Dennis Beal, but Dennis Marshall of Baton Rouge, La. Way to go Dennis Marshall! (This Dennis is also a regular star of Miss Crump's quizzes. He didn't seem to even break a sweat on this quiz.)

Dennis (Marshall) receives his choice of any single item (not counting sets and grab-bags) available online at Weaver's-other than a handful of rare and one-of-a-kind items that have already been designated as fundraisers for charities and Mayberry events.

As promised, Miss Crump is also awarding a prize to another entrant, the one with the next-most right answers. And what do you know... it's Dennis Beal of Mayberry chapter (Knoxville, Tenn.). (Surprise, surprise!) So after Dennis #1 gets his pick of a prize, Dennis #2 can choose. (That's just in case Dennis #1 picks something that we have only one of.)

And Miss Crump also is awarding a door prize, chosen at random from all entrants...just for submitting a quiz. The door prize winner is Tommy Harris of Oxford, N.C., TAGS writer Harvey Bullock's hometown. Tommy didn't get a lot of answers right (bless his heart!), but he still gets a prize. Let that be a lesson to all of Miss Crump's pupils. You can win just by participating. Tommy gets his choice of any item at Weaver's priced at $25 or less.

With our great appreciation to guest quizmaster Paul Mulik for offering this quiz, here are the quiz answers:

1. Andy Taylor is the person who once read aloud from a magazine article entitled "Little-Known Facts Known by Few." He did so during breakfast at the kitchen table during the time when Aunt Bee the swinger was dating Congressman John Canfield.

2. A person in Mayberry County who is known to own a beagle could be either feudin' Jedidiah Wakefield or Clint Biggers, owner of dogs, dogs, dogs. And, while visiting Mayberry County, Inspector Somerset also mentions that he has a beagle, so he counts as a correct answer, too.

3. An instance in Mayberry where one can see a piece of metal stamped with an acorn design is on the door of the gumball machine with which Opie's hobo friend, David Browne, works his magic. (Tuscarora!)

4. On at least one occasion, right after Jim Lindsey is arrested for playing guitar in front of Monroe's Funeral Parlor, we can glimpse writing on the left window of the Barber Shop next door (soon to be known to us as Floyd's Barber Shop, with Floyd as proprietor) that says "Sid Elson, Prop." Even later, of course, that space is Emmett's Fix-It Shop, with Emmett Clark as proprietor, so both Floyd's Barber Shop and Emmett's Fix-It Shop are acceptable answers.

5. According to information available in Mayberry, 110,000 Chinese are living in trees "As a Result of Flood", which is a headline in the newspaper in which Barney cuts a viewing a hole to secretly observe Opie and the bully. The same headline is also seen earlier on the front page of the Mayberry Gazette that announces that Mayberry goes Hollywood.

BONUS: Among the dozen games normally played on a table that are seen or mentioned in Mayberry could be: bingo, blackjack, bridge, cassino, checkers, chess, Chinese checkers, dominoes, gin rummy, go fish, hearts, Parcheesi, penuckle, ping pong, poker, pool*, rob the deck, royal canasta, rummy, Scrabble, setback and solitaire. *Pool table is mentioned. Miss Crump allows this answer even though it is technically a device for a game. (She has a generous heart.)

Miss Crump is going to resume her quiz-giving sabbatical this issue. She'll probably have a quiz in the next issue. But maybe not. She actually does already have a guest quizmaster lined up. She just wants to give Ben Weaver time to replenish his shelves before launching another quiz!

If you ever miss receiving an issue of The eBullet, you can always catch up by reading it in the eBullet Archives in the Newsletters section at iMayberry.com. Each issue is usually placed in the Archives within about a week of its being distributed.

Between issues of The eBullet, keep up with the goings-on in Mayberry with the daily "Who's Been Messin' Up the Bulletin Board?" (aka WBMUTBB) Digest. It's a free subscriber list that consists entirely of comments, newsflashes, and questions and answers from subscribers. You can sign up for that list by going to the "Mailing Lists" link at tagsrwc.com. WBMUTBB also has its own password-protected Archives where you can follow the ongoing stream of messages.

TAGSRWC's other main vehicle for Mayberry information is simply our Web site at www.tagsrwc.com (and its sister site www.iMayberry.com). Both sites have extensive content and links for just about everything a Mayberry fan might be looking for.

The next issue of The eBullet is scheduled for late May or early June, with the next Weaver's Newsletter planned for early May.

TAGSRWC.com
The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club TAGSRWC