The eBullet: Volume 19, Issue 4, July 2019
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The eBullet
An Online Newsletter of
“The Andy Griffith Show” Rerun Watchers Club (TAGSRWC)
Volume 19, Issue 4
July 2019
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Everybody’s ready to rock in Mayberry!
Things have been extra active around Mayberry during the last couple of months, including the annual Mayberry in the Midwest festival (featuring the Mayberry Squad Car Nationals) in Danville, Ind., in May. It was another big success.
Members of the TAGS cast and crew have been making news all around the world, and TAGSRWC members and chapters have been having really interesting and fun Mayberry adventures and gatherings from coast to coast.
Best of all, there’s even more coming up in the months ahead, including the Mayberry Meet-Up in Mount Airy, N.C., this month and Mayberry Days (back to Mount Airy we go!) in September.
Anyway, here’s the latest from around our Mayberry world:
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Floyd’s Barbershop
Bulletin Board
&
Event Calendar
OH, IT’S HOT–“Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.”
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The Andy Griffith Museum, featuring the late Emmett Forrest’s amazing collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia. The museum is open daily in Mount Airy, N.C. For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
These happenings have been posted on Floyd’s bulletin board:
* July 13 and 14: The Roland White Band performs at the 9th Annual Bluegrass on the Green in Frankfort, Ill.
SIGNATURE MOMENT–Betty Lynn adds her personal touch to create another keepsake for a happy fan!
Photo by Hobart Jones.
* July 19: Betty Lynn greets fans at the Andy Griffith Museum 1:00-3:00 p.m. She will have 8 x 10 photos available for autographing ($10). For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
* July 19-21: 7th Annual Mayberry Meet-Up in Mount Airy, N.C. Here’s the link to more info on the event’s Facebook page, and here’s a link (also on the Facebook page) to the online registration form. The event coincides nicely with Betty Lynn’s meet-and-greet at the Andy Griffith Museum on Friday (see above) and Neal Brower’s lecture at the Museum on Saturday (see below).
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Some of the Goober Gang at the Mayberry Motor Inn gazebo during last year’s Mayberry Meet-Up.
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* July 20: Mayberry 101 author Neal Brower’s second summer lecture about TAGS finds him talking about “The Education of Ernest T. Bass,” starting at 2 p.m., in the Andy Griffith Museum Theatre in Mount Airy, N.C. Admission is included with Andy Griffith Museum admission ($8 for adults, $6 for ages 12 and under). Visit www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
* July 27: Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band perform at Hazzard Fest at Rogersville City Park in Rogersville, Tenn. For info, visit www.hazzardfest.com.
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GOOD EGG–You may not get a face on your egg like Malcolm drew for Opie, but you’ll feel like a Mayberry egghead with all the great stuff you learn at Neal’s lecture!
* Aug. 10: Mayberry 101 author Neal Brower wraps up his summer lecture series about TAGS with a discussion of the “Andy’s English Valet” episode, starting at 2 p.m., in the Andy Griffith Museum Theatre in Mount Airy, N.C. Admission is included with Andy Griffith Museum admission ($8 for adults, $6 for ages 12 and under).
Visit www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
* Sept. 19: Karen Knotts performs “Tied Up in Knotts” at a luncheon show from 1:30 to 3:30 at Wright’s Chicken Farm Restaurant in Harrisville, R.I. The cost is $69 for the all-inclusive round-trip motorcoach that is part of part of a group tour, or $45 for just the luncheon and show (drive yourself). For more info visit www.travelgrouptrips.com.
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* Sept. 23-29: 30th Annual Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, N.C. Tickets are available for many of the week’s events, including for concerts by Rodney Dillard & the Dillard Band and by LeRoy “Mack” McNees & Friends, a presentation by Ronnie Schell (two episodes and Duke Slater on “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.”) of his Comedy Revue and Special Tribute to Andy Griffith, and a presentation of “A Deputy’s Daughter” by Karen Knotts (daughter of Don).
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PACES IN THE CROWD–A scene from the 2018 Mayberry Days Parade.
Photo by Kenny Hooker.
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LET’S MAKE A DEAL–Calvin Peeler signing his contract to appear on “Mayberry R.F.D.” as Dick Linke looks on.
Other TAGS stars confirmed so far include Mount Airy’s own Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou), Maggie Peterson Mancuso (Charlene Darling), Clint Howard (Leon), Keith Thibodeaux (Opie’s pal Johnny Paul Jason), Dennis Rush (Opie’s pal Howie), Joy Ellison (Mary Wiggins and five others), Margaret Kerry (Bess Muggins and Helen Scobey), Calvin Peeler (Martin Barton on “Mayberry R.F.D.”; attending his first Mayberry fan event ever) and Bruce Bilson (assist. director for Seasons 1 and 2).
Also attending will be Bettina Linke (wife of associate producer Richard O. Linke), Laura Hagen (wife of music director Earle Hagen) and Dreama Denver (wife of Bob “Gilligan” Denver, who played Dud Wash in “Divorce Mountain Style”).
RIGHT TO THE POINTE–Featured performance on Tuesday (Sept. 24) of Mayberry Days.
Tickets are also available for The Emmett Golf Tournament (and the dinner and entertainment featuring comedian Henry Cho), performances by Ballet Magnificat (Christian ballet company operated by Kathy and Keith Thibodeaux), country music star Collin Raye, bluegrass award-winners The Grascals, the bluegrass comedy of The VW Boys, plus The Embers, Envision, and Legacy Motown Revue, as well as comedy performances by John Floyd (The Mouth of Mayberry) and James Gregory (“The Funniest Man in America”). Tickets are also available for Professor Brower’s Lecture/TAGSRWC Meeting and Colonel Tim’s Talent Time.
Also attending this year is Dick Atkins, producer of Murder in Coweta County, starring Andy Griffith and Johnny Cash.
Other guest stars and more details are TBA. For advance tickets (order early and get those extra-good seats!), visit www.mayberrydays.com. And of course, many parts of Mayberry Days, including assorted contests and performances and the parade, don’t require a ticket.
* Oct. 12: Rodney Dillard & the Dillard Band bring their Mayberry Moments show to Marion, Va., as part of the “Song of the Mountains” TV show.
Ronnie Schell
Dixie Griffith
(aka tribute artist for Fun Girl Skippy)
* Nov. 2-7: Cruise to Mayberry 14 sets sail with Ronnie Schell (two episodes of “The Andy Griffith Show” and also Duke Slater on “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.”) and Dixie Griffith (daughter of Andy) and a boatload of Mayberry tribute artists aboard Carnival’s Sunshine from Charleston to Nassau and Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas. For good measure, Elvis impersonator Wayne Euliss and bluegrass band Cane Mill Road will also entertain.
For more info, e-mail cruise organizer Sharon Euliss of All About Cruises at PWESJE@aol.com or call her at (336) 538-4926.
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**** News of Cast & Crew ****
Ron Howard is onboard to direct his first animated feature film, The Shrinking of Treehorn, based on the beloved 1971 children’s book written by Florence Parry Heide with drawings by Edward Gorey. The film is a joint project between Imagine Entertainment and Australia-based Animal Logic. It’ll be distributed by Paramount.
NBC announced in June that it has ordered episodes of a new series called “Langdon,” which being is being developed by Imagine Entertainment. The prequel series is based somewhat on author Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, one of the stories featuring protagonist Robert Langdon, who has been played by Tom Hanks in three movies directed by Ron (The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons and Inferno).
CELEBRATING RANCE–Clint Howard (right) visits at the Dances With Films festival with director-writer-actor Michael Worth about the making of Apple Seed, which, by the late Rance Howard’s own count, was his 301st film. Rance had just completed work on the film when he died in November 2017.
Ron’s Pavarotti documentary has earned solid critical reviews and strong audience response worldwide. The film also has the distinction of being the first major documentary to be released in theaters in Saudia Arabia.
Apple Seed, a film written with Rance Howard in mind for the lead role, kicked off opening night of the 22nd Dances With Films festival at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood on June 16. The film also features Clint Howard, who joined other members of the cast and crew in discussing the film and Rance’s legacy prior to the screening.
Clint said about the film and his dad, “It was such a blessing. Dad could always shine as a character actor, and he always came prepared, always rehearsed everything.” He added, “He dreamed of it, he did it, he did all the looping and then he passed away.” (Apple Seed is available on DVD.)
Betty Lynn greeted fans at Mount Airy’s Andy Griffith Museum in June, and she’s scheduled to be back July 19, which conveniently coincides with the annual summer-edition of Mayberry Meet-Up. (See Floyd’s calendar above for details.)
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DARLING DUO–Maggie Peterson Mancuso and Rodney Dillard pose at The Caverns in Pelham, Tenn., while there for their Memories of Mayberry show in May. Photo by Mike Bub, who was bass player for The Dillards for the performance.
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RONNIE ROLLIN’ ALONG–Ronnie Schell is passenger in a shell of a car in the parade at May’s Mayberry in the Midwest in Danville, Ind. The car is flanked by Fun Girls Michelle (polka-dotted Daphne) Bryson and Dixie Griffith (Skippy).
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Joy Ellison (Mary Wiggins and others) continues to be in demand as a dialect coach in Hollywood, including currently working with Mel Gibson for one of his upcoming roles.
ABBA, ABBA TRIO–Dorothy Collier-Best (left) as Tanya.
Dorothy Collier-Best (wife of the late James Best) just wrapped up a stint starring as Tanya in a Hickory Community Theatre production of Mamma Mia! at the Jeffers Theatre in Hickory, N.C.
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“GOOBER SAYS WHAT?”–George Lindsey Jr. a-cruisin’ and a-grinnin’ in the parade at Mayberry in the Midwest.
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Mayberry in Memorium
We’re sad to report the passing of two actors with small roles on TAGS, but big careers beyond Mayberry.
Bobby Diamond died in Thousand Oaks, Calif., on May 15. He was 75. Bobby played Evan Hendricks (son of butter-and-egg man Orville Hendricks) in “Aunt Bee’s Invisible Beau” (Episode #154).
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EGG STATIC–Bobby Diamond as Evan points Barney in the right direction.
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BETTER BUTTER THAN EVAN EGGS?–As careless butter-and-egg truck driver Evan, Bobby Diamond finds that the egg business isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.
Born Robert LeRoy Diamond in Los Angeles on August 23, 1943, he was the son of a real estate broker and homemaker. He also had an older sister, Arlene, and a younger brother, Gary. It was his mother, Pearl, who had the notion that Hollywood might be a good track for her son.
Bobby is best known for his starring role as Joey Newton in the hit TV series “Fury” from 1955 to 1960. Prior to “Fury,” Bobby played mostly small, often uncredited parts in sometimes big productions, including Cecil B. De Mille’s The Greatest Show on Earth in 1952 (“I’m 25 rows up with a bag of popcorn in my hand,” he once told the L.A. Times. “You have to look real, real close.”) and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953).
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FURY US–Bobby Diamond, William Fawcett and Peter Graves, the two-legged stars of “Fury.”
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Bobby earned good money on “Fury”–$350 per episode at the start and $750 by the end, but Highland Dale, who played Fury and was the same age as Bobby, made more hay. They horse earned $1,500 at the beginning and $4,500 by the final season, which might in part explain why Highland Dale as the title character appeared in only 81 episodes vs. Bobby’s full 116 episodes.
PIP, PIP, HOORAY!–Bobby as older Pip in the “In Praise of Pip” episode of “The Twilight Zone.”
Smallish parts resumed beyond “Fury,” including his episode of TAGS. Notable roles included as Buddy in “Westinghouse Playhouse” (aka “The Nanette Fabray Show”) for all 26 episodes in 1961 (the same year that he graduated from Ulysses S. Grant High School in Van Nuys) and “In Praise of Pip,” a 1963 episode of “The Twilight Zone” with Jack Klugman and Billy Mumy. He also played Duncan Gillis in seven episodes during the final season (1962-63) of “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.”
Bob, as he preferred to be called once he began seeking adult roles, was cast as the lead in one feature–as paratrooper Eddie Slocum in Airborne (1962). After the chute for his career as a leading man didn’t fully open, he continued with his career in supporting roles in everything from “Mr. Ed” and “The Fugitive” to “Lassie” and “My Three Sons” (for which he had earlier and unwisely turned down the role of son Robbie Douglas, because it was a shorter commute to instead play Buddy on “The Nanette Fabray Show”).
Bob always acknowledged that his mother had been the “architect” of his show-business career. When she died in 1963, his career lost much of its momentum, largely because Bob didn’t have interest in dealing with the business side of show business that his mother had always handled so well.
RIDDLE ME THIS–Who was robbed Robin?
But there was still some good acting work to be found. Bob was even the first choice for the role of Robin in the 1960s “Batman” TV series before, at age 22, being deemed too old for the part, which went instead to 20-year-old Burt Ward. (Holy two-year age difference, Batman!)
Though he continued to have small parts and cameos in TV and movies (including the campy horror flick Scream in 1981), Bob largely turned to a career path outside of acting.
After earning his B.A. in broadcast journalist in 1965 (just weeks after his TAGS episode aired) from what is now California State University at Northridge (where he was an accomplished gymnast on the steel rings), Bob went on to earn his law degree in 1970 from what is now the University of West Los Angeles and began practicing criminal and civil law (specializing in personal injury and medical malpractice) in Woodland Hills in 1972. (Actor Kelsey Grammer was among his clients, as were some of his fellow child stars of the 1950s and 1960s who had remained friends through the years.) Like his father, Bob also had a knack for real estate investment.
Bob’s acting and legal careers intersected between 1984 and 1986, when he appeared as an attorney in about two dozen episodes of TV’s “Divorce Court.”
Over the years, Bob made frequent appearances at Hollywood celebrity festivals for fans, especially ones devoted to Westerns. He received many accolades for his work on “Fury” in particular. Bob also became an accomplished oil painter.
Bob married Tara Parker (a fellow former competitive gymnast) in 1986 and had two sons, Robert and Jesse. The couple later divorced. His sons survive him.
Bobby Diamond had a fast-paced career, on camera and off, but TAGS fans are happy that he took at least a moment during his college years to stop by Mayberry and break a few eggs.
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Arte Johnson, died of heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles in the early morning of July 3. He had been undergoing treatment for bladder and prostate cancer for three years. He was 90 years old.
ARTE MOMENT– A Raleigh nice man.
Arte, best known for his iconic performances on “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” portrayed the unnamed hotel clerk in 1962’s “Andy and Barney in the Big City” (Episode 57). His was a small, but memorable scene, because his encounter with Barney elicited the explanation to Andy that registering at the hotel as Barney Fife, M.D., was short for Barney Fife, Mayberry Deputy.
Born Arthur Stanton Eric Johnson to parents Abraham Lincoln Johnson (an attorney) and Edythe Mackenzie (Goldberg) Johnson on January 29, 1929, Arte (a nickname sometimes reported to be derived from a playbill typo that billed him as Art E. Johnson) attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he worked at the campus radio station with brother Coslough (later an Emmy-winning comedy writer) and was graduated with a degree in radio journalism in 1949.
After graduation, Arte initially pursued an advertising career in Chicago, but soon moved to New York to take an entry-level job with Viking Press. On a lark at lunch one day, he auditioned for a role on Broadway in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in late 1949 and got a small part (along with Mayberry’s Howard Morris and Reta Shaw).
By the mid-1950s, Arte was staying busy in a wide variety of roles for New York-based TV shows and also was performing comedy in local nightclubs as well as in the Poconos.
In 1955, Arte was a member of the cast of the Off-Broadway production of The Shoestring Revue. And in 1957, he was a replacement actor to play Ben Whitledge (the role originated on Broadway by Roddy McDowall) toward the end of the Broadway run of No Time for Sergeants.
His early TV performances ranged from single episodes in small parts in “The Danny Thomas Show” and “December Bride” to recurring roles, including four episodes as Stanley Schreiber in “It’s Always Jan” (1955-56) and seven episodes as Bascomb Bleacher Jr in “Sally” (1958).
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DOC YOU MEANT?–Andy and Barney Fife, M.D., checking in with Arte at their Raleigh hotel.
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NO ONE WANTED TO NOT SEE NUTSY NAZIS! NOT SO?–Arte as Wolfgang in a “Laugh-In” sketch with Bob Hope.
Arte became more of a familiar face (and voice) in the 1960s with his guest appearances in top shows such as “The Twilight Zone,” “McHale’s Navy,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “The Donna Reed Show” and TAGS. He was also featured as Cpl. Lefkowitz in 18 episodes of NBC’s now almost forgotten “Don’t Call Me Charlie” in 1962-63.
Arte’s big break and his place as a legend of TV history came when the pilot for “Laugh-In” aired in September 1967. He is forever beloved for his portrayal of Wolfgang Busch, the ever-wary German soldier, who’s trademark “Ver-r-r-ry interesting” was a running gag throughout the series.
Arte also created the character of Tyrone F. Horneigh, the mumbling old man who would routinely encounter Ruth Buzzi’s spinster Gladys Ormphby sitting on a park bench. Tyrone would inevitably utter some comment that caused Gladys to start whopping him with her handbag.
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HOW YOU DOIN’?–Arte with Ruth Buzzi in one of their classic sketches on the park bench.
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Other popular characters by the master of dialects included the ever-enchanted Rabbi Shankar and a kooky Russian named Piotr Rosmenko. In his four seasons on “Laugh-In,” Arte was usually the one in the yellow raincoat riding the tricycle (and always tipping over) in a popular recurring segment. Arte won an Emmy for his “Laugh-In” performances in 1969 and was also nominated in 1970 and 1971.
BLOOD BROTHERS?–Arte as Renfield, manservant to George Hamilton’s Count Dracula in the hit 1979 comedy film Love at First Bite.
During and after “Laugh-In,” Arte maintained an incredibly full career as an actor in shows ranging from “I Dream of Jeannie” to “Night Gallery” and from “The Dukes of Hazzard” to “Murder, She Wrote.” He appeared as Clive Richlin in 14 episodes of “Glitter” in 1984-85 and sailed in 8 episodes of “The Love Boat” between 1977 and 1984.
Especially during the 1970s, Arte was fixture on variety shows and virtually every celebrity game show made, including nearly 100 episodes of “Hollywood Squares” alone.
READY, WILLING AND LAPEL–Arte and Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan) on set in 1978.
Arte was, however, busiest with voice-over work. He was in countless animated shows, including as the voice of Weerd in “The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo” in 1985, 34 episodes of “The Flintstone Kids” (1986-88), as Devil Smurf and other voices in “The Smurfs” from 1983 to 1988, “The Animaniacs” in the 1990s and, in his last role before retiring, as Virman Vundabar in “Justice League Unlimited” in 2005.
Arte also performed in numerous commercials and did voice work for more than 80 audiobooks, including best-sellers by writer Dave Barry. He returned to Broadway in 1997 to perform several roles for a three-month run the Leonard Bernstein musical Candide at the Gershwin Theatre.
Arte was in other plays, including a 1985 production of Wally’s Café (a play co-written by ace TAGS writer Sam Bobrick) at the Cape Playhouse in Dennis, Mass.
JUST FOR LAUGHS…AND A GOOD CAUSE–Arte un-retired from performing in 2009 for a single benefit performance of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors in Los Angeles. Cast members pictured here are (l-r): Martin Short, Rita Wilson, Tom Hanks, Arte, Eugene Levy, Shirley Jones, Peter Graves, Christina Applegate, Kelsey Grammer and Alanis Morissette.
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Arte is survived by his wife of 51 years, Gisela, and by his brother, Coslough Johnson. There are no plans for formal funeral services, but Arte’s ashes will be taken to Hawaii for a private ceremony. In lieu of flowers, Arte’s family is requesting donations be made to Actors & Others for Animals, Best Friends or to cancer research.
Beyond helping reveal the vital information of what the M.D. stood for after Barney’s name, there can be no doubt that Arte Johnson always left us laughin’ and led a very interesting life. Ver-r-r-ry interesting indeed!
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**** Chapter Update ****
SA-A-A-AY–That’s my kind of chapter!
We’re pleased to announce that a new chapter has started since the May eBullet:
Down at the Barbershop Loris, S.C.
Welcome to TAGSRWC! This newest chapter brings us to a total of 1,460 chapters founded.
Starting a chapter of TAGSRWC is really a breeze to do. Just pick a name that hasn’t already been selected by another group and let us know who your founders are and where you’re based.
You can check the searchable list of chapter names already taken at www.tagsrwc.com. Then submit your chapter’s name with a list of your founding members by e-mail (to Goober@imayberry.com) or by U.S. Mail to TAGSRWC’s HQ (118 16th Avenue South, Suite 4, PMB 146, Nashville, TN 37203-3100).
Whether or not you start or join a local chapter, you can always join our online “Who’s Been Messin’ Up the Bulletin Board?” chapter or any of several chapters on Facebook.
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**** Merchandise Update ****
You’ll find a variety of new items, best-sellers and hard-to-find collectibles online at TAGSRWC’s Weaver’s Department Store.
Here are some highlights:
Mayberry Patrol Car License Plate
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2020 Andy Griffith Show Wall Calendar
Nostalgic Hair Styles Poster
$12.00
Just in time for those summer haircuts, Mr. Weaver has been working with Floyd to bring you a recreation of the “Official Hair Styles for Men and Boys” print that hangs in Floyd’s Barbershop. (They’re hair styles and they’re “official”!)
The print is 16″ x 20″ on heavyweight stock. The print will be shipped in an art tube to protect it during shipment.
The print includes a recreation of the sample hair styles offered at Floyd’s shop and a scene representative of a certain man and his son walking home from the fishin’ hole in the top left corner. Get a copy for yourself and some for the whole crew!
A Face in the Crowd DVD
New Release! $28.00
This critically acclaimed 1957 movie (also starring Walter Matthau and Patricia Neal and directed by Elia Kazan) was Andy Griffith’s first film. Many people feel it’s Andy’s best acting work outside of TAGS, though his Lonesome Rhodes character is a far cry from Andy Taylor.
* Newly restored 4K digital transfer
* New interview with Ron Briley, author of The Ambivalent Legacy of Elia Kazan
* Facing the Past, a 2005 documentary featuring Andy, Patricia Neal, Anthony Franciosa, screenwriter Budd Schulberg, and film scholars Leo Braudy and Jeff Young
* Trailer
* An essay by critic April Wolfe, excerpts from director Elia Kazan’s introduction to the film’s published screenplay, and a 1957 New York Times Magazine profile of Andy Griffith
Aunt Bee’s Apple Pie T-Shirt
Available in sizes from Toddler to Adult 3X
There’s always room for Aunt Bee’s Apple Pie, and you can spread the word that “It’s goooood!”
Weaver’s has more than 50 different T-shirt designs to choose from! Most of our adult-sized T-shirts are just $20. A few designs are $18, and the Lawmen and Sheriff all-over designs are $25. (The long-sleeved Sheriff shirt is $40.) Several designs are available in sweatshirts (and some also as hoodies) as well.
$32.00
Get ready for a picnic with one our comfy fleece blankets. Or maybe just snuggle up on that couch Goober was telling us about.
This blanket is 100% polyester made from soft napped insulating polar fleece and measures 36 in. x 58 in. The Fishin’ Hole design is on one side with the reverse being a soft white fleece. Easy to wash and quick drying. We also have fleece blankets in two other designs, both featuring Barney.
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Miss Crump’s Summer Reading
SENTENCED–Reading is fun. Period.
We have all kinds of great books about Mayberry that are perfect for relaxed reading during the summer. Just get a nice cool glass of lemonade or sweet tea, sit in your rocker or porch swing or under a shady tree (or indoors with air conditioning!), and sit back and read interesting things about Mayberry.
If you nod off for a snooze now and then while you’re at it, that’s O.K. Floyd even recommends it.
And there’s more! We have caps, Goober beanies, stickers, deputy patches and both Mayberry Sheriff and Mayberry Deputy badges.
And remember that your purchases from Weaver’s help support Mayberry events and Mayberry-related charitable causes all year long at locations all around the country. Those sales also help keep our online Mayberry newsletters and communities available to everybody free of charge. As always, thanks for browsing Weaver’s!
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**** Chapter News ****
Chapters have been meeting and on the move with lots of activities and events since the May eBullet. We’ll share most of the news via photos and captions.
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READY TO GRILL AND CHILL–Members of “Shakedown! Shakedown!” chapter (Laurinburg, N.C.) welcomed folks from throughout southeastern North Carolina and from as far away as Florida to their annual pool party/cookout. This photo shows most of those who attended, but to give a better idea of the scope, there were 132 pieces of chicken grilled. Phil “Ernest T.” Fox (holding brick) and Jeff “Howard Sprague” Branch (in dark hat) also provided musical entertainment for the gathering, which conveniently coincided with Andy Griffith’s June 1st birthday.
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Note from the Mayberry Sheriff’s Dept. Blotter: Believe it or not, it’s happened again. One of the replica Mayberry squad cars owned by the Mayberry Café (Danville, Ind.), hosting eatery of Mayberry in the Midwest, was hit while parked in front of the café on June 16. The driver apparently fell asleep at the wheel. As previously reported on this beat, the café’s 1963 Ford Gallaxie was also hit on April 26. The damage in the most recent accident was much more extensive (see photo below).
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“AIN’T YOU GOT A JACK?”–Ouch! It’ll require more than a shovel and a rake (or even having a jack in the trunk) to repair the damage to the Mayberry Café’s replica squad car.
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Mayberry Memories chapter (Eau Claire , Wisc.) reports that they’re back in full swing with summer car shows, parades, and Mayberry presentations for retirement homes and other groups in their part of Wisconsin. Ken Anderson (aka the Mayberry Guru) leads the charge in his Mayberry Sheriff’s uniform and with his Mayberry squad car replica.
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ON THE MOVE–Steve Hinkley of “A Dollar and a Quarter” chapter (New Philadelphia, Ohio) sits in the sidecar as Mark Enger of Colorado Fishin’ Hole Whistlers chapter (Colorado Springs, Colo.) handles the cycle and as cycle owner Rusty Graves stands guard during a June visit to Rusty’s eclectic museum in Salida, Colo., which has been home to Barney’s actual motorcycle and sidecar for several years. (Read all about the motorcycle’s journey HERE.) Rusty is in the process of moving the now-closed museum and restaurant to a new location in Colorado. Stay tuned for an update when that move has been completed.
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On their way home to Ohio from Colorado, the “Dollar and a Quarter” contingent stopped by to visit friends at Blood Brothers chapter (Macon, Mo.) The Blood Brothers group had to cancel some wintertime events because of bad weather, but they’ve been making up for it this summer. They’ve got a new card-making group that plans to meet every three months or so (see photo below) and they have their summer barbecue set for this month.
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GROUP GREETINGS —The Blood Brothers chapter has started a subgroup called The Blood Brothers Mayberry Card Guild, which makes greeting cards for local nursing homes, church ministries and recipients overseas–all as a creative way to spread a little Mayberry sunshine to others. The group is seen here at their meeting in June.
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Members of Mayberry chapter (Knoxville, Tenn.) and a welcome interloper from Barney chapter (Greensboro, N.C.) enjoyed a Mayberry-oriented trip to the greater Los Angeles area in June.
Among the Mayberry friends they visited were Clint Howard, Ronnie Schell (and son Greg), Margaret Kerry, Joy (Miss Mayberry Jr.) Ellison, LeRoy McNees (and wife Jan), Stark and Cort Howell (sons of Hoke “Dud Wash” Howell), Alan Oppenheimer, family of Hal Smith. The group also visited Mayberry-related sites–some iconic, some rarely seen and some both iconic and rare.
Here are a few photos with some highlights from the trip:
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MOUNTED PILOTS–Michael Lowery (left) and Dennis Beal of Mayberry chapter sit in the cockpit of the Cessna used as Aunt Bee’s plane in “Aunt Bee’s Big Moment.” The group’s discovery led to what is believed to be the first-ever deliberate encounter with the plane by Mayberry fans.
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IN PLANE SITE–Mayberry chapter’s Vickie Drescher poses with the current owner of Aunt Bee’s plane (owner’s name withheld to protect his hangar from possible onslaughts of unannounced hangers-on).
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STAGE RIGHT–Bruce Bilson (third from right), assistant director for TAGS Seasons 1 and 2, comes to grips with members of TAGSRWC at a doorway to the soundstage at the former Desilu Cahuenga Studios where TAGS was filmed. Bruce graciously shared his memories in a rare guided tour with the group on June 6 during their Hollywood vacation. Others pictured (l-r) are: Michael Lowery, Dennis Evans and Dennis Beal (all of Knoxville’s Mayberry chapter); Karen Knotts (yes, of the Knotts Barney Farm!); Neal Brower (of Barney chapter in Greensboro, N.C.); and Vickie Drescher (Mayberry chapter). With Bruce leading the way, the group didn’t even have to sneak in, but the footwear indicates that they came well prepared to be sneaky (and make a run for it) if necessary!
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We’ll have more coverage of this special Hollywood trip in our September issue. But for now, on to wedding bells…
SHOES AND RICE TIME–Newlyweds Bruce and April Fisher of Single Bullet Society chapter (Randleman, N.C.) pose with their wedding cake during the reception at the Loaded Goat restaurant in Mount Airy on June 15. Neal Brower of Barney chapter officiated at the ceremony, which took place in the replica Mayberry Courthouse in Mount Airy.
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Within days of each other, two TAGSRWC members from Arkansas showed that they are trained noticers of all things Mayberry.
LOADED QUESTION–Goat gotta go?
First up was this 1923 newspaper clipping from Bill Yates of Fort Smith’s yet-to-be-named chapter:
All we can say about that one is, “Blooey!”
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A short time later we received the following clipping from Bill Dugan of “Don’t Do That, Ollie. Don’t Do That” chapter (Wynne, Ark.):
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If you wrote this into a play, nobody’d believe it.
With that, will wrap Chapter News for this issue. If you have news or photos of your chapter activities that you would like to share with The eBullet, please send your updates to Goober@imayberry.com.
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Special Programming Note–Keep an eye on your local stations for a Mayberry infomercial from the folks at Time Life. They’ve put together a fun half hour of Mayberry clips promoting their new DVD set, which, along with favorites from TAGS and “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.”, also includes the first-ever DVD release of episodes from the second and third seasons of “Mayberry R.F.D.” Even if you’ve already got your quota of episodes in your personal collection, the infomercial provides an entertaining 30 minutes of cleverly edited Mayberry clips.
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**** Mayberry on the Web ****
The iMayberry Community
This TAGSRWC online group is organized and overseen by webmaster Allan “Floyd” Newsome with help from Keith “Col. Harvey” Brown. You can check out the fun and sign up for free at: http://imayberrycommunity.com.
The iMayberry Community complements our other online activities, including our main www.imayberry.com page, podcasts, Facebook pages, online newsletters (such as The eBullet!), weaversdepartmentstore.com and chat rooms.
“Two Chairs, No Waiting” is our weekly podcast of TAGS news, interviews and pretty much whatever happens to be going on in and around Mayberry. It’s hosted by Allan Newsome. Most weeks also include a Mayberry History Lesson from special correspondent Randy Turner.
There’s a new episode every Tuesday (and you can watch and listen live during tapings on Monday evenings). Past episodes are in an online Archives in case you want to listen to or view classic installments you’ve missed. (As of this week, there have been an astounding 538 episodes since Allan started the podcasts in 2008.)
And you’ll also find links on that web page to a couple of other outstanding Mayberry-related podcasts: Burke on Mayberry (hosted by TAGSRWC’s Kevin Burke) and the Mayberry Bible Study Podcast (another one hosted by Allan Newsome).
TAGSRWC’s official page on Facebook has over 245,000 Mayberry friends! You can find us at www.facebook.com/tagsrwc. If you haven’t already dropped by the page, we hope you’ll check it out sometime when you have the chance. We invite you to become a TAGSRWC Facebook Friend!
We also have links in our “Liked by this Page” section to the pages of several TAGSRWC chapters on Facebook (including the Gomer and Goober Pyle Comic Book Literary Guild), as well as to Facebook pages of Mayberry Days, the Andy Griffith Museum, TAGS actors and others.
Ben Weaver also has his own Facebook page at www.facebook.com/weaversdepartmentstore. It features all the latest in Mayberry items and merchandise news.
**** Post Note ****
You can always catch up on back issues by visiting the eBullet Archives in the Newsletters section at imayberry.com. Each issue is placed in the Archives at the same time that it’s published.
Between issues of The eBullet, keep up with all the happenings 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 Archives where you can follow the ongoing stream of messages.
TAGSRWC publishes Weaver’s Newsletter (our brother-figure publication) in alternate months to The eBullet. Like The eBullet, the Weaver’s Newsletter is free. Its focus is tilted slightly more to Mayberry merchandise and collectibles and quick newsflashes. It has some content overlap with The eBullet, sometimes earlier and sometimes later, depending on the timing of the news. To sign up, go to Weaver’s Newsletter Sign-Up.
The next regularly scheduled issue of The eBullet will be our pre-Mayberry Days edition published in September. The next Weaver’s Newsletter is in the queue for August.
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SOAR WINNER–One more look at the Aunt Bee airplane, with a tip of our editorial wing to Mayberry chapter for sharing special images from their recent California travels.
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