The eBullet: Volume 14, Issue 4, July 2014
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The eBullet
An Online Newsletter of “The Andy Griffith Show” Rerun Watchers Club (TAGSRWC)
Volume 14, Issue 4
July 2014
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Summertime fun!
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Welcome to our fourth issue of The eBullet for 2014! A lot has been going on, and even more is coming up in what has been a very busy year of Mayberry activity. Here’s the latest…
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Floyd’s Barbershop Bulletin Board
&
Event Calendar
“Whoo-eee! You’re right, Floyd. There is a lot goin’ on in Mayberry this year!”
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The Andy Griffith Museum, featuring the late Emmett Forrest’s spectacular collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia (the world’s best!), is open daily in Mount Airy, N.C. For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
Ronnie Schell
* July 23-27: Ronnie Schell performs at the Improv at Harvey’s Lake Tahoe (Nev.). For info visit www.harveystahoe.com.
* July 26: David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning patrols the Somernites Cruise in downtown Somerset, Ky.
* Aug. 1: There will be no aaarghuing about umpire calls when David “Mayberry Deputy”Browning is on deck at the Bristol (Va.) Pirates game.
Dean Webb (on mandolin) with Missouri Boatride
* Aug. 2: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride continue their free Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series outside of the Hillbilly Bowl at Kimberling City Shopping Mall. Like Mayberry’s Darling boys, they’ll be performing on the back of their ’41 Chevy truck. From 7 to 9 p.m., more or less every third Sat. through Sept. Bring your lawn chairs, but no overnight camping.
Roland White
* Aug. 3: Roland White plays at the Bon Odori Dance Festival, New Paltz, N.Y.
* Aug. 8: David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning listens for off-key notes during the Bristol Sings Faith in Action fundraiser in Bristol, Tenn.
* Aug. 8 and 9: James Best performs his “Best in Hollywood” show at the Lawrenceburg High School in Lawrenceburg, Ind. Show time is 7:30 p.m. on Friday, and tickets are $20.
On Saturday, James joins his “Dukes of Hazzard” co-stars Catherine Bach, Sonny Shroyer, Rick Hurst and others for the “Dearborn County Turns Hazzard County” festival from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more info about both days, call (812) 290-3475 or visit www.niteouttransportation.net.
* Aug. 9: Neal Brower, author of Mayberry 101, presents a lecture on the “The Songfesters” episode of TAGS, starting at 2 p.m., in the Andy Griffith Museum Theatre in Mount Airy, N.C. Admission is included with an Andy Griffith Museum armband ($3 or $5) or is $5 without one. For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
* Aug. 13: Karen Knotts unleashes her one-woman “Tied Up in Knotts” show on Hoover Auditorium at Lakeside Chautauqua in Lakeside Marblehead, Ohio, on the banks of Lake Erie. Show time is 8:15 p.m. For info, find a web-footed red-crested lake loon to follow, or visit www.lakesideohio.com.
Betty Lynn with beaming fans at the Andy Griffith Museum. Photo by Hobart Jones.
* Aug. 15: Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) greets fans at the Andy Griffith Museum 12:30-1:30 p.m. She will have autographed 8?–10 photos available ($10). For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
* Aug. 15: You’ll be doubled over with laughter with David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning at the Elizabethton (Tenn.) Twins game.
* Aug. 16: Maggie Peterson and Ronnie Schell perform Love Letters at the Hiram High School Auditorium in Hiram, Ga. Show time is 7 p.m. Maggie will also sing some favorite Charlene Darling/Mayberry songs, and Ronnie will perform some of his stand-up comedy. General admission tickets are $25.00 For more info, visit www.touchofmayberry.com.
* Aug. 16: You can take David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning out of Salem, but you can’t take Salem out of his tour schedule for the Salem (Va.) Red Sox game.
* Aug. 20: David “Mayberry Depu-T. Bass” Browning casts about at the grand opening of the Bass Pro Shops store in Bristol, Tenn.
* Aug. 21: David Browning sets up his Checkpoint Chickie at the Food City Race Night at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol Va. If you give ’em 185, they’ll take 190. If you give ’em 190, they’ll take…
Maggie and Rodney at Mayberry in the Midwest in May.
* Aug. 22 and 23: Rodney Dillard and Maggie Peterson are joined by several of the Mayberry tribute artists (including David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Allan “Floyd” Newsome, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, Phil “Ernest T.” Fox, and Jeff “Howard” Branch) for a Cruise-In in Oakboro, N.C., on Friday, and then a concert benefiting the Montgomery County DARE program on Saturday at the James H. Garner Center in Troy, N.C. Tickets for the Saturday show are $20 for reserved seats and $15 for general admission. Tickets for children 6 years-12 years old are $10. For more info, call Jeff Branch at (704) 985-6987, e-mail jbranch205@windstream.net, or visit www.bluegrassintroy.com.
Missouri Boatride (featuring Dean Webb, far left)
* Aug. 23: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride continue their free Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series outside of the Hillbilly Bowl at Kimberling City Shopping Mall. They’ll be performing on the back of their flatbed truck from 7 to 9 p.m.
* Aug. 29 and 30: Karen Knotts performs “Tied Up in Knotts” at the Edison Repertory Theatre in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. Show time both nights is 7 p.m. For more info, call (760) 934-6592.
* Sept. 5: The Roland White Band has a CD release party at The Station Inn in Nashville, Tenn. Show time is 9 p.m., and admission is $12.
* Sept. 5 and 6: You’re sure to spot a loon when David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning goes “Back to Nature” for the Tom Johnson Camping Center Fall Barbecue in Marion, N.C.
* Sept. 13: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride close out their free Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series outside of the Hillbilly Bowl at Kimberling City Shopping Mall. They’ll be back on the back of their Chevy flatbed truck. From 7 to 9 p.m. Bring your lawn chairs or whatever you like to sit on while listening to music under the stars.
F TROOP BUDDIES–Kenny Berry (left) and Larry Storch.
* Sept. 14: Ken Berry is among the stars making a special appearance at The Comedy Store in Hollywood, Calif., with Ken’s old “F Troop” co-star Larry Storch for “Larry Storch Live,” which will be Larry’s official final stand-up performance, on the same stage where he first did stand-up those many decades ago. Show time is 7 p.m. For tickets and more info, call (323) 650-6268 or visit www.thecomedystore.com.
* Sept. 19: Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) greets fans at the Andy Griffith Museum 12:30-1:30 p.m. She will have autographed 8?–10 photos available ($10). For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
* Sept. 19: There will be lots of carrying on when David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning works security at the Carriage Travel Club Grand National Rally in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
* Sept. 21-24: Life Lessons From Mayberry: It’s All There in Black and White in Ridgecrest, N.C. (just outside Asheville) is a Bible study event drawing on the biblical truths and life applications found in “The Andy Griffith Show.” The event is $295 per person (based on double occupancy), which includes three nights of on-campus lodging, eight meals, Bible study sessions based on favorite TAGS episodes, dynamic preaching, worship, an orchestra concert of TAGS tunes, and a lunch with favorite Mayberry tribute artists. To register, call Ridgecrest Conference Center at (800) 588-7222 or visit www.lifeway.com/mayberry.com. (And after the event, Mount Airy and Mayberry Days are conveniently just down the road a piece!)
* Sept. 25-28: 25th Annual Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, N.C. As always, numerous “Andy Griffith Show” stars will be on hand. Stars already confirmed are hometown favorite Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) and Darling Boy Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band, who will perform a matinee show on Friday. James Best also presents his popular “Best in Hollywood Show” on Friday afternoon, and Karen Knotts returns with her fun, wonderful “Tied Up in Knotts” show, at 12:30 p.m. on Friday.
Elizabeth MacRae brings her “Old Black Magic” back to Mount Airy.
Other guests scheduled to return include Elizabeth MacRae (Lou Ann Poovie on “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.”); Morgan Brittany (Mary Alice Carter); George Spence (Frank the Boyfriend); and George Lindsey, Jr. Also, her work schedule permitting, Joy Ellison (Mary Wiggins, Effie, Iris and others) hopes to attend her first Mayberry Days this year! Other festival favorites include David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning and the merry Mayberry band of tribute artists, the VW Boys and their “Salute to Mayberry,” and Michael Hoover’s “Memories of Elvis.”
James Gregory
Also, there will be a hilarious comedy show on Friday night by the amazing James Gregory, “the Funniest Man in America.” And the Embers warm the night with their music on Thursday, while the legendary Tams bring their soulful coastal music to the amphitheater on Friday evening. And much more TBA! There will be something for everybody at this special 25th Mayberry Days. Visit www.surryarts.org for more info.
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* Oct. 3: 54th Anniversary of the premiere of “The Andy Griffith Show” on CBS.
“Ohhh, you get a line and I’ll get a pole, honey!” “Honey.” “You get a line and I’ll get a pole, ba-abe!”
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* Oct. 3: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride perform for the The Old Brush Arbor, at Keystone Baptist Church in Reeds Spring, Mo.
* Oct. 5: Karen Knotts brings her “Tied Up in Knotts” show to the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto, Calif., at 2 p.m. For tickets and info, call 209-338-5071 or visit www.galloarts.org.
* Oct. 19: LeRoy “Mack” McNees and wife Jan share their faith and bluegrass gospel music during the 11 a.m. worship service at the New Horizons Baptist Church in Oxford, N.C.
* Oct. 23: “An Evening with Ron Howard” as part of the Bryan Series, hosted by Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C. In a moderated conversation, Ron will offer the Bryan Series audience some reflections on his 50 years in the motion picture and television industry.
He will discuss his journey from his role as Opie to his achievements as one of the most accomplished filmmakers of our time. Expect him to talk about the creative process and the significance of his films including Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon. The presentation starts at 7:30 at the Greensboro Coliseum.
Ticket sales for current Bryan Series subscribers and new Series subscriptions (for a total of five lectures) are underway now. Sales of single event tickets to Ron’s lecture (and the others) start Aug. 15. Single ticket prices haven’t been announced yet. For more info, visit www.guilford.edu/bryan-series.
* Nov. 1-6: Cruise to Mayberry 9 stars LeRoy “Mack” McNees, George Lindsey Jr. and a passel of Mayberry Tribute Artists for music, sights, sun, fun, and games…and hearty eatin’ aboard Carnival’s Victory cruise ship, departing Miami for Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman. For more info, contact Sharon at All About Cruises (336) 538-4926 or by e-mail at pwesje@aol.com or visit the website at www.allaboutcruisesnc.net.
* Nov. 5-10: David Mayberry Deputy” Browning joins the VW Boys and a boatload of down-home comedy, bluegrass and country music performers on the Acoustic Cruise sailing from Charleston, S.C., to the Caribbean. Info is at www.ExclusiveCruiseTravel.com, call Kathy Kennedy at (877) 288-7711.
2015
* Jan 9: Karen Knotts performs “Tied Up in Knotts at the Norris Center in Naples, Fla. Show time is 7:30. For more info, call 239-213-3058 or visit www.naplesgov.com.
* Jan. 11: Karen Knotts performs “Tied Up in Knotts at the Florissant Civic Center in Florissant, Mo., at 2:00 p.m. Admission is $28.00. For more info or tickets, call (314) 921-5678 or visit www.florissantmo.com.
* Feb. 15: Karen Knotts performs “Tied Up in Knotts at the Howard Performing Arts Center on the campus of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Mich. Show time is 7:30. For more info, call 888 467-6442 or visit www.howard.andrews.edu.
* Mar. 5-7: The 18th Annual George Lindsey UNA Film Festival in Florence, Ala. Details TBA. For updates go to www.lindseyfilmfest.com.
Otis loves a fifth of anything!
* May 1 and 2: Fifth Annual Mayberry Comes to Westminster festival in Westminster, S.C. Details TBA. Photo highlights from 2014 are at www.mayberrywestminster.com.
* May 15-17: Mayberry in the Midwest returns to Danville, Ind. Among the festival’s highlights are the parade, the Mayberry Squad Car Nationals, and performances by the Mayberry Tribute Artists. Guest stars and other details TBA. For now, just mark your calendar.
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**** News of Cast & Crew ****
Organizer John Pyles of the Don Knotts Statue Fund in Don’s hometown of Morgantown, W.V., informed us last week that, thanks in great part to some recent generous donations by friends of TAGSRWC, they have now reached their goal of $50,000 to pay for the statue! It’s now full speed ahead on completing and installing the statue. The current expectation is that the statue will be completed by next spring. The statue fund committee is most appreciative of all who have supported the effort, including Don’s family, friends, fans and the Morgantown community.
Meanwhile, there’s still a need for donations for the overall project. The fund-raising focus now shifts to creating a proper garden park to surround the statue. The plan is to wait to install and unveil the statue until the surrounding park is also ready for visitors. So it’s not too late to offer support to the cause and be part of making this special tribute to Don Knotts a dream come true. Checks should be sent to: Don Knotts Statue Fund in care of Your Community Foundation, 111 High Street, Morgantown WV 26505.
Ron Howard and his Imagine Entertainment partner Brian Grazer last week announced a deal for their company to produce (along with Scott Pascucci and Grammy winner Nigel Sinclair) and for Ron to direct a documentary about the touring years of The Beatles. “Imagine” that! Fab for Ron…and for Beatles fans everywhere! “What’s so compelling to me,” Ron told Rolling Stone, “is the perspective that we have now, the chance to really understand the impact that they had on the world.” Keep up with the project’s progress at www.thebeatlesliveproject.com.
The duo of Howard and Glazer is also set to produce a new adaptation of East of Eden for the big screen. Jennifer Lawrence has been announced as one of the stars.
“WE WANT A GHOST STORY!”–Ron Howard tweeted this photo of himself with writer Neil Graiman, touring graveyards in London earlier this month.
And Ron is preparing to direct a film version of Neil Graiman’s best-selling The Graveyard Book. He’s also likely to direct or at least produce the film version of another best-selling book, The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair for Warner Bros.
And that’s not all. Ron has signed on as executive producer for a mini-series based on the Clan of the Cave Bear book series. The series is expected to air on Lifetime next year.
Ron’s also still very much involved in post-production for his next feature film release, In the Heart of the Sea, which will be in theaters next March.
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CHIEF CONCERN–Ron recently tweeted this 1961 photo of himself at his drawing table as he was coming to grips with brave brother Clint, who apparently wanted to practice his own quick-draw. Follow Ron on Twitter at @RealRonHoward. It’s always fun to keep up with what he has been up to…today and 53 years ago!
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IT’S A GIGGLE FEST–Betty Lynn having fun with fans at the Andy Griffith Museum in May. Photo by Hobart Jones.
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Ronnie Schell (two TAGS episodes and Duke Slater on “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C”) completed a stint at Harrah’s Improv Comedy Club in Las Vegas in June. He’s bringing laughs to Harvey’s in Lake Tahoe this week. And he’ll be performing Love Letters with Maggie Peterson in Georgia in August (see Floyd’s bulletin board above).
Jackie Joseph, front and center on the Doris Day cruise. You can follow the links (at left) to her enthusiastic account.
Jackie Joseph and husband David sailed on an exciting 17-day Doris Day cruise from L.A. to New York (via the Panama Canal!) in May. Jackie also continues to write a column once or twice a month for the Tolucan Times. In fact here’s a link to Part One of her two-part report on the Doris Day cruise. And here’s a link to Part Two of her cruise recollections. You can also click on the Tolucan‘s archives for Jackie and read her past, always interesting and upbeat columns.
James Best has had an active year so far with performing and making personal appearances. And also painting (you can view-and buy!- his work at www.jamesbestart.com). But, like Jackie Joseph, James also has been making time for some fascinating sightseeing and leisurely travel. He has just returned from a family vacation in Europe. But barely back from that, he has already gotten in a performance of his one-man “Best in Hollywood” show in Fort Payne, Ala., this past weekend.
Morgan Brittany (Mary Alice Carter) is gearing up for touring and media appearances to promote her new book, titled What Women Really Want, which is being released the week before Mayberry Days in September. (Yes, books will be on hand for her to sign at the event!)
Margaret Kerry (Bess Muggins and Helen Scobey) has been busy as usual with lots of Disney-related appearances. She just got back from a Disneyana Club event in Garden Grove, Calif., last weekend. Keep up with Margaret on her website: www.tinkerbelltalks.com. The Club House section of her site also has a video of her cutting up with George Lindsey Jr. (That Club House area of her site is for “members only” and requires a paid subscription.)
Gone but not forgotten. Two short books about Frances Bavier have recently been written by two TAGSRWC members who are residents of Siler City, N.C., the last town Frances called home. First is Daddy Meets Aunt Bee in Siler City (about 50 pages) by Connie Lineberry. It recounts how Frances became friends with Connie’s family through meeting her father at church.
The second book is Highlights of Frances Bavier’s Life by Larry & Vickie Russell (rbfrussell@gmail.com), who bought Frances’s Siler City home in 1990, following Frances’s death in 1989. This book (60 pages) has stories from various folks around Siler City who knew Frances, as well as lore about her home.
Though not available at Weaver’s, both affectionate collections of local memories of Frances in her retirement years can generally be found for $10 or less online and elsewhere. Both have large print and generous line spacing for reading that’s eye-strain free!
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**** Chapter Update ****
Two new chapters have started since the May eBullet. That brings us to a new total of 1,422 chapters that have been founded since TAGSRWC started in October 1979. (For the record, the first chapter, Andy in Nashville, officially formed in 1982, followed that same year by Barney chapter in Greensboro, N.C. Aunt Bee chapter in Cookeville, Tenn., and Opie chapter in Orlando, Fla., followed soon after.)
Here are the two newest chapters in our long, meandering and fun-filled trail of chapters:
| “Here Puss Puss” | Russell, N.Y. |
| Mayberry County Department of Public Safety | Hawkeye, Iowa |
Starting a chapter of TAGSRWC is really easy to do. Just pick a name that hasn’t already been chosen (that’s the challenging part!), and submit it with a list of your founding members by e-mail or by U.S. Mail to TAGSRWC’s HQ in Nashville. There’s a searchable list of chapter names that are already taken at www.tagsrwc.com. You can submit your chapter name request to Goober@imayberry.com.
Once your submitted chapter name is approved, you’ll receive your Official Chapter Charter. What you do as a chapter is entirely up to you. Some chapters get together regularly and do elaborate activities. Others just watch the show together from time to time, or even just think about doing that. (“Yep, that’s the plan.”) Either kind of chapter activity–and anywhere in between–is always 10-4. We try to operate TAGSRWC not so much by the book, but by the heart.
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. (It’s really quick and easy to do. Info is at tagsrwc.com.)
We always enjoy hearing news (and seeing photos) from existing chapters. (See the Chapter News section below.) And if HQ can ever be of any service to your chapter (“Will you help us?”), we’re always here to do whatever we can.
So go ahead and just jump in where you can, hang on and enjoy all the fun of being part of a TAGSRWC chapter!
**** Merchandise Update ****
We have three brand new officially licensed TAGS items this month! Those and other highlights are below. Browse the full selection of books, apparel, DVDs, music, artwork, collectibles, items for your vehicle and much more at our online Weaver’s Department Store (www.weaversdepartmentstore.com).
We appreciate your shopping at Weaver’s, especially because Weaver’s sales are by far the main thing that helps TAGSRWC be able to offer financial support to Mayberry Days and other Mayberry-connected events and charitable efforts throughout the year. We appreciate your helping us do that through your shopping with us!
New This Month:
The 2015 Andy Griffith Show Wall Calendar has just arrived! (It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!)
$15.00
Now in stock!
We think the 2015 edition is a particularly good edition. It features 11 different characters (a new record for 21st century Mayberry calendars). All photos are black and white, but there’s a lot of nice color in the design around the photos.
Because of a smaller allotment this year, this edition may end up being somewhat harder to find later on than some previous editions have been, but we’ll do our best to keep it in stock for as long as we can. There just may not be the discounts available to later shoppers that some earlier editions have had.
As 2015 will be the 55th Anniversary of TAGS, what better way to keep Mayberry on your mind every day than with this cool calendar!
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Two New T-Shirts!
Three Mayberteers T-Shirt
New!
$20.00
This design is brand new this month!
It’s all for one and one for all with these three Mayberry buddies on this happy cream-colored, 100% cotton shirt.
It’s sure to make everybody smile. Just grin and grin and grin!
New!
$25.00
We’re excited to have this new design in the popular All-Over design. An official Mayberry manufacturer hasn’t made these types of shirts in about 15 years, but these shirts were always enormously popular when they were available in the past. It’s great to have them back!
This shirt is a super-soft and lightweight material made of 65% polyester/35% cotton. You’ll get smiling looks coming and going, wherever you go.
And best of all, you can always be sure that Andy, Barney, and Opie have got your covered on both your front…and your back!
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Featured This Month at Weaver’s:
Don Knotts Birthday Month Special
Cover price: $27 From now till the end of July only: Just $16!
Here’s a great book at a great price for summer reading. The Incredible Mr. Don Knotts is coffee-table book with interesting text and photos that all fans of Barney and Don Knotts will love. And we’ve got copies that are brand new and $11 off the cover price for just $16! (That’s a discount of more than 40%!) But this extra-super deal is only now till the end of July in celebration of the 90th anniversary of Don’s birth on July 21. After that, the book goes back to our usual discount of $5 off at a price of $22, still a great deal….just not quite as great as it is during the next 10 days!
This is our third July of running this special. It might be the final time–not because we don’t love running the special, but because we’re getting close to selling out of our inventory of this book, which has already been out of print for several years. But we’re pleased to offer this keepsake book at this special price at least this one more time.
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From Ben Weaver’s Archives:
Mayberry Mania Board Game
$59.00
This Andy Griffith Show trivia game came out in 2002. It has been out of production for many years and is one of the rarest of the licensed Mayberry items, but we’ve got one left. This copy is still sealed and in mint condition.
A really fun trivia game for Mayberry fans of all ages and skill levels. That is, assuming you know at least the basics, like who is Andy Taylor’s son. And plenty of challenges for those who consider themselves experts.
Mayberry R.F.D on DVD!
NEW!!!
$26.00
The First Season of “Mayberry R.F.D.” was released by Warner Bros. on DVD in April. This is the first time seasons of Mayberry have been officially released for sale in any format!
If the first season (26 episodes) sells well, we expect the other two seasons (also 26 episodes each) will follow before long.
The list price of this Complete First Season DVD set for “Mayberry R.F.D.” is $30, which is a nice deal, but we’ve worked to get our Weaver’s Department Store price down even lower, to $26, or just $1 per episode.
Weaver’s of course always has individual Season sets of “The Andy Griffith Show,” The Entire Series (now only $109.00!) and a 50th Anniversary Collection of TAGS on DVD, as well as “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” and favorite movies and other features starring Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, George Lindsey and the Dillards.
Season 1 of TAGS on Blu-ray
$59.00
The Complete Season 1 of “The Andy Griffith Show” on Blu-ray was released by CBS in May!
Among the features on the Blu-ray is a 1957 episode of the CBS show “Person to Person,” featuring Andy Griffith (and wife Barbara) being interviewed by host Edward R. Murrow. But perhaps most special are some Howard family home movies shot on the “Andy Griffith Show” set! And the 1960 “Danny Meets Andy Griffith” pilot for TAGS and the 1986 Return to Mayberry movie are other features that have been announced so far.
“I priced it at WHAT?! Where’s my jug!”
Our Weaver’s Department Store is stocking the Blu-ray set now. The list price for the First Season is $130 ($21 more than our current price for the box set of the entire eight seasons of TAGS on regular DVDs!) We’ve been able to wheedle ol’ Ben Weaver’s price down for this Blu-ray set to just $59, which is 55% off! (We think Ben must’ve gotten into that jug of Christmas spirits a little early this year! You may want to order before he wakes up to discover how low he priced this Blu-ray!)
Fife Security Thermometer
$21.00
Did your thermometer break last winter? And how’s the temperature where you are this summer? This thermometer is designed for temperatures up to 120 degrees. Beyond that point, we refer you to Rafe Hollister for further updates. (“I know how hot I am when I’m hot. Dang hot!”)
T-Shirts Galore for Summer !
Are you ready to add a cool splash of Mayberry fun to your summer? Well, Weaver’s is ready to help you. We have over 30 designs of licensed Mayberry T-shirts, most available in sizes Adult Medium to 2X, and several also in Small and a few in 3X. All (except the Lawmen design above) are 100% cotton and preshrunk for a sizing that lasts.
We have lots of Barney designs, some with Andy and Opie, a couple with Gomer and one with Floyd. And a few with just words. So there’s something Mayberry to wear for everybody!
Just a few of our T-shirts
SPECIAL NOTE: The primary licensed manufacturer of “Andy Griffith Show” T-shirts has informed us that, because of their increased costs, we now have a 30% increase in what we pay vs. what we paid for T-shirts the last few years. We’re holding the line on our Weaver’s prices until the end of this month, but after that, our prices will need to increase from $18 to $20, which is also already the price for the new Three Mayberteers shirt above. (The new Lawmen shirt is $25, because it’s the more expensive All-Over design.)
Not to be too pushy, but…
We’re absorbing as much of the 30% extra cost as we can and not passing it all along to our shoppers. And even the higher $20 price will still be less than many retailers have been charging for officially licensed shirts for a while. In any case, Bert Miller encourages summer T-shirt shoppers to shop soon and save an extra 10% while you can.
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Find all of these items and much more at weaversdepartmentstore.com, or just click on the orange and blue Weaver’s button at the top left or top right of the page whenever you’re visiting www.imayberry.com..
**** Chapter News ****
Fans gathered in the gazebo at the Mayberry Motor Inn in Mount Airy for fellowship and a screening of “A Feud Is a Feud” during the Mayberry Meet-Up in July. Photo by Allan Newsome.
Members from at least five states and several chapters, including organizing host Mother Figure (Huntsville, Ala.), local host Mayberry Hotel (Mount Airy, N.C.), Barney (Greensboro, N.C.), Briscoe of Mayberry (Indianapolis, Ind.) and “A Dollar and a Quarter” (New Philadelphia, Ohio), got together for the second annual informal Mayberry Meet-Up in Mount Airy. Most who gathered are also members of our online “Who’s Been Messin’ Up the Bulletin Board?” chapter.
Folks at the Meet-Up got together for meals, rerun watching, and socializing in the gazebo at the Mayberry Motor Inn (Alma “Aunt Bee” Venable, proprietor). And they enjoyed taking in all the sights (and tastes…we’re talking about you, Snappy Lunch!) of Mount Airy.
Especially enjoyable was everybody having the chance to stop by Floyd’s City Barber Shop and visit with Russell Hiatt (America’s Barber). He had been under the weather for a few months, starting not long after his big 90th Birthday Bash in January, but he is back holding court and making sure his shop remains a cut above the rest.
Neal Brower (standing, left) enjoys watching Allan Newsome do an impromptu “Floyd” for the audience gathered in the basement theater at the Andy Griffith Museum for Neal’s lecture on the “Back to Nature” episode on July 12. Photo courtesy of Terry Mayew (Barney chapter).
One of the highlights of the weekend was to hear Barney chapter’s own Professor Neal Brower give his monthly TAGS Talk, included with admission at the Andy Griffith Museum on his lecture days.
Unfortunately, members of Barney chapter were also greatly saddened recently with the passing of longtime member David Price in June. Our thoughts continue to be with his wife Diann and all their Barney friends.
The weekend before the Meet-Up in Mount Airy, Briscoe of Mayberry chapter had everybody on the truck (including Briscoe tribute artist Bob Mundy) in Ohio to visit and be in a Fourth of July parade with their friends at the “Dollar and a Quarter” chapter in New Philadelphia.
And got time to breathe, got time to travel…the Briscoe members were on the truck a few weeks earlier for a homecoming get-together of fans at the Mayberry Cafe in Danville, Ind., where “Them Timers Are Tricky” (Largo, Fla.) was also visiting back home again in Indiana. Among those also on hand for that gathering were Mayor Pike tribute artist Eric Lowry and also several members of our “WBMUTBB?” chapter.
Members of two ladylike North Carolina chapters visited Nashville’s HQ Andy chapter this month. First came a rare appearance of the usually invisible Sarah chapter (Charlotte), and then a few days later the ever bubbly-wubbly Mavis Neff (Durham) arrived.
Tammy and Jeff Branch (as Millie and Howard) observe the trivia contest during this summer’s meeting/cookout in Laurinburg.
“Shakedown! Shakedown! (Laurinburg, N.C.) was featured in their local newspaper, which covered the chapter’s June meeting attended by Jeff and Tammy Branch, tribute artists for Howard Sprague and Millie. Here’s a link to the story: Shakedown. The “Shakedown!” bunch is also very active in helping out at Mayberry Days, especially with the Silent Auction.
Mayberry chapter (Knoxville, Tenn.) continues with its long string of monthly meetings. They regularly celebrate the birthdays of cast members (most recently, Dean Webb and Margaret Kerry). They usually try to have a cake that’s the favorite of the cast member being celebrated. When not marking a birthday, the group has a wide variety of activities and events out and about the region. The Mayberry loons are headed to a local lake for a day in August, and some members are planning a road trip to see Maggie Peterson and Ronnie Schell perform Love Letters at the Touch of Mayberry event in Hiram, Ga., also in August. Here’s a couple of photos from some of the chapter’s other summertime adventures:
LOOKING OUT FOR NUMBER ONE–But at least there’s no sign of lightning as Mayberry chapter has its annual miniature golf outing in June.
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Members of Mayberry chapter pose at the Fourth of July parade in Farragut, Tenn. Their next big public appearance will be at Mayberry Day during the local TVA Fair in September. Photo courtesy of Dennis Beal.
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HART OF MAYBERRY–We were sorry to learn of the passing in May of longtime Mayberry fan and TAGSRWC member Emogene (Gene) Hart. A resident of Bedford, Ind., she was an avid and delightful correspondent about all things Mayberry for three decades, and a devoted TAGS viewer since 1960. She was 89. We’ll always remember her as an always smiling person.
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We expect to have a report in our September issue about our first known gatherings of members of more than one TAGSRWC chapter outside the United States. It’ll be happening not just once, but likely twice with two different international chapters and a U.S. chapter. (O.K., so maybe it’s all happening just across the border in Canada, but it’s still a first and there is an international Checkpoint Chickie involved, so it’s big!)
If your chapter has news or photos to share, you can write to us the old-fashioned way at OUR NEW MAILING & SHIPPING ADDRESS: 118 16th Avenue South, PMB 146, Nashville TN 37203-3100, or by e-mail to Goober@imayberry.com.
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**** Mayberry on the Web ****
The iMayberry Community
This TAGSRWC online group is organized and overseen by webmaster Allan “Floyd” Newsome. You can check it out 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 page, online newsletters (such as The eBullet!), weaversdepartmentstore.com and chat rooms. Combined with TAGSRWC chapters and the various Mayberry events for all fans (from Mayberry Days to ocean cruises), not to mention enjoying the sites of Mount Airy year-round, the world of Mayberry fun keeps expanding.
And best of all, it’s all rooted in watching the show itself. Whether through DVDs and Blu-ray, streaming video, local stations, or TV Land, loving to watch the show continues to be the energy that feeds all the other Mayberry fun and activities that we enjoy. What a wonderful thing Andy Griffith and his talented team of actors, musicians, writers and crew people created 54 years ago–for us and generations to come!
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. 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 episodes you’ve missed. (There have been 289 episodes since Allan started the podcasts in October 2008.)
There’s a lot of info and discussions that you simply won’t find anywhere else, including rare interviews (vintage and new) with cast and crew members of TAGS. If you’ve got sound on your computer or have an iPod or similar device, you can easily tune in live or download these podcasts.
Also, check out the podcast area of our www.imayberry.com site for info about a Mayberry Bible Study Podcast, also hosted by Allan, and a “brother figure” podcast called Burke on Mayberry, hosted by Kevin Burke.
TAGSRWC’s official page on Facebook now has more than 68,000 friends! You can find us at www.facebook.com/tagsrwc. There’s a variety of comments about Mayberry, and a lively stream of thoughts from fans about TAGS, plus photos. And our Facebook page is also one of the first places we post announcements and breaking news about TAGS. 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!
**** Post Note ****
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 at about the same time that it’s distributed to subscribers.
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.
And TAGSRWC publishes Weaver’s Newsletter in alternate months to The eBullet. Like The eBullet, the Weaver’s Newsletter is free. Its focus is tilted a little more to Mayberry merchandise and collectibles and quick newsflashes. To sign up, go to: Weaver’s Newsletter Sign-Up.
TAGSRWC’s other main vehicle for Mayberry information is simply our website 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 eBullet is planned for September (our pre-Mayberry Days issue!), and the next Weaver’s Newsletter will be out in August.
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Remembering Don Knotts on July 21,
the 90th anniversary of his birth.
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