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The eBullet
An Online Newsletter of “The Andy Griffith Show” Rerun Watchers Club (TAGSRWC)
Volume 16, Issue 4
July 2016
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There’s a lot of news to report in this issue–both things that are coming up and things that have already happened–so we’ll jump right in and get to them.

Floyd’s Barbershop 

Bulletin Board & Event Calendar

  The Andy Griffith Museum, featuring the late Emmett Forrest’s amazing collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia, is open daily in Mount Airy, N.C. For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.

* July 23: Don Knotts statue dedication at 10 a.m. in front of the Metropolitan Theatre in Morgantown, W.V.  As part of the day’s festivities, Karen Knotts presents her “A Deputy’s Daughter” show at  11:30 a.m. at the Metropolitan Theatre. Admission to the unveiling and Karen’s show are FREE and open to the public. For more info, call Kay Fanok at (304) 292-5081, ext. 813, or 1-800-458-7373.  Click here for the event’s Facebook Page.

On Sunday, July 24, Karen will also greet visitors from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Morgantown History Museum, where there is currently a special Don Knotts exhibit.

Many thanks to all the TAGSRWC members who have contributed (both on their own and through TAGSRWC fundraisers) to the effort during the last decade to make this tribute to Don Knotts a reality.

* July 24: The Dillards (featuring Rodney Dillard) perform at 5 p.m. at  First United Methodist Church in Starkville, Miss.  Tickets are $12.50.  For more info, call the church office at (662) 323-5722.

* Aug. 2 -4: David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning patrols the Tazewell (Va.) County Fair.

* Aug. 6: Roland White and his band perform at 9 p.m. at the Station Inn in Nashville, Tenn.

* Aug. 8: A night at the Elizabethton (Tenn.) Twins baseball game is twice as good when David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning is on hand for the game.

* Aug. 13: Mayberry 101 author Neal Brower presents a lecture on the “Goober and the Art of Love” 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 admission ($6).  Visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.

* Aug. 20: Mayberry Night in Troy, N.C. , starring Maggie Peterson, the VW Boys and most of the Mayberry tribute artists in a fundraiser show for the local DARE program.  Details TBA.

* Aug. 23: Hal J. Smith (aka Otis Campbell) 100th Birthday Celebration in Massena, N.Y.  Hal was born in Petoskey, Mich., on Aug. 24, 1916, but called Massena home for many years. Details of the celebration are TBA.  Follow updates on plans at the event’s Facebook page, or contact organizer John Michaud III by phone at (315) 769-2102 or by e-mail at massenaguy2003@yahoo.com.

 

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* Aug. 26-31: As part of the celebration of Betty Lynn’s 90th Birthday (Aug. 29), the historic Earle Theatre in Mount Airy, N.C., will screen June Bride, the 1948 film starring Betty in the title role. Also starring Bette Davis and Robert Montgomery.  And look for Debbie Reynolds and Mayberry’s Amzie Strickland (Miss Rosemary) and Tom Tully (Walt Simpson) in smaller roles.

* Aug. 27 and 28: Oh boy, David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning is in action for the 26th Annual Amboy (Ill.) Depot Days.  All aboard!

* Sept. 10: Roland White and his band perform at 9 p.m. at the Station Inn in Nashville, Tenn.

* Sept. 19-22: Memories From Mayberry: Timeless Truths from America’s Hometown is a Bible study event drawing on the biblical truths and life applications found in “The Andy Griffith Show.” Hosted by the Georgia Baptist Conference Center in Toccoa, GA (90 miles NE of Atlanta). The price is $325 per person.

The all-inclusive price includes three nights of on-campus lodging, eight meals, Bible study sessions based on favorite TAGS episodes, dynamic preaching, worship, and special guest star LeRoy McNees (“Mayberry on Record” and “Quiet Sam”) in concert. To register, call (706) 886-3133 or visit www.mytoccoa.com/mayberry.

* Sept. 21-25: 27th Annual Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, N.C. Stars confirmed so far include Mount Airy’s own Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou), The Dillards (featuring Rodney Dillard), Maggie Peterson (Charlene Darling), Joy Ellison (Effie Muggins, Mary Scobey, Mary Wiggins and Iris), Ronnie Schell (two TAGS episodes and Duke Slater on “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.”), Margaret Kerry (two TAGS episodes), Ronnie Dapo (Arnold Winkler and others), and Karen Knotts (daughter of Don Knotts), who will present two one-woman shows this year: her popular “Tied Up in Knotts” and her brand new one, “A Deputy’s Daughter.” Dorothy Best  and David Browning will also present “Remember Me with Laughter: A Tribute to James Best.”

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Other performances include the comedy of James Gregory (“the funniest man in America”), The VW Boys, Michael Hoover’s Elvis, The Embers (featuring Craig Woolard), The Tams, and the Malpass Brothers. Tickets are also available for The Emmett Golf Tournament, the Golf Banquet & Entertainment, Professor Brower’s Lecture/TAGSRWC Meeting, and Colonel Tim’s Talent Time.

More details and stars TBA very soon. Much of the festival is free, but tickets for many of the activities/performances listed above that have a paid admission are now available online at www.mayberrydays.org.

* Oct. 1: LeRoy McNees and Gloryland perform at the Kern County Fair in Bakersfield, Calif.

* Oct. 21: Roland White and his band perform at 9 p.m. at the Station Inn in Nashville, Tenn.

* Oct. 21: Karen Knotts performs “Tied Up in Knotts” in Milton, Del.  Details TBA.

* Oct. 22: Karen Knotts brings “Tied Up in Knotts” to the Sellersville Theater in Sellersville, Penn.  Show time is 7:30 p.m. For more info, visit www.st94.com.

* Oct. 29 -Nov. 3: Cruise to Mayberry 11 with special guest star Jackie Joseph (aka to Ernest T. Bass’s Sweet Romeena)! Join the fun (including Halloween) in the western Caribbean aboard Carnival’s Paradise cruise ship as it departs Tampa with stops in Grand Cayman (a favorite of Asa’s and Mr. Meldrim’s) and Cozumel (a fave of Daphne and Skippy and Mavis Neff).

A bunch of popular Mayberry tribute artists (and also an Elvis) will join Jackie in providing entertainment and hosting contests, along with all the hearty eatin’ and usual cruise highlights.  For more info, visit www.allaboutcruisesnc.net or call 1-800-832-7993.

* Nov. 25: Roland White and his band perform at 9 p.m. at the Station Inn in Nashville, Tenn.

* Dec. 3: Roland White hosts and the Roland White Band performs for the 20th Annual Bill Monroe Appreciation Night at the Station Inn in Nashville, Tenn.

* Dec. 3: Get “Tied Up in Knotts” for the holidays when Karen Knotts brings her one-woman show to the Monroe Arts Center in Monroe, Wis. Show time is 7:30 p.m.  For further info, go to www.morrismuseum.org.

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**** News of Cast & Crew ****

Ron Howard continues with post-production and initial promotion work for Inferno, which is scheduled to be in theaters (including IMAX) on October 28 and is a solid bet for big box-office success.

And Imagine is producing and Ron is directing The Beatles:Eight Days a Week–The Touring years, a documentary that is being made in cooperation with the Beatles and their families and is scheduled to premiere in theaters on Sept. 16 and then on Hulu the next day.

Ron and the Imagine team are also producing a six-part sci-fi docu-miniseries called “Mars” about the colonization of Mars that’s scheduled for National Geographic Channel’s 2016-17 season.

And Imagine is producing and Ron has also signed to direct the first episode of “Genius,” the first scripted series for Nat Geo.  The series is about great innovators, with the first episode set to feature Albert Einstein.

In a statement about the project, Ron said, “Having already worked with National Geographic on ‘Breakthrough’ and currently in production on ‘Mars’ — our exciting unscripted and scripted hybrid series that tells of our journey to colonize Mars — I look forward to their support as we tell this ambitious but intimate and revealing human story behind Einstein’s scientific brilliance. I hope that his story, as well as those of other geniuses, will both entertain and inspire the next generation of Einsteins.”

The series is expected to premiere next spring in 171 countries and 45 languages.

And it has been announced that Ron will direct and Brian Grazer will produce a film adaptation of the Neal Stephenson novel Seveneves.  A firm schedule for production and release hasn’t been set yet.  Apollo 13 screenwriter William Broyles Jr. is working on the script.

Wanna help Betty Lynn celebrate her 90th Birthday (August 29) and also keep a secret?  Here’s how:  The Surry Arts Council in Mount Airy is wanting to collect at least 90 birthday cards from friends and fans to present to Betty on her birthday.

If you want to participate in this surprise, send your card to:

Betty Lynn
Surry Arts Council
P.O. Box 141
Mount Airy NC  27030

The Arts Council staff will present the cards from all of us to her during her birthday celebration.  And we’re betting that Betty won’t be the only one surprised, because something tells us that TAGSRWC members will come through with a lot more than 90 cards!

Jackie Joseph (Mayberry’s Sweet Romeena) continues to be involved in a variety of social, charitable and acting industry endeavors, as well as writing her “Talk with Jackie” column for The Tolcuan Times, which runs every few weeks or as inspiration or an occasion arises.

And did you check out Jackie at the checkout counter last month in a nice, photo-filled interview feature in Closer magazine (the issue with Burt Reynolds and Sally Field on the cover).

Peggy McCay (Sharon DeSpain) took a tumble at home a couple of months ago.  She’s working on getting back up to full speed and back to being “a big fish in a big pond.”

Margaret Kerry (Bess Muggins and Helen Scobey) has announced that her long-anticipated autobiography, Tinker Bell Talks–Tales of a Pixie Dusted Life, will be officially released at a signing event at Walt Disney’s Carolwood Barn in Los Angeles on August 7.  She’ll also have copies at Mayberry Days in Mount Airy in September.  Meanwhile, Margaret continues to appear regularly at Disneyana events, including recent ones in California and one in Dayton, Ohio. Keep up with Margaret at www.tinkerbelltalks.com.

See more cast happenings in Floyd’s Event Calendar above and Chapter News below.

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We’re very sad to report the passing of three people associated with the production of “The Andy Griffith Show.”

Janet Waldo, who played Amanda, lead prospect on Barney’s roster of possible women for Andy to date (and ultimately of possible players on a proposed Mayberry softball team) in “A Wife for Andy,” Episode 92), died from an inoperable brain tumor at home in Encino, Calif., on June 12.  She was 96.

Janet was widely regarded as one of the top voice-over actors of all time.  She was probably best known for providing the voice of spacey teen Judy Jetson on the “The Jetsons.” But she provided voices to an incredible array of characters in a voice-over career that spanned four decades.

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Janet Marie Waldo was born on February 2, 1920, in Yakima, Wash. She grew up on her family’s ranch, which was adjacent to the Yakima Indian Reservation.  She attended the University of Washington, where she acted in plays and was discovered by Bing Crosby and his talent scouts.  At Crosby’s encouragement, she moved to California to pursue a film career.  When she found herself continually playing bit parts, she turned to radio and became a star as the title character in “Meet Corliss Archer” from the mid-1940s to mid-1950s.

Janet found that she loved doing radio, and then made the natural segue to voice-overs for animated shows.  She was a go-to person for many classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons, starting with “The Jetsons.”

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Along the way, she worked with many of Mayberry’s giants of the voice-over profession, including Hal Smith (with whom she also worked on “Adventures in Odyssey,” the beloved Focus on the Family radio show), Margaret Kerry, fellow “Jetsons” actor Howard Morris (she was Granny Sweet to his Atom Ant) and Jackie Joseph (Janet was Josie McCoy and Jackie was Melody Valentine in “Josie and the Pussycats”). Among her other well-know cartoon characters are Penelope Pitstop (“Wacky Races” and “The Perils of Penelope Pitstop”), Morticia Addams (“The Addams Family”) and Princess and Susan in 85 episodes of  “Battle of the Planets” from 1978 to 1980.

Not as well known outside of Mayberry is the fact that Janet is one of two actors to give voice to Aunt Bee in an official Mayberry film production with original TAGS actors. When Frances Bavier was not available, Janet stepped in as the uncredited voice of Aunt Bee in Return to Mayberry in 1986.

Janet married playwright Robert E. Lee (Inherit the Wind and Mame) in 1948. He died in 1994. She is survived by son Jonathan, daughter Lucy Lee, two grandchildren and her sister, renowned violinist and composer Elisabeth Waldo.

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Ann Morgan Guilbert, who played society columnist Ella in “Aunt Bee’s Cousin” (Episode 232), died of cancer in Los Angeles on June 14.  She was 87.

Ann first made a name for herself as a versatile actor and singer in the late 1950s and early 1960s with the Billy Barnes Revue, which also starred Ken Berry and Jackie Joseph. (Barnes was the husband of Joyce Jameson, Mayberry’s “fun girl” Skippy).

Ann is perhaps most remembered by TV audiences as Millie Helper, Rob and Laura Petrie’s neighbor on “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” and as Grandma Yetta on “The Nanny.” Ann had extensive credits on both stage and screen, with her most recent film work in two episodes this past season on the hit sitcom “Life in Pieces.”  She also had a memorable role as Evelyn, the nosy neighbor to Jerry Seinfeld’s parents in two episodes of “Seinfeld” and a grandmotherly role on “Modern Family.”

Ann also played Nora, Andy Griffith’s sister-in-law (Lee Meriwether’s sister) in all 10 episodes of “The New Andy Griffith Show” in 1971. Other memorable roles included appearances on “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Home Improvement,” a recurring role as Myriam Wambaugh on “Picket Fences,” 19 episodes of “The Fanelli Boys” in the early 1990s, and more recently 15 episodes of “Getting On.”

Ann was born to Cornelia and physician Gerald Guilbert in Minneapolis on October 16, 1928.  She graduated from Solomon Juneau High School (where she was a classmate of future Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell), and she then graduated with a degree in theater from Stanford University, where she met her first husband, actor-producer George Eckstein.  They had two daughters, acting coach Nora Eckstein and actor Hallie Todd, who survive.  Ann was also married to memorable character actor Guy Raymond from 1969 until his death in 1997.

As Ella the society columnist for the Mayberry Gazette would surely have appreciated, Ann Morgan Guilbert always brought just the right amount of quirky grace to performances that always left audiences smiling. And fortunately for fans, her many film performances will continue to do so for many years to come.

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Richard O. “Dick” Linke, “Andy Griffith Show” associate producer and longtime manager of Andy Griffith, Jim Nabors, Ken Berry, Maggie Peterson, Ronnie Schell, Jerry Van Dyke and other stars, died on June 15 at his home in Holualoa, Hawaii.  He was 98.

Dick’s wife, Bettina, posted this announcement from the family:

“He died peacefully with family at his bedside at home. His wish was to spend his last days at home, and he did. With the help of the most accomplished and loving Hospice caregivers and his family and friends, he passed from one Heaven to the other Heaven. He left this place in his Ohio University T-shirt surrounded by special hearts created by granddaughter Elle. After 48 years with him, I know he will be with us always in our hearts and heads. He left his mark on so many. He was loved, admired and cherished. Thank all of you who have expressed condolences. It means a lot to us.”

We’ve prepared a comprehensive, photo-filled Special Edition remembrance about Dick’s life and career that touched our Mayberry world in many ways.  Here’s that Linke Link.

In addition to wife Bettina, Dick is survived by five children: Paul Linke, Nanci Linke-Ellis (both from a previous marriage), Katharine Elizabeth Linke, Richard Oscar Linke Jr. and Bettina Marie McCullough, and 10 grandchildren.

A private funeral service was held in Hawaii.  A public memorial service at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, is also planned.

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 **** Chapter Update ****

Two new chapters have been founded since our last report in the May eBullet.  We now have had 1,444 chapters founded since TAGSRWC started in 1979.

“From the Halls of Montazumer”    LaFollette, Tenn.
“Virgil!”                                                 Morgantown, W.V.

We welcome our newest chapters! Starting a chapter of TAGSRWC is really easy to do.  Just pick a name that hasn’t already been chosen. That’s not as easy as it might sound. Just this month, we had a prospective chapter submit a list of four choices. All were already taken! To avoid that glitch, you can check  the searchable list of chapter names already being used at www.tagsrwc.com.

Anyway, once you do have a name that’s yours and nobody else’s, you just submit the 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, 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. (It’s really quick and easy to do. Info is at tagsrwc.com.)

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**** Chapter News ****

After a full spring with major fan gatherings, including Mayberry Comes to Westminster in South Carolina and Mayberry in the Midwest in Danville, Ind. (both in May), this summer has also been incredibly busy for many fans and chapters.  And there’s still Mayberry Days ahead in September!

Barney chapter (Greensboro, N.C.) celebrated the 25th anniversary of its current configuration in June.  Though founded in 1982, the chapter began having regular meetings as an outgrowth of a core group taking Neal Brower’s continuing-education course on TAGS. They have remained one of our most active and cohesive chapters ever since.  A dozen or so members were on hand for the chapter’s anniversary cookout/weenie roast in June. Congratulations, to all the Barney members on 25 years of fun together!

Another of our oldest chapters is Mayberry chapter in Knoxville, Tenn.  They have had an especially active summer, both close to home, where they’ve played miniature golf, been in a Fourth of July parade and met Barbara Eden at a local celebrity event, and also afar.

The chapter’s biggest news of the summer was a trip to California for several members.  While there, they met with TAGS guest stars Jackie Joseph, LeRoy McNees (one of the Country Boys) and wife Jan, Margaret Kerry, Morgan Brittany (Mary Alice Carter), and Joy Ellison (Mary Wiggins and others), as well TAGS assistant director Bruce Bilson and Karen Knotts.

The group visited the location of the Forty Acres backlot in Culver City (where scenes with TAGS building exteriors and street scenes were shot), Franklin Canyon Reservoir (where many outdoorsy nature scenes were filmed, including Andy and Opie’s Fishin’ Hole walk in the credits), the Warner Bros. backlot where town exteriors for the third season of “Mayberry R.F.D.” were shot, and a rare tour (led by Bruce Bilson!) of the studio soundstage where TAGS interiors were filmed.

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The group also saw stars for Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, and Ron Howard on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Ron’s handprints in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, and the newly installed bronze bust of Andy at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Oh, and at least one of the group stood at the corner of Hollywood and Vine and said hello from Floyd. And much more. All in, it was a wonderful West Coast whirlwind trip for the Mayberry expedition.

July saw around five dozen TAGSRWC members from about 10 chapters from at least seven states getting together for the annual Mayberry Meet-Up in Mount Airy.

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This year’s Meet-Up, organized as always by Allan Newsome of “Mother Figure” (Huntsville, Ala.) chapter and our online “Who’s Been Messin’ Up the Bulletin Board?” chapter, was timed to coincide with Neal Brower’s monthly lecture at the Andy Griffith Museum.

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It was nothing so extravagant as a trip to Hollywood, but Mavis Neff chapter (Durham, N.C.) visited Music City and had a Morelli’s-style meal with members of Andy chapter (Nashville) this month.

And it’s not exactly Chapter News, but it sort of fits here, because it’s all about fans gathering.  Visitors to Mount Airy, N.C., will be glad to know that Bill Hiatt, son of the late beloved Russell Hiatt of Floyd’s City Barber Shop on Main Street, is continuing the family tradition.  Bill and crew are cutting hair at the shop–and of course taking lots of pictures! When you’re in town, be sure drop by to say hey to Bill and share memories about Russell.  And maybe even get a haircut!

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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 able assistance from Keith “Col. Harvey” Brown. 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.

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 classic installments you’ve missed. (There have been 386 episodes since Allan started the podcasts in 2008.)  Of special note recently is Episode 377, which includes interviews from 1998 with Russell Hiatt of Floyd’s City Barber Shop in Mount Airy, N.C.

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.  And you’ll also find links there to a couple of other outstanding Mayberry-related podcasts: Burke on Mayberry (hosted by TAGSRWC’s Kevin Burke) and the Mayberry Bible Study Podcast (hosted by Allan Newsome).

TAGSRWC’s official page on Facebook now has over 235,000 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!

And don’t forget: Ben Weaver has his own Facebook page at www.facebook.com/weaversdepartmentstore. Check it out for the latest Mayberry items and merchandise news.  Even he needs Friends, too!

   **** 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 placed in the Archives at 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.

The next eBullet for is planned for September, and the next Weaver’s Newsletter is in the queue for August.

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