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The eBullet
An Online Newsletter of “The Andy Griffith Show” Rerun Watchers Club (TAGSRWC)
Volume 15, Issue 5
September 2015
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Floyd’s Barbershop
Bulletin Board & Event Calendar
TOURIST OR HAIR?–Mayberry Days is this month? Saaaay! Hurry up, Goober, and finish putting this car back together, so Gilly Walker can drive me to Mount Airy…fast!
DON’T TAKE THIS FOR GRANITE–While strolling around the grounds of the Andy Griffith Museum, be on the lookout for this recently excavated feature.
The Andy Griffith Museum, featuring the late Emmett Forrest’s outstanding 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.
* Sept. 17: David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning leads a mini-troupe of Mayberry tribute artists for a Mayberry event at Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn. The program starts at 6 p.m. and includes a fried chicken dinner, costume contest and show. Tickets are $15. For more info, visit https://www.bellevue.org/mayberry.
Photo by Hobart Jones.
* Sept. 18: Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) greets fans at the Andy Griffith Museum 12:30-3:30 p.m. She will have autographed 8 x 10 photos available ($10). For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
* Sept. 20-23: 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 $300 per person (based on double occupancy), and includes three nights of on-campus lodging, eight meals, Bible study sessions based on favorite TAGS episodes, dynamic preaching, worship, bluegrass concert, and special guest Margaret Kerry (Bess Muggins in “Christmas Story” and Helen Scobey in “Andy Forecloses”). For info, call Ridgecrest Conference Center at (800) 588-7222 or visit www.lifeway.com/mayberry.
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Barbara Eden on her way to Mayberry Days!
* Sept. 24-27: 26th Annual Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, N.C. Mayberry Days started in 1990, so this 26th annual festival marks its 25th Anniversary, and also the 55th Anniversary of “The Andy Griffith Show” itself.
Clint Howard as Leon.
Guest stars confirmed include beloved host cast member Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou); Barbara Eden (Manicurist Ellen Brown), who is making her first-ever appearance at a Mayberry event; Clint Howard (sandwich-toting Leon), who is making his Mayberry Days debut and attending his first Mayberry event since 1997; Elizabeth MacRae (Betty Parker on TAGS and Lou Ann Poovie on “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.”); Ronnie Schell (two TAGS episodes and Duke Slater on “Gomer Pyle”); Morgan Brittany (Mary Alice Carter); Margaret Kerry (Bess Muggins and Helen Scobey); festival favorite George Spence (Frank the Boyfriend); and George Lindsey Jr.
James Gregory
Tickets are available online for key parts of the weekend, including the Mayberry Days Golf Tournament (aka The Emmett) and banquet show; Doug Dillard Tribute Concert by Darling boy Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band, with special guest Maggie Peterson (Charlene Darling); 
“Remember Me with Laughter: A Tribute to James Best” presented by Dorothy Best with David Browning; the comedy show of James Gregory (“the funniest man in America”); the VW Boys Tribute to Mayberry; and Neal Brower’s Lecture including TAGS assistant director Bruce Bilson (who, after his two seasons on TAGS, went on to be an Emmy-winning big-time director of other top shows). Clint Howard will also join Neal for a bonus Q&A session in conjunction with TAGSRWC’s Annual Meeting, which immediately follows the full-length lecture with Bruce Bilson.
And there’s still more, including “Tied-Up in Knotts” starring Karen Knotts, Colonel Tim’s Talent Time, Michael Hoover’s “Memories of Elvis,” Smoke on the Mountain, The Embers, The Magnificents Band and much more. For info, updates and tickets, visit www.surryarts.org .
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* Sept. 24-27: Elinor Donahue stars as Mrs. Chumley in a Judson Theatre Company production of Harvey at the Owens Auditorium on the campus of Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, N.C. General admission tickets range in price from $20 to $38 in advance or $43 the day of the show. For more info or tickets, visit http://judsontheatre.com or call 1-800-514-3849.
P.S. The theater is located a little over two hours from Mount Airy, so catching either the Thursday evening show on the way to Mayberry Days or the Sunday matinee on the way home after the festival could be a reasonable possibility for folks wanting to attend both Mayberry Days and Harvey.
* Oct. 3: 55th Anniversary of the airing of the first episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” on CBS.
EVERYBODY BACK ON THE BOAT–Dean Webb (far left) and the boys.
* Oct. 3: Dean Webb and The Missouri Boatride perform at The Old Brush Arbor at Keystone Baptist Church in Reeds Spring, Mo.
* Oct. 8 and 9: Karen Knotts performs “Tied Up in Knotts” for a lunchtime show from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. both days at Der Dutchman restaurant in Plain City, Ohio. For more info, e-mail showtime@roadrunner.com or call (614) 906-1129.
* Oct. 10: Roland White and Diane Bouska perform at the Overland Park Farmer’s Market in Overland Park, Kans.
SEA SCHELL–Ronnie Schell is ready to shine on and foster good times on the Mayberry cruise. It’s the one for you!
* Oct. 12-17: Ronnie Schell is the special guest star on the Cruise to Mayberry 10 to the Caribbean aboard Carnival’s Conquest cruise ship. The cruise departs Ft. Lauderdale for Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, Nassau, and a “Fun Day” at sea.
Activities include a Mayberry trivia contest, whistling contest, Mayberry bible study, variety show, concerts, and entertainment by Tim White of the VW Boys and Mayberry tribute artists, including Allan “Floyd” Newsome, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, Ronnie “Barney” Felker, Bob “Briscoe” Mundy, Christie “Andelina” McLendon, Jeff “Howard Sprague” Branch, Elease “Thelma Lou” Felker, Tim “Goober” Pettigrew and Keith “Colonel Harvey” Brown. “Elvis” tribute artist Wayne Euliss will also be a featured performer. For more info, visit www.allaboutcruisesnc.net/mayberry.php.
Betty Lynn posing with fans at the Andy Griffith Museum. Photo by Hobart Jones.
*Oct. 16: Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) greets fans at the Andy Griffith Museum 12:30-3:30 p.m. She will have autographed 8 x 10 photos available ($10). For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
* Oct. 17: Karen Knotts performs “Tied Up in Knotts” at the Uptown Theater in Grand Prairie, Tex. Show time is 7 p.m. For more info and tickets, visit www.uptowntheatergp.com.
* Oct. 24: Betty Lynn is the special guest when Neal Brower, author of Mayberry 101, presents a lecture on the “Barney and Thelma Lou, Phfftt” 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. For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
* Oct. 30-Nov. 1: Margaret Kerry greets fans in the Gifts By Small Fry Booth at the Comikaze Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, Calif.
*Nov. 20: Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) greets fans at the Andy Griffith Museum 12:30-3:30 p.m. She will have autographed 8 x 10 photos available ($10). For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
* Nov. 27: The Roland White Band performs at the Station Inn in Nashville, Tenn. at 9 p.m.
* Dec. 3-5: EVENT CANCELED Maggie Peterson is the special guest for A Life Lessons from Mayberry Christmas in Ridgecrest, N.C.
* Dec. 5: Roland White presents Bill Monroe Appreciation Night at the Station Inn in Nashville, Tenn.
SEASON’S GREETER–It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas with Betty Lynn at the Andy Griffith Museum. Photo by Hobart Jones.
*Dec. 18: Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) greets fans at the Andy Griffith Museum 12:30-3:30 p.m. She will have autographed 8 x 10 photos available ($10). For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
* Dec. 18: Maggie Peterson and Rodney Dillard join David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning for their “Mayberry Christmas” show at 7 p.m. ET at the State Theater in Elizabethtown, Ky.
* Dec. 19: Maggie Peterson and Rodney Dillard and the “Mayberry Christmas” show troupe featuring David Browning come back to Middle Tennessee with a return engagement in Mt. Juliet at Victory Baptist Church 1777 Tate Rd. 37122. The show starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person and go on sale on Oct. 1. (Details about how to purchase tickets TBA soon.) Child care will also be provided. The event is jointly presented by Abundant Life Church and Victory Baptist Church.
**** News of Cast & Crew ****
GARDEN PARTY–Cheryl and Ron Howard at the wedding of son Reed and bride Ashley Gioffre in August at Winvian Farm in Connecticut. Tweeted by Ron, whom you can follow on Twitter at @RealRonHoward.
Ron Howard finished filming Inferno in Europe in July. Now it’s on to some finishing touches and post-production work. The release date for the film is October 2016. (And don’t forget his In the Heart of the Sea is coming to theaters in December. It’s a whale of a story!)
Also in July, the Directors Guild of America announced that Ron is one of five people who will be recipients of the 2015 DGA Honors, recognizing contributions to American culture through film and television. Ron and his fellow honorees will receive their awards at a ceremony on October 15 in New York City.
Betty Lynn continues to draw large crowds of delighted fans for her monthly meet-and-greet session at the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy. She’s there the third Friday of most months, including this month, and she’ll also be joined by her fellow TAGS stars the next week for Mayberry Days.
Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band were back in the recording studio in Nashville in August. They’re working on a new album that’s scheduled for release in early 2016. After Nashville, Rodney and the band traveled to Troy, N.C., for the annual DARE fundraiser with Maggie Peterson and the troupe of Mayberry tribute artists.
Karen Knotts has just completed a mini-tour of her popular “Tied Up in Knotts” stage show in Indiana and at the first Mayberry Pie Festival in Lebanon, Ky. Next stop for her show is Mayberry Days in September.
CENTRAL CASTING–Jackie Joseph and husband David Lawrence visit with Dick Linke at his favorite Hawaii hangout. Dick’s cast is from a recent tumble at his home. Photo by Bettina Linke.
Jackie Joseph has been back to her globetrotting ways this year with a happy trip to France with husband David in the spring. And this month, she and David are vacationing in Hawaii, where they’re getting in visits with old friends Jim Nabors and Richard O. (Dick) Linke and wife Bettina.
Dick and Bettina’s home (Dick’s man cave/bar in particular) was the cover story (pages 16-18) for the August edition of At Home, the Sunday insert of West Hawaii Today. Here’s the Linke link.
Joy Ellison (Opie’s pal Mary Wiggins and others) is having to miss Mayberry Days this year because she’s working as dialogue coach for Emma Watson in the sci-fi thriller The Circle (also starring Tom Hanks), which is in production in L.A. this month and is scheduled for release next year.
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**** Chapter Update ****
Three chapters have started since our report in the last eBullet, which brings us to 1,435 chapters that have been founded since TAGSRWC started in 1979.
| “That Doctor Show | Grovetown, GA. |
| Mayberry Union High Orange and Blue Athletics | Overland Park, Kans. |
| “Just So’s I Know Where I Stand” | Okla. City, Okla. |
Starting a chapter of TAGSRWC is really easy to do. Just pick a name that hasn’t already been chosen (no easy task at this point!), and submit it 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). There’s a searchable list of chapter names that are already taken at www.tagsrwc.com.
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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**** Merchandise Update ****
HEY EVERYBODY!–Come on in to Weaver’s. Just don’t “clank” when you leave.
Here’s a few of the items we’re featuring at Weaver’s. It’s not too early to get a jump on holiday shopping, you know!
2016 “Andy Griffith Show” Wall Calendar
$15.00
Now in stock!
All the photos contained in this year’s calendar are in black and white, but some of them are from color seasons or publicity photos. The calendar is 12″ wide x 12″ tall when closed and 12″ wide x 24″ tall when open.
Characters featured in this 2016 edition are Andy, Barney, Opie, Aunt Bee, Goober and Gomer (who was missing from last year’s calendar).
Order early and take advantage of this 16-mother calendar. September though December 2015 are featured together with Andy and Opie on display. All other months are in separate openings featuring on new image per month.
New T-Shirt!
Boys Club T-shirt
$20.00
You may think you’ve seen this shirt before, but, while it’s very similar, this tee is without the 50th Anniversary logo of the previous T-shirt.
This T-shirt has a classic image of four of Mayberry’s favorites on a heavyweight 100% preshrunk cotton shirt. The color? Why, that’s Courthouse Coffee, of course!
And one more…
Actually, this shirt is not totally new. It’s a vintage design from the ’90s that we’ve brought back to our lineup.
Show your Mayberry Union High spirit and pride with this rugged T-shirt. Just add sweat, and then everybody will know you’re qualified to be featured in “Scoop” Fife’s “Pickups and Splashes from Floor and Pool“ sports column in the school newspaper.
New-ish…And an Old Favorite
We’ve brought back this classic from a few years back. We’ve always thought this nostalgic T-shirt really captures the easy-going, relaxed feeling of Mayberry with three of our favorite characters smiling and doing what they like best–hanging out at the fishin’ hole.
These designs and most of our T-shirts are just $20. (A few designs are $18, and the Lawmen all-over design is $25.) And getting ready for cooler weather, we also have sweatshirts and hoodies in two designs, as well as caps, Goober beanies and deputy patches.
You’ll find these items and much more, including books, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, rare collectibles, tin signs, artwork, a Barney thermometer, rare board games, blankets, items for vehicles and who knows what all–all online at www.weaversdepartmentstore.com. (Or just go to www.imayberry.com and click on one of the orange and blue Weaver’s buttons at the top.)
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**** Chapter News ****
The biggest gathering of fans and TAGSRWC chapters since the July eBullet was for the annual DARE fundraiser in Troy, N.C., in August. It starred Maggie Peterson and Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band and featured the full contingent of Mayberry tribute artists.
Chapters from at least seven states were in attendance at the event which is spearheaded by Jeff “Howard Sprague” Branch. The largest group was from “Shakedown! Shakedown!” chapter in nearby Laurinburg, N.C. They had 44 members in attendance and they also contributed many unique items to the silent auction. Following the creative impulses of chapter leader Dewey Lamb, the group is also always a big contributor of items to the upcoming Mayberry Days Silent Auction that’s organized by our online “Who’s Been Messin’ Up the Bulletin Board?” chapter.
PILLARS OF MAYBERRY–Maggie Peterson and Rodney Dillard pose by posts with the Mayberry tribute artists squad during their visit to Troy, N.C., for the DARE fundraiser in August.
The next big round-up of chapters and fans in general will be Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, N.C., this month. It’s perennially the largest Mayberry gathering in the country. Be there if you can!
If your chapter has news or photos to share, you can write to us the old-fashioned way at TAGSRWC HQ, 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 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 episodes you’ve missed.
There have been a mind-boggling 343 episodes since Allan started the podcasts in 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. And you’ll also find links there to a couple of other outstanding Mayberry-related podcasts.
TAGSRWC’s official page on Facebook now has more than 170,000 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!
**** 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 is planned for November, and the next Weaver’s Newsletter will be out in October.
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“TATERS!”–Only at Mayberry Days!
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