1965 TV Special Shows Andy & Don’s Famous “Gettysburg Address”
There’s nothing quite like spending time with an old friend. The banter flows, the conversation is easy, and long-time comfort shines through…
This was the case for Andy Griffith and Don Knotts’ – and especially in this one-of-a-kind 1965 TV special.
Anyone who watched The Andy Griffith Show loved the hilarious way Andy Taylor (Griffith) and Barney Fife (Knotts) played off of one another, but their chemistry was no act. The two were thick as thieves off-screen as well.
The pair didn’t meet on the set of The Andy Griffith Show, which first aired in 1960. Griffith and Fife met on the set of No Time For Sergeants, a play they starred in together on Broadway. The two were instant best friends.
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The hysterical duo’s comedic timing on-screen was the result of hours upon hours of off-set fun. Fife was constantly trying out new comedy routines and had Griffith regularly in tears with his jokes – according to those who were lucky enough to be behind-the-scenes.
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Ron Howard played Griffith’s son on the show and said that there was constant “playful, chaotic, rambunctious fun” on the show’s stage and that anyone who got to see Griffith and Fife interact had no doubt about their fantastic friendship.
Enjoy this fun clip of Griffith and Knotts below.
