The Andy Griffith Show: Missing Scenes, Laugh Tracks, And Other Issues (6 Viewers)

[John*Wells]

I suspect the only thing this will accomplish is all TAGS physical media going out of print, and associated digital downloads/streams getting pulled.

Either that, or "The 'Ol Fishin' Hole" theme will be replaced with that godawful sounding shit that can be heard on some of the early '00s TAGS public domain releases.

CHEERS!

This is the nightmare scenario. I hope it doesn’t occur. However, as I stated earlier, I think it could open a Pandora’s Box.

That being said, I seem to remember that Andy Griffith released an album through time life in the 70s or 80s in which he sung The Ol Fishin Hole. Wouldn’t the rights have had to be granted to him for that purpose?

 

[Garysb]

Don't forget the theme is not just heard with the credits. It is often heard within an episode as part of the score of an episode. That music would have to be changed or the episode edited to remove the music. I am sure there are people here who remember how this effected the initial release of "The Fugitive ", season releases of "My Three Sons", among others when the music within the shows was changed.

This dispute is over uses of the music that did not exist at the time the contracts were negotiated and were not anticipated .
I assume the contract specifically gave permission to use the theme for broadcast on TV only. The fee paid to the writers was based on this use only. If this was a work for hire, meaning the producers of the show paid the writers to create a theme and then the producers owned the song then we wouldn't have this problem. I think it is unfair to call the owners of the music greedy because the producers didn't pay to own the music. I don't know for certain if these are the facts , I am just assuming they are and the actual facts will come out at trial. Ether CBS will reach a settlement or the case will go to trial. Discontinuing DVD sales or removing the music from future DVDs and streaming version will not make the case go away as there are already many DVDs out there for which the owners of the music claim they have not been properly compensated.

This also means the theme will continue to be heard on METV and where ever else the Andy Griffith Show is broadcast since the broadcast on TV use of the music is not in dispute.

There are two streams of revenue for music. One is for the use of the music in a TV program, movie, commercial etc. and the other is the transmission of the music in public places such as bars, restaurants, hotels, theme parks, department stores, office buildings etc via radio TV, Sirius/XM , music services etc. Whoever holds the publishing rights to the music negotiates the music's use on TV, movies, commercials etc. The public performance of music is mostly handled by one of the performance rights organizations (PROs). In the US they are ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR, which collect royalties on behalf of songwriters or their heirs. The users of the music, bars, restaurants etc and/or the music suppliers such as Muzak (now Mood Music) have contracts with the PROs which allow them to play any music the PROs collect royalties for. In order to cover all music the user must have agreements with all the PRO's as they represent different songwriters. A songwriter is free to move from one PRO to another but can not belong to more then one at anytime.

 

[Blimpoy06]

Season 3:
Episode 06 - Barney Mends A Broken Heart (Epilogue missing!)2
Episode 25 - The Darlings Are Coming (Salty Dog Blues missing!)*

I am very happy to report that these episodes are intact on the new Time-Life Mayberry Collection DVD set!

"Barney Mends A Broken Heart"


"The Darlings Are Coming"

 

[LeoA]

Pretty steep price for two episodes.

Is there a way to buy just volume 1? That would pretty well cover what interests me here other than not having the opening episode of Mayberry RFD where Andy and Helen get married.

Looks to even have all the guest episodes with Barney, which would be nice to have for someone like me that only owns the black & white seasons and didn't care enough for the color years to buy the season sets.

 

[cpalmer2k]

Wow.. that's a big development considering even the streaming versions of Andy Griffith on Amazon and other platforms don't have those portions included. I'm probably going to spring for this set just to get the additional RFD episodes included in it.

 

[PianoPlayer]

Kinda related:
CBS/Paramount just released MY THREE SONS - Season Three on DVD. Not ideal quality, but the original background music is intact.

Hope they don't regret THAT decision after this TAGS situation.

 

[cpalmer2k]

I ordered the Mayberry Collection set. You can use the Coupon Code "SAVE10" to bring the price down to $89.95 at least. Still steep, but having those episodes "complete" and more RFD out there was the deciding factor for me. I'm a sucker for these though. I also own the "Best of" release they did for the Andy Griffith Anniversary a few years ago, and the Target Exclusive "best of" I Love Lucy set.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Although this happened a little while ago, I only just saw that we lost Pat Burns, who played Deputy Warren Ferguson for 11 episodes in the 1965-66 season, died on January 27th at the age of 86!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Burns

 

[Dan McW]

I've been recording seasons 11-13 of Hee Haw for the last several months off of the RFD channel, and Jack Burns appears unbilled about once every episode in a gas-station skit with Goober (George Lindsey). He addresses Goober as "Hey, Rube."

 

[John*Wells]

So I have been watching Gomer Pyle USMC A lot lately. In Season 2 of the show, Opie runs away from home and shows up at Camp Henderson where he tells Gomer, Sergeant Carter and Col. Gray that he wants to join the Marines. Andy Comes to get him and never actually speaks to Gomer face to face. To my knowledge, this is never mentioned again. In Season 6 of TAGS which would be Season 2 of GPUSMC, The Taylor Family visits Hollywood for 2 weeks to see a Movie filmed which is based on Andy. The Hollywood visit is a 3 show arc in which going to See Gomer in San Diego (Camp Henderson) or Opie's going to see Gomer is never mentioned. It seems odd that the 2 were never connected up. Its especially odd in my view because at the end of Season 4 of TAGS, Gomer comes and tells Andy he joined the Marines. Andy, In turn, warns Gomer that life in the Marines will not be as easy as life in Mayberry. Andy Goes on to give Gomer a ride to Camp Wilson for his Basic Training which draws the Ire of Sergeant Carter (Frank Sutton) because Gomer didnt report in with the rest of the recruits. In addition, Gomer is late reporting in.

As today is the anniversary of Jim Nabors' passing, it saddens me that a Gomer Pyle USMC Reunion was never done. I remember in Season 1 as the Platoon is graduating from basic training, Gomer arranges a Reunion of all of his platoon mates at the Cigar store across from the main gate of the base. I dont think the reunion of the GPUSMC cast could have been properly done without Frank Sutton. I would have loved to see it however. I like the Idea of a 1980's reunion with Gomer as a Platoon Sergeant nearing retirement. (to coincide with Return to Mayberry), Duke Slater as a Captain, Carter as the Colonel and Colonel Gray as a 5 star Marine General. unfortunately Frank Sutton died in the 1970s, Jim Nabors passed in 2017 and we lost Forest Compton earlier this year due to Covid

 

[Tony Bensley]

THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW: Season 7 - Observations & Opinions:

This penultimate season would see many lasts. A few are listed below:

- The last Series appearance of Denver Pyle and Maggie Peterson as Briscoe and Charlene Darling, and The Dillards in "The Darling Fortune" (#6). They also reprise "Salty Dog Blues" for the second and last time. This was also their only appearance in a TAGS color episode!

Briscoe Darling, Once Again Looking Somewhat Wary Over His Daughter Charlene's Attentions Towards Sheriff Andy Taylor! It's Been Said That Fellow Recurring TAGS Character Gomer Pyle's Last Name Was Inspired By Denver Pyle!:

- The last Series appearance of Hal Smith as Otis Campbell, the Town Drunk, in "Otis The Deputy" (#13) which looks to me like a reworking of the Season 3 episode "Convicts-At-Large."

Jack Dodson (Howard Sprague); Hal Smith (Otis Campbell); And Andy Griffith (Sheriff Andy Taylor) In "Otis The Deputy" (#13), Which Was Hal's 32nd And Last TAGS Appearance As Town Drunk, Otis Campbell. Hal Smith Was Said To Be A Non-Drinker In Real Life!:

- The last Season in which Don Knotts would make back to back guest appearances, including the one that led to his 5th and last Emmy win for the latter "Barney Comes To Mayberry" episode. That's Five for Five for Barney Five! (Hey, Barney Fife's character was actually called that once, in one of several Fife mispronunciations and misspellings (IE. Fike!) that frequently occurred, always much to the Deputy Sheriff's chagrin!)

Don Knotts (As Barney Fife) Makes Yet Another Emmy Winning Appearance In "Barney Comes To Mayberry" (#19), Which Also Marked The Last Of His Back To Back TAGS Guest Appearances! Diahn Williams (As Teena), Plays Former Mayberry Resident Irene Flogg, Turned Movie Star (And Barney's Date!), Teena Andrews!:

- The saddest last of all: Howard McNear, as the Town Barber, Floyd Lawson, left the Series after it became painfully clear that he could no longer handle the rigors of shooting, and remembering lines. Howard McNear's 80 appearances rank among the highest of the recurring TAGS cast members, this in spite of his not appearing in any 1963 episodes, due to having suffered his first stroke in 1962 during shooting of the show's third season. Floyd's final appearance in the closing Season 7 TAGS episode, "Goober's Contest" (#30), which was also the final one produced for that season, is indeed, most painfully heartbreaking!

Howard McNear (Right, As Beloved Town Barber, Floyd Lawson!) Is Definitely Not Quite Himself At Times, In His 80th, And Final TAGS Appearance, In "Goober's Contest' (#30). It's George Lindsey (As Goober Pyle) On The Left:

Rob Reiner (Center) Makes A TAGS Guest Appearance (As Joe, The Printer's Apprentice) In The "Goober's Contest" Episode. Owen Bush (As Mr. Hammond) Is On The Left, With George Lindsey (As Goober Pyle) On The Right:

Thankfully, There Is This Lovely Final Shot Of Floyd Lawson (Howard McNear) Comforting Goober (George Lindsey), With Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier) Also Offering Her Support, In The "Goober's Contest" Episode!:

Below are a few technical notables:

- After viewing a full color season of 25 minute + episodes, "Otis The Deputy" was the first color TAGS episode that I encountered, in which the running time was under 25 minutes in length.

- As presented on the Season 7 DVDs, the first of the two Don Knotts guest appearances "A Visit To Barney Fife" (#18), fails to give him credit, verbally, or otherwise! In Don's second appearance "Barney Comes To Mayberry" (#19), there is a "Guest Star Don Knotts" credit superimposed over the opening, preceding the usual opening Series name and credits. Was the lack of a listing in the previous episode a leftover syndication era foul up, or could this be how it was originally presented? It's too bad there aren't any readily available original closing credits for either of these episodes for comparison, at least that I'm aware of!

The Only Don Knotts Credit That Appears On Either Of His CBS/Paramount DVD Issued Season 7 TAGS Guest Appearances!:

- To wrap up the technical aspects; while a minor point, no logos follow the end credits for the AGS Season 7 episodes on the CBS/Paramount DVDs.

- Believe it or not, this season was the only one in which THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW ever received an Emmy nomination for Best Primetime Comedy Series! In light of the show being well past the halcyon Black & White era Griffith/Knotts pairing (How did the show never get nominated in those years?), it is little wonder to me that THE MONKEES bagged the Emmy, instead! However, Frances Bavier DID win an Emmy in the Best Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series category!


But Honestly, Did This Really Stand Any Chance....
[

....Against This At Emmy Time?

- For a final notable tidbit, despite TAGS often pointed out shortcomings during the later color seasons, the show finished a then personal best of number 3 among prime time shows, in the then all important Nielsen Ratings!

CHEERS!

THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW: Season 8 - Observations & Opinions:

Unlike the previous 7 seasons of TAGS that I covered, I’m writing this long after my most recent Season 8 viewing experiences. As such, my recollections won’t be as sharp as they were for the previous seasons. Nevertheless, I shall endeavor to persevere, as my mind is now (finally!) set on wrapping up my writings for this iconic series.

In many ways, TAGS final season was the least interesting, as most of Mayberry’s most interesting and colorful characters were by this time, either long gone, or more recently departed. No more Otis Campbell, Floyd Lawson (Due to Howard McNear's declining health. Sadly, he would pass away in early 1969!), The Darlings/Dillards, Gomer Pyle, Ernest T. Bass, to name a few of the more endearing/interesting characters to ever inhabit Mayberry’s streets. For me, the problem with Season 8 wasn’t so much Emmett, as it was the absence of the aforementioned characters. Even Don Knotts’s Barney Fife made but one appearance (The "Barney Hosts a Summit Meeting" Episode) in this final season!

Yet, for all of this, TAGS would achieve yet another summit not reached in any of its previous seven Nielsen Top 10 seasons:

Number 1 Prime Time Series (1967 - 68): THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW!

In all honesty, there is endless grist to chew on in regards to the timing and circumstances that caused TAGS to be the number one prime time show for the first and only time in its 8th and last season (A record that would stand until CHEERS reached number 1 for the first and only time in its 9th season, for 1990-91!) of all seasons! My own observation is this achievement occurred during a rather transitional period in television history, right after BONANZA’s number 1 rated halcyon days, and just before ROWAN & MARTIN’S LAUGH~IN (Which began as a mid season 1967 - 68 replacement!) really took off! For all of TAGS late series shortcomings, this iconic show remained comfort food for so many Americans (And Canadians!) during what was an extremely turbulent time in its history, and of course, the core Andy Taylor family remained in place.

Regarding the previously discussed argument maligning the fact that TAGS lacked sufficient series closure; This was due to the fact that the series wasn’t so much ending, as it was transitioning to the retitled MAYBERRY, RFD, which minus Andy Griffith (Except for periodic guest appearances, ala Don Knotts during TAGS later color seasons!) and Aneta Corsaut, and with new cast members, would retain the core TAGS cast, at least initially.

Like GILLIGAN’S ISLAND, TAGS did ultimately provide closure by producing a later made for TV feature length production. Thankfully, in the case of RETURN TO MAYBERRY (1986), the core surviving cast members and beloved recurring characters did indeed return to Mayberry, in what I consider a well above average TV reunion production. For me, this provides the (mostly) satisfying closure that was lacking in the series proper. Also thankfully, unlike the three GI reunion productions, RTM not only got a decent quality standalone DVD release, but actually saw a very high quality HD 1080p release, as part of THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW Season 1 Blu-ray set, which I am very thankful to have in my possession!

CHEERS!

 

[John*Wells]

Why was Goober's name changed from Beasley to Pyle?

 

[Tony Bensley]

Why was Goober's name changed from Beasley to Pyle?

To more directly emphasize his being related to Gomer Pyle (established in his very first TAGS appearance as his cousin), is my guess.

CHEERS!

 

[David Deeb]

Nice Season 8 observations, Tony. I agree, the absence of the many great cast members make season 8 the least memorable. But Emmet was still the worst of all the replacements. He had no personality or character other than just being bland. At least Howard Sprague and Goober Pyle had some interesting and unique personalities to play off of. Emmet just is "there". I'm about to watch season 8 as well, so we'll see if my opinion changes afterwards.

We still need Mayberry RFD Seasons 2 & 3 to be released on DVD (I'd even be ok with a complete series on digital release). While not the greatest, I'd still like to have it to complete the full cycle of both connected series.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Nice Season 8 observations, Tony. I agree, the absence of the many great cast members make season 8 the least memorable. But Emmet was still the worst of all the replacements. He had no personality or character other than just being bland. At least Howard Sprague and Goober Pyle had some interesting and unique personalities to play off of. Emmet just is "there". I'm about to watch season 8 as well, so we'll see if my opinion changes afterwards.

We still need Mayberry RFD Seasons 2 & 3 to be released on DVD (I'd even be ok with a complete series on digital release). While not the greatest, I'd still like to have it to complete the full cycle of both connected series.

I'm very much interested in your takes based on fresh TAGS Season 8 viewings! I also agree with your above character takes.

It's surprising to me that MAYBERRY RFD Seasons 2 and 3 still haven't seen any kind of DVD/Digital release, and the 50th anniversary of its final originally broadcast episode (March 29, 1971) is approaching.

CHEERS!

 

[BobO'Link]

I'm not. I'm surprised S1 got released. My unpopular opinion is Mayberry R.F.D. just wasn't that good, in spite of having good ratings. They essentially to recreated TAGS with an identical set up of a widowed, single, dad and his young son going so far as to keep Aunt Bea as the housekeeper. Basically Sam and his son took over the roles of Andy and Opie.

During the original airings my sister and I stopped watching it after 4 or 5 episodes. IMHO the worst episodes of S8 of TAGS were those featuring Ken Berry in the attempt to make his character familiar to the audience before airing the back door pilot to the show as the "finale" to TAGS.

 

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

I'm not. I'm surprised S1 got released. My unpopular opinion is Mayberry R.F.D. just wasn't that good, in spite of having good ratings. They essentially to recreated TAGS with an identical set up of a widowed, single, dad and his young son going so far as to keep Aunt Bea as the housekeeper. Basically Sam and his son took over the roles of Andy and Opie.

During the original airings my sister and I stopped watching it after 4 or 5 episodes. IMHO the worst episodes of S8 of TAGS were those featuring Ken Berry in the attempt to make his character familiar to the audience before airing the back door pilot to the show as the "finale" to TAGS.

Howie,

I sort of see your point about the TAGS/RFD analogy. I am sure you have not seen The New Andy Griffith Show that CBS also broadcast, from January 8 to May 21, 1971. That one, though, was a real ratings bomb, although the first episode scored well due to Don Knotts, George Lindsey and Paul Hartman playing guest roles.


~Ben

 

[John*Wells]

I think Mayberry RFD not being released in full on DVDs or digital may have to do with a music rights lawsuit filed by Earl Hagen’s estate also. I don’t know if that has been resolved yet

 

[Tony Bensley]

Howie,

I sort of see your point about the TAGS/RFD analogy. I am sure you have not seen The New Andy Griffith Show that CBS also broadcast, from January 8 to May 21, 1971. That one, though, was a real ratings bomb, although the first episode scored well due to Don Knotts, George Lindsey and Paul Hartman playing guest roles.


~Ben

It must have been rather confusing to viewers with Andy Griffith playing a different character and have a different family, yet also have several TAGS characters appear, like some sort of semi-altered universe.

CHEERS!

 

[BobO'Link]

I think Mayberry RFD not being released in full on DVDs or digital may have to do with a music rights lawsuit filed by Earl Hagen’s estate also. I don’t know if that has been resolved yet

Could be, but wasn't that solely about the main title/theme song? Did Mayberry RFD keep that? I know people would be upset if it were missing but if that's the only reason it's stalled it just seems silly. Put a new theme on and you're done. Nothing else would need to be changed.