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03/26/2025

Today in Mayberry History - March 27. Mary Treen was born on this date in 1907. She was in the first scene of “The Andy Griffith Show” as Rose, Andy and Opie’s previous housekeeper, who was leaving to marry, resulting in Aunt Bee coming to live with them. Mary played another character in Mayberry later in the same season. She was Clara Lindsey, a supporter of Ellie Walker when Ellie ran for council and the woman who started the gossip chain that led to people thinking Barney had accidentally shot himself in the chest and died. Mary began her performing career as a vaudeville dancer, teaming up with a shorter partner in an act billed as “Treen and Barnett: Two Unsophisticated Vassar Co-eds.” She began acting in films in 1930. While she appeared in more than 40 movies, she may be best remembered as Tilly, the cousin of Jimmy Stewart’s character in “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946). On television, Mary is probably best known on TV as Hilda, the maid and baby caregiver in “The Joey Bishop Show” (1962-1965). She married late in life and, after her husband died, eventually moved in with her former vaudeville dancing partner, who was also widowed. Mary passed away in 1989.

03/25/2025

Today in Mayberry History - March 25. Malcolm Merriweather first appeared in Mayberry on this date in 1963 in “Andy’s English Valet.”

03/24/2025

Today in Mayberry History - March 24. Gene Nelson was born on this date in 1920. Gene directed two Mayberry episodes in a row during the fifth season: “Goodbye, Sheriff Taylor” and “The Pageant.” Early in his entertainment career, Gene was a dancer, receiving a Theater World Award for his first Broadway role in “Lend an Ear.” He played Will Parker in the film musical “Oklahoma!” (1955), the acting role for which he is best known. After his dancing career ended he turned to directing. In addition to his directorial work on “The Andy Griffith Show,” Gene directed many other TV episodes, including 21 of “The Donna Reed Show” (1962-1965) and 18 of “The Mod Squad” (1968-1971). He directed episodes of “The Rifleman” (1961-1962), “I Dream of Jeannie” (1965), and “Star Trek” (1968). Gene directed the Elvis films “Kissin’ Cousins” (1964) and “Harum Scarum” (1965) and also wrote the screenplay for “Kissin’ Cousins” for which he was nominated for a Writer’s Guild of America Award. Gene passed away in 1996.

03/23/2025

Today in Mayberry History - March 23. Lillian Culver was born on the date in 1896. Lillian appeared only once in “The Andy Griffith Show” in a brief but important appearance. She played Barney’s mother, whom Barney insisted on frisking at a roadblock. She does not fit the description of having a slight build that Barney always gave of her in later episodes. After giving up an unsuccessful career as an aspiring silent film actress for marriage, Lillian returned to acting and found success with dozens of appearances in films and TV episodes over a 13-year career she did not begin until the age of 56. She appeared most often in “The Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna” (5 episodes between 1956 and ’60); in the role for which she is probably best-remembered, the recurring character Mrs. Schooner in “Dennis the Menace” (7 episodes, 1959-1963); and in “My Favorite Martian” (3 episodes, 1964-1965). Her last episode of “My Favorite Martian” was also her last role. Lillian was married to real-estate developer Harry Culver, for whom Culver City is named and which was home to the 40 Acres backlot where Mayberry exteriors were filmed. Lillian passed away in 1999.

03/22/2025

Today in Mayberry History - March 22. James Westerfield was born on this date in 1913. James played the know-it-all Uncle Ollie, married to Aunt Bee’s younger sister, Nora. James was heavily involved in theater both on and off Broadway, winning two Drama Desk Awards for his acting. He directed numerous theater productions, many produced outdoors. Usually playing tough, blue collar characters, he is best remembered as an actor as “Big Mac” with Marlon Brando in the classic “On the Waterfront” (1954). He played similar, dumbstruck characters who witnessed the incredible incidents in a string of Disney comedy films: “The Shaggy Dog” (1959), “The Absent Minded Professor” (1961) and “Son of Flubber” (1963). James died of a heart attack in 1971 at the age of 58.

03/21/2025

Today in Mayberry History - March 21. Happy National Flower Day! While there are lots of examples, a favorite has to be when, after everyone else had left for the dance, Gomer returned with a “cor-sage” for Mary Grace. “It wouldn’t be right for you, Mary Grace, to go to the dance unadorned.”

03/11/2025

Today in Mayberry History - March 11. Earl Bellamy was born on this date in 1917. Earl directed seven episodes of “The Andy Griffith Show” during Season 4. His episodes had a high percentage of classics, including “The Haunted House,” “My Fair Ernest T. Bass,” and “The Song Festers.” Earl was a prolific director and directed numerous films and over 1600 episodes of TV series. He won a Director’s Guild of America Award in 1954 for his work as Assistant Director on the film “From Here to Eternity” (1953). He directed all of the 24 episodes that made up the final season of “My Three Sons” (1971-1972). Earl was nominated for an Emmy for his direction of an episode of “I Spy” (1967). After retiring from a 51-year-career in directing, he became the Head of Production for Universal Pictures Television. Earl passed away in 2003.

03/10/2025

Today in Mayberry History - March 10. Michael Jeffers was born on this date in England in 1898. Michael appeared in “The Andy Griffith Show” in nine different episodes, usually just as a townsman, though in “Barney’s First Car,” he was one of Myrt “Hubcaps” Lesh’s gang, and in “The Jinx,” he was the man who picked up Leon. Michael began acting in film in 1936 in an uncredited role as a nightclub patron in “After the Thin Man,” and by the time of his last film appearance in 1979, he had appeared in more than 200 films and TV episodes as an uncredited extra. While he is not remembered as an actor, he is known for having been the president of the Screen Extras Guild in the mid-1940s. He was upset that stuntmen and bit part players were also getting work as extras, but the reverse was not true. He halted production of movies in 1945 for 24 hours by having extras refuse to work in protest. He continued to fight with the Screen Actors Guild over matters involving extras, earning a reputation as being difficult. Soon a letter was circulating implying he had ties to the Communist Party and was trying to damage the Screen Extras Guild for which he was advocating. Resultantly, he received less work than normal. He filed lawsuits and fought in court from 1950 to 1958, winning at least one libel suit in 1954. Michael died in 1990.

03/09/2025

A Mayberry Moment - (Discussing school)

Barney: They sure didn’t pamper us like that.

Andy: No boy, they sure didn’t.

Barney: If we were caught chewin’ anything at school, ya’ know what’d happen? We’d stay after school and darn well clap erasers. No wonder the country’s goin’ soft.

Andy: Yeah, that’s what the country needs all right—More eraser-clappers.

03/09/2025

03/08/2025

Today in Mayberry History - March 8. Happy Birthday to Sue Ane Langdon, born today in 1936! Sue Ane was the second actress to play the character Mary Simpson, the county nurse introduced as a love interest for Andy. Unfortunately, the relationship did not work out, and Sue Ane’s Mayberry appearance was the last of only two appearances of the Mary Simpson character. Sue Ane began her career on the stage, later acting on Broadway in “The Apple Tree” with Alan Alda in 1967. She hit the ground running in television in 1959, landing the recurring role of Kitty Marsh on “Bachelor Father” (1959-1961) and appearing in 19 other TV series episodes over those three years. In addition to her continued TV work at the time, she also appeared in featured roles in films such as “A Guide for the Married Man” (1967) directed by Gene Kelly, and a pair of Elvis movies, “Roustabout” (1964) and “Frankie and Johnny” (1966). Sue Ane later appeared in the series “Arnie” (1970-1972), which resulted in her winning the 1972 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress on Television. She played recurring roles on two other series and was also the aunt of Cindy on “Three’s Company,” a sitcom whose title is a takeoff of the proverb, “Two’s company, three’s a crowd.” “The Andy Griffith Show” episode she appeared in is based on this same proverb, the title being “Three’s a Crowd.”