Don Knotts, TV's Lovable Nerd, Dies at 81

TheIncredibleHulk · Feb 25, 2006

By JEREMIAH MARQUEZ, Associated Press Writer 32 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES -
Don Knotts, the skinny, lovable nerd who kept generations of television audiences laughing as bumbling Deputy Barney Fife on "The
Andy Griffith Show," has died. He was 81.
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Knotts died Friday night of pulmonary and respiratory complications at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills, said Paul Ward, a spokesman for the cable network TV Land, which airs "The Andy Griffith Show," and another Knotts hit, "Three's Company."

Unspecified health problems had forced him to cancel an appearance in his native Morgantown in August 2005.

The West Virginia-born actor's half-century career included seven TV series and more than 25 films, but it was the Griffith show that brought him TV immortality and five Emmies.

The show ran from 1960-68, and was in the top 10 of the Nielsen ratings each season, including a No. 1 ranking its final year. It is one of only three series in TV history to bow out at the top: The others are "I Love Lucy" and "Seinfeld." The 249 episodes have appeared frequently in reruns and have spawned a large, active network of fan clubs.

As the bug-eyed deputy to Griffith, Knotts carried in his shirt pocket the one bullet he was allowed after shooting himself in the foot. The constant fumbling, a recurring sight gag, was typical of his self-deprecating humor.

Knotts, whose shy, soft-spoken manner was unlike his high-strung characters, once said he was most proud of the Fife character and doesn't mind being remembered that way.

His favorite episodes, he said, were "The Pickle Story," where Aunt Bea makes pickles no one can eat, and "Barney and the Choir," where no one can stop him from singing.

"I can't sing. It makes me sad that I can't sing or dance well enough to be in a musical, but I'm just not talented in that way," he lamented. "It's one of my weaknesses."

Knotts appeared on six other television shows. In 1979, Knotts replaced Norman Fell on "Three's Company," playing the would-be swinger landlord to John Ritter,
Suzanne Somers and
Joyce DeWitt.

Early in his TV career, he was one of the original cast members of "The Steve Allen Show," the comedy-variety show that ran from 1956-61. He was one of a group of memorable comics backing Allen that included
Louis Nye,
Tom Poston and Bill "Jose Jimenez" Dana.

Knotts' G-rated films were family fun, not box-office blockbusters. In most, he ends up the hero and gets the girl — a girl who can see through his nervousness to the heart of gold.

In the part-animated 1964 film "The Incredible Mr. Limpet," Knotts played a meek clerk who turns into a fish after he is rejected by the Navy.

When it was announced in 1998 that
Jim Carrey would star in a "Limpet" remake, Knotts responded: "I'm just flattered that someone of Carrey's caliber is remaking something I did. Now, if someone else did Barney Fife, THAT would be different."

In the 1967 film "The Reluctant Astronaut," co-starring
Leslie Nielsen, Knotts' father enrolls his wimpy son — operator of a Kiddieland rocket ride — in
NASA's space program. Knotts poses as a famous astronaut to the joy of his parents and hometown but is eventually exposed for what he really is, a janitor so terrified of heights he refuses to ride an airplane.

In the 1969 film "The Love God?," he was a geeky bird-watcher who is duped into becoming publisher of a naughty men's magazine and then becomes a national sex symbol. Eventually, he comes to his senses, leaves the big city and marries the sweet girl next door.

He was among an army of comedians from Buster Keaton to
Jonathan Winters to liven up the 1963 megacomedy "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World." Other films include "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" (1966); "The Shakiest Gun in the West," (1968); and a few Disney films such as "The Apple Dumpling Gang," (1974); "Gus," (1976); and "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo," (1977).

In 1998, he had a key role in the back-to-the-past movie "Pleasantville," playing a folksy television repairman whose supercharged remote control sends a teen boy and his sister into a TV sitcom past.

Knotts began his show biz career even before he graduated from high school, performing as a ventriloquist at local clubs and churches. He majored in speech at West Virginia University, then took off for the big city.

"I went to New York cold. On a $100 bill. Bummed a ride," he recalled in a visit to his hometown of Morgantown, where city officials renamed a street for him in 1998.

Within six months, Knotts had taken a job on a radio Western called "Bobby Benson and the B-Bar-B Riders," playing a wisecracking, know-it-all handyman. He stayed with it for five years, then came his series TV debut on "The Steve Allen Show."

He married Kay Metz in 1948, the year he graduated from college. The couple had two children before divorcing in 1969. Knotts later married, then divorced Lara Lee Szuchna.

In recent years, he said he had no plans to retire, traveling with theater productions and appearing in print and TV ads for Kodiak pressure treated wood.

The world laughed at Knotts, but it also laughed with him.

He treasured his comedic roles and could point to only one role that wasn't funny, a brief stint on the daytime drama "Search for Tomorrow."

"That's the only serious thing I've done. I don't miss that," Knotts said.
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060225/ap_on_en_tv/obit_knotts

I thought he was already dead. I haven't heard anything about him in years. RIP Don!

Seth Buzzard · Feb 25, 2006

My favorite movie from him was “The Incredible Mr. Limpet”

“I wish, I wish, I wish I where a fish.”

DevilzFan · Feb 25, 2006

My first real exposure to him was the old Scooby Doo cartoons. That and Three's Company.

Star Sabre James · Feb 25, 2006

He was one funny man. RIP!

Omnibus Prime · Feb 25, 2006

So long Barney.

wheeljack01 · Feb 25, 2006

R.i.p. you were one of the last wholesome actors.

Aaron · Feb 25, 2006

Gears · Feb 25, 2006

R.I.P. Don. You were hilarious. They must be loving your jokes in that betterplace I'm sure you're at now.

CripNite · Feb 25, 2006

That's sad. What a lovable good natured fellow. He wasn't looking too well last time I saw him on TV... really sad to hear that.

Big Nine · Feb 25, 2006

Wow, that is sad. We should all carry a bullet in our breast pocket in homage. R.I.P Don, may you live on in our fond memories forever.

Motor_Master · Feb 26, 2006

Ah man that's too bad. So long Don, thanks for the memories!

"Nip it Nip it in the bud!"

AlphaPrime · Feb 26, 2006

RiP Don, rave run rhere rever ruo rend rhup, sorry, just had to the use the Scooby talk, besides the Andy Griffith show thats where i was most used to Don hehehe.

Switchblade · Feb 26, 2006

Good rest, Don. Whenever I see a man in a loud shirts with enormous collars, I shall think of thee.

Belgrath · Feb 26, 2006

RIP Knotts. You'll be sorely missed.

planetjacker · Feb 26, 2006

Rest in peace old friend. I'll save one bullet just for you.

rattrap007 · Feb 26, 2006

RIP Deputy Fife

Grimlock_13 · Feb 26, 2006

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Don Knotts, TV's Lovable Nerd, Dies at 81

TheIncredibleHulk Bad Luck Incarnate

Seth Buzzard R.I.P. Buzzbeak Content Contributor

DevilzFan CobraIsland.com Veteran

Star Sabre James The JUICE

Omnibus Prime I'm too old for this shit TFW2005 Supporter

wheeljack01 Happiness is a warm gun

Aaron Master of Crystalocution Moderator Content Contributor

Gears buh-buh-body ya Veteran

CripNite That Whack Canuck Dude

Big Nine <font color= pink><b>Pink Soul<br>'Weak Humanoid G Veteran

Motor_Master Lets the balls touch

AlphaPrime Neo Autobot Commander

Switchblade One Flesh, One End

Belgrath Boom! Nutshot!

planetjacker Critters burn real good. TFW2005 Supporter

rattrap007 one with the Force TFW2005 Supporter

Grimlock_13 Insert Clever Title Here

Log in or Sign up

Don Knotts, TV's Lovable Nerd, Dies at 81

TheIncredibleHulk Bad Luck Incarnate

Seth Buzzard R.I.P. Buzzbeak Content Contributor

DevilzFan CobraIsland.com Veteran

Star Sabre James The JUICE

Omnibus Prime I'm too old for this shit TFW2005 Supporter

wheeljack01 Happiness is a warm gun

Aaron Master of Crystalocution Moderator Content Contributor

Gears buh-buh-body ya Veteran

CripNite That Whack Canuck Dude

Big Nine <font color= pink><b>Pink Soul<br>'Weak Humanoid G Veteran

Motor_Master Lets the balls touch

AlphaPrime Neo Autobot Commander

Switchblade One Flesh, One End

Belgrath Boom! Nutshot!

planetjacker Critters burn real good. TFW2005 Supporter

rattrap007 one with the Force TFW2005 Supporter

Grimlock_13 Insert Clever Title Here

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