Don Knotts

Jesse Donald Knotts(July 21, 1924 – February 24, 2006) was an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Deputy SheriffBarney Fifeon the 1960s sitcomThe Andy Griffith Show, for which he earned fiveEmmy Awards.He also playedRalph Furleyon the sitcomThree's Companyfrom 1979 to 1984. He starred in multiple comedic films, including leading roles inThe Incredible Mr. Limpet(1964) andThe Ghost and Mr. Chicken(1966). In 2004,TV Guideranked him number 27 on its "50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time" list.
Knotts was born inWest Virginia, the youngest of four children. In the 1940s, before earning a college degree, he served in theUnited States Armyand inWorld War II. While enlisted, he chose to become aventriloquistand comedian as part of aG.I.variety show,Stars and Gripes.
After the army, he got his first major break on television on thesoap operaSearch for Tomorrow, where he appeared from 1953 to 1955. He gained wide recognition as part of the repertory company onSteve Allen's variety show, where he played the "extremely nervous man" in Allen's mock "Man in the Street" interviews. In 1958, Knotts made his film debut in the adapted version ofNo Time for Sergeants.
Knotts was cast as deputy Barney Fife on television'sThe Andy Griffith Show, which ran from 1960 to 1968. He reprised the character on other shows, such asThe Joey Bishop ShowandReturn to Mayberry. Knotts won fiveEmmy AwardsforBest Supporting Actor in a Television Comedy.
Knotts was born inMorgantown, West Virginia, the youngest of four sons of farmer William Jesse Knotts and his wife Elsie Luzetta Knotts (née Moore), who were married inSpraggs, Pennsylvania. His English paternal ancestors emigrated to America in the 17th century, originally settling inQueen Anne's County, Maryland. His brothers were named Willis, William and Ralph (who was called "Sid").
Knotts's mother was 40 years old at his birth. His father, who hadschizophreniaand battled alcoholism, sometimes terrorized him with a knife, causing him to turn inwards at an early age. His father died ofpneumoniawhen Knotts was 13. He and his brothers were subsequently raised by their mother, who ran aboarding housein Morgantown. She died in 1969 at age 84. Her son William preceded her in death in 1941 at age 31. They are buried in the family plot at Beverly Hills Memorial Park in Morgantown.
Knotts graduated fromMorgantown High School. After enlisting in theUnited States Armyand serving inWorld War II,he earned abachelor's degreein education with a minor inspeechfromWest Virginia Universityin Morgantown, graduating in 1948.He was a member ofPhi Sigma Kappafraternity at WVU.
Before he entered high school, Knotts began performing as aventriloquistand comedian at various church and school functions.After high school, he traveled to New York City to try to make his way as a comedian, but when his career failed to take off, he returned home to attend West Virginia University. After his freshman year, he joined the U.S. Army and spent most of his service entertaining troops.He toured the westernPacific Islandsas a comedian, in aG.I.variety show calledStars and Gripes.His ventriloquist act included a dummy named Danny that Knotts grew to hate and eventually threw overboard, according to friend and castmateAl Checco.
Knotts served in the army from June 21, 1943, to January 6, 1946, in the Army's6817th Special Services Battalion.He was discharged at the rank ofTechnician Grade 5, equivalent at the time tocorporal.During his service, he was awarded theWorld War II Victory Medal, thePhilippine Liberation Medal, theAsiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal(with four bronzeservice stars), theAmerican Campaign Medal, theArmy Good Conduct Medal, the ArmyMarksman Badge(with anM1 Carbine) and theHonorable Service Lapel Pin.
After being demobilized, Knotts returned to West Virginia University and graduated in 1948. He married Kay Metz and moved back to New York, where connections that he had made in the Special Services Branch helped him to break into show business. In addition to doing stand-up comedy at clubs, he appeared on radio, eventually playing the wisecracking, know-it-all character "Windy Wales" on a radio Western calledBobby Benson and the B-Bar-B Riders.
Knotts got his first break on television on the soap operaSearch for Tomorrow,where he appeared from 1953 to 1955. He came to fame in 1956 onSteve Allen's variety show as part of Allen's repertory company, most notably in Allen's mock "Man in the Street" interviews, always playing an extremely nervous man. He remained with Allen through the 1959–1960 season.
From October 20, 1955, through September 14, 1957, he appeared withAndy Griffithin theBroadwaystage version ofNo Time for Sergeants, in which he played two roles, listed in thePlaybillas a Corporal Manual Dexterity and a Preacher.In 1958, he made his movie debut with Griffith in the film version ofNo Time for Sergeants,in which he reprised his Broadway role, playing a high-strungAir Forcetest administrator whose routine is disrupted by the hijinks of a provincial new recruit.
In 1960, Andy Griffith was offered the opportunity to headline his own sitcom,The Andy Griffith Show(1960–1968). Knotts took the role ofBarney Fife, the deputy—and originally cousin—of SheriffAndy Taylor(portrayed by Griffith). Knotts's portrayal of the deputy on the popular show earned for him five Emmy Awards forBest Supporting Actor in a Television Comedy.
A summary of the show from the website of theMuseum of Broadcast Communicationsdescribes Deputy Barney Fife:
When the show first aired, Griffith was intended to be the comedic lead with Knotts as hisstraight man, similar to their roles inNo Time for Sergeants. However, it was quickly discovered that the show was funnier with the roles reversed. As Griffith maintained in several interviews, "By the second episode, I knew that Don should be funny, and I should play straight."
Knotts believed remarks by Griffith thatThe Andy Griffith Showwould end after five seasons, and he began to look for other work, signing a five-film contract withUniversal Studios. In his autobiography, Knotts admitted that he had not yet signed the contract when Griffith announced his decision to continue the series; but he had made up his mind to move on, believing that he would not get the chance again. Knotts left the series in 1965. His character's absence on the show was explained by Deputy Fife having finally made the "big time", joining theRaleigh, North Carolina, police force.
Knotts went on to star in a series of film comedies that drew on his high-strung persona from the television series. He had acameo appearanceinUnited Artists'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World(1963), and starred inWarner Bros.'The Incredible Mr. Limpet(1964). Knotts began his Universal five-film contract withThe Ghost and Mr. Chicken(1966), followed byThe Reluctant Astronaut(1967),The Shakiest Gun in the West(1968),The Love God?(1969) andHow to Frame a Figg(1971).
Knotts reprised his role as Barney Fife several times in the 1960s. He made five guest appearances onThe Andy Griffith Show(earning another two Emmy Awards), and he appeared once on the spin-offMayberry R.F.D., in which he was present asbest manfor the marriage of Andy Taylor and his longtime love,Helen Crump.He continued to work steadily, although he did not appear as a regular on any successful television series until 1979, when he took the part of landlord Ralph Furley onThree's Company.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Knotts served as the spokesman forDodgetrucks and was featured prominently in a series of print ads and dealer brochures. On television, he hosted a variety show/sitcom hybrid onNBC,The Don Knotts Show, which aired on Tuesdays during autumn 1970, but the series was low-rated and short-lived, and Knotts was uncomfortable with the variety show format.He also made frequent guest appearances on other shows, such asThe Bill Cosby ShowandHere's Lucy. In 1970, he appeared as a Barney Fife-like police officer in the pilot ofThe New Andy Griffith Show. In 1972, Knotts voiced an animated version of himself in two episodes ofThe New Scooby Doo Movies: "The Spooky Fog of Juneberry", in which he played a lawman resembling Barney Fife, and "Guess Who's Knott Coming to Dinner". He appeared as Felix Unger in a stage version ofNeil Simon'sThe Odd Couple, withArt Carneyas Oscar Madison, and toured in the Neil Simon comedyLast of the Red Hot Lovers.
Beginning in 1975, Knotts was teamed withTim Conwayin a series ofslapstickfilms aimed at children, including theDisneyfilmThe Apple Dumpling Gang(1975) and its sequel,The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again(1979). They also did two independent films, the boxing comedyThe Prize Fighter(1979) and the mystery-comedyThe Private Eyes(1980). Knotts co-starred in several other Disney films, includingGus(1976),No Deposit, No Return(1976),Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo(1977), andHot Lead and Cold Feet(1978).
In 1979, Knotts returned to series television as the wacky but lovable landlord Ralph Furley onThree's Company.The series, which was already an established hit, added Knotts to the cast when the original landlords, Stanley and Helen Roper (a married couple played byNorman FellandAudra Lindley, respectively), left to star in their own short-lived spin-off seriesThe Ropers.
On the set, Knotts easily integrated himself into the already established cast, who were, asJohn Ritterput it, "so scared" of Knotts because of his star status. WhenSuzanne Somersleft the show after a contract dispute in 1981, the writers started giving the material meant for Somers's Chrissy to Knotts's Furley.Knotts remained on the series until it ended in 1984. TheThree's Companyscript supervisor Carol Summers became Knotts's agent and often accompanied him to personal appearances.
In 1986, Knotts reunited with Andy Griffith in the made-for-television filmReturn to Mayberry, reprising his Barney Fife role.In early 1987, he joined the cast of the first-run syndicated comedyWhat a Country!, as Principal Bud McPherson, for its remaining 13 episodes. It was produced by Martin Rips and Joseph Staretski, who had previously worked onThree's Company.From 1988 until 1992, Knotts joined Andy Griffith onMatlockin the recurring role of pesky neighbor Les Calhoun.
His roles became more sporadic, including a cameo appearance in the filmBig Bully(1996) as the high school principal. In 1998, he had a small but pivotal role as a mysterious TV repairman inPleasantville.That year, his hometown of Morgantown, West Virginia, changed the name of the street formerly known as South University Avenue (U.S. Route 119) to Don Knotts Boulevard on "Don Knotts Day".Also on that day, in honor of Knotts's role as Barney Fife, he was named an honorary deputy sheriff with theMonongalia CountySheriff's Department.
Knotts was recognized in 2000 with a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.He continued to act on stage, but much of his film and television work after 2000 was as voice talent. In 2002, he appeared again withScooby-Dooin the video gameScooby-Doo! Night of 100 Frights. He also spoofed his appearances on that show in various promotions forCartoon Network, and in a parody onRobot Chicken, on which he was teamed withPhyllis Diller. In 2003, he teamed up again withTim Conwayto provide voices for the direct-to-video children's seriesHermie and Friends, which continued until his death. In 2005, he was the voice of Mayor Turkey Lurkey inChicken Little(2005), his first Disney movie since 1979.
On September 12, 2003, he was inKansas City, in a stage version ofOn Golden Pond,when he received a call from John Ritter's family telling him that his formerThree's Companyco-star had died that day of anaortic dissection.He and his co-stars attended the funeral four days later. Knotts had appeared with Ritter for the last time in 2003 in a cameo on8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter,in an episode that paid homage to their previous television series. Knotts was the lastThree's Companystar to work with Ritter.
During this period of time,macular degenerationin both eyes caused the otherwise robust Knotts to become virtually blind.His live appearances on television were few. In 2005, he parodied his Ralph Furley character while playing aPaul Youngvariation in aDesperate Housewivessketch onThe 3rd Annual TV Land Awards. He parodied that part one final time in "Stone Cold Crazy", an episode of the sitcomThat '70s Show,in which he played the landlord. It was his last live-action television appearance.His final role was inAir Buddies(2006), a direct-to-video sequel toAir Bud, voicing the sheriff's deputy dog Sniffer.
Knotts's friendAl Checcosaid, "Don was somewhat of a ladies' man. He fancied himself something of aFrank Sinatra. The ladies loved him and he dated quite a bit."Knotts was married three times. His marriage to Kathryn Metz lasted from 1947 until their divorce in 1964. They had a son, Thomas Knotts, and a daughter, actressKaren Knotts(born April 2, 1954). After they divorced, Knotts raised his daughter as a single parent.He married Loralee Czuchna in 1974; they divorced in 1983. His third marriage was to Frances Yarborough, from 2002 until his death in 2006.
Knotts struggled withhypochondriaand macular degeneration.Betty Lynn, one of his co-stars onThe Andy Griffith Show, described him as a "very quiet man. Very sweet. Nothing like Barney Fife."TV writerMark Evaniercalled him "the most beloved person in all of show business".
Knotts died at age 81 on February 24, 2006, at theCedars-Sinai Medical Centerin Los Angeles from pulmonary and respiratory complications ofpneumoniarelated tolung cancer.He underwent treatment at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in the months before his death but returned home after reportedly feeling better. He was buried atWestwood Memorial Parkin Los Angeles.
Knotts's obituaries cited him as a major influence on other entertainers. In early 2011, his grave's plain granite headstone was replaced with a bronze plaque depicting several of his movie and television roles. A statue honoring him, created byJamie Lester, was unveiled on July 23, 2016, in front of The Metropolitan Theatre on High Street in his hometown of Morgantown, West Virginia.
The following are Don Knotts's acting credits.
• ISBN 9781572972100Barney Fife and Other Characters I Have Known
The following are accolades and honors that Don Knotts received throughout his career.