MovieChat Forums > The Andy Griffith Show (1960) Discussion > 1-1 The Housekeeper

1-1 The Housekeeper

posted 7 years ago by godewey (16472)
21 replies | jump to latest

This is our introduction to this show.
We meet the main characters and as an added bonus we meet Emma.
We see her because Barney brings her in for jaywalking. He was already to
fingerprint her before Andy let her go.

My favorite scenes are at the beginning during the wedding. After Rose and Wilbur get
married Andy grabs a box of rice, takes some and gives some to Barney. He then gives the
box to Opie. As they are throwing rice Opie is ready to throw the whole box at the bride and
groom. My other favorite scene was when announced he was going to run away. Andy told
him all he had to do is write a letter and leave. Opie said he didn't know how to write, so
Andy writes the letter for him.

The funniest things I thought is when Andy tells them
"That'd be like putting a pig in a sty and taking away the mud."
When Andy let Emma go Barney got upset and said now she will go tell all her friends
and we'll everybody jaywalking and ignoring all the keep off the grass signs.
"It'll be a regular sin city."

We all know there were inconsistencies in the show.
Things I noticed.
We learn Andy and Barney are cousins.
I never noticed it before but in Andy's house when you came in the front door it seemed
to be raised up. Then you had to step down into the living room. I don't remember that in
later episodes.

Opie stole this episode.

[–] [email protected] (5871) 7 years ago

Gave this episode another look after reading your post. I hadn't seen it in a long time. Opie was adorable, such a cute kid.

He kept interrupting the ceremony, " If anyone has a reason why these two should not be wed..." And Opie had plenty of reasons! Ha You really felt for the little tyke. Rose was obviously the only mother figure he had known and he was losing her.

I know it was a sitcom but I always wondered why they never mentioned the name of Andy's wife or what happened to Opie's "Ma."

[–] godewey (16472) 7 years ago

The ending was great. He told Andy she couldn't make it because she couldn't do anything.
"She needs us" They really pulled at the heartstrings in this episode.

I always wondered that too. It was also hard to believe they never had a photo of her either.
In fact I don't remember seeing any kind of family photos.

[–] [email protected] (5871) 7 years ago

I always assumed that Andy was a widower. But I don't think they ever referred to him as one.

There was an episode where Barney tried to fix him up with eligible women. It was the one where Andy decided to court Helen Crump.

He did say to Barney that he missed being married and he liked having a wife to come home to. But what if we are just assuming Mrs. Taylor died? What if she had deserted them? She got tired of life as the wife of a small town sheriff and ran off with another man.

That might have made it a completely verboten topic as far as Andy was concerned. He would forbid anyone from mentioning her so as not to hurt Opie's feelings. Better for Opie to think his Ma had died when he was a baby rather than that she had abandoned him. Years later when Opie was older, Andy would explain it to him.

[–] godewey (16472) 7 years ago

I had to look this up. It looks like Andy's wife was mentioned in the pilot episode which appeared on
The Danny Thomas Show. I have never seen it.

All we were ever told is that she died and that was told us on the pilot for "The Andy Griffith Show" which appeared on "The Danny Thomas Show". Opie's pet turtle , Wilford, was stepped on and killed by "Mrs. Balford" out in front of the ice cream parlor and he wants Andy to arrest her for 'murder', give her a fair trial and "hang her." Andy tries to help Opie deal with the loss by talking about how it was when Opie's 'ma' died. Opie looks to Andy and says, "Who stepped on Ma?"

Besides the pilot, she is also mentioned in "Wedding Bells for Aunt Bee." Opie asks Andy, "Did you and Ma have that kind of love?" Andy replies, "Yes, son, we did."

[–] [email protected] (5871) 7 years ago

Oh that's interesting! I think I may have seen the pilot episode of The Danny Thomas Show. At least I've seen part of it on youtube. But not the part that mentioned Andy's wife.

What season was "Wedding Bells for Aunt Bea"? I probably saw that episode too. I can't recall it though.

I'm still being cynical today and when Andy answered Opie's question about " that kind of love", he was thinking, "Yes we did until she two-timed me with a travelling salesman from Raleigh and took off". LOL

Don't mind me , I just get in a weird mood sometimes and my imagination runs wild.

This just reminds about a few celebrities I've read stories about who did not learn the circumstances of a parent's departure until they were grown up. Their famiies tried to spare their feelings.

[–] godewey (16472) 7 years ago

"Yes we did until she two-timed me with a travelling salesman from Raleigh and took off".

LOL. Now you sound like me. That's exactly something I would say. I don't need to be in a mood.
It comes naturally. Usually too often.

I don't remember the season but I remember the episode. I believe it was early in the series.
Clara was buzzing in Bea's ear that Andy couldn't find a wife with her around. I believe he was
a dry cleaner. Aunt Bea thought this is what Andy wanted and he thought this is what she wanted.

[–] db20db (17237) 7 years ago

Saw that one just recently. The man was a boring turn-off. All he could talk about while courting her was the problems associated with his business. In the beginning of the episode, he upset Otis by constantly dropping cigarette ashes all over his freshly cleaned garment.

The second " butter and egg man; " now there was a potential beau ! 😉

[–] godewey (16472) 7 years ago

lol.
The butter and egg business would have been the business to get into. Great growth potential.
Aunt Bea missed out on a luxurious life.

[–] db20db (17237) 7 years ago

Not necessarily. Like I said, the " second " one was a widower and the episode ended ambiguously with Andy smiling mischievously.

[–] [email protected] (5871) 7 years ago

I found the first episode on youtube. I did see it a long time ago. Mr. Goss the dry cleaner was a real piece of work. All that gossiping about his customers, sheesh!

A dry cleaner probably doesn't have the same client/attorney privilege as a doctor or lawyer, but it's probably not wise to gossip and spread rumors about your customers in such a small town!

This is one of those episodes where Bea's friend Clara is as big a meddler as Barney. The second with the 'butter and egg man' is one I remember.

He was a nice man but too bad Bea didn't do research on him and find out that he was married!

The scene where Andy goes to speak with him is funny. I enjoy those conversations when two characters think they are discussing the same topic. But actually they are speaking of different things.

Andy was upset that a married man was seeing his aunt. Mr. Hendricks thought Andy came to complain about cracked eggs.

Mr. Hendricks was aghast that someone should start such a terrible rumor. Too bad he was married. The other men who courted Aunt Bea were annoying.

[–] godewey (16472) 7 years ago

" I enjoy those conversations when two characters think they are discussing the same topic. But actually they are speaking of different things."

This seems to be a foundation of TV comedies. Since the beginning there are several
shows that have a number of episodes about misunderstandings. If I remember 3's Company
did this almost every episode.

Not all of them were annoying . I kind of liked that Briscoe Darling fella.

[–] [email protected] (5871) 7 years ago

I didn't love Three's Company, but one of my sisters did. So I was always in earshot of the show.

You reminded me of one of the funniest misunderstandings on the show. Janet overhears Jack and Crissy who are installing a new shower curtain. Of course she thinks they are about to have sex and eavesdrops.

"Do you think it will reach?"

"Well maybe if we unfold it." LOL

Can you imagine dialogue like that on TAGS? ha

[–] godewey (16472) 7 years ago

I remember that episode.
It's one those shows that was good back then when I was younger. Tried to watch
it a few years later and it wasn't funny at all. Didn't hold up.

[–] [email protected] (5871) 7 years ago

godewey- LOL I make some of those comments in my head a lot when watching TAGS. Those folks are wonderful and moral people, but sometimes they are too good to be true! They must have some flaws!

I just watched the episode when Opie and a classmate started their own newspaper. They didn't start selling papers until they printed all the gossip they overheard from Andy, Barney and Aunt Bea.

[–] godewey (16472) 7 years ago

She's blonde, blonde from a bottle.

It seems the biggest flaws they had were gossiping and maybe nipping from the bottle every
now and then.

[–] [email protected] (5871) 7 years ago

And don't forget all that jaywalking and those illegal U-turns. "Citizens arrest, citizens arrest!"

[–] godewey (16472) 7 years ago

How could I forget that.
Also the truckers speeding.
If you give them 35 today, then tomorrow it'll be 40.
If you give them 40 tomorrow the next day it'll be 45.

[–] db20db (17237) 7 years ago

Some weeks ago, I saw the episode where Aunt Bee was introduced as the replacement for Rose. Opie was very unaccepting of her.

This past week I discovered some interesting trivia in two separate episodes. In one it was revealed that Barney had actually served a stint in the military. He apparently had had some sort of mundane position in a PX somewhere but naturally, tried to embellish his role as always. In another, I learned that Goober had served in the National Guard. As far as I can recall, that's the only episode in which I had ever seen Goober and Gomer together.

[–] [email protected] (5871) 7 years ago

I think I remember that both Andy and Barney served in the military. Can't remember where I heard it though.

Opie was not very accepting of Aunt Bea at first. But I still felt sorry for him. He was a little motherless child. I can't imagine how he felt. He had no grandmothers either.

My mom is eighty and still going strong. I also had both of my grandmothers well into my adult years (and a great grandmother into my teens). I cannot imagine how difficult is to lose your mother at such an early age.

[–] godewey (16472) 7 years ago

Good pick up db. I don't remember Goober and Gomer together other than 1 episode.
Is that the episode where Goober was doing the impersonations ?
I will try to pay attention to that detail as I watch these again.

[–] db20db (17237) 7 years ago

Yes it is and the same episode where he and Gomer end up with the two 'fun-loving' blondes that had been hounding Andy and Barney. Gomer mentions Goober's NG service to the girls following his Cary Grant impression to further impress them.