Andy Griffith talks about how Mayberry was Sheldon Leonard's idea and was not based on Andy's hometown of Mount Airy. See the full interview at www.emmytvlegends.org
Said in the show... Wakefield was Westfield and he used the nearest intersection to his home, Rockford and Haymore (street named after first pastor of the church he was Baptized) ties all into the show so much, Andy actually contradicts himself. You can't have a TV show about a small town, and Pilot Mountain was larger than Mount Airy back then, just like Mt Pilot was larger on the show too, and then say, it wasn't based on Mount Airy. He didn't want to mention Mount Airy on TV at all!
I don't think Andy hated Mt. Airy, but I think its like "UnseenCaller" said, he didn't like the idea that town officials were trying to make money based on the lie. They were putting words in his mouth to attract tourist $$$ and he was never happy about it. The creation of the fictional town of Mayberry wasn't even his idea. That is the purpose of this video, is to expose the "Mt. Airy is Mayberry" myth. I'm sure Andy influenced some of the scripts as time went on, and he may have drawn on his childhood memories of Mt. Airy when doing so. But he didn't base the show on Mt. Airy. Rumor has it Andy spent a lot of his time in Mayberry, VA, growing up; which is only 22 miles from Mt. Airy. It's possible that this town had more influence on his childhood then Mt. Airy did.
deeredad lol he never liked mount airy and has nothing to do with making money either and this is a real town wether he liked or not.plus he wouldn't even had a show if it wasn't for Don knotts
I don't know if it's true but, growing up in NC, my grandmother always said Andy Griffith was a nasty man and was rude to people on the street if they tried to stop and talk to him in Manteo. I guess I like the Andy Taylor character better.
You are exactly right i love the AG show i grew up watching with my dad it was and is his favorite and my favorite show of alltime but every interview ive seen and read about Andy Griffith shows him to be resentful to the point of being really rude and bitter about the town and the people and really just seems to be rude and cruel acting towards evrybody even fans i wonder why
Since your from Mt Airy which BTW is a beautiful place maybe you could tell me why AG seemed to hate the town and people there so much i was shocked through the years to see interviews where everytime someone asked him about the town he instantly got a pissy attitude and seemed cruel and hateful is there some kind of underground legend of the reason he seemed to act that way towards his hometown?thanks if you respond
He didn't won't the town making money off him but yet he made the town pay him 250k to come back ! not a very good man this town did so much for him but he did so little for it when he could've done so much to show his graduate instead of his greed and lie's. The town didn't need him he needed the town
Said in the show... Wakefield was Westfield and he used the nearest intersection to his home, Rockford and Haymore (street named after first pastor of the church he was Baptized) ties all into the show so much, Andy actually contradicts himself. You can't have a TV show about a small town, and Pilot Mountain was larger than Mount Airy back then, just like Mt Pilot was larger on the show too, and then say, it wasn't based on Mount Airy. He didn't want to mention Mount Airy on TV at all!
YourUSACountry on one episode he even mentions Banner town! That's in Mount Airy!
As Andy often said, Mayberry is just a fictional place, and there is no town like it in real life.
I don't think Andy hated Mt. Airy, but I think its like "UnseenCaller" said, he didn't like the idea that town officials were trying to make money based on the lie. They were putting words in his mouth to attract tourist $$$ and he was never happy about it. The creation of the fictional town of Mayberry wasn't even his idea. That is the purpose of this video, is to expose the "Mt. Airy is Mayberry" myth. I'm sure Andy influenced some of the scripts as time went on, and he may have drawn on his childhood memories of Mt. Airy when doing so. But he didn't base the show on Mt. Airy. Rumor has it Andy spent a lot of his time in Mayberry, VA, growing up; which is only 22 miles from Mt. Airy. It's possible that this town had more influence on his childhood then Mt. Airy did.
deeredad lol he never liked mount airy and has nothing to do with making money either and this is a real town wether he liked or not.plus he wouldn't even had a show if it wasn't for Don knotts
I don't know if it's true but, growing up in NC, my grandmother always said Andy Griffith was a nasty man and was rude to people on the street if they tried to stop and talk to him in Manteo. I guess I like the Andy Taylor character better.
You are exactly right i love the AG show i grew up watching with my dad it was and is his favorite and my favorite show of alltime but every interview ive seen and read about Andy Griffith shows him to be resentful to the point of being really rude and bitter about the town and the people and really just seems to be rude and cruel acting towards evrybody even fans i wonder why
Yes, the barber in Mount Airy, Russell Hiatt, is only a year or two older than Andy Griffith lol.
sparkle98 and he died recently too! :( I took care of Russell's mom back in the late 90's! Good family!
Since your from Mt Airy which BTW is a beautiful place maybe you could tell me why AG seemed to hate the town and people there so much i was shocked through the years to see interviews where everytime someone asked him about the town he instantly got a pissy attitude and seemed cruel and hateful is there some kind of underground legend of the reason he seemed to act that way towards his hometown?thanks if you respond
I love Andy Taylor but Andy Griffith seems so angry and bitter.
The so called 115 year old barber just passed away recently. 💈
I guess God heard you.
Mount airy is a real town and further more he wouldn't have had a show if it wasn't for Don knotts
He cussed
He didn't won't the town making money off him but yet he made the town pay him 250k to come back ! not a very good man this town did so much for him but he did so little for it when he could've done so much to show his graduate instead of his greed and lie's. The town didn't need him he needed the town
well i was going for a vist but not anymore
It killed me when Andy Griffin came out in support of Obama. What was he thinking?
I know, he must have just been losing it in his older years.
Thanks met him one time. Great Democrat.