Fish for breakfast
While it is not a common breakfast meal here in the U.S., my British son-in-law of 14 years, tells me kippers (herring) and eggs is a classic English breakfast. I Googled “kippers and eggs” and he’s right as rain. Herring is, of course, an ocean fish-and probably would not have been the kind Andy would have prepared for breakfast. Now that I think about it, a pan fried trout and scrambled eggs sounds really good for breakfast. Ken in NC ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Ms. Grayson
Plot holes are aplenty on TAGS. I know we’re supposed to ‘suspend disbelief’ and go with the flow, but Paul’s question about Ms. Grayson and how she found where Floyd was located in The Gay Deceiver intrigued me. I re-watched the first 15 minutes of the episode, to see if there was something obvious that I was missing. If there is, well, I’m still missing it. Ms. Grayson had the address of the barber shopwe know that because she was sending correspondence to Floyd at that address. When she arrived in Mayberry, I have to assume she went to THAT address. It’s the only address she had. When she saw that it was “Floyd’s Barber Shop” and not “Floyd Lawson Enterprises” she may have been confusedbut with “Floyd” in the name of both businesses, she probably thought one of his “enterprises” must have been a barber shop. All of this doesn’t explain HOW she found Floyd in Cliff Deveraux’s home. You’ll note that when Floyd and Andy are looking out the window when she gets out of her beautiful car, she has a piece of paper in her hand. She quickly reads what she is holding in her hand and places it in her purse. I have to assume the paper had the address of the home she just arrived atCliff Deveraux’s. Simple enough. BUT---who gave her the address? Andy had made it plain this was to be hush-hush and for only one day. He enlisted the support of Aunt Bee. Aunt Bee could have told Clara oranyone...what she was doing, but how would Ms. Grayson have found out from one of Aunt Bee’s contacts? Opie knew where his pa was...he bolts through door as if he knows he’ll find him there. Barney is not in this episode, but one would have to conclude either Barney or someone else KNEW where Andy was.he’s the sheriff and someone has to know where he is at all times. Again, this doesn’t tell us how Ms. Grayson came to obtain Floyd’s whereabouts. What we do know: someone told her the address and she wrote it on a piece of paper. I guess it could be as simple as: it’s a small town; she went to the only address she had (the barber shop), asked someone on the street where Floyd Lawson was, someone she met on the street had seen Andy and Floyd (together) earlier and Andy told that person he was headed over to the Deveraux home to do a safety check and subsequently that person told Ms. Grayson the address where she’d find Andy, and possible Floyd still with him. The hole in this theory is the person would have told Ms. Grayson that Andy and Floyd might be at the DEVERAUX house---not Floyd’s house. I’m not how Ms. Grayson would have reconciled that. Talk about over-thinking a situation!! As I said at the beginning of this post, this is one of those things we aren’t supposed to think about. Mental exercises such as this one are fun to dooccasionallybut, on the whole, we’re better off just sitting back and enjoying the best show in the history of television. Thanks, Ken In NC (formerly in AZ) ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
What did he say?
It is said under his breath, but based on a little lip reading and my amplified speakers, it sounds like “you just stuff it.” But others may hear it differently. Ken in NC (formerly AZ) What did Gomer say at 5:50 ? http://youtu.be/4vrzDp2cTco Holland Lexington NC Less than 1 hour from Mayberry ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Just a guess....
Since Glen Ford’s film biography doesn’t include a movie titled “G-Men”, I suspect that the writers of the show were reluctant or not allowed to use the name of a real movie title in which Mr. Ford starred. Instead they may have generally referencing the characters Ford often portrayed or, possibly, the movie The Undercover Man. In that movie his character was a U.S. Treasury Agent. While I realize that G-man (Government Man) is supposed to be slang for an FBI agent, a Treasury Man is pretty close. Ken in AZ (but now in NC) ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
TAGS mentioned in the New York Times
Our beloved show was mentioned in a New York Times story yesterdayand not in a way that makes me very happy. Even if you’re not a sports fan, it’s possible you heard about the incident concerning the oak trees at Toomer’s Corner in Auburn, Alabama a few weeks back. An Alabama “fan” named Updyke admitted on a radio call-in show that he had poisoned the 130 year old trees, which are a part of Auburn’s traditions. Mr. Updyke has been charged with the crime and has had difficulty getting an attorney to represent him until a Mr. Threatt took the case. It is Mr. Threatt who is quoted in the Times. Here’s the quote: Threatt, an Alabama native with degrees from Princeton and Howard University School of Law, takes offense at some portrayals of Updyke, one of which compared him to Ernest T. Bass from “The Andy Griffith Show.” “He is not ignorant, not a redneck,” Threatt said. “He is not some sort of Andy Griffith-type of character who would be hanging out at Floyd’s barbershop. I resent those types of stereotypes.” Isn’t it ironic that Mr. Threatt resents “those types of stereotypes” while at the same time he is the one creating them by painting the characters who hung out at Floyd’s barbershop as “ignorant” and “redneck”. Ken in AZ ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Low and Lonely
I am sure more than one will supply the lyrics of Low and Lonely; but just in case, here they are: (Floyd Jenkins) Low and lonely, sad and blue Thinking only, of little you Always trying, to keep from crying I'm low and lonely over you. Do you miss me, say you do Tell me darling, please tell me true Do you yearn dear, for my return dear I'm low and lonely over you. --- Instrumental --- Low and lonely, weary too You're the only, true love I knew Don't be long dear, you know it's wrong dear I'm low and lonely over you. You're my darling, you're my dear You can trust me, so never fear How I miss you, I long to kiss you I'm low and lonely over you...Ken in AZ ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
3:00 vs. 3:05
I knew lots of people would post correct answers regarding Bob's question concerning the time deadline for someone claiming the wallet Opie found. And lots of people did. It got me to wonderingI think it would have been unusual (unlikely) for Bob to have missed that part of the conversation as it all took place within 30 seconds or so. Then I went back and noted that Bob said he was watching the show on the local TV station. I wonder if, maybe, the dialogue about he's already been here five minutes was cut and the edited version left you with impression that 3:00pm was the deadline. Ken in AZ ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Desert Island......hmmm.
Harriet's posing of the desert island question is a good one. Females choosing males (Andy), some males making clear choices (lady manicurist) and others pondering over male or female choices. I'm going with Harry in Salem's choice. Miss Peggy could do all the things he mentioned plus she probably makes a mean Sazerac (on my island the ingredients would all be there)-which would come in handy on desert island. I also find Peggy to be feistyand I like that. Just for the heck of it I took a look at Wikipedia's entry on the Sazerac cocktail. Very interesting. You might like to do the same. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sazerac Ken in AZ ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
The other Ken
Just some clarification. Be aware that there are two Ken's who post on the digest. From time to time I get an email asking about something I posted and it turns out it is the other Ken. Ken, I think your posts are an integral part of the Digest. Your stories and other sharings get my day off to a good beginning. Though my wife is not a true fan of TAGS, I nearly always copy and paste your comments and email them to her. We're both former school teachers and appreciate your continued dedication to teaching with meaning! You bring TAGS to life for those who hold it as a memory AND to those who don't know it at all. You should be proud of that accomplishment. I'm sure every other member of the digest is proud FOR YOU, I know I am. While folks could look to see where the email came FROM to ascertain whether a post was from you or me, it would be easier if you continued to be Ken and I'll now be Ken in AZ to avoid any confusion. It's either that or The Other Ken.Hmmm. Ken in AZ makes me feel a bit better. (though my first 45 years or so were in my home state of Tennessee and where my love for TAGS was born as a little boy watching first run episodes in the early '60's.) Happy to be the other Ken, Ken in AZ ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Trivia
Top Ten for their final season on the air. We all know The Andy Griffith Show finished #1 for its final season, a feat shared only by I Love Lucy and Seinfeld. The year TAGS wrapped up (1967-68), so did the #2 show on television (The Lucy Show; Lucy and Gale Gordon returned the following season in a new series playing new characters, Here's Lucy). A year later (1968-69), the #2 show that season also wrapped. Can you guess the show? Dixon A very good trivia question.one I could not have answered without cheating by using the Internet. The answer is Gomer Pyle, USMC. And I do believe Ron Howard was the answer to your other questionco-starring in TAGS and starring in Happy Days, ten years apart and both ending their seasons #1 for the year. I don't know about the rest of you, but I liked the way our little Opie grew up to be Richie Cunningham. Ron Howard MADE him into a good character. Ken ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
It must be the bomb
I would have been 12 years old when the Opie's Newspaper episode aired. I certainly wasn't particularly precocious but I did get the meaning at the time when Barney said the warm weather was related to the bomb. (I'm sure I'd remembering asking my mom or dad 'what'd that mean' if I hadn't known). Even though above ground nuclear bomb testing had ended in 1962 by both the U.S. and U.S.S.R., and Opie's Newspaper aired in 1965, it was sort of a common joke to blame anything you had no explanation for on THE bomb. Ken ...but I ain't gonna be beat to death with no spoon! ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Mr. Masters!!!
Regarding Mr. Master's hand signal in the old photograph, when I was in high school, I think that gesture was call the one finger peace sign. Ken ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Cymbals
Didn't the Andre Castellanos cymbals (marchers) Barney purchased in the Mayberry Band episode come from De-troit? Ken ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Final viewing and Dee-troit
I didn't have to think too long or hard about what last request episode I would select. The finalists were Barney's First Car and The Pickle Story, with The Pickle Story being my first choice by a hair. I noticed that many other list members selected episodes with life lessons, deeper meanings, etc. I simply went for FUNNY; the ones that make me laughand you can't beat Barney's explanation to Aunt Bee about his quick trip to visit his cousin and upon his return when Aunt Bee asked how his trip was and he replies: Fine, they were just pickled tink to see me! Also, about Detroit's pronunciation on TAGS: my deceased father was born in Western North Carolina in 1912-and he always called that Michigan city Dee-troit. Must have been a regional thing. Ken ...but I ain't gonna be beat to death with no spoon. ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Dick Elliott
Someone may have mentioned it previously, but one of my favorite Dick Elliott roles was his appearance on I Love Lucy. He and his wife were visiting New York City for the first time and were on top of the Empire State Building. Lucy and Ethel, dressed as women from Mars (publicity stunt), appear and scare the heck out of the couple. I can still hear and see Lucy looking at Dick Elliott and saying, It's a moo moo, as if she were speaking Martian. I think he also had a small role in the I Love Lucy episode that guest starred George Reeves as Superman. Ken ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Dub and Michael, too.....
Dan mentioned seeing our good friend Briscoe Darling while watching the classic movie Bonnie and Clyde. There are two other TAGS alumni in B C: Michael J. Pollard (Cousin Virgil) and Dub Taylor (Billy Ray, the postman plus others). Also, Clyde correctly mentions that in the visiting relatives episode, they do say up to Lake Charles when it would be down if they were talking about Louisiana. But if memory serves me correctly, in Floyd, The Gay Deceiver, Floyd says he is going either UP or DOWN to Nashville (can't recall which), when it should be (directionally speaking) OVER to Nashville. While we don't know which Lake Charles they're talking about, but we do know which Nashville it is and its relative location to Mayberry. Wow. Up-Down-Over-Under: we sure do get into the details, don't we? ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Tom's Blog today
I wanted to say a thank you to Tom for his blog today. It told of his communication with TAGS's Irene Tedrow of Chicken a la King fame. It caused me to take a look at her work history on www.imdb.com. Wow, what a lengthy body of work! She always seemed to play a dour characterbut I'll bet she was anything but that. Ken ...but I ain't gonna be beat to death with no spoon. ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Toilet Water....
Happy to report that I have an authoritative source to help answer the toilet water question. The authority is my wife who taught high school French or 20+ years and speaks the language fluently. Toilette (the French spelling adds another T) originally referred to a person's morning grooming procedure; combing of hair, brushing of teeth, washing all over, etc. The washing part was, of course, accomplished with a cloth and basin of water. In the south of France many flowers are grown and at some point they decided it would be a good idea to distill some of their pretty fragrancesand add this nice smelling liquid to the water they used during their morning toilette procedure. As we learn nearly everything worth knowing by watching TAGS, in one episode Andy told us about what a good smell-in' country it was, remember? Anyway, at some point, instead of adding the nice smelling toilette water to their bathing water, a more concentrated version was used to sprinkle on your body after washing up. My wife also lets me know the difference between toilette water, cologne and perfume. And for you men out there, this is important. Each of the three smell good, but it's a matter of concentration. Toilette water is the most diluted and the least expensive. Cologne is less diluted and more expensive. Perfume is the strongest stuff and the most expensive. My wife tells me women know this and judge accordingly when received as a gift. Hence: toilette water bottles BIG; perfume bottles TINY. ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Guest Characters
Ted posed the question about any characters that appeared only once in TAGS that we'd like to have seen more of. It seems to me that shows today try SO HARD to have a CORRECT mix characters that they inevitably fall flat on their face. What they end up with seems forced and contrived. TAGS was a near perfect blend of characters. That being said, I would like to offer up a character that appeared once that I think could have been incorporated into the show. While I hesitate to tamper with perfection, don't you think it would have been a plus if Mary Grace (Gossage?), Thelma Lou's cousin (She's NICE), moved to Mayberry and she and Gomer became an occasional story line. Their relationship certainly was going in a positive direction when last we saw them. Mary Grace Canfield was the actress who played Mary Grace (guess the folks who came up with character's names weren't working that week!) and, of course, she later became Ralph Monroe the carpenter on Green Acres. Wikipedia tells me that she was born in 1924 and is still with us. Another one to consider for reappearance would be Michael J. Pollard as Barney's cousin Virgil. Though a little of Pollard goes a long way, IMHO. Which makes me think: what about a scene with Mary Grace and Virgil together!! That WOULD be awkward! And quiet... ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Picnic
Maybe it's my upbringing in the south, but I've always known that a picnic is a type of ham--but didn't know the specifics until Ted asked this question. I've noticed the sign in the window referring to the picnics for 40 yearsbut never gave it a second thought. Thanks for bringing this up, Ted! Here is more detailed explanation as to what a picnic ham is..and I'm sure many members on the list will also answer Ted's question. Not really a true ham (which comes from the pig's back leg), the picnic ham is taken from the upper part of the foreleg and includes a portion of the shoulder. This cut is also more accurately referred to as the picnic shoulder or pork shoulder. The picnic ham is smoked, which gives it a very hamlike flavor. It often has the bone removed. Though it's slightly tougher (requiring longer cooking) and has more waste because of the bone structure, picnic ham is a good, inexpensive substitute for regular ham. Ken ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Fred Goss
Thanks to Tom Kessel for mentioning Fred Sherman (Fred Goss, the dry cleaner). This prompted me to look at his entry on IMDB. While I consider myself fairly knowledgeable on the subject of the I Love Lucy show, I had never noticed (despite dozens of viewings) that the drunk in The Diner episode was our very own Fred Goss. As I scrolled down the list of his acting appearances I was impressed by the volume of his work! Ken in AZ ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Compellsions
Ken, I read with great concern and sadness your confession about your digest posting compellsion. I wonder what causes that? Ken in AZ ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Perfume $$$
This may be over-analyzing whether the $64.00 bottle of perfume was an extravagance or not.but isn't this one of the many reasons why we love our little group: obsessing on things others don't even notice?? I did some searching and found that, when adjusting for inflation, $64 in 1968 is the equivalent of $391.89 in today's dollars. Yes, about $400 today is a lot for perfume.but it's not unheard of. (The most expensive perfume in the world is $2,150 PER OUNCE Clive Christian's Imperial Majesty.) The bottle that Opie broke contained 4 OUNCES. That comes out to about $100 per ounce in 2009 dollars. But, in today's dollars, Chanel #5 (something that would have been known and popular in 1968) costs $123 dollars per ouncecomparable to the 100 dollar per ounce for the perfume Andy considered buying. So, if you find that Andy buying Helen a perfume less expensive than Chanel #5 to be extravagant, I guess it would be. It's all subjective depending on your definition of extravagant. I, on the other hand, think Helen was well worth it.and that several women in Mayberry would have had perfume the equivalent of Chanel #5. And why didn't Opie notice that when he broke the bottle of perfume on the floor the perfume had no fancy female smell to it? ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Life with Lucy
The last Lucy situation comedy was called Life with Lucy and aired for 13 episodes in early 1986. Gale Gordon, her long time co-star as Mr. Mooney, also appeared in the show. I believe he was a hardware store owner and Lucy worked for him. Although written by Bob Carroll, who wrote many of the I Love Lucy episodes, the show was not very good. I remember reading at the time that it broke Lucy's heart that she was unsuccessful in her last attempt to do situation comedy. Ken ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Trained noticer?
Having been on this list for a relatively short period of time, I am not aware of what it takes to be designated a trained notice. I am sure the training is quite rigorous! That being said, I really think that Opie, Jr. might be allowed to fast track right to the trained noticer status for his spotting of the brown (beer?) bottle. Ken ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Dub Taylor
Great actor Dub Taylor was, but it was Strother Martin who had the famous line in Cool Hand Luke, What we have here is failure to communicate. Ken ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
Any truth to this vague recollection?
It seems to me that I read/heard or otherwise came to know that Season 5 of TAGS, thought aired in BW, was actually taped in color. I am aware that at least one season of The Lucy Show was shot in color but aired in black and white, as CBS transitioned to color TV programming in order to compete with NBC. Might be just my (vivid) imagination, but season 5's appearance on the TV screen looks like a color program (edges a little fuzzier than BW episodes) with the color turned off. (Remember how you used to be able to do that with the first color TV sets? Turn off the color with the twist of a button.) Ken .but I ain't gonna be beat to death with no spoon. ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
That's our man....
Being new to the newsletter, I was never aware of the big Christmas in Connecticut/Mr. Schwamp controversy. I told my wife about it.she's originally from Los Angeles.she just stared at me, blankly. :-) (If you're not a huge fan of the show, it probably seems a little.aah, obsessive---though she's too kind to say that.) I took a look at the youtube video of Christmas in Connecticut, for the first time ever--for what it's worth, there is no doubt in my mind that IS Mr. Schwamp, as usual, sitting (not standing) in the stag line. The time line as far as age works out fine---he looks to be 40ish, in TAGS he's 60ish. Add to that the HAIR and, importantly for me, the mannerisms. Notice him turning his head, looking side-to-side, shaking his head and smiling--just as he did as an extra on TAGS. Unless he has a twin, it's him. IMHO. Ken Scottsdale, AZ ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://wbmutbb.com/mailman/listinfo/wbmutbb_wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
A young Miss Bee
Frances Bavier, pretty young in this photo: http://www.what-a-character.com/photos/982796858.jpg ___ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://wbmutbb.com/mailman/listinfo/wbmutbb_wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
