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Don Knotts
Don Knotts Barney Fife 1966.JPG
Knotts in 1966
Born
Jesse Donald Knotts

(1924-07-21)July 21, 1924
Died February 24, 2006(2006-02-24) (aged 81)
Los Angeles, California
Resting place Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, Los Angeles, California
Alma mater West Virginia University
Occupation Actor, comedian
Years active 1941–2006
Spouse(s)
  • Kathryn Metz
    (m. 1947; div. 1964)
  • Loralee Czuchna
    (m. 1974; div. 1983)
  • Frances Yarborough
    (m. 2002)
Children 2, including Karen 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 Sheriff Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show, a 1960s sitcom for which he earned five Emmy Awards. He also played Ralph Furley on the highly rated sitcom Three's Company from 1979 to 1984. He starred in multiple comedic films, including the leading roles in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) and The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964). In 2004, TV Guide ranked him number 27 on its 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time list.

Knotts was born in West Virginia, the youngest of four children. In the 1940s, before earning a college degree, he served in the United States Army and in World War II. While enlisted, he chose to become a ventriloquist and comedian as part of a G.I. variety show called "Stars and Gripes".

After the army, he got his first major break on television in the soap opera Search for Tomorrow where he appeared from 1953 to 1955. He then gained wide recognition as part of the repertory company on Steve 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 of No Time for Sergeants.

Knotts was cast as deputy Barney Fife on television's The Andy Griffith Show, which ran from 1960 to 1968. He reprised the character in other shows, such as The Joey Bishop Show and Return to Mayberry. Knotts won five Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Comedy. He also appeared in the films The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) and The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964).

Early life

Knotts was born in Morgantown, West Virginia, the youngest of four sons of farmer William Jesse Knotts and his wife Elsie Luzetta Knotts (née Moore), who were married in Spraggs, Pennsylvania. His English paternal ancestors emigrated to America in the 17th century, originally settling in Queen Anne's County, Maryland. His brothers were named Willis, William, and Ralph (who was called "Sid").

Knotts' mother was 40 at his birth. His father died of pneumonia when Knotts was 13. He and his brothers were then raised by their mother, who ran a boarding house in 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 from Morgantown High School. After enlisting in the United States Army and serving in World War II, he earned a bachelor's degree in education with a minor in speech from West Virginia University in Morgantown, graduating in 1948. He was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity at WVU.

Career

Early career

Before he entered high school, Knotts began performing as a ventriloquist and 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, 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 western Pacific Islands as a comedian, in a G.I. variety show called "Stars and Gripes". His ventriloquist act included a dummy named Danny, which Knotts grew to hate—and eventually threw overboard, according to friend and castmate Al Checco.

Knotts served in the army from June 21, 1943, to January 6, 1946, in the Army's 6817th Special Services Battalion. He was discharged at the rank of Technician Grade 5, then equivalent to a corporal. During his service, he was awarded the World War II Victory Medal, the Philippine Liberation Medal, the Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal (with four bronze service stars), the American Campaign Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Army Marksman Badge (with an M1 Carbine) and the Honorable 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 he had made in the Special Services Branch helped him 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 called "Bobby Benson and the B-Bar-B Riders".

Knotts got his first break on television in the soap opera Search for Tomorrow, where he appeared from 1953 to 1955. He came to fame in 1956 on Steve 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 Allen through the 1959–1960 season. From October 20, 1955, through September 14, 1957, he appeared in the Broadway stage version of No Time for Sergeants, where he played two roles, listed on the playbill as a Corporal Manual Dexterity and A Preacher. In 1958, he made his movie debut with Andy Griffith in the film version of No Time for Sergeants, where he reprised his Broadway role, and played a high-strung Air Force test administrator whose routine is disrupted by the hijinks of a provincial new recruit.

The Andy Griffith Show

Andy Griffith Don Knotts 1960
As Barney Fife, Knotts gets the help of Sheriff Taylor when his gun gets stuck on his finger.
DonKnotts1961
Knotts receives his first Emmy Award for The Andy Griffith Show, 1961.

In 1960, Andy Griffith was offered the opportunity to headline his own sitcom, The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968). Knotts took the role of Barney Fife, the deputy—and originally cousin—of Sheriff Andy Taylor (portrayed by Griffith). Knotts' portrayal of the deputy on the popular show earned him five Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Comedy.

When the show first aired, Griffith was intended to be the comedic lead with Knotts as his straight man, similar to their roles in No 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 that The Andy Griffith Show would end after five seasons, and he began to look for other work, signing a five-film contract with Universal 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 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's having finally made the "big time," joining the Raleigh, North Carolina, police force.

Post-Mayberry film career

Andy Griffith Ernie Ford Don Knotts Andy Griffith Special 1967
On a 1967 Andy Griffith special, Knotts plays the outraged wife of Tennessee Ernie Ford, as Griffith looks on.

Knotts went on to star in a series of film comedies that drew on his high-strung persona from the television series: he had a cameo appearance in United Artists' It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), and starred in Warner Bros.' The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964). Knotts then began his Universal five-film contract with The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966), The Reluctant Astronaut (1967), The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968), The Love God? (1969) and How to Frame a Figg (1971). After making How to Frame a Figg, Knotts' five-film contract with Universal finished.

Knotts reprised his role as Barney Fife several times in the 1960s: he made five guest appearances on The Andy Griffith Show (gaining him another two Emmy Awards), and he later appeared once on the spin-off Mayberry R.F.D., where he was present as best man for the marriage of Andy Taylor and his longtime love, Helen Crump. He continued to work steadily, though he did not appear as a regular on any successful television series until in 1979 he got the part of landlord Ralph Furley on Three's Company for seasons 4 through 8, after the departure of Norman Fell, who had played the previous landlord.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Knotts served as the spokesman for Dodge trucks and was featured prominently in a series of print ads and dealer brochures. On television, he went on to host a variety show/sitcom hybrid on NBC, The Don Knotts Show, which aired Tuesdays during the fall of 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 as The Bill Cosby Show and Here's Lucy. In 1970, he appeared as a Barney Fife-like police officer in the pilot of The New Andy Griffith Show. In 1972, Knotts voiced an animated version of himself in two episodes of The 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 of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, with Art Carney as Oscar Madison, and toured in the Neil Simon comedy Last of the Red Hot Lovers.

Beginning in 1975, Knotts was teamed with Tim Conway in a series of slapstick films aimed at children, including the Disney film The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975) and its sequel, The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979). They also did two independent films, the boxing comedy The Prize Fighter (1979), and the mystery-comedy The Private Eyes (1980). Knotts co-starred in several other Disney films, including Gus (1976), No Deposit, No Return (1976), Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977) and Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978).

Three's Company

In 1979, Knotts returned to series television in his second most identifiable role, the wacky but lovable landlord Ralph Furley on Three'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 by Norman Fell and Audra Lindley, respectively) left to star in their own short-lived spin-off series The Ropers.

On set, Knotts easily integrated himself into the already established cast who were, as John Ritter put it, "so scared" of Knotts because of his star status. When Suzanne Somers left the show after a contract dispute in 1981, the writers started giving the material meant for Somers's Chrissy to Knotts' Furley. Knotts remained on the series until it ended in 1984. The Three's Company script supervisor, Carol Summers, became Knotts' agent and often accompanied him to personal appearances.

Later years

In 1986, Knotts reunited with Andy Griffith in the made-for-television film Return to Mayberry, reprising his Barney Fife role. In early 1987, he joined the cast of the first-run syndication comedy What a Country!, as Principal Bud McPherson, for its remaining 13 episodes. It was produced by Martin Rips and Joseph Staretski, who had previously worked on Three's Company.

In 1988, Knotts joined Andy Griffith on TV's Matlock, in the recurring role of pesky neighbor Les Calhoun, until 1992.

After that, his roles were sporadic, including a cameo appearance in the film Big Bully (1996) as the high school principal. In 1998, he had a small but pivotal role as a mysterious TV repairman in Pleasantville. 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 that day, in honor of Knotts' role as Barney Fife, he was named an honorary deputy sheriff with the Monongalia County Sheriff's Department.

Knotts was recognized in 2000 with a star on the Hollywood 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 with Scooby-Doo in the video game Scooby-Doo! Night of 100 Frights. (He also spoofed his appearances on that show in various promotions for Cartoon Network, and in a parody on Robot Chicken, where he was teamed with Phyllis Diller.) In 2003, he teamed up again with Tim Conway to provide voices for the direct-to-video children's series Hermie and Friends, which continued until Knotts' death. In 2005, he was the voice of Mayor Turkey Lurkey in Chicken Little (2005), his first Disney movie since 1979. On September 12, 2003, he was in Kansas City, in a stage version of On Golden Pond, when he received a call from John Ritter's family telling him that his former Three's Company co-star had died of an aortic dissection that day. He and his co-stars attended the funeral four days later. Knotts had appeared with Ritter one final time earlier in 2003 in a cameo on 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, in an episode that paid homage to their earlier television series. Knotts was the last Three's Company star to work with Ritter.

During this period of time, macular degeneration in 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 a Paul Young variation in a Desperate Housewives sketch on The 3rd Annual TV Land Awards. He parodied that part one final time in "Stone Cold Crazy", an episode of the sitcom That '70s Show, where he played the landlord. It was his last live-action television appearance. His final role was in Air Buddies (2006), a direct-to-video sequel to Air Bud, voicing the sheriff's deputy dog Sniffer.

Personal life

Knotts's friend Al Checco said, "Don was somewhat of a ladies' man. He fancied himself something of a Frank 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, and he raised his daughter as a single parent. He married Loralee Czuchna in 1974 and they divorced in 1983. His third marriage was to Frances Yarborough, from 2002 until his death in 2006. From his first marriage, Knotts had a son, Thomas Knotts, and a daughter, actress Karen Knotts (born April 2, 1954).

Knotts struggled with hypochondria and macular degeneration. Betty Lynn, one of his co-stars on The Andy Griffith Show, described him as a "very quiet man. Very sweet. Nothing like Barney Fife." TV writer Mark Evanier called him "the most beloved person in all of show business".

Death

Don Knotts grave at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Brentwood, California,cropped-rotated-perspective
Knotts' grave

Knotts died at age 81 on February 24, 2006, at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles from pulmonary and respiratory complications of pneumonia related to lung 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 at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

Knotts' 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 by Jamie Lester, was unveiled on July 23, 2016, in front of The Metropolitan Theatre on High Street in his hometown of Morgantown, West Virginia.

Filmography

The following is Don Knotts' acting credits.

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1958 No Time for Sergeants Corporal John C. Brown
1960 Wake Me When It's Over Sergeant Percy Warren
1961 The Last Time I Saw Archie Captain Harry Little
1963 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World Nervous Motorist
1963 Move Over, Darling Shoe Clerk
1964 The Incredible Mr. Limpet Henry Limpet
1966 The Ghost and Mr. Chicken Luther Heggs
1967 The Reluctant Astronaut Roy Fleming
1968 The Shakiest Gun in the West Jesse W. Heywood
1969 The Love God? Abner Audubon Peacock IV
1971 How to Frame a Figg Hollis Alexander Figg also Writer
1975 The Apple Dumpling Gang Theodore Ogelvie
1976 No Deposit, No Return Bert
1976 Gus Coach Venner
1977 Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo Wheely Applegate
1978 Hot Lead and Cold Feet Sheriff Denver Kid
1978 Mule Feathers Narrator / The Mule Voice Role
1979 The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again Theodore
1979 The Prize Fighter Shake
1980 The Private Eyes Inspector Winship
1984 Cannonball Run II CHP OFficers #2
1987 Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night Gee Willikers Voice Role
1991 Timmy's Gift: A Precious Moments Christmas Titus (Voice Role) Short Film
1996 Big Bully Principal Kokelar
1997 Cats Don't Dance T.W. Turtle Voice Role
1998 Pleasantville TV Repairman
1999 Tom Sawyer Mutt Potter (Voice Role) Direct-to-Video
2004 Hermie & Friends: Flo the Lyin' Fly Wormie (Voice Role) Short Film
2004 Hermie & Friends: Webster the Scaredy Spider Wormie (Voice Role) Short Film
2005 Hermie & Friends: Buzby, the Misbehaving Bee Wormie (Voice Role) Short Film
2005 Hermie & Friends: A Fruitcake Christmas Wormie (Voice Role) Direct-to-Video
2005 Chicken Little Mayor Turkey Lurkey Voice Role
2006 Hermie & Friends: Stanely the Stinkbug Goes to Camp Wormie (Voice Role) Direct-to-Video
2006 Hermie & Friends: To Share or Nut to Share Wormie (Voice Role) Short Film
2006 Air Buddies Sniffer (Voice Role) Direct-to-Video

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1953–55 Search for Tomorrow Wilbur Peterson series regular
1957–1960 The Steve Allen Plymouth Show Himself (Guest) series regular (108 episodes)
1958 The Bob Cummings Show Flash Grushkin "Bob and Schultzy at Sea"
1958 I've Got a Secret Himself (Guest) "09.03.1958"
1960 The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis Esmond Metzger "Rock-A-Bye Dobie"
1960–68 The Andy Griffith Show Barney Fife series regular (162 episodes)
1961–65 The Red Skelton Show Commodore of Lagoons / Horaces Horatio / Mr Pallid / Herbie 4 episodes
1962–64 The Garry Moore Show Himself (Guest) 4 episodes
1963 The Jerry Lewis Show Himself (Guest) "#1.7"
1963–67 The Andy Williams Show Himself (Guest) 2 episodes
1964 The Joey Bishop Show Barney Fife "Joey's Hideaway Cabin"
1964 The Red Skelton Show Himself / "Steady Fingers" Ferguson "How Are Things in Glocca Moron?"
1964–1970 The Hollywood Palace Himself (Host) 4 episodes
1964–1974 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Himself (Guest) 5 episodes
1966 McHale's Navy Lieutenant Pratt "Little Red Riding Doctor"
1966 American Bandstand Himself "#9.30"
1967 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Curly Kid "The Reason Nobody Hardly Ever Seen a Fat Outlaw in the Old West Is as Follows"
1967 The Don Knotts Special Himself (Host / Presenter) TV Special
1968 Mayberry R.F.D. Barney Fife "Andy and Helen Get Married"
1968 The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour Himself (Guest) "#2.22"
1969 The Andy Williams Show Himself (Guest) "#1.5"
1970 The Bill Cosby Show Leo Swann "Swann's Way"
1970 The Ray Stevens Show Himself "#1.2"
1970–71 The Don Knotts Show Himself (Host) series regular (22 episodes)
1970–75 The Bob Hope Show Himself (Guest) 2 episodes
1971 The New Andy Griffith Show Barney Fife "My Friend, the Mayor"
1972 The New Scooby-Doo Movies Don Knotts / Homer Pipsqueak (Voice Role) 2 episodes
1972 The Man Who Came to Dinner Dr. Bradley TV Movie
1972 The Dick Cavett Show Himself (Guest) "05.26.1972"
1972–73 The New Bill Cosby Show Himself 2 episodes
1972–74 The Merv Griffin Show Himself (Guest) 2 episodes
1973 Here's Lucy Ben Fletcher "Lucy Goes on Her Last Blind Date"
1973 I Love a Mystery Alexander Archer TV Movie
1974 Wait Till Your Father Gets Home Charlie "Bumbles" Johnson (Voice Role) "Don Knotts, the Beekeeper"
1974 The Girl with Something Extra Lionel "The Not-So-Good Samaritan"
1974–77 Hollywood Squares Himself (Panelist) 4 episodes
1975 Harry and Maggie Harry Kellog TV Movie
1975 Laugh Back Various Characters series regular
1975–76 Dinah! Himself (Guest) 5 episodes
1976 Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Danny Thomas Himself TV Special
1976–77 The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour Himself / Various Characters 5 episodes
1976–77 Donny & Marie Himself (Guest) 2 episodes
1977 The Muppet Show Himself (Special Guest Star) "Don Knotts"
1978–79 Fantasy Island Felix Birdsong / Stanley Scheckter 2 episodes
1979 The Muppets Go Hollywood Himself TV Special
1979–1984 Three's Company Ralph Furley series regular (115 episodes)
1979–1987 The Love Boat Himself / Herb Groebecker 2 episodes
1980 The Tim Conway Show Himself (Guest) 2 episodes
1985 Inspector Gadget Male M.A.D. Agent (Voice Role) "Ghost Catchers"
1985 George Burns Comedy Week Himself "Disaster at Buzz Creek"
1986 Return to Mayberry Barney Fife TV Movie
1987 What a Country! F. Jerry "Bud" McPherson recurring role (11 episodes)
1987 The Little Troll Prince Professor Nidaros (Voice Role) TV Movie
1988 She's the Sheriff Moe "Hair"
1988–1992 Matlock Les Calhoun recurring role (17 episodes)
1990 Newhart Iron "Seein' Double"
1992 Fish Police Mr. Lichen (Voice Role) "The Two Girls"
1993 Garfield and Friends unknown (Voice Role) 2 episodes
1993 Step by Step Deputy Feif "Christmas Story"
1993 Andy Griffith Show Reunion Himself TV Special
1993 Late Show with David Letterman Himself (Guest) "09.23.1993"
1994 Burke's Law Dr. Adkins "Who Killed Good Time Charlie?"
1998 E! True Hollywood Story Himself (Interviewee) "Three's Company"
1999 Jingle Bells Kris (Voice Role) TV Movie
1999 Late Night with Conan O'Brien Himself (Guest) "Lennox Lewis / Dave Chappelle / Don Knotts"
1999–2002 Biography Himself (Interviewee) 3 episodes
— "Ron Howard: Hollywood's Favorite Son" (1999)
— "Don Knotts: Nervous Laughter" (2000)
— "John Ritter: In Good Company" (2002)
2000 Quints Governor Healy TV Movie
2002 The Griffin and the Minor Canon Messenger #1 TV Movie
2003 Hermie: A Common Caterpillar Wormie (Voice Role) TV Movie
2003 8 Simple Rules (to Dating My Teenage Daughter) Himself "Come and Knock on Our Door"
2003 Odd Job Jack Dirk Douglas "American Wiener"
2003 The Andy Griffith Show Reunion: Back to Mayberry Himself / Barney Fife TV Documentary
2003 Larry King Live Himself (Guest) "11.27.2003"
2004 Johnny Bravo Himself (Voice Role) 2 episodes
2004 Hermie & Friends Wormie (Voice Role) TV Movie
2005 That '70s Show The Landlord "Stone Cold Crazy"
2005 Fatherhood Edwin Mazur / Mr. Mauzer 2 episodes
2005 Las Vegas Himself "Hit Me!"
2005 Robot Chicken Himself (Voice Role) "Operation Rich in Spirit"

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Scooby-Doo: Night of 100 Frights Groundskeeper Voice Role

Awards

The following are accolades and honors Don Knotts received throughout his career.

Association Nominated Work Year Category Result Ref
Emmy Awards (Primetime) The Andy Griffith Show 1961 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Won
1962 Won
1963 Won
1966 Won
1967 Won
Online Film & Television Association N/A 2007 TV Hall of Fame — Actors and Actresses Won
Walk of Fame N/A 2000 Television — 7083 Hollywood, Blvd. (January 19, 2000) Won

See also

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