Sunday, February 26, 2006
R.I.P. Barney and Kolchak
Saturday afternoon I heard that Don Knotts had passed away. Don died on Friday night at UCLA Medical Center from lung cancer. He was 81 years old. Most people knew Don as the bumbling, high strung, somewhat delusional but good hearted Barney Fife, the deputy sheriff in Mayberry North Carolina, the fictional town on The Andy Griffith Show. If you don’t know what The Andy Griffith Show is, then stop reading now, because I can’t imagine you being interested in this.
The Andy Griffith Show is one of the all time classic sitcoms in TV history. The main reason for that was Don Knotts. He turned Barney Fife into one of the great characters of TV. That’s not just my opinion. Millions felt that way, and his peers felt that way also since Don won five Emmy Awards for the role. He and Andy Griffith made a great comedy team. I still like to watch the show sometimes on TV Land. The episodes when Don was still on the show still hold up after all these years.
This morning I also found out that Darren McGavin died yesterday at the age of 83. Darren was a prolific actor, but to me he’ll always be Carl Kolchak from Kolchak: The Night Stalker, the precursor of The X-Files. I use to watch it on Friday nights on ABC. I’ll admit the show doesn’t hold up as well, but I always liked Kolchak, so the show is still pretty good.
It’s surprising how upset you get when actors who played your favorite characters die. Even though you feel bad that the actor died, aren’t you really more upset that the character died. I’m sure Don Knotts was a nice man, but isn’t more likely that I’m more upset that Barney Fife died. In a way it’s Barney Fife who came into my home every week, not Don Knotts, so it’s Barney I’m mourning. I know it’s stupid but don’t you feel that way too? So rest in peace Don Knotts and Darren McGavin and thanks for all the joy you brought to millions.
The Andy Griffith Show is one of the all time classic sitcoms in TV history. The main reason for that was Don Knotts. He turned Barney Fife into one of the great characters of TV. That’s not just my opinion. Millions felt that way, and his peers felt that way also since Don won five Emmy Awards for the role. He and Andy Griffith made a great comedy team. I still like to watch the show sometimes on TV Land. The episodes when Don was still on the show still hold up after all these years.
This morning I also found out that Darren McGavin died yesterday at the age of 83. Darren was a prolific actor, but to me he’ll always be Carl Kolchak from Kolchak: The Night Stalker, the precursor of The X-Files. I use to watch it on Friday nights on ABC. I’ll admit the show doesn’t hold up as well, but I always liked Kolchak, so the show is still pretty good.
It’s surprising how upset you get when actors who played your favorite characters die. Even though you feel bad that the actor died, aren’t you really more upset that the character died. I’m sure Don Knotts was a nice man, but isn’t more likely that I’m more upset that Barney Fife died. In a way it’s Barney Fife who came into my home every week, not Don Knotts, so it’s Barney I’m mourning. I know it’s stupid but don’t you feel that way too? So rest in peace Don Knotts and Darren McGavin and thanks for all the joy you brought to millions.
