I've recently checked AGShow compilations from the library...when Barney became frantic and exctited that had to be some of funniest stuff you've ever seen...timeless...
I keep on getting reminded of stuff Mr. Knotts did. Thinking of him getting frantic and excited... I saw this documentary about him and they showed a character he invented called "the nervous man". They showed some clips and that was hilarious just watching Mr. Knotts twitch and fidget and carry on... and act like he was going through all that nervous stuff while trying also to act like there's nothing wrong. I couldn't watch without laughing.
And this just reminded me of what they told once about when Howard McNear signed on to play Floyd... the said he was so funny Mr. Knotts couldn't look at him without bustin' out laughin' and it took 20+ takes to shoot that one scene.
I remember when he came on Matlock too... it was good to see them working together again... just like old times, looked like to me... the way he'd show Barney-esqe stress dealing with Ben just like he had Andy years before.
A line that stood out to me (because both of my grandfather's are/were WW2 vets) was between Mr. Knotts and Mr. Griffith, who are in my grandparents' age group and I'm not saying it as funny, but as a matter of some truth: Mr. Knotts said "at our age, whenever we say 'the war' nobody asks which one'.
Oh my God the wookalar! Sucks your brains right out of your nose, just schhhhhuuuuckkk!
I didn't see that movie, but the tone of this line reminds me of another of his famous lines:
"It's terrible, Andy. It's just terrible! I'll never live it down as long as I live
As to all the crap their passing off on us as comedy these days, seems to me we're long overdue to "NIP iiIIT in thE BUD!!!" It's as bad as some of these kids... "first their breakin' glass, then the next thing you know they'll be wearin' leather jackets and zoomin' around on motorcycles". But of course, in Mayberry, the only one ever zoomin' around on a motorcycle was Barney, who said each piece of clothing had a purpose, from helmet to jacket... (and Mr. Griffith had to ask) "and what are those heavy leather gauntlets for? in case a dog thinks you look silly and tries to bite you?" The sidecar scenes are a riot and Mr. Knotts knew how to carry it off.