The Andy Griffith Show Book: From Miracle Salve to Kerosene Cucumbers : The Complete Guide to One of Television's Best-Loved Shows [Paperback]

Ken Beck (Author), Jim Clark (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1995

The Andy Griffith Show is one or America's perennial TV favorites. It hasn't left the air--thanks to reruns--in the 35 years since its debut and is one of the most-watched programs in syndication. With fabulous cast photos, a color photo insert and a rip-roaring introduction, this special anniversary edition is a must-have for fans of the show.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ken Beck and Jim Clark have been leaders of the Andy Griffith Show ReRun Watchers Club for more than twenty years, since they first published a mimeographed fanzine. The fan organization now boasts more than a thousand chapters nationwide and a Website. Both authors live near Nashville, Tennessee.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 217 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; Revised Edition edition (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312117418
• ISBN-13: 978-0312117412
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #779,191 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hallelujah, I have died and gone to Mayberry!, February 7, 2002

By 

Kevin Cook "Darlin' Boy" (McDonough, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Andy Griffith Show Book 40th Anniversary Edition (Paperback)

Everything you ever wanted to know about Mayberry, but didn't know whom to ask. Until now. Painstakingly assembled by two self-proclaimed "Goobers" who have likely forgotten more TAGS tidbits than you or I will ever know, this exhaustive guide is very well-organized and easy on the eye. The first time I read it, during a memorably relaxing trip to the north Georgia mountains, I devoured it in one luxurious sitting, and I still refer to it often. It's that entertaining, addictive and authoritative.

It's important to note, the authors present facts about Mayberry and its denizens as if they were real (and don't try to tell me they aren't!), leaving the task of analyzing the program itself to other scholars. (Such as Richard Michael Kelly, whose own TAGS book is top-shelf.)

The rampant commercialization of all things Mayberry in recent years is more than a little disconcerting. The loving care that went into the making of this book, however, is not in question. For my money, it is the only indispensable reference for those with Mayberry in their blood.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reference for the Mayberry Trivia Buff & Fan Fiction Writer, July 16, 2005

By 

mwreview "mwreview" (Northern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Andy Griffith Show Book: From Miracle Salve to Kerosene Cucumbers : The Complete Guide to One of Television's Best-Loved Shows (Paperback)

Ken Beck and Jim Clark no doubt eat, drink, and breath the Andy Griffith Show as they must have watched every episode several times with pen and paper in hand to create this book filled with almost every bit of trivia you'd want to know about the show, not to mention their many other books on TAGS. This book is not about the actors, writers, behind-the-scenes activities, or the philosophy of the show, it is a book on the characters, places, and happenings in Mayberry. The episodes of the television show is the only source for this book.

Some reviewers do not think a book recapping the events of the television show is valuable, but it is for trivia buffs and for fan fiction writers. Fans who like to write Mayberry-related stories can find all sorts of helpful tidbits in this book. There is even an episode guide in the back with brief synopses. It is very useful for those who have not seen all the episodes or cannot remember certain details about the characters, places, etc. I have referred to this book several times in writing just one fan fiction story. It is very well-organized and usually offers that little detail I'm looking for. I was very surprised how much information is offered in this book.

Every character is profiled (almost all with photos) from the main ones to those who were only on a short time or intermittently like Ellie Walker, the Darlings, Clara Edwards Johnson, Emmett Clark, Sam Jones, and that adorable Warren Ferguson (with a nice photo I have not seen before). For trivia buffs, there are chapters on "Cops and Robbers," "Codes and Cases," "Mayberry Media" (local newspapers, radio stations, tv stations, tv programs enjoyed by Mayberry residents), "Music of Mayberry," "Contradictions," and more. There is also a helpful map of Mayberry with all the important spots like Myer's Lake, the Duck Pond, the Darling's cabin, and Ernest T. Bass' cave, a town directory and yellow pages for both Mayberry and Mt. Pilot. It also has a quiz. There are scores of b&w photos throughout the book. My only complaint is that the episode guide is not divided up into seasons. Recommended for anyone interested in the characters of TAGS.

24 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars For most readers, likely to be a waste of time, November 4, 2000

By 

Michael Bulger (Rochester, NY, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Andy Griffith Show Book 40th Anniversary Edition (Paperback)

I ordered this book, sight unseen, as a gift for my father, a longtime Andy Griffith show fan. Having received it, and having perused it, I am actually not certain I want to send it to Dad--it is that disappointing. Those looking for behind the scenes accounts, biographical information, or any real description of how the show was made should avoid this book completely. What you will find here is simple recitations of the characters on the show, and whatever information one can obtain on each one based on careful viewings of every episode. If you don't know who the actors are, you will gain almost nothing from this--for example, I was very interested in who played the musical Darlings, but the identity of the band was revealed only in a very brief and very trivial factoid. Overall, I am really not sure who would want to read this--if you've seen enough of the Andy Griffith show, you already know most of what is here, and what you don't know is trivial at best. Try another book for real information on the show and its making.