Customer Reviews

Return To Mayberry

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4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

When we last left the "Andy Griffith Show" in 1968 (in color), Goober finally found himself a woman and was singing with Andy and company in the living room with piano.
Of course, the stories of Mayberry continued that September with the tv-series spinoff "Mayberry R.F.D." starring Ken Berry with Frances Bavier as "Aunt Bea" and George Lindsey as "Goober". This continued from 1966-1971.
It would be 18 years before "The Andy Griffith Show" cast would return in a tv-movie, "RETURN TO MAYBERRY" (1986).
Sixteen familar faces returned: Andy Giffith, Ron Howard, Don Knotts, Jim Nabors, George Lindsey, Jack Dodson, Betty Lynn, Aneta Corsaut, Howard Morris, Hal Smith, Dever Pyle, Doug Dillard, Rodney Dillard, Maggie Peterson, Mitch Jayne and Dean Webb.
Fraces Bavier was still alive, but was to ill to join the cast for the movie, so they wrote it as "Aunt Bea" had already passed away.
The good 'ole Mayberry set was on the Culver City back lot, but had long since been bulldozed. So for this movie, they went to Los Olivos, California to film.
The actual "Mayberry" is thought by fans to be based upon Andy Griffith's birthplace Mount Airy, North Carolina and also Raliegh, North Carolina. Andy Griffith says it was not based on Mount Airy.
We do get to see the outside of "Andy Taylor's" home in many scenes, now Opie's house, but we never see a scene inside where we were used to seeing Aunt Bea.
Another reunion movie "Christmas in Mayberry" was turned down by Andy Griffith since some of his old friends in cast and crew were now gone.
Frances Bavier died December 6, 1989. Andy Griffith was able to speak to her by phone sometime before she passed away.
Aneta Corsaut died from cancer November 6, 1995.
Don Knotts passed away February 24, 2006. Andy Griffith visited Don just hours before he had passed away.
Other cast reunions:
**The NEW ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW (1971) 10 episodes), with Don Knotts, George Lindsey and Paul Hartman appearing in guest roles.
**ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW REUNION, February 10, 1993.
**THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW REUNION: BACK TO MAYBERRY, November 11, 2003.
**2nd TV LAND AWARDS, aired March 17, 2004, with Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, Jim Nabors, George Lindsey, Betty Lynn, Howard Morris, Elinor Donahue, Maggie Peterson.
**LARRY KING LIVE (CNN), March 1, 2006 with Andy Griffith, Ron Howard, Jim Nabors (also with Joyce DeWitt) on the life and death of Don Knotts.

Interesting note: Frances Bavier (Aunt Bea) actually moved to Siler City, North Carolina for her retirement. Betty Lynn in 2007 actually moved to Mount Airy, North Carolina, the birthplace of Andy Griffith and thought by many fans to be the real "Mayberry". "Mayberry" was actually filmed at the Cahuenga Studios and Culver's Forty Acres backlot in California.

Thanks for the information in the one review, James. This is one of the most memorable (not to mention funny and poignant) reunion movies ever to be put out. Andy Taylor (Griffith) comes home to Mayberry (after several years in Ohio) with his now-wife Helen (she was his girlfriend for several seasons). Barney Fife (Don Knotts) hopes to run for Sheriff but his plans get foiled by the neighborhood wiseguy, Ernest T Bass. However, Barney finds himself a wife- his longtime girlfriend Thelma! Gomer (Jim Nabors) and Goober (George Lindsey) Pyle are also there and get one of the funniest lines:
Gomer: "I just took a picture of the UG-liest lookin' thing!"
Goober (thinking Gomer means him): "Now that's not very nice!"
Otis the drunk sobers up and Opie (Ron Howard) becomes a daddy and gets a job offer in New York. Although Frances Bavier isn't in the movie, her voice is (you can hear Aunt Bee giving Andy Taylor advice when he visits her gravesite). I hope this is released on DVD soon!

I watched this movie when it was on network television, and it was really good. Watching how things always seem to call you home sooner or later, when andy returns wanting to run for sheriff again but not wanting to hurt barney so he decides not to run. Watching andy and barney solve another case, and waiting for opie's first child to arrive. But the ending was so sweet, when barney discovers andy wants to run for sheriff but didn't because of his friendship with him, and barney comes out and openly endorses andy and everyone in mayberry is happy. I have looked everywhere for this movie and hoping and hoping it will come out on dvd. Please have it come out on dvd soon. Thanks!!! Just in case anyone wants to know, the movie is available in the "andy griffith show the complete series" Its a little high but for anyone who doesn't have the series it a pretty good deal.

I love this movie. since im a big time andy griffith fan. If you like the andy griffit show i recommend that you watch this movie you'll love it.

Return To Mayberry was not only a great treat for fans of Mayberry and the Andy Griffith Show, but a major accomplishment when you think about how the writers were able to fit nearly all the characters they could get together, (as well as still alive) and make sure each one had some air time, and the story still made sense! not many writers can do that, I think they did a fine job with this large task. In the Andy Griffith Show, usually you would have two main characters like Andy and Barn, or Aunt Bee, and then you would have another character or two play off those main characters to create the story. Well they did that, and some in this estimated 90 minute "final episode in my opinion" of the Andy Griffith Show, Return To Mayberry. The special broadcast will reflect on many of the episodes you already know and love from the Andy Griffith Show, they really made sure everything made sense, from the past and now Mayberry (in 1986). Imagine if they would of done another one, maybe everyone would just really be sitting around drinking lemonade instead of getting into all sorts of fun trouble!
Thank you for the final last treat for Return To Mayberry!

I remember back when this movie was first filmed. IT was a great movie and fun to watch.

I absoutley loved return to mayberry vhs, I loved the quality of the vhs and everything... I used to watch the Andy Griffth Show all the time.

I never got this VHS tape the seller never sent me the tape. I got my money back from amazon.co. I was very mad but they took care of things for me.