Sunday, February 26, 2006


Goodnight, Don Knotts


Maybe I'm overstating it in the emotion of the moment, but if our generation had a Harold Lloyd or Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton, his name was Don Knotts.

Don Knotts died yesterday at the age of 81.

Throughout my life, I can point to specific moments where Don Knotts has made me laugh - a simple gift, but one that is both extremely rare and extremely valuable.

As a child, I think my first exposure to Don Knotts was in The Apple Dumpling Gang, a schlocky Disney live action film that was otherwise saved by Don Knotts and Tim Conway as the bumbling "bad guys."

Before all of the computer animated/live action films, or even Who Framed Roger Rabbitt, there was The Incredible Mr. Limpet, which premiered in theatres before my time, but which I saw many times on a Sunday afternoon matinee on TV.

There was his time on Three's Company, playing the neuritoc landlord, Ralph Furley.

But it wasn't until I got older that I truly appreciated his comic genius in the form of Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show. I admit it - I'm a closeted fan of The Andy Griffith Show. As we speak, I know there are six episodes awaiting me on my TiVo - comfort food, for consumption when nothing else will do. Whether it was Barney telling Andy that you've Got to "Nip It... Nip It In The Bud..." or fighting to pull his single bullet out of his shirt pocket, or a thousand other moments of comic brilliance, this was the character he was put on this earth to play.

Words escape me, but I am happy that Don Knotts was on this earth, and that he truly made me smile.

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Posted by FleshPresser at 1:30 AM /

2 Comments

  • Anonymous Anonymous posted at 1:55 AM  
    He will be missed.
    I used to watch the Andy Griffith Show with my dad.
    Loved Don.

    Thanks for going out tonight.
    Congrats on a wonderful show


    Lizzi

  • Blogger Princess Meow posted at 1:29 PM  
    He was one of my favorites. Lots of memories filled with laughter. He will be missed. Thankfully we live in an age where he won't be forgotten.

    It is always fun sharing his humor w/my kids. We LOVE everything from Andy Griffith reruns to his more recent work. Pleasantville is one of my all time favorites!

    Can you get the Apple Dumpling Gang on DVD yet? It has been sooooo long since I have seen it but I can remember loving it!

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