Barney Fife and Other Characters I Have Known

I have really enjoyed reading this book, and have read some of the other reviews of it. I think Andy Griffith summed it all up in the foreword he wrote for this book, when he stated..."Don was not Barney Fife. Barney Fife was a character that Don created. I know Don to be a bright man and very much in control of himself. As everyone knows, Barney Fife had very little control of himself." Obviously Don did not write this book as Barney would have, but there are little traces of that personality hidden in it, if you infer it that way.People who buy this book expecting to hear the caustic ramblings of a Hollywood burnout will be sorely disappointed. Mr. Knotts seems as warm and fuzzy as your favorite stuffed toy, without a harsh word to say about anyone. If you want more real background information on him from a more objective standpoint, watch the excellent Biography Channel special on his life and career. Or visit the website www.interestingideas.com and look for the essay someone wrote about him, that was gritty and much more candid and philosophical. You will be fascinated!However, if you are new to watching the Andy Griffith Show, like I am, and this is the first book you read on the show, like it was for me, this book is a great way to get introduced to the show, and prepare you for the more theoretically advanced books you will read about it in the future. Especially if you are a "Trained Noticer" like me!Now, if Howard Morris (Ernest T. Bass) would just write his autobiography...

Comedy is the hardest thing to do well. It takes consumate talent and impeccable timing to pull it off. In my book, Don Knotts ranks right up there with the very best, and I'm talking Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Buster Keaton, etc. When Don has had good material to work with, as he did on the ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, and in some of his other projects, he showed that he was a master of his craft, for he not only was funny, he set a standard that those who followed could measure themselves by. This warm memoir provides an intelligent and insightful look into the life of a great comic actor.

Barney Fife and Other Characters I Have Known reveals much more about Don Knotts by what is left unsaid, displaying real character so absent in today's "tell all" market. Early life and influences are nicely detailed and personalized though most of the book centers on his professional career. An anecdotal approach makes this a fun, fast, satisfying read. It's like winning a contest where first prize is a long lunch with Don Knotts at Schwab's. More than anything else, this book is one of the best lessons I have ever read on the "drive" and creativity it takes to succeed in show business.

I first obtained this book from the library and liked it so much I bought it. My husband and I relate to Don's growing up poor in WV in the 30's. Don tells his story with humor but malice toward none (very refreshing!). Also, he brings back pleasant memories of the old TV shows we loved and he adds interesting details about them. I will share this book with my 40-something daughters whom I'm sure will enjoy it as much as we did.

Poingent and comforting. A wonderfully written book with quips of humor throughout.