Page A16 September 2024 By Jim Kurtz Last Writes on in his holster or in the ceiling of the courthouse – at which point Barney would sadly hand his pistol to Andy. This is why Barney kept one shiny bullet in his shirt pocket. Barney was forever frustrated that Mayberry was too small for delusional ideas he had of himself. Viewers got the sense that he couldn’t have survived anywhere else. Don played the comic and pathetic sides of the character with equal grace, and he received three Emmy Awards during the show’s first five seasons. At the end of the fifth season, Don decided to leave as Andy had not planned any more seasons. When Griffith decided to continue the show, the excuse of Don’s being gone was that “Barney had decided to join a police department in a larger city.” In 1979, Knotts teamed up with actor/comedian Tim Conway in a series of western slapstick films aimed at children including “The Apple Dumpling Gang” and the “The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again.” Also in 1979, Knotts returned to television as the wacky but lovable landlord Ralph Furley in the well-established TV hit “Three’s Company.” He was cast to replace the characters’ landlords Stanley and Helen Roper who decided to start their own sitcom “The Ropers.” Popular cast member John Ritter admitted he was scared of Knott’s star-status. The show came to an end after actress Suzanne Somers had contract issues in 1987. On September 12, 2003, Don received a phone call from John Ritter’s family that John had died that day of aortic dissection. Don and his co-stars attended the funeral at Forest Lawn Memorial-Park Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles. John’s grave is located at the Court of Liberty section with a simple bronze marker. On February 24, 2006, Don died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles from pulmonary and respiratory complications from pneumonia related to lung cancer. Don’s funeral was held at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary in Los Angeles. His casket “If there’s anything that upsets me, it’s having people say I’m sensitive…” —Barney Fife Jesse Donald Knotts was born in Morgantown, WV on July 21, 1924, the youngest of 4 children. He earned a college degree and served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He enlisted to become a ventriloquist and comedian as a part of the “Stars and Gripes” variety show entertaining the troops. After the Army, he got his first break on television on the soap opera “Search for Tomorrow,” where he appeared from 1953 to 1955. He gained wide recognition as a part of a repertory company on Steve Allen’s variety show, where he played the “extremely nervous man” in Allen’s mock “Man on the Street” interviews. In 1958, Don made his film debut in “No Time for Sergeants.” In 1960, Andy Griffith was offered the opportunity to headline his own sitcom, “The Andy Griffith Show,” which ran from 1960 to 1968. Don Knotts took the role of Barney Fife, the deputy and originally the cousin of Sheriff Andy Taylor, portrayed by Griffith. When the first show aired, Griffith was intended to be the comic lead with Knotts as the straight man, similar to their roles in “No Time for Sergeants” movie. As Griffith admitted to and maintained many times, “By the second episode, I knew that Don should be funny, and I should play straight.” The summary of the show was Barney Fife, self-important, romantic, and nearly always wrong, dreamed of the day he could use the one bullet Andy issued to him. He fired his pistol on a few occasions – he accidentally fired his weap- Jim Kurtz is a funeral director, funeral historian, author and archivist. He recently achieved a 50-year recognition as a licensed funeral director and embalmer in Texas. He also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Texas Funeral Directors Association in 2023. He resides in Fairview (Dallas), Texas. He can be reached at jimkurtz6800@yahoo.com. Photos collection of Jim Kurtz funeral archives. was the Batesville Silver Sapphire Stainless Steel, with angels mounted on the four corners. He was interred just west of the mausoleum. In early 2011, his plain polished grey granite was replaced by a larger solid bronze marker with a finish depicting several of his movie and television roles. Don was honored by the city of Morgantown, West Virginia with the unveiling of a bronze statue in front of The Metropolitan Theatre. TV writer Mark Evanier called him “the most beloved person in all of show business.” One more story of Mayberry: all the characters on the show were single except for Otis, the town drunk who would wander into Andy’s courthouse jail as usual to spend the night. The Life and Death of Don Knotts AMRA INSTRUMENTS Researched, Developed and Patented by Funeral Directors Research,Inc. visit www.amrainstruments.com for links to our Supply Chain Partners ™ ® www.vischerfuneralsupplies.com Call 651-450-7727 to request a wholesale catalog, Our Extra-Large Cremains Bags (13” x 15”) are perfectly sized for the Standard Plastic Human Service Urn. or visit UrnBags.com to order some bags. Just $2.90 each*. * Bags sold in multiples of 10 Choose from Black, Blue, or Burgundy Just $3.20 each* Choose from Black, Blue, Burgundy, Green or Gray honor those society has often overlooked. Harland’s remains, received by his family in Maine, were finally laid to rest with the care and respect he deserves. This burial is not only a personal family reunion but also a broader symbol of the commitment to remembering and respecting every life. Whistle Ridge Farm hosts a total of 80 acres, utilizing multiple land protection and land use purposes, and has committed to dedicate a protected parcel for Life Forest Woodland Trail Burials. Life Forest deed records burial plots’ latitude and longitude location as an amendment to the Whistle Ridge Land Deed. This is important to protect people and their beneficiaries’ rights to the space. For more information, visit https://www.thelifeforest.com/life-forest-at-whistle-ridge. Life Forest® to Honor Forgotten Remains of Oregon State Hospital Patient light on this heart-wrenching story. It explores the discovery of these unclaimed copper canisters, each holding the cremated remains of individuals who once lived, loved, and mattered. Through powerful imagery and narratives, the film addresses themes of memory, loss, and the inherent dignity of every human life. Ultimately, it reminds them of their responsibility to Continued from Page A15 SEND US YOUR NEWS! info@nomispublications.com FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY News
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