Welcome to our second Weaver’s Newsletter of 2012!  Our merchandise features are up first, then our calendar of events and then some news updates from the cast and crew, and concluding with some info about our Mayberry communities on the Web.

**** Merchandise Update ****

Check out all the "different things" Bert has stocked at Weaver's.

Browse the full selection of books, apparel (get that cool new T-shirt for spring and summer!), DVDs, artwork, collectibles and much more online at  Weaver’s (www.weaversdepartmentstore.com).  There are lots of great vintage and rare things, too.  First one thing and then another.  Plus bunches (“bunches, bunches”) of things on sale or at permanently lower prices.

We appreciate your shopping at Weaver’s, especially because Weaver’s sales are what helps TAGSRWC be able to support Mayberry Days and other Mayberry-connected events and charitable efforts throughout the year.

Are you “the Esquire type”?  Well, then, just in time for the summer golf season, here’s a special group of items we’re featuring as a fundraiser for the Annual George Lindsey UNA Film Festival:

Here’s what this special set includes:

*Matzie Velvet Touch Putter with George Lindsey Celebrity Golf Tournament logo

* A sleeve of 3 brand new (or rather, unused) golf balls with the George Lindsey logo. (They’re from the 1980s, so we wouldn’t recommend playing golf with them unless you don’t care about distance or breaking your hands.  Ernest T. might like ‘em for throwin’, though!)

* A T-shirt with the logo of the 13th edition of the tournament.  The shirt is size XL, but it’s from the 1980s, so that’ more like a size Large with today’s sizing.

* Color photo of Goober autographed by George

All proceeds–the full $195– go toward our support of the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival.

Along with restocking our shelves with most of our usual items, we have added several brand new items, and also have new offerings of some rare vintage merchandise and memorabilia.

New at Weaver’s:
Here are three new officially licensed T-shirts that have come out this spring.  These are the newest of more than 30 T-shirt designs you can find online at Weaver’s.

And here’s a couple of vintage (20+ years old) items we’ve added this month:

.                         

Left is an Ernst & Co. ceramic mug from 1990 and on the right is a Limited Edition print from the Mayberry Cast Reunion at Opryland in 1991.  They’re both in the Collectibles & Special Items section of Weaver’s.

Find these and much more at www.weaversdepartmentstore.com, or just click on the Weaver’s button at the top of the page whenever you’re visiting www.imayberry.com.

"Whoo-eee! You're right, Floyd. There is a lot goin' on in Mayberry!

The Andy Griffith Museum, featuring Emmett Forrest’s amazing collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia, is open daily in Mount Airy, N.C. For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org/ or call (336) 786-1604.

Here are some upcoming events in Mayberry that folks have thumbtacked to Floyd’s bulletin board from the most recent issue of The eBullet:

Ronnie Schell

There’s a golf tourney on Thursday the 3rd at the Indian Hills Country Club.   The Silent Auction and Banquet (including The Ronnie Schell Show) are on Fri. the 4th at the Bryant Conference Center.  (Doors open for the Auction preview at 5 p.m.)  Reserved tables and individual tickets will be available soon; prices and Banquet time TBA.  Mayberry Tribute Artists David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Allan “Floyd” Newsome, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, Tim “Goober” Pettigrew, Phil “Ernest T.” Fox, Jeff “Howard” Branch, Bob “Briscoe” Mundy, and Eric “Mayor Pike” Lowry will also entertain.  For more info, visit http//:eagleswingsoftuscaloosa.org.

* May 5: 25th Annual Uncle Jesse’s Memorial Big Bass Classic in Paris, Tex.  This tournament was founded by and continues to honor Denver Pyle.  For more info, visit www.unclejessefishing.com.

* May 9: David Browning has fun in store for the Small Business Expo in Sanford, N.C.  (He’s no dummy!)

* May 12: Using their  ’41 Chevy flatbed truck as Darlings-style stage, Dean Webb (far left) and Missouri Boatride kick off the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series Kimberling City Shopping Mall, outside of Hillbilly Bowl, from 7 to 9 p.m.  The music is free, but bring your own lawn chair.

* May 12: David Browning gives the crowd pause at the Kentucky Black Bear Festival in Cumberland, Ky.

LeRoy Mack

* May 13: LeRoy “Mack” McNees conducts the Sunday Morning Chapel service at the Mother’s Day Bluegrass Festival in Parkfield, Calif.

Betty Lynn at the Andy Griffith Museum. Photo by Hobart Jones.

 

* May 15: Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band Renfro Valley Entertainment Center in Renfro Valley, Ky., at 1:00 p.m.

* May 18:  Betty Lynn greets fans at the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. She will have autographed 8×10 photos available ($10) and would love to visit with you! For more info, visit www.andygriffithmuseum.org.

* May 26: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride perform at the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series Kimberling City Shopping Mall, outside of Hillbilly Bowl, from 7 to 9 p.m. The music is free, but bring your lawn chair.

* June 1 and 2: 25th Annual Mule Days in Gordo, Ala. (near Tuscaloosa).  Mayberry Tribute Artists David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Allan “Floyd” Newsome, and Kenneth “Otis” Junkin will be among the entertainers.  The headline guest star this year is Donna Douglas (Elly May Clampett on “The Beverly Hillbillies.)  More details TBA.

James Best

* June 2: James Best greets fans and shows his artwork at the Greg’s Core Supply event in Felts Park in Galax, Va.

* June 9 : Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride perform at the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series Kimberling City Shopping Mall, outside of Hillbilly Bowl, from 7 to 9 p.m.  Admission is free but bring something to sit on (or else some Miracle Salve for the next day).

* June 17: LeRoy McNees conducts the Sunday Morning Chapel at the Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival in Grass Valley, Calif. For more info visit the California Bluegrass Association site.

* June 23: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride perform at the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series Kimberling City Shopping Mall, outside of Hillbilly Bowl, from 7 to 9 p.m.  Admission is free but bring something to sit on (or else some Miracle Salve for the next day).

MSCN puttin' on "square wheels" until 2013.

* June 30: POSTPONED UNTIL SPRING 2013. The 12th (Almost) Annual Mayberry Squad Car Nationals is relocating to Pelham, Ala.  Officials with MASCAR (Mayberry Authentic Squad Cars and Racing) apparently received pressure from a worried NASCAR that Talladega Superspeedway felt threatened by the new closer location of the prestigious Mayberry Squad Car Nationals and therefore pleaded for more time to brace for the competition from the vintage patrol car crowd-pleasers.  At least that’s the rumor we’re trying to get started (just like Joel Laird’s squad car).  Stay tuned for details about exactly when and where the Nationals will roar next spring.

* July 7: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride perform at the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series Kimberling City Shopping Mall, outside of Hillbilly Bowl, from 7 to 9 p.m. The music is free, but bring your lawn chair.

New memoir by Julie Adams.

* July 11-14: Julie Adams appears at the Western Film Fair in Winston-Salem, N.C.  (Nancy Stafford of “Matlock” is also among the stars with an Andy Griffith connection attending.)  For more info, visit http://westernfilmfair.tripod.com.

* July 21: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride perform at the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series Kimberling City Shopping Mall, outside of Hillbilly Bowl, from 7 to 9 p.m. Got time to breathe, got time to music.

* July 25-29: Ronnie Schell performs at The Improv at Harvey’s in Lake Tahoe.

*Aug. 4: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride perform at the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series Kimberling City Shopping Mall, outside of Hillbilly Bowl, from 7 to 9 p.m. Got time to breathe, got time to music.

* Aug. 11 and 12: James Best appears at the Hazzard Homecoming in Sperryville, Va. For tickets and info visit http://www.cootersplace.com/hazzard-homecoming/.

* Aug. 18: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride–See and ditto Aug. 4.

Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band perform during a March taping of an episode of "Song of the Mountains," which is scheduled to air on PBS stations nationwide in 2013. Photo by Tim White.

* Aug. 24 and 25: Rodney Dillard and Maggie Peterson are joined by several of the Mayberry tribute artists (including David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin and Jeff “Howard” Branch) for a Cruise-In on Fri. and then concert benefiting the Montgomery County DARE program on Sat. The evening concert will be at the James H. Garner Center in Troy, N.C. Details TBA. For more info, visit www.bluegrassintroy.com/.

* Sept. 1 and 15: “Surprise, surprise, I can see it in your eyes.” Dean Webb and  Missouri Boatride perform at the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series Kimberling City Shopping Mall, outside of Hillbilly Bowl, from 7 to 9 p.m. The music is still free, but bring your chair, blanket, cushion, bench, or tree stump to sit on.

* Sept. 27-30: 23rd Annual Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, N.C.  Stars confirmed so far are Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou), Doug Dillard (Darling banjo player), James Best (Jim Lindsey) for Thurs. and Fri. only, LeRoy McNees (of the Country Boys), and Karen Knotts (daughter of Don Knotts). Further details and more stars TBA.  Tickets are now available to order for several parts of the festival.  (And it’s already not too early to book a hotel room.)  For updates, visit www.mayberrydays.org.  It’s big!!!

* Sept. 29: James Best zooms from Mount Airy to be at an event with Henderson Auctions on Hwy 190 West of Livingston, La., from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (If you can’t find it, the gators might find you.)

* Oct. 1: James Best is featured at an All-Star Concert at the Marriott Baton Rouge Hotel in Baton Rouge, La., with country stars Clay Walker and Tracy Lawrence. Sonny Shroyer from “The Dukes of Hazzard” will also appear.

* Oct. 3: 52nd Anniversary of the airing of the first episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” on CBS.  Just think on this here day in 1960…Shazam!

* Oct. 6: A Mayberry Afternoon in Salisbury, N.C., featuring Mayberry music and Mayberry tribute artists, including David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Allan “Floyd” Newsome, Jeff “Howard” Branch, Tim “Goober” Pettigrew and  Phil “Ernest T.” Fox. Details TBA.

* Oct. 12-14:  Darlings boy Dean Webb and his Missouri Boatride band perform at the Wooley Creek Bluegrass Festival in Cape Fair, Mo.

* Oct. 29-Nov. 3: Halloween Cruise to Mayberry 7.  Five Days aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Destiny, leaving from Miami with ports of call in Nassau, Half Moon Cay, and Grand Turk, plus a fun day at sea. Seven Mayberry tribute artists, an Elvis tribute artist, and the VW Boys are among the entertainment provided exclusive to Mayberry Cruise participants. For more info, visit the All About Cruises website at www.allaboutcruisesnc.net/.

 **** News of Cast & Crew ****

Andy Griffith is happy to see spring blooming out around his coastal home in his beloved North Carolina.

Here’s a link to a March 23 TV news interview/story with Karen Knotts talking about her stage show, which she performed as a fundraiser that night in Morgantown, W.V., hometown of her father, Don Knotts:  Karen Knotts–Tied Up in Knotts.

Ron Howard on the set of Rush.

Ron Howard is now in England filming Rush, his film about 1970s Formula 1 rivals Niki Lauda and James Hunt.  It’s expected for release in 2013.

This is a photo of Ron and wife Cheryl that he Tweeted from a roller derby match in March while filming Rush. You can follow Ron on Twitter @RealRonHoward.

Things are also reportedly looking promising for a deal with Warner Bros. for Ron’s dream project of producing and directing  film and TV adaptations of Stephen King’s The Dark Towers. And plans by Ron’s Imagine Entertainment for bringing an Arrested Development feature film to Netflix and maybe theaters are also progressing well.  Imagine is also developing an adaption or George Orwell’s 1984.

Betty Lynn is among the guests at the Triad Tribute to the Troops, a USO fundraiser in Greensboro, N.C., this month. (Betty traveled with the USO to some of the most dangerous and far-reaching combat zones during WWII.)

James Best will be in Romania in May to film a movie for Hallmark.  It’s being produced by his daughter Janeen and her husband, Michael Damian.

Meanwhile, look for James in Return of the Killer Shrews in theaters this summer.  You can scream, but you can’t  hide!  Cringe for more info soon.

CLASS REUNION--Peggy McCay was all class and graciousness, even as she was surrounded by a delighted pack of Goobers at a March fundraiser in Nashville. Photo by Marsha Farley.

Here’s a link to a story and video of actress Peggy McCay rapping at an animal rescue fundraiser in Nashville in early March. Peggy (Andy’s high school sweetheart Sharon DeSpain in the “Class Reunion” episode) does a rap about Caroline Brady (her “Days of Our Lives” character for the last three decades). Ernest T. Bass ain’t got nuthin’ on the rhymin’ of this lady who left Mayberry to be a “big fish in a big pond.”

Tribute artist Christie "Andelina" McLendon poses with authentic "Darlings" Rodney Dillard and Maggie Peterson while preparing for the parade at the Mayberry Comes to Westminster festival. Photo courtesy of Christie McLendon.

Maggie Peterson, Rodney Dillard and LeRoy “Mack” McNees headlined the Mayberry Comes to Westminster festival in Westminster, S.C., Apr. 20 and 21.  Big crowds once again turned out for this second annual festival, which also featured a full slate of the popular Mayberry tribute artists.

 **** Mayberry on the Web ****

New iMayberry Community
We’re really excited to announce the launch this year of a wonderful Web activity hosted by TAGSRWC and organized and overseen by webmaster Allan “Floyd” Newsome.  It’s called iMayberry Community.  You can check it out and sign up for free at: http://imayberrycommunity.com/.

The hope is that the iMayberry Community will complement our other online activities, including our main www.imayberry.com page, podcasts, Facebook page, online newsletters (such as The eBullet!), weaversdepartmentstore.com and chat rooms.  Combined with TAGSRWC chapters and the various Mayberry events for all fans (from Mayberry Days to ocean cruises), not to mention enjoying the sites of Mount Airy year-round, the world of Mayberry fun keeps expanding.

And best of all, it’s all rooted in watching the show itself.  Whether through DVDs, local stations or TV Land, loving to watch the show continues to be the energy that feeds all the other Mayberry fun and activities that we enjoy.  What a wonderful thing Andy Griffith and his talented team of actors, musicians, writers and crew people created 52 years ago–for us and generations to come!

Two Chairs, No Waiting is our weekly podcast of TAGS has news, interviews and pretty much whatever happens to be going on in and around Mayberry. It’s hosted by our Allan Newsome. There’s a new episode every Tuesday (and you can watch and listen live during tapings on Monday evenings). Past episodes are in an online Archives in case you want to listen to episodes you’ve missed. (There have been about 185 episodes since 2008!)

There’s a lot of info and discussions that you simply won’t find anywhere else, including rare interviews (vintage and new) with cast and crew members of TAGS. If you’ve got sound on your computer or have an iPod or similar device, you can easily tune in or download these podcasts.

Also, check out the podcast area of our www.imayberry.com site for info about a Mayberry Bible Study Podcast, also hosted by Allan.

And there’a Brother Figure podcast to Two Chairs, No Waiting. It’s hosted by longtime TAGSRWC member Kevin Burke, who does a great job of describing and discussing individual episodes. It’s called Burke on Mayberry. Check it out.

TAGSRWC’s official page on Facebook now has over 10,000 friends!  (Shazam!) You can find us at www.facebook.com/tagsrwc. There’s a variety of comments about Mayberry, and a lively stream of fans’ favorite TAGS lines. And our Facebook page is also one of the first places we post announcements and breaking news about TAGS. If you haven’t already dropped by the page, we hope you’ll check it out sometime when you have the chance. We invite you to become a TAGSRWC Facebook Friend!

**** POST NOTE ****

Weaver’s Newsletter
An Online newsletter of
“The Andy Griffith Show” Rerun Watchers Club (TAGSRWC)

Welcome to our first Weaver’s Newsletter of 2012!  Our merchandise features are up first, then our calendar of events and then some news updates from the cast and crew, and concluding with some info about our Mayberry communities on the Web, including a brand new one!

**** Merchandise Update ****

Ben Weaver (or rather his ace salesman Bert Miller) has almost fully restocked his shelves after they were virtually cleaned out during the holidays.  If you’re looking for a particular Mayberry item, we should have it back on our shelves now…or very soon.

Check out all the "different things" Bert has stocked at Weaver's.

Check out the full selection of books, apparel (get that new T-shirt for Spring and Summer!), DVDs, artwork, collectibles and much more online at  Weaver’s (www.weaversdepartmentstore.com).  There are lots of great vintage and rare things, too.  First one thing and then another.  Plus bunches (“bunches, bunches”) of things on sale or at permanently lower prices.

We appreciate your shopping at Weaver’s, especially because Weaver’s sales are what helps TAGSRWC be able to support Mayberry Days and other Mayberry-connected events and charitable efforts throughout the year.

Here’s a special group of items we’re featuring this month as a fundraiser leading up to the 15th Annual George Lindsey UNA Film Festival, Mar. 1-3:

Here’s what this special set includes:

*Matzie Velvet Touch Putter with George Lindsey Celebrity Golf Tournament logo

* A sleeve of 3 brand new (or rather, unused) golf balls with the George Lindsey logo. (They’re from the 1980s, so we wouldn’t recommend playing golf with them unless you don’t care about distance or breaking your hands.  Ernest T. might like ‘em for throwin’, though!)

* A T-shirt with the logo of the 13th edition of the tournament.  The shirt is size XL, but it’s from the 1980s, so that’ more like a size Large with today’s sizing.

* Color photo of Goober autographed by George (it can be personalized, if desired)

All proceeds–the full $195– go toward our support of the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival.

Complete Season 7 of Matlock on DVD$50.00 $39.00

Just released in February, this Complete Seventh Season (1992-93) of “Matlock” has 18 episodes (including four 2-parters) on five discs.The list price for this set is $50, but we’ve got it for just $39.00.Here are the episodes:Season 7 (1992-1993)1.”The Vacation: Part 1″ 2.”The Vacation: Part 2″ 3.”The Legacy: Part 1″ 4.”The Legacy: Part 2″ 5.”The Ghost” 6.”The Class” 7.”The Singer” 8.”The Mark” 9.”The Juror” 10.”The Fortune: Part 1″ 11.”The Fortune: Part 2″ 12.”The Debt” 13.”The Revenge” 14.”The Obsession” 15.”The Divorce” 16.”The Final Affair: Part 1″ 17.”The Final Affair: Part 2″ 18.”The Competition”We also have all six of the previous seasons of “Matlock” at discounted prices!

Mitch Jayne’s Old Fish Hawk

Beloved Novel Now Available on CD!
$25.00

Dillards/Darlings bass player Mitch Jayne’s Old Fish Hawk is a 4 1/2-hour novel on CD. This engaging novel, written and narrated by Mitch (with musical accompaniment), tells the story and adventures of an Osage Indian and the young boy he befriends and shares his wisdom with. The book is so compelling that the folks in Hollywood even made a movie of it. But hearing Mitch tell the story is even better because nobody can paint a better picture with words than Mitch.

We sadly lost Mitch Jayne in 2010.  He left a tremendous legacy. To still be able to hear his wonderful storytelling is just one of many blessings he left us.

Don’t Wait for the Hearse to Take You to Church CD
by Rodney Dillard
$14.00
NEW ITEM!!!

This CD is brand new this fall from Rodney Dillard & The Dillard Band (featuring Beverly Dillard) singing Gospel favorites and some newer songs that are sure to become favorites.

Includes 10 tracks and four Bonus tracks from Rodney’s “Mayberry Values” radio show.

TRACKS:
1 The Devil Just Can’t Knock Me off My Knees
2 Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
3 River of Jordan
4 Somebody Touched Me
5 Gospel Ship
6 Hear Them Thunders Roaring
7 Heaven
8 Softly and Tenderly
9 When My Time Comes to Go
10 Don’t Wait for the Hearse to Take You to Church

BONUS MATERIAL
1 New Minister
2 Church Inheritance
3 Man in a Hurry
4 Choirboy Barney

Uplifting music and inspirational words–all for a great price of only $14.00…giving everybody a little extra in their pockets when that offering plate comes around on Sunday!

**** Cool Mayberry Caps for Hip Mayberry Cats ****

Embroidered Show Logo and Security by Fife Caps

$17.00 each

These officially licensed, cool canvas hats (in Mayberry Sheriff Dept. tan!) are finely embroidered with a choice of the official “Andy Griffith Show” logo or Security by Fife. Or why not get both? That way you’re covered for all occasions, except when you want to be just a Goober! Adjustable for just the right fit for any occasion.

T-Shirts Galore!!!
$18.00 each

Weaver’s has more than two dozen officially licensed Mayberry T-shirt designs. Some are vintage designs that are no longer in production and hard to find anywhere else. We also have a handful of shirts of other TV classics and some vintage embroidered Mayberry logo sport shirts and even a few Snappy Lunch sports shirts.

Despite the recent spike in cotton prices, we’re holding the line on our T-shirt prices. All of our heavyweight cotton T-shirts are still just $18.00. And the sport shirts are nicely priced, too. Most of the T-shirts are available in Sizes Medium, Large, XL and 2X. Several also come in small. (The size selection is not as large for the out-of-production vintage shirts.)

Have fun showing your Mayberry spirit with one of these fun-tastic shirts today!

Just a few of our many Mayberry T-shirt designs.

Miss Crump’s Mayberry Book Mobile

And T-shirts aren’t the only thing that we have dozens of! We carry most of the Mayberry and Mayberry-related books that have been published. Some have been out of print for years, but we still have some copies. Whether your interest is history or trivia, biography or cooking, we’ve got the Mayberry book for you or a friend. Here’s a sampling of what we have:

In the mood to watch Mayberry instead of read about it? Then we’ve got your covered there, too!

“The Andy Griffith Show 50^th Anniversary—The Best of Mayberry” DVD

$25.00 $22.00

This is a really exciting item that was released at the end of last year. (Ben’s not so subtle hint: It was released too close to Christmas last year for a lot of folks to give as gifts, so it can instead be a great gift this year.) It’s an item that we had long been hoping for. In addition to a bunch of the very best episodes, this 3-disc set includes uncut versions of the “Danny Thomas” pilot for “The Andy Griffith Show” and the 1986 Return to Mayberry movie. And all at a phenomenally low price, even before Ben Weaver’s additional discount. Here are some of the highlights of what’s on it:

* 17 Favorite Episodes:

* “Danny Meets Andy Griffith” (the “Danny Thomas” pilot for TAGS)
* Clips from Season Premiere nights for the 1962-63 and 1963-64 seasons
* The 1986 Return to Mayberry reunion movie
* Original sponsor commercials featuring cast members

This collection is chockfull of great Mayberry moments. And the price makes for a truly unbeatable combination of quantity, quality and value. We think it’s a dream come true.

Or why not get the whole Mayberry video shebang all in one package, at a super-Goober price?

SUPER NEW PRICE ON COMPLETE SERIES ON DVD!!!

Don’t miss this one.  If you’ve been waiting to take the plunge, there has never been a better time.  All 249 TAGS episodes on DVD, plus the “Danny Thomas” pilot, Return to Mayberry movie, bunches of original commercials and more–now only $159 (originally $249!).

 **** Phone Orders ****

In addition to accepting orders online or by mail, our Weaver’s Dept. Store has a phone number FOR ORDERS ONLY (615) 604-1298. The phone number is generally in operation from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday. (They sneak out a lot to go fishin’ for carp and pike and such, so if you miss them during business hours, just leave a message with a number where they can call you back.)

Please call this number only for ordering or for inquiring about orders placed by phone. All inquiries about online orders and mail orders should be made online to weavershop@aol.com.

Floyd has lots of good bets for things to do in Mayberry this year!

The Andy Griffith Museum, featuring Emmett Forrest’s amazing collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia, is open daily in Mount Airy, N.C. For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org/ or call (336) 786-1604.

The following information is from “The eBullet“: Official E-mail Newsletter of “The Andy Griffith Show” Rerun Watchers Club (TAGSRWC).

Here are some upcoming events in Mayberry that folks have thumbtacked to Floyd’s bulletin board.

* Mar. 10 and 11: Peggy McCay (Andy’s high school girlfriend Sharon DeSpain in “Class Reunion”) greets fans at a Dogs (Dogs, Dogs) Days of Our Lives fundraiser (Peggy has played Caroline Brady on “Days of Our Lives” for decades) at Loews Vanderbilt Plaza in Nashville, Tenn., for Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescues.

Peggy McCay and Andy Griffith in "Class Reunion"

A Meet & Greet with fans will be held Mar. 10 from  2 to 4 p.m. (admission $20), and a special VIP Breakfast (limited to 40 people) will be held at 8:00 a.m. on Mar. 11 (admission $50).  Details available at http://proverbs1210.rescuegroups.org, or call Peggy Josef at 931-994-7615.

* Mar. 10: Neal Brower, author of Mayberry 101, makes the first of two special appearances at the Andy Griffith Museum this spring. Each session will feature an episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” followed by a detailed lecture and Q&A. Lectures will take place in the lower level of the Museum at 2 p.m. Admission is $10. The episode featured for this lecture is “Big Fish in a Small Town.”  Go ahead….take the bait and get hooked on learning neat stuff!

Betty Lynn with visitors at the Andy Griffith Museum. Photo by Hobart Jones.

* Mar. 16: Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) will greet fans at the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy, N.C. from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. She will have autographed 8×10 photos available ($10) and would love to visit with you! For more info, visit www.andygriffithmuseum.org.

* Mar. 16-18: Margaret Kerry (“Chistmas Story and “Andy Forecloses”) appears Wondercon (a major comics and pop culture convention) at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif.  For more info, visit: www.comic-con.org/wc/.

Karen Knotts in "Tied Up in Knotts." Photo by Hobart Jones.

* Mar. 23: Karen Knotts performs her “Tied Up in Knotts” show at 7:30 p.m. at the Metropolitan Theatre in Morgantown, W.V., as a fundraiser for the Don Knotts Memorial Park, which will include a statue of her father. Advance tickets $20 (plus $5 per order for shipping and handling) and are available from John Pyles, 2201 Surrey Drive, Morgantown, W.V.  26505.  And for general booking info about Karen’s show, visit www.karenknotts.com.

* Mar. 23: Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band perform at the South Florida Music Festival in Jupiter, Fla.  Visit www.southfloridamusicfest.info for show times and updates.

* Mar. 23-25: Julie Adams (Mayberry’s Nurse Mary) appears as one of the Women in Horror at the Horror Hound Weekend festival in Columbus, Ohio.  For more info visit www.horrorhoundweekend.com.

* Mar. 31: Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform at 7 p.m. at Kosicuisko Junior High Auditorium in Koscuisko, Miss.  For more info, call 662-289-2981.

* Apr. 13-15: Julie Adams is a scream at Monsterpalooza in Burbank, Calif.  For more info, visit www.monsterpalooza.com.

* Apr. 14: Neal Brower, author of Mayberry 101, makes the second of two special appearances at the Andy Griffith Museum this spring. The “Fun Girls” episode will be shown today and will be followed by a detailed lecture and Q&A. Lectures will take place in the lower level of the Museum at 2 p.m. Admission is $10. Neal’s lectures are always fun, girls and boys!

* Apr. 20 and 21: Second Annual Mayberry Comes to Westminster in Westminster, S.C.  Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band are confirmed guests.  Other details TBA.

* May 3 and 4: Ronnie Schell (two episodes and Duke Slater on “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.”) headlines the Eagles’ Wings Fundraiser in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

There’s a golf tourney on Thursday the 3rd at the Indian Hills Country Club.   The Silent Auction and Banquet (including The Ronnie Schell Show) are on Fri. the 4th at the Bryant Conference Center.  (Doors open for the Auction preview at 5 p.m.)  Reserved tables and individual tickets will be available soon; prices and Banquet time TBA.  Mayberry Tribute Artists David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Allan “Floyd” Newsome, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, Tim “Goober” Pettigrew, Phil “Ernest T.” Fox, Jeff “Howard” Branch, Bob “Briscoe” Mundy, and Eric “Mayor Pike” Lowry will also entertain.  For more info, visit http//:eagleswingsoftuscaloosa.org

* June 1 and 2: 25th Annual Mule Days in Gordo, Ala. (near Tuscaloosa).  Mayberry Tribute Artists David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Allan “Floyd” Newsome, and Kenneth “Otis” Junkin will be among the entertainers.  The headline guest star this year is Donna Douglas (Elly May Clampett on “The Beverly Hillbillies.)  More details TBA.

* June 2: James Best greets fans and shows his artwork at the Greg’s Core Supply event in Felts Park in Galax, Va.

* June 30: 12th Annual Mayberry Squad Car Nationals at Oak Mountain State Park, in Pelham, Ala. (just south of Birmingham).  Note: This is a new location.  Check back for more details and guest stars.

* July 11-14: Julie Adams appears at the Western Film Fair in Winston-Salem, N.C.  (Nancy Stafford of “Matlock” is also among the stars with an Andy Griffith connection attending.)  For more info, visit http://westernfilmfair.tripod.com.

* Aug. 24 and 25: Rodney Dillard and Maggie Peterson are joined by several of the Mayberry tribute artists (including David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin and Jeff “Howard” Branch) for a Cruise-In on Fri. and then concert benefiting the Montgomery County DARE program on Sat. The evening concert will be at the James H. Garner Center in Troy, N.C. Details TBA. For more info, visit www.bluegrassintroy.com/.

* Sept. 25-27: Life Lessons From Mayberry: It’s All There in Black and White in Ridgecrest, N.C. (outside Asheville).  This event is a celebration of “The Andy Griffith Show” and the biblical truths and life applications found in the beloved TV classic. It includes fun-filled Bible study based on some of favorite episodes, inspiring preaching and worship, and bluegrass music.  More info at www.lifeway.com/mayberry.

* Sept. 27-30: 23rd Annual Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, N.C.  Stars confirmed so far are Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou), Doug Dillard (Darling banjo player), James Best (Jim Lindsey), LeRoy McNees (of the Country Boys), and Karen Knotts (daughter of Don Knotts). Further details and more stars TBA.  Tickets are now available to order for several parts of the festival.  (And it’s already not too early to book a hotel room.)  For updates, visit www.mayberrydays.org.  It’s big!!!

* Oct. 6: A Mayberry Afternoon in Salisbury, N.C., featuring Mayberry music and Mayberry tribute artists, including David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Allan “Floyd” Newsome, Jeff “Howard” Branch, Tim “Goober” Pettigrew and  Phil “Ernest T.” Fox. Details TBA.

* Oct. 29-Nov. 3: Halloween Cruise to Mayberry 7.  Five Days aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Destiny, leaving from Miami with ports of call in Nassau, Half Moon Cay, and Grand Turk, plus a fun day at sea. Seven Mayberry tribute artists, an Elvis tribute artist, and the VW Boys are among the entertainment provided exclusive to Mayberry Cruise participants. For more info, visit the All About Cruises website at www.allaboutcruisesnc.net/.

 **** News of Cast & Crew ****

Andy Griffith, like a wily ol’ groundhog, has been lying low and staying close to home in North Carolina this winter. He knows enough to know that winter’s not over for a while yet.

Ron Howard is executive-producing the re-ignition of Arrested Development with new episodes for TV (well, sort of…they’ll be exclusive to Netflix) and possibly a feature film coming to theaters.  Ron has also said that he’ll be back as the narrator.

Ron is in pre-production (as producer and director) for the feature film Rush about Formula I racing legend Niki Lauda.  And Ron still has plans and hopes for the ambitious and complex project of bringing Stephen King’s Dark Towers to TV and theaters.  Meanwhile, he is scheduled to direct the pilot for a new HBO series about Doc Holliday, and he is executive producer for a Sarah Silverman pilot requested by NBC.

And Ron is among the executive producers for TNT’s first reality show, “The Great Escape,” which will begin a 10-episode run this summer. Ron’s Imagine Entertainment has also optioned the rights for The Tale of the Body Thief, the fourth book in author Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles series.

Bryce and father Ron promoting their film When You Find Me.

When You Find Me, a short film based on eight photos Ron selected in a contest called Project Imagin8ion (sponsored by Canon) and directed and co-written by Ron’s oldest daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard, has been receiving good reviews.

Ron has been making the rounds at various film festivals and awards shows, including Sundance.  He’s also a judge for the Greenwich (Conn.) Youth Film Festival this winter.

And the really big Howard family news is that daughter Bryce had a baby girl on Jan. 19.  Her name is Beatrice Jean Howard-Gabel.  (Ron’s late mother’s name was Jean.  As for Beatrice, we don’t yet know the inspiration for that, but some of us will have to be excused if we presumptively nickname her Bee.)

Keep up with Jim Nabors at www.jimnabors.com.

Jim Nabors performed at the Fourth annual Na Mele o na Keiki (Music for the Children) Holiday Concert in Honolulu in December.  He’s still enjoying the good life and weather of Hawaii.

George Lindsey has just returned from his 15^th Annual George Lindsey UNA Film Festival in Florence, Ala.  A highlight of this year’s festival was the dedication of the George Lindsey Theatre on March 2.

George’s longtime pal Ernest Borgnine was on hand for the theater dedication.  Actor Michael Rooker was the special guest for the film festival, which had filmmakers attending from across the country and as far away as Spain.  Goober says ¡hola.

The George Lindseys, like father, like son.

The ribbon cutting ceremony inside the Ernest Borgnine Performance Hall inside the George Lindsey Theatre. (Both acting legends are surrounded by dignitaries from the University of North Alabama.)

Meanwhile, viewers in the Nashville area were treated to a week of Goober episodes at the end of January and early February when local station WUXP did “Goober Gone Wild” Week.  Did George like that?  “Yo!”

Maggie Peterson and Betty Lynn headlined a successful Mayberry-themed musical fundraiser for Alzheimer’s care and research in Roanoke,Va., in November.  Betty is also participating in the Arts Ball fundraiser for the Surry Arts Council in Mount Airy this weekend.

Dean Webb, Dillards and Darlings mandolin player, is featured in “Sounds of Home—Music from the Ozarks” for Ozarks Public Television.  Dean is interviewed and performs some music with his current band, Missouri Boatride.  The show has aired a couple of times.  Viewers in the Ozarks, check your local listings for future airdates  Dean and the band are also performing every other Saturday during the winter season in their home base of Kimberling City, Mo.  (They’ll also be doing a summer series.)  For complete details, visit www.missouriboatride.com.

Rodney Dillard and wife Beverly are proud new grandparents to Madelyn Grace Davis, daughter of their daughter, Rachel, and her husband, Cory.  Congratulations to all!  (Rodney also officiated at Rachel and Cory’s “mountain wedding” last year.  Fortunately, Ernest T. didn’t disrupt the ceremony!)

Rodney and his Dillard Band have been busy touring this year, including for a taping in Marion, Va., of the “Songs of the Mountains” TV show that will eventually air on PBS stations nationwide.

 James Best is well into the editing process for Return of the Killer Shrews.  The expected to be in theaters this summer. To stay current on the latest Shrews news (including the movie’s first trailer), visit www.killershrewsmovie.com.

The multi-talented James was also on hand for an art show featuring his work in Mount Dora, Fla., on Super Bowl weekend, and he was in Gray, Ga., for a “Dukes of Hazzard”-focused appearance the first. You can find James at www.jamesbest.com.

Bernard Fox says that he’s doing well and sends all his best to his Mayberry friends.  He’s largely retired from acting, but never say never.  He enjoys doing the occasional autograph show in Burbank near his home.

 Julie Adams (Nurse Mary in “The County Nurse,” Episode 56) is getting a good response to her autobiography, The Lucky Southern Star—Reflections From the Black Lagoon, published last fall  For more info about the book and Julie’s schedule, check out her website at www.julieadams.biz.

Also on the literary front, Margaret Kerry (“Christmas Story” and “Andy Forecloses” episodes) is progressing well with writing for Tinker Bell Talks—Tales of a Pixie Dusted Life, her autobiography.  At last update, she was up to more than 60 chapters!

We’re sad to report the passing on the same day in December of two actors with featured roles in Mayberry.

Dan Frazer, who played movie producer Mr. Harmon in “Mayberry Goes Hollywood” (Episode 13), died of cardiac arrest at his home in Manhattan on Dec. 16.  He was 90.

Dan Frazer with Josie Lloyd in "Mayberry Goes Hollywood."

He had a long career of steady work, but he’s probably best known for his role as Capt. Frank McNeil on TV’s “Kojak.”  As for us TAGS fans, we’ll always appreciate his character’s keen eye for what was special and worth protecting about Mayberry.

You can read more about Dan Frazer and his life and career here: Dan FrazerNYTimes.

We’re also sad to have the news that Robert Easton died of natural causes at his home in Toluca Lake, Calif., on Dec. 16.  He was 81.  Robert played be-eyelashed Pete Johnson in “Irresistible Andy” (Episode 5).

Robert Easton (far left) as Pete Johnson

He was known as the dean of dialect coaches in Hollywood and respected throughout the acting profession for his knowledge and expertise.  Read more about his remarkable life at: RobertEastonLATimes.

Also, actor Laurie Main, who played enthusiastic book designer Robling Flask in “Helen the Authoress” (Episode 213) and also Thornton Avery in “Millie the Model” (Episode 29 of “Mayberry R.F.D.”), died on February 8 in Los Angeles.

Laurie Main

According to most sources, Laurie Main was born in Australia in 1922.  He moved to London, England at age 16.  He appeared in numerous TV shows (ranging from ”Hogan’s Heroes” and “Bewitched” to ”Murder She Wrote” and “Punky Brewster”) and movies (including Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (with Don Knotts and Bernard Fox).  He did voiceovers and other work for many Disney productions, most notably “Welcome to Pooh Corner.”  Here’s a link to the obituary in The Hollywood Reporter: hollywoodreporter.com/lauriemain/

***

And this is not really News of Cast & Crew, but it is about one of Mount Airy’s best-known characters. We received the sad news that  Griggs Hampton (affectionately known simply as “Griggs” to most folks around Mount Airy) died on Dec. 21.  He had been convalescing from surgery earlier in the year.

Griggs in the 2009 Mayberry Days parade with Donna Hiatt Brinegar and Mayberry trivia maven Pat Bullins. Photo by Hobart Jones.

Griggs was a fixture on the streets of Mount Airy and was ever ready with a smile and a nod in much the way that Mr. Schwamp seems ever present in Mayberry.  His friendliness and generosity were instant with everyone he met.  He was widely known as one of Mount Airy’s most enthusiastic and successful fundraisers for charity.  (TAGSRWC has made a donation in memory of Griggs on behalf of our organization as a whole to the Surry Arts Council in Mount Airy.) Read more about Griggs, his good works and legacy here: Remembering Griggs.

 **** Mayberry on the Web ****

New iMayberry Community
We’re excited to announce a really great new online feature hosted by TAGSRWC and organized and overseen by webmaster Allan “Floyd” Newsome.  It’s called iMayberry Community.  You can check it out and sign up for free at: http://imayberrycommunity.com/

Here’s what Allan says about it:

“Mayberry related websites, forums, podcasts, mailing lists, newsletters and more have been on the Internet for more than 20 years.  I’m always amazed when folks say they never knew all this stuff about The Andy Griffith Show existed.  Some knew of a few Mayberry things but didn’t realize the volume of material that is on the Web.

The iMayberry Community‘s goal is to help fans of The Andy Griffith Show connect with one another to share their knowledge and love of Mayberry.

“We’re just beginning this community, but with your help we should see our Mayberry friendships grow and develop relationships that are stronger.

“Community, friends, relationships, family–those are the things that we love about Mayberry and those are the things we want to nurture here.”

The hope is that the iMayberry Community will complement our other online activities, including our main www.imayberry.com page, podcasts, Facebook page, online newsletters (such as The eBullet!), weaversdepartmentstore.com and chat rooms.  Combined with TAGSRWC chapters and the various Mayberry events for all fans (from Mayberry Days to ocean cruises), not to mention enjoying the sites of Mount Airy year-round, the world of Mayberry fun keeps expanding.

And best of all, it’s all rooted in watching the show itself.  Whether through DVDs, local stations or TV Land, loving to watch the show continues to be the energy that feeds all the other Mayberry fun and activities that we enjoy.  What a wonderful thing Andy Griffith and his talented team of actors, musicians, writers and crew people created 52 years ago–for us and generations to come!

Two Chairs, No Waiting is our weekly podcast of TAGS has news, interviews and pretty much whatever happens to be going on in and around Mayberry. It’s hosted by our Allan Newsome. There’s a new episode every Tuesday (and you can watch and listen live during tapings on Monday evenings). Past episodes are in an online Archives in case you want to listen to episodes you’ve missed. (There are about 174 episodes so far!)

There’s a lot of info and discussions that you simply won’t find anywhere else, including rare interviews (vintage and new) with cast and crew members of TAGS. If you’ve got sound on your computer or have an iPod or similar device, you can easily tune in or download these podcasts.

Also, check out the podcast area of our www.imayberry.com site for info about a Mayberry Bible Study Podcast , also hosted by Allan.

And there’s a Brother Figure podcast to Two Chairs, No Waiting. It’s hosted by longtime TAGSRWC member Kevin Burke, who does a great job of describing and discussing individual episodes. It’s called Burke on Mayberry. Check it out.

TAGSRWC’s official page on Facebook now has more than 8,000 friends! You can find us at www.facebook.com/tagsrwc. There’s a variety of comments about Mayberry, and a lively stream of fans’ favorite TAGS lines.And our Facebook page is also one of the first places we post announcements and breaking news about TAGS. If you haven’t already dropped by the page, we hope you’ll check it out sometime when you have the chance. We invite you to become a TAGSRWC Facebook Friend!

**** POST NOTE ****

Even ol’ Ben Weaver is a "kind behind the eyes" this time of year.

We’ve got just a quick pre-Christmas issue this time.  Our merchandise features are up first, then our calendar of events and then some news updates from the cast and crew.

**** Merchandise Update ****

2010 Mayberry Days DVD
New!!!

$20.00

This brand new documentary of last year’s Mayberry Days festival in Mount Airy was filmed and produced by director Gregory Schell, son of Mayberry and Gomer Pyle actor Ronnie Schell.  The 47-minute film captures all the excitement and fun of Mayberry and also includes interviews with all of the TAGS stars and several other participants in the 2010 Mayberry Days, which was extra special because it celebrated the 50th Anniversary of “The Andy Griffith Show.”

Only a limited number of these DVDs is being made available.  It’s rare that a public Mayberry event receives such extensive and professional documentary coverage.  Whether you’re a regular at Mayberry Days or want to get an idea of what it’s all about, this DVD is an outstanding keepsake.  And it just so happens…it’s a super stocking stuffer, too!  Get ’em while you can.

Christmas Is Here Again DVD  $15.00

Even Scrooge-like Ben Weaver is excited to offer this charming Christmas DVD featuring Andy Griffith as Santa Claus! The all-star cast of voices in this 75-minute animated production includes Ed Asner, Kathy Bates, Shirley Jones, Norm MacDonald and Jay Leno as the narrator. Enjoy watching and starting a new family Christmas tradition!

Mitch Jayne’s Old Fish Hawk

Beloved Novel Now Available on CD!
$25.00

Dillards/Darlings bass player Mitch Jayne’s Old Fish Hawk is a 4 1/2-hour novel on CD. This engaging novel, written and narrated by Mitch (with musical accompaniment), tells the story and adventures of an Osage Indian and the young boy he befriends and shares his wisdom with. The book is so compelling that the folks in Hollywood even made a movie of it. But hearing Mitch tell the story is even better because nobody can paint a better picture with words than Mitch.

We sadly lost Mitch Jayne August 2, 2010, at the age of 82. But he left a tremendous legacy. To still be able to hear his wonderful storytelling is just one of many blessings he left us.

“A Mayberry Christmas” Color Print by Dave Barnhouse
Was $60…Now on Special Sale for Just $25.00!!
(Ol’ Ben Weaver’s just trying to merry up Christmas!)

Released in 2010, this is the third print in the initial release of three prints in the officially licensed series of Mayberry artwork by acclaimed artist Dave Barnhouse. (The first two in the series are called “Together Forever” and “Mayberry, My Hometown” and are also still available–in fact, they’re currently on sale, too!)

Dave Barnhouse has captured the sentiment of the touching Courthouse scene in the “Christmas Story” episode when Ben Weaver generously expresses the spirit of Christmas. It’s one of the all-time classic moments of the series, and one that is sure to instantly cause feelings of holiday joy for anyone who sees it.

The image size of the full-color paper print measures 18 in. x 24 in. (the image itself is 16 in. x 20 in.). Dave Barnhouse has signed each print in this open-edition work.

Apparently already feeling good with the Christmas spirits, Ol’ Ben Weaver has trimmed the price of this outstanding print from $60 to an unbelievable $25. Yes, that’s right…more than half off! We think Ben’s feeling so generous just because he’s depicted in the painting, but we’ll take whatever price break he gives us! That 58% savings will definitely “merry up Christmas” for the rest us…all year long! Thanks, ol’ Ben!

Bring a little Mayberry cheer into your home and the homes of friends…even if you don’t have a skinny Santa Claus to deliver it!

Trading Card Series 2 Complete Set for Joplin Relief

$20.00 $12.00
(Great stocking stuffer!)

This Series 2 Set of “The Andy Griffith Show” Trading Cards (#111-220) consists entirely of black-and-white photos, but the photos used depict scenes from all eight seasons of the show. All proceeds (not just the profits, but all funds) from our sales of these Sets go toward ongoing relief efforts for victims of the Joplin Tornado Disaster. We acquired these Sets from Mayberry fan and collector Paul Mulik, who sadly lost his home in the tornado, for the sole purpose of raising funds to help Paul help other victims of the disaster. Much of Paul’s Mayberry collection, including these sets of cards, was stored safely away from his home and was undamaged.

Series 2 cards were manufactured in the early 1990s, and have long been out of print and are now scarce. We think our price for this collectible is still so good that it might even make sense for many collectors to buy two sets–one set to open and enjoy and one set to Set back for posterity, when a Set likely will be even more rare and potentially valuable. Sort of like Barney’s nest egg he that used to buy his car from Mrs. Lesch, who happens to be among those pictured on a card in this set. This Set of cards is full of wonderful Mayberry memories in a nostalgic format…and helping a good cause at the same time.

Don’t Wait for the Hearse to Take You to Church CD
by Rodney Dillard
$14.00
NEW ITEM!!!

This CD is brand new this fall from Rodney Dillard & The Dillard Band (featuring Beverly Dillard) singing Gospel favorites and some newer songs that are sure to become favorites.

Includes 10 tracks and four Bonus tracks from Rodney’s “Mayberry Values” radio show.

TRACKS:
1 The Devil Just Can’t Knock Me off My Knees
2 Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
3 River of Jordan
4 Somebody Touched Me
5 Gospel Ship
6 Hear Them Thunders Roaring
7 Heaven
8 Softly and Tenderly
9 When My Time Comes to Go
10 Don’t Wait for the Hearse to Take You to Church

BONUS MATERIAL
1 New Minister
2 Church Inheritance
3 Man in a Hurry
4 Choirboy Barney

Uplifting music and inspirational words–all for a great price of only $14.00…giving everybody a little extra in their pockets when that offering plate comes around on Sunday!

**** Cool Mayberry Caps for Hip Mayberry Cats ****

Embroidered Show Logo and Security by Fife Caps

$17.00 each

These officially licensed, cool canvas hats (in Mayberry Sheriff Dept. tan!) are finely embroidered with a choice of the official “Andy Griffith Show” logo or Security by Fife. Or why not get both? That way you’re covered for all occasions, except when you want to be just a Goober! Adjustable for just the right fit for any occasion.

T-Shirts Galore!!!
$18.00 each

Weaver’s has more than two dozen officially licensed Mayberry T-shirt designs. Some are vintage designs that are no longer in production and hard to find anywhere else. We also have a handful of shirts of other TV classics and some vintage embroidered Mayberry logo sport shirts and even a few Snappy Lunch sports shirts.

Despite this year’s spike in cotton prices, we’re holding the line on our T-shirt prices. All of our heavyweight cotton T-shirts are still just $18.00. And the sport shirts are nicely priced, too. Most of the T-shirts are available in Sizes Medium, Large, XL and 2X. Several also come in small. (The size selection is not as large for the out-of-production vintage shirts.)

Have fun showing your Mayberry spirit with one of these fun-tastic shirts today!

Just a few of our many Mayberry T-shirt designs.

Miss Crump’s Mayberry Book Mobile

And T-shirts aren’t the only thing that we have dozens of! We carry most of the Mayberry and Mayberry-related books that have been published. Some have been out of print for years, but we still have some copies. Whether your interest is history or trivia, biography or cooking, we’ve got the Mayberry book for you or a friend. Here’s a sampling of what we have:

In the mood to watch Mayberry instead of read about it? Then we’ve got your covered there, too!

“The Andy Griffith Show 50^th Anniversary—The Best of Mayberry” DVD

$25.00 $22.00

This is a really exciting item that was released at the end of last year. (Ben’s not so subtle hint: It was released too close to Christmas last year for a lot of folks to give as gifts, so it can instead be a great gift this year.) It’s an item that we had long been hoping for. In addition to a bunch of the very best episodes, this 3-disc set includes uncut versions of the “Danny Thomas” pilot for “The Andy Griffith Show” and the 1986 Return to Mayberry movie. And all at a phenomenally low price, even before Ben Weaver’s additional discount. Here are some of the highlights of what’s on it:

* 17 Favorite Episodes:

* “Danny Meets Andy Griffith” (the “Danny Thomas” pilot for TAGS)
* Clips from Season Premiere nights for the 1962-63 and 1963-64 seasons
* The 1986 Return to Mayberry reunion movie
* Original sponsor commercials featuring cast members

This collection is chockfull of great Mayberry moments. And the price makes for a truly unbeatable combination of quantity, quality and value. We think it’s a dream come true.

Or why not get the whole Mayberry video shebang all in one package, at a super-Goober price?

All 249 TAGS episodes on DVD, plus the “Danny Thomas” pilot, Return to Mayberry movie, bunches of original commercials and more–now only $172 (originally $249!).

**** Phone Orders ****

In addition to accepting orders online or by mail, our Weaver’s Dept. Store has a phone number FOR ORDERS ONLY (615) 604-1298. The phone number is generally in operation from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday. (They sneak out a lot to go fishin’ for carp and pike and such, so if you miss them during business hours, just leave a message with a number where they can call you back.)

Please call this number only for ordering or for inquiring about orders placed by phone. All inquiries about online orders and mail orders should be made online to weavershop@aol.com.

Holiday Shipping Notice

We’ll be accepting orders for Christmas delivery as late as Noon CT on Dec. 22. But by that point, it’ll require FedEx overnight delivery to most places, which will be very expensive. In fact, any orders we receive after Noon CT on Dec. 20 will likely need express delivery of some sort, such as FedEx 2-Day, but maybe not the extreme expense of overnight delivery.

Anyway, it’s way cheaper (just our flat-rate $5 to any U.S. address) and less stressful for you and our Goober elves to get your orders in by Noon CT on Dec. 19. The closer the shipment’s delivery address is to Nashville, the more you can squeeze out an extra day or so past that deadline, but why take the chance and push it? Tomorrow may be the most perfect day for a hobo to trim the Taylors’ hedge, but today’s the best day for placing your order at Weaver’s!

The Andy Griffith Museum, featuring Emmett Forrest’s amazing collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia, is open daily in Mount Airy, N.C. You’ll usually find Emmett himself there on Thursdays (and often other times), and Betty Lynn generally greets fans there during the afternoon of the third Friday each month. For info, visit the website at http://www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.  Mount Airy is an especially fun place to visit during travels in the holiday season!

* Dec. 6-11: Ronnie Schell performs in Harrah’s Comedy Room in Las Vegas. More info at http://www.harrahslasvegas.com.

* Dec. 8: Neal Brower, author of Mayberry 101, makes the second of two special appearances at the Andy Griffith Museum this fall. This installment features the classic “Christmas Story” episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” followed by a detailed lecture and Q&A. The lecture starts in the lower level of the Museum at 2 p.m. Admission is $10. It’s a great way to get in the holiday spirit!

* Dec. 16 and 17: Ronnie Schell performs in the Chinook Casino in Lincoln City, Ore. More info at www.chinookwindscasino.com.

* Dec. 19: David Browning is all aboard for the 25th Annual Morgan Shepherd Christmas Charity Train, starting in Stuart, Va. For more info, visit www.morganshepherd.com.

2012

* Feb. 18: Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band perform at 7:00 p.m. at Lenoir Community College in Kinston, N.C.

* Feb. 20: David Browning performs “From Gettysburg to Mayberry” (as Abe Lincoln and the Mayberry Deputy), at Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, Va.

* Mar. 1-3: 15th Annual George Lindsey/UNA Film Festival in Florence, Ala. Details TBA. For updates visit http://lindseyfilmfest.com.

* Mar. 8: Neal Brower, author of Mayberry 101, makes the first of two special appearances at the Andy Griffith Museum this spring. Each session will feature an episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” followed by a detailed lecture and Q&A. Lectures will take place in the lower level of the Museum at 2 p.m. Admission is $10. The episode featured for this lecture is “Big Fish in a Small Town.” Go ahead….take the bait and get hooked on learning neat stuff!

* Apr. 12: Neal Brower, author of Mayberry 101, makes the second of two special appearances at the Andy Griffith Museum this spring. The “Fun Girls” episode will be shown today and will be followed by a detailed lecture and Q&A. Lectures will take place in the lower level of the Museum at 2 p.m. Admission is $10. Neal’s lectures are always fun, girls and boys!

* Apr. 20 and 21: Second Annual Mayberry Comes Westminster (S.C.) starring “Andy Griffith Show” cast members Maggie Peterson (Charlene Darling), Rodney Dillard (one of Charlene’s Darling brothers) and his Dillard Band, and LeRoy “Mack” McNees (one of Mayberry’s Country Boys), and assorted Mayberry tribute artists.  There’s a full schedule of concerts and other activities planned.  For complete info and updates, visit http://www.jneg.org/mctw/mctw/Welcome.html.

* July 14: Tentative date for the Mayberry Comes to Mayberry and Mayberry Squad Car Nationals in Graysville, Ala. Stars and details TBA.

* Aug. 24 and 25: Rodney Dillard and Maggie Peterson are joined by several of the Mayberry tribute artists (including David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, and Jeff “Howard” Branch) for a Cruise-In on Fri. and then concert benefiting the Montgomery County DARE program on Sat. The evening concert will be at the James H. Garner Center in Troy, N.C. Details TBA. For more info, visit http://www.bluegrassintroy.com/.

* Sept. 25-27: Life Lessons From Mayberry: It’s All There in Black and White in Ridgecrest, N.C. (outside Asheville).  This event is a celebration of “The Andy Griffith Show” and the biblical truths and life applications found in the beloved TV classic. The three-day event includes fun-filled Bible study based on some of favorite episodes, inspiring preaching and worship, bluegrass bands, country cooking, and lodging nestled in the North Carolina mountains. Life Lessons From Mayberry immediately precedes Mayberry Days, so start the week’s fun here! More info at www.lifeway.com/mayberry.

* Sept. 27-30: 23rd Annual Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, N.C.  Details TBA.  For tickets (many available to order now!) and updates, visit www.mayberrydays.org or call 336-786-7998.  This is Mayberry’s Big One!

 **** News of Cast & Crew ****

Andy Griffith is looking forward to the Christmas season at home on the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Ron Howard and Imagine Entertainment are producers for J. Edgar, in theaters nationwide now.  Ron is also executive-producing the re-ignition of Arrested Development with new episodes for TV (well, sort of…they’ll be exclusive to Netflix) and possibly a feature film coming to theaters.  Ron is expected to continue his role as narrator.  Ron is also in pre-production (as producer and director) for the feature film Rush about Formula I racing legend Niki Lauda.  And Ron still has plans and hopes for the ambitious and complex project of bringing Stephen King’s Dark Towers to TV and theaters.  Meanwhile, he is scheduled to direct the pilot for a new HBO series about Doc Holliday, and he is executive producer for a Sarah Silverman pilot requested by NBC.

When I Find You, a short film based on eight photos Ron selected in a contest called Project Imagin8ion (sponsored by Canon) and directed and co-written by Ron’s oldest daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard, had its premiere in New York City in November and will be available to watch on YouTube starting Dec. 16.

George Lindsey was recently inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at the University of North Alabama in Florence, where he was quarterback “a few years back.”  The University is also building a black box theater that will be named in honor of George.  Construction should be complete by early in the new year and in time for the 15th Annual George Lindsey UNA Film Festival in March.

Doug Dillard and brother Rodney Dillard performed with their respective bands at a big celebration in September marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe, at the International Bluegrass Hall of Fame in Owensboro, Ky.  Find all sorts of info about Doug’s goin’s on at www.hillbillyhollywood.com.  Rodney and his Dillard Band have a new gospel CD out, and he has a new fan site called DillardGrass.  For info, visit www.rodneydillard.tv.

Maggie Peterson and Betty Lynn headlined a successful Mayberry-themed musical fundraiser for Alzheimer’s care and research in Roanoke, Va., on Nov. 12.

James Best is well into the editing process for Return of the Killer Shrews.  To stay current on the latest Shrews news (including the movie’s first trailer), visit www.killershrewsmovie.com.

Even while wrestling with vicious shrews, James still found time for a successful “Dukes of Hazzard” event in Virginia in August and Mayberry Days in Mount Airy in September.  You can find out about all his adventures (including his paintings) at www.jamesbest.com.

 Roland White (one of Mayberry’s Country Boys in the “Mayberry on Record” episode) is a recipient of a 2011 Distinguished Achievement Award from the International Bluegrass Music Association.  Keep tabs on Roland at www.rolandwhitemusic.com.

Julie Adams (Nurse Mary in “The County Nurse,” Episode 56) has published her autobiography, The Lucky Southern Star—Reflections From the Black Lagoon.  For more info about the book and Julie’s schedule, check out her website at www.julieadams.biz.

In Memoriam

Jack Elinson

It’s with great sadness that we report that writer Jack Elinson, a legend in Mayberry and Hollywood, died in Santa Monica, Calif., on Nov. 17.  He was 89.  Jack wrote more episodes (34) of “The Andy Griffith Show” than anyone else.  Most of his episodes (29) were in the first two seasons and written with long time collaborator Charles Stewart.  Helping Mayberry stay on solid footing after the departure of Don Knotts and the dawn of color, Jack returned to write five episodes in the sixth season.  Jack’s landmark episodes of TAGS would have been legacy enough for most writers, but Jack had a distinguished career before and after Mayberry.

During the 1950s, Jack wrote extensively for “All-Star Revue,” “The Colgate Comedy Hour,” “The Ed Wynn Show,” “The Jimmy Durante Show,” “Hey, Jeannie!,” “The Johnny Carson Show,” “The Real McCoys” and “The Danny Thomas Show,” among others.

In 1961, Jack and Chuck Stewart received an Emmy nomination for their writing on

Jack and Estelle Elinson at our Weaver's Dept. Store booth at Mayberry Days in 2000.

“Make Room for Daddy.”  Jack was nominated for four Writers Guild Awards.  He and Chuck Stewart won the award for their writing of the “Manhunt” episode of TAGS.  A further hint to Jack’s importance to TAGS is indicated in the mention of just a few of his episodes: “The New Housekeeper,” “Ellie for Council,” “Keeper of the Flame,” “The Manicurist,” “Barney and the Choir” and “Andy on Trial.”  Jack’s talent and versatility allowed him to write brilliantly for any Mayberry mood or theme.

Jack was a writer and producer for “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.  He also wrote many episodes and was either producer or executive producer for “The Doris Day Show,” “Good Times,” “One Day at a Time” and “The Facts of Life,” “227” and “Wait Till Your Father Gets Home.”

Jack was born in New York City on April 21, 1922, and served in the Army during WWII.  After the war he followed his older brother Isidor (Iz) into show business, first writing jokes for Walter Winchell’s newspaper column and then working as one of the top gag writers in radio.  (Iz Elinson also co-wrote three TAGS episodes, including one with Jack, “The Foster Lady.”)

Jack was predeceased by his first wife, Katie, and is survived by his four children: Michael (Meryl), David (Barbara), Robbie (Dorothy), and Ethel (David); his second wife, Estelle, her three children: Marcy (Steve), Claudia (Brian) and Valerie (Adam); and 12 grandchildren.

A private memorial service was held in Mission Hills, Calif.  In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations may be made in Jack’s name to OPICA Daycare and/or Skirball Hospice.  (TAGSRWC has made a donation on behalf of the fan club as a whole in Jack’s memory to the Barbara and Emmett Forrest Endowment for the Surry Arts Council, sponsor of Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, which Jack and Estelle were able to attend in 2000.)

Sid Melton as Alf Monroe.

We’re also sad to report the passing on November 2 of actor Sid  Melton, who appeared as press agent Pat Michaels in one episode of TAGS,  “The Hollywood Party” (Epiosde 168).  He died in Burbank, Calif., from complications from pneumonia.  He was 94.  Here’s a link to his obituary in The Hollywood Reporter:  http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/comic-actor-sid-melton-dies-257760.

Born Sidney Meltzer on May 22, 1917, in Brooklyn, N.Y., one of five children of Isidor and Fannie Meltzer, Sid Melton is probably best remembered and beloved as handyman Alf Monroe in 26 episodes of “Green Acres.”  (His sister Ralph Monroe was played by Mary Grace Canfield, who also played Mayberry’s Mary Grace Gossage, Thelma Lou’s Cousin.)  His connections to the larger Mayberry family also extend to 49 episodes as Charley Halper in “The Danny Thomas Show” and four episodes as lovable conman Friendly Freddy on “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.”

He’s another of the legendary character actors–so many of whom passed through Mayberry–who were constant presences on TV and in movies for decades.  In Sid’s case, six decades.

Sid was one of those people who was always eager to be around other people, whether fellow actors or fans.  Everyone was a friend. Sid was always ready to entertain.  He lived a long and full life, and he has left a body of work that will continue to delight audiences for generations to come.  Our condolences go out to his many friends. No immediate family members survive.

**** POST NOTE ****

Between issues of Weaver’s Newsletter, keep up with the happenings in Mayberry with the daily “Who’s Been Messin’ Up the Bulletin Board?” Digest. It’s a free subscriber list that consists entirely of comments, news flashes, and questions and answers from subscribers. You can sign up for that list by going to the “Mailing Lists” link at www.tagsrwc.com.

TAGSRWC also publishes The eBullet in more or less alternate months to Weaver’s Newsletter. The eBullet is the online successor to our longtime printed newsletter, The Bullet. Like Weaver’s Newsletter, The eBullet is free. It includes some of the same news as Weaver’s Newsletter, but with more features and depth and a little less emphasis on merchandise news. To sign up, go to: http://www.tagsrwc.com/ebullet/joinebullet.htm.

TAGSRWC’s other main vehicle for Mayberry information is simply our website at www.tagsrwc.com (and its sister site www.iMayberry.com). Both sites have extensive content and links for just about everything a Mayberry fan might be looking for.

The next issue of Weaver’s Newsletter is scheduled for February, with the next eBullet planned for late January.

Wishing You a Mayberry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

With Halloween upon us, that can mean only one thing…Ben Weaver’s getting things ready for Holiday shopping.  Now, that’s scary!  There are several new items on our online shelves at Weaver’s (www.weaversdepartmentstore.com) and some great vintage and rare stuff, plus bunches (“bunches, bunches”) of things on sale or at permanently lower prices.

In addition to some brand new items, we have lots of out-of-production and otherwise rare items.  We have only a small handful of some of these items (as few as just one or two), so browse our online shelves soon and see what you find.  Lots make great stocking stuffers!

Our merchandise features are up first, then our calendar of events, and then news updates (including a Mayberry Days gallery) and miscellaneous updates.

 **** Merchandise Update ****

 Mitch Jayne’s Old Fish Hawk

Beloved  Novel Now Available on CD!
$25.00

 Dillards/Darlings bass player Mitch Jayne’s Old Fish Hawk is a 4 1/2-hour novel on CD. This engaging novel, written and narrated by Mitch (with musical accompaniment), tells the story and adventures of an Osage Indian and the young boy he befriends and shares his wisdom with. The book is so compelling that the folks in Hollywood even made a movie of it. But hearing Mitch tell the story is even better because nobody can paint a better picture with words than Mitch.

We sadly lost Mitch Jayne August 2, 2010, at the age of 82.  But he left a tremendous legacy.  To still be able to hear his wonderful storytelling is just one of many blessings he left us.

“A Mayberry Christmas” Color Print by Dave Barnhouse
Was $60…Now on Special Sale for Just $25.00!!
(Ol’ Ben Weaver’s just trying to merry up Christmas!)

Released in 2010, this is the third print in the initial release of three prints in the officially licensed series of Mayberry artwork by acclaimed artist Dave Barnhouse.  (The first two in the series are called “Together Forever” and ”Mayberry, My Hometown” and are also still available–in fact, they’re currently on sale, too!) 

Dave Barnhouse has captured the sentiment of the touching Courthouse scene in the “Christmas Story” episode when Ben Weaver generously expresses the spirit of Christmas.  It’s one of the all-time classic moments of the series, and one that is sure to instantly cause feelings of holiday joy for anyone who sees it.

The image size of the full-color paper print measures 18 in. x 24 in. (the image itself is 16 in. x 20 in.).  Dave Barnhouse has signed each print in this open-edition work.

Apparently already feeling good with the Christmas spirits, Ol’ Ben Weaver has trimmed the price of this outstanding print from $60 to an unbelievable $25.  Yes, that’s right…more than half off!  We think Ben’s feeling so generous just because he’s depicted in the painting, but we’ll take whatever price break he gives us!  That 58% savings will definitely “merry up Christmas” for the rest us…all year long!  Thanks, ol’ Ben!

Bring a little Mayberry cheer into your home and the homes of friends…even if you don’t have a skinny Santa Claus to deliver it!

Note: Other items ordered with prints may ship separately, but they will be billed together.  And there will be just our single shipping charge of $5.00 per shipping address, no matter how many items or shipments are going to that same address to fill the order.

  **** Weaver’s Fundraisers for Charities ****

 
“Don’t the trees  
 seem nice and full.”

With so many dire situations going on in the world, from natural disasters in the U.S., Japan and Haiti (and now Turkey) to famine in Africa and hard economic times everywhere, TAGSRWC and our Weaver’s Dept. Store are trying to do find ways we can relieve some of the suffering and offer a helping hand. We understand that so often life isn’t always as serene and happy as Mayberry, but if, through Mayberry, we can help bring a little joy and hope and a little less suffering for those in need, then that’s really the Mayberry Way.

Listed below are three of the most recent fundraisers TAGSRWC and Weaver’s have established. There are many more online at Weaver’s in the Fundraisers for Charities section.

The Bullet & The Pocket Back Issues Fundraiser for The Contributor newspaper
$60.00 $30.00

Back Issues Set of at least 30 issues of The Bullet and at least 10 issues of The Pocket. These were the official printed newsletters of “The Andy Griffith Show” Rerun Watchers Club from 1982 through 2004.

The issues of The Bullet that area still available are mainly from the 1990s through March 2001, and The Pocket covers from 2001 through 2004, when our current printed flier, The Button, began.

Issues of The Bullet in particular feature interviews with the cast and crew from the show, plus Professor Brower’s Class columns by Neal Brower, lots of trivia, many rare photos, coverage of events, news, and trivia.  With this set of back issues, you get well over 400 pages of reading and rare photos.  (It’s probably over 500 pages worth, but Ernest T. got tired of counting.)

These vintage Mayberry newsletters are great way to discover (or relive!) some great moments in recent Mayberry history!

As a bonus, we’ll also include some issues of The Button (our current printed newsletter) and some issues of The Mayberry Confidential, the official newspaper for Mayberry Days, as part of the same great $30 deal.

And that’s not all.  All proceeds from the sale of these back issues go toward TAGSRWC’s support of The Contributor, a newspaper in Nashville that’s largely produced and exclusively sold by homeless and formerly homeless folks.

While our Mayberry newsletter staff cannot claim to comprehend the full scope of the struggles and difficulties of homelessness, we have witnessed enough and want to give these neighbors and friends a leg up and create awareness for the hard work they’re doing to help their lives and contribute to the community through their journalism and sales.

We appreciate the work involved in publishing and distributing a newspaper, so we especially applaud and support The Contributor‘s efforts.  What they’re doing is certainly going way beyond Mayberry to help those in need.  We hope that these sales of our Mayberry newspapers can assist their enterprise and success.

 Trading Card Series 2 Complete Set for Joplin Relief

$20.00 $12.00

This Series 2 Set of “The Andy Griffith Show” Trading Cards (#111-220) consists entirely of black-and-white photos, but the photos used depict scenes from all eight seasons of the show.  All proceeds (not just the profits, but all funds) from our sales of these Sets go toward ongoing relief efforts for victims of the Joplin Tornado Disaster. We acquired these Sets from Mayberry fan and collector Paul Mulik, who sadly lost his home in the tornado, for the sole purpose of raising funds to help Paul help other victims of the disaster. Much of Paul’s Mayberry collection, including these sets of cards, was stored safely away from his home and was undamaged.

Series 2 cards were manufactured in the early 1990s, and have long been out of print and are now scarce.  We think our price for this collectible is still so good that it might even make sense for many collectors to buy two sets–one set to open and enjoy and one set to Set back for posterity, when a Set likely will be even more rare and potentially valuable.  Sort of like Barney’s nest egg he that used to buy his car from Mrs. Lesch, who happens to be among those pictured on a card in this set. This Set of cards is full of wonderful Mayberry memories in a nostalgic format…and helping a good cause at the same time.

Goober’s Grab-Bag for African Famine Disaster Relief
 $60.00

This Grab-Bag supports the urgent relief efforts for victims and refugees of the ongoing drought and famine in Somaliaand Sudan.  We encourage everyone who can do so to give directly to the Disaster Relief effort of their choice. This Grab-Bag is just an additional way to support the Relief efforts.   All proceeds (not just the profits, but all funds) from our sales of this Grab-Bag are going to two relief organizations: CARE, the well-known international group that is on the ground doing relief work in East Africa; and the lesser known AFRECS (more info at www.afrecs.org), which has TAGSRWC members among its relief workers in Sudan.  Both groups have a very high percentage of their donated funds going directly to actual relief work.

These Grab-Bags often are purchased by customers with the idea of using the items for another fundraiser of their own (raffles and door prizes, etc.) for churches, schools, and other charities, so in the end, the original purchase of these items often helps more than one worthy cause. Here’s the scoop on this Grab-Bag, which is identical to one we currently have for the Japan Disaster.  We think we’ve come up with a fun Grab-Bag of interesting Mayberry items.  Most of the items are no longer in production and are therefore now in the category of “collectible.” At a minimum, each Grab-Bag has the following items:

* 1 Officially Licensed T-Shirt with Barney Fife on it (The shirt design included is our choice according to availability, but you’ll need to specify in the Comments section of the online order form whether you want Small, Medium, or Large.  (Sorry, but larger sizes not available for this offer, though we do have a 2X Mayberry shirt available without Barney on it, so you can request that instead.)  The default choice if you don’t indicate a size is Medium.
* 1 Mayberry-related book with an original retail price of at least $10
* 1 “Andy Griffith Show” logo ornament
* 1 Newspaper with coverage of a major Mayberry event
* 1 Officially-licensed Mayberry license plate
* 1 Vintage Mayberry wall calendar (still in its original shrink wrap)
* 3 Different wooden Mayberry building fronts (Bluebird Diner, All Souls Church, and Mrs. Mendelbright’s Boarding House)
* 2 Mayberry bumper stickers
* 1 Mayberry-related audio or video tape (still sealed)
* 1 Pre-owned and very used Jim Nabors album (the vinyl LP variety).  Most will date from the 1970s or ’80s.
* 3 Different Mayberry photos (8×10)
* 2 Different over-sized Mayberry posters
* 1 Barney Sipping Soda Lithograph
* 2 different Mayberry birthday balloons
* 1 10-card wax pack of “Andy Griffith Show” Trading Cards
* Assorted Mayberry event and news publications and materials (fliers, newsletters, fans, magnets, buttons, etc.)

If the items were sold separately, their suggested retail prices would easily total over $120. But Goober is not the best at arithmetic and Ernest T. wasn’t around to help us count by stomping his feet, so our price is only $60 for the whole Grab-Bag. We have only a handful to offer with this configuration of items because most of the items are in extremely short supply. Get ‘em while you can.

All proceeds (not just the profits, but 100% of the $60 price) are going toward our support of CARE and AFRECS.  So with a Grab-Bag purchase, you get a good deal while also helping folks in desperate need!

Special Offer: When George “Goober” Lindsey heard we were doing these special Grab-Bags for Disaster Relief, he wanted to participate.  So, he signed a few photos that can be added to this Grab-Bag.  You can add one of these autographed photos to your Grab-Bag for an extra $20 (a total of $80).  Just select the option below to Goober-Size your purchase. We truly appreciate George for giving his support to our efforts to help the disaster victims.  And we thank all Weaver’s visitors for considering a purchase of this Grab-Bag.

 Don’t Wait for the Hearse to Take You to Church CD
by Rodney Dillard
$14.00  NEW ITEM!!!

This CD is brand new this fall from Rodney Dillard & The Dillard Band (featuring Beverly Dillard) singing Gospel favorites and some newer songs that are sure to become favorites.

Includes 10 tracks and four Bonus tracks from Rodney’s “Mayberry Values” radio show.

TRACKS:
1 The Devil Just Can’t Knock Me off My Knees
2 Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
3 River of Jordan
4 Somebody Touched Me
5 Gospel Ship
6 Hear Them Thunders Roaring
7 Heaven
8 Softly and Tenderly
9 When My Time Comes to Go
10 Don’t Wait for the Hearse to Take You to Church

BONUS MATERIAL
1 New Minister
2 Church Inheritance
3 Man in a Hurry
4 Choirboy Barney

Uplifting music and inspirational words–all for a great price of only $14.00…giving everybody a little extra in their pockets when that offering plate comes around on Sunday!

 Dance ‘Til Your Stockings Are Hot and Ravelin’ CD
by the Grascals

$6.00

This exciting new Mayberry-inspired bluegrass CD from the mega-award-winning Grascals features 7 tunes, including 5 from TAGS—“Dooley,” “Boil Them Cabbage Down,” “Ol’ Joe Clark,” “Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)” and “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”—plus the “Mayberry’s Finest Theme” and a song written just for this CD, “Boy, Giraffes Are Selfish.”

You can tell The Grascals are not only world-class musicians and performers, but also true Mayberry fans.  This CD is truly a hoot!  And great music to boot.

Attaboy Don Knotts Comic Legends/Tied up with Laughter DVD


$15.00

Beyond Mayberry’s beloved Barney Fife, this Don Knotts: Tied up with Laughter! DVD shows Don in a series of wonderful, hilarious stand-up routines and skits in rare performances from the 1960s and ‘70s.

In this special hour-long comedy collection released just this spring, Don is joined by singer-actress Joey Heatherton, actress Jane Powell, former Dallas Cowboys player Lance Rentzel, comic (and Mayberry deputy) Jack Burns, Don’s Love God movie co-star Maureen Arthur (also wife of ”Andy Griffith Show” producer Aaron Ruben), and the legendary Jimmy Durante.

Bonus material includes Don with Lucille Ball and an early look at Don’s comedy career and some “never before seen” special features.

This DVD is sure to be a great treat for all fans of our favorite deputy–one of the true, cherished comedy legends of our time…and of all time.  And at a great price.

**** Cool Mayberry Caps for Hip Mayberry Cats ****

Embroidered Show Logo and Security by Fife Caps

$17.00 each

These officially licensed, cool canvas hats (in Mayberry Sheriff Dept. tan!) are finely embroidered with a choice of the official “Andy Griffith Show” logo or Security by Fife.  Or why not get both?  That way you’re covered for all occasions, except when you want to be just a Goober!  Adjustable for just the right fit for any occasion.

The Goober Beanie is Back!

$9.00

So…you say you wanna be a Goober?  This genuine Goober-Style Beanie Hat fashioned from brown felt has the look any Goober will love.  Best of all, you get to cut your own holes in the top, just as Goober himself would do.  Get your beanie, baby, and say “Yo!”  One size fits most Goobers (and Gooberinas, too).

T-Shirts Galore!!!
$18.00 each

Weaver’s has more than two dozen officially licensed Mayberry T-shirt designs.  Some are vintage designs that are no longer in production and hard to find anywhere else.  We also have a handful of shirts of other TV classics and some vintage embroidered Mayberry logo sport shirts and even a few Snappy Lunch sports shirts.

Despite this year’s spike in cotton prices, we’re holding the line on our T-shirt prices.  All of our heavyweight cotton T-shirts are still just $18.00.  And the sport shirts are nicely priced, too.  Most of the T-shirts are available in Sizes Medium, Large, XL and 2X.  Several also come in small.  (The size selection is not as large for the out-of-production vintage shirts.)

Have fun showing your Mayberry spirit with one of these fun-tastic shirts today!

    Just a few of our many Mayberry T-shirt designs.

 Miss Crump’s Mayberry Book Mobile

And T-shirts aren’t the only thing that we have dozens of!  We carry most of the Mayberry and Mayberry-related books that have been published.  Some have been out of print for years, but we still have some copies.  Whether your interest is history or trivia, biography or cooking, we’ve got the Mayberry book for you or a friend.  Here’s a sampling of what we have:

In the mood to watch Mayberry instead of read about it?  Then we’ve got your covered there, too!

“The Andy Griffith Show 50^th Anniversary—The Best of Mayberry” DVD

$22.00

This is a really exciting item that was released at the end of last year.  (Ben’s not so subtle hint: It was released too close to Christmas last year for a lot of folks to give as gifts, so it can instead be a great gift this year.)  It’s an item that we had long been hoping for.  In addition to a bunch of the very best episodes, this 3-disc set includes uncut versions of the “Danny Thomas” pilot for “The Andy Griffith Show” and the 1986 Return to Mayberry movie.  And all at a phenomenally low price, even before Ben Weaver’s additional discount.  Here are some of the highlights of what’s on it:

* 17 Favorite Episodes:

* “Danny Meets Andy Griffith” (the “Danny Thomas” pilot for TAGS)
* Clips from Season Premiere nights for the 1962-63 and 1963-64 seasons
* The 1986 Return to Mayberry reunion movie
* Original sponsor commercials featuring cast members

This collection is chockfull of great Mayberry moments.  And the price makes for a truly unbeatable combination of quantity, quality and value.  We think it’s a dream come true.

Or why not get the whole Mayberry video shebang all in one package, at a super-Goober price?

All 249 TAGS episodes on DVD, plus the “Danny Thomas” pilot, Return to Mayberry movie, bunches of original commercials and more–all for only $172!

**** Phone Orders ****

In addition to accepting orders online or by mail, our Weaver’s Dept. Store has a phone number FOR ORDERS ONLY (615) 604-1298.  The phone number is generally in operation from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday.  (They sneak out a lot to go fishin’ for carp and pike and such, so if you miss them during business hours, just leave a message with a number where they can call you back.)

Please call this number only for ordering or for inquiring about orders placed by phone.  All inquiries about online orders and mail orders should be made online to weavershop@aol.com.

Holiday Shipping Notice

We’ll be accepting orders for Christmas delivery as late as Noon CT on Dec. 22.  But by that point, it’ll require FedEx overnight delivery to most places, which will be very expensive.  In fact, any orders we receive after Noon CT on Dec. 20 will likely need express delivery of some sort, such as FedEx 2-Day, but maybe not the extreme expense of overnight delivery.

Anyway, it’s way cheaper (just our flat-rate $5 to any U.S. address) and less stressful for you and our Goober elves to get your orders in by Noon CT on Dec. 20.  The closer the shipment’s delivery address is to Nashville, the more you can squeeze out an extra day or so past that deadline, but why take the chance and push it?  Tomorrow may be the most perfect day for a hobo to trim the Taylors’ hedge, but today’s the best day for placing your order at Weaver’s!

Emmett Forrest with superfan Phyllis Rollins of TAGSRWC’s Barney chapter (Greensboro, N.C.)

The Andy Griffith Museum, featuring Emmett Forrest’s amazing collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia, is open daily in Mount Airy, N.C. You’ll usually find Emmett himself there on Thursdays (and often other times), and Betty Lynn generally greets fans there during the afternoon of the third Friday each month.  For info, visit the website at http://www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.

* Nov. 6: Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform at 3:00 p.m. at the Sheldon Theater in St. Louis, Mo. Tickets are $20 to $25. For more info, call (314) 533-9900.

 * Nov. 10: Neal Brower, author of Mayberry 101, makes the first of two special appearances at the Andy Griffith Museum this fall. Each session will feature an episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” followed by a detailed lecture and Q&A. Lectures will take place in the lower level of the Museum at 2 p.m. Admission is $10. The episode featured for this first lecture is “Andy and Opie, Housekeepers.” Learning stuff was never so much fun!
 

* Nov. 12:  Music for Memories Gospel Concert–A Christmas Homecoming starring Mayberry’s Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) and Maggie Peterson (Charlene Darling), and also Janet Paschal of The Gaithers, at 2 p.m. (doors open at 1 p.m.) at Life Church, 7422 Deer Branch Road, Roanoke, Va.  Admission is $10 at the door, and a “loving offering” will also be collected.  There will also be a silent auction and other ways to contribute to the event’s beneficiary, which is the Adult Care Center of the Roanoke Valley, an organization that specializes in Alzheimer’s care.  For more info, call (540) 947-2207.

* Nov 12-17: A Cruise to Mayberry 6: A 5-day Western Caribbean cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas. Leaving from Tampa, Fla., with ports-of-call in Cozumel and Costa Maya, and 2 days at sea. For more details, contact Sharon at All About Cruises by phone (10 a.m.-5 p.m. ET) at 1-800-832-7993. For more details, visit the Mayberry Cruise section of the All About Cruises web site. (Note: You must have booked through All About Cruises and be part of the “Mayberry Cruise” in order to attend Mayberry portions of the cruise.)
  

* Nov. 17: Roland White and wife Diane play the Coffee Gallery, Altadena, Calif., with Bill Bryson and Herb Pedersen.

* Nov. 17: Karen Knotts performs her “Tied Up in Knotts” show at 8 p.m. at the Santa Monica Playhouse in Santa Monica, Calif.

* Nov. 18: Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) greets fans at visit the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy, N.C., from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. She’ll have autographed 8×10 photos available ($10).

* Nov. 18: Roland White and wife Diane play Grange Hall in Los Olivos, Calif., (filming location of Return to Mayberry in 1986) with Bill Bryson and Herb Pedersen.

* Nov. 19: Roland White and wife Diane play McCabe’s in Santa Monica, Calif., with Bill Bryson, Herb Pedersen and Blaine Sprouse.

* Nov. 20: Roland White and wife Diane play AMSD Concerts in San Diego, Calif., with Bill Bryson, Herb Pedersen and Blaine Sprouse.

* Nov. 25:The Roland White Band performs at The Station Inn, Nashville, Tenn., at 9 p.m.

* Nov. 26: David Browning marches into Unicoi, Tenn., for its holiday parade.

* Dec 3: Roland White and The Station Inn present the 15th Annual Bill Monroe Appreciation Night at The Station Inn in Nashville, Tenn., at 8 p.m.

* Dec. 8: Neal Brower, author of Mayberry 101, makes the second of two special appearances at the Andy Griffith Museum this fall. This installment features the classic “Christmas Story” episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” followed by a detailed lecture and Q&A. The lecture starts in the lower level of the Museum at 2 p.m. Admission is $10. It’s a great way to get in the holiday spirit!

* Dec. 6-11: Ronnie Schell performs in Harrah’s Comedy Room in Las Vegas. More info at http://www.harrahslasvegas.com.

* Dec. 16 and 17: Ronnie Schell performs in the Chinook Casino in Lincoln City, Ore. More info at www.chinookwindscasino.com.

* Dec. 19: David Browning is all aboard for the 25th Annual Morgan Shepherd Christmas Charity Train, starting in Stuart, Va.  For more info, visit www.morganshepherd.com.

 2012

* Feb. 20: David Browning performs “From Gettysburg to Mayberry” (as Abe Lincoln and the Mayberry Deputy), at Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, Va.

* Mar. 1-3: 15th Annual George Lindsey/UNA Film Festival in Florence, Ala. Details TBA. For updates visit http://lindseyfilmfest.com.

* Mar. 8: Neal Brower, author of Mayberry 101, makes the first of two special appearances at the Andy Griffith Museum this spring. Each session will feature an episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” followed by a detailed lecture and Q&A. Lectures will take place in the lower level of the Museum at 2 p.m. Admission is $10. The episode featured for this lecture is “Big Fish in a Small Town.”  Go ahead….take the bait and get hooked on learning neat stuff!

* Apr. 12: Neal Brower, author of Mayberry 101, makes the second of two special appearances at the Andy Griffith Museum this spring. The “Fun Girls” episode will be shown today and will be followed by a detailed lecture and Q&A. Lectures will take place in the lower level of the Museum at 2 p.m. Admission is $10. Neal’s lectures are always fun, girls and boys!

* Apr. 20 and 21: Second Annual Mayberry Comes Westminster in Westminster, S.C. Details TBA.

* July 14: Tentative date for the Mayberry Comes to Mayberry and Mayberry Squad Car Nationals in Graysville, Ala.  Stars and details TBA.

* Aug. 24 and 25: Rodney Dillard and Maggie Peterson are joined by several of the Mayberry tribute artists (including David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, and Jeff “Howard” Branch) for a Cruise-In on Fri. and then concert benefiting the Montgomery County DARE program on Sat. The evening concert will be at the James H. Garner Center in Troy, N.C. Details TBA. For more info, visit http://www.bluegrassintroy.com/.

* Sept. 27-30: 23rd Annual Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, N.C.  Details TBA.  For updates, visit www.mayberrydays.org.

**** News of Cast & Crew ****

Andy Griffith continues to enjoy staying close to home on the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The Don Knotts Legacy Fund is about halfway to its fundraising goal for creating a Memorial Park (including a statue) in Don’s hometown of Morgantown.  Here’s a website (not fully up to date, but still with some good info) where you can learn more: http://www.donknottsstatuefund.org/donations.php.  A supplemental fundraiser for the Legacy Fund is being offered by Don’s friend John Pyles. For a donation of $25 (plus $3 shipping), you can get a CD of 1958 recordings of Mr. Pyles singing 24 Songs You Love (plus four bonus songs). Make checks payable to Don Knotts Legacy Fund c/o John W. Pyles, 2201 Surrey Drive, Morgantown, WV 26505.

Ron Howard and his Imagine Films are producers for J. Edgar, in theaters nationwide on Nov. 9 and directed by Clintwood and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.  Ron is also producing the re-ignition of Arrested Development with new episodes for TV and a feature film coming to theaters. Ron is expected to continue his role as narrator.  And Ron is also in pre-production (as producer and director) for the feature film Rush about Formula I racing (starring Russell Crowe and Olivia Wilde).

George Lindsey is enjoying official retirement, but keeps a full schedule. An honor coming up for him this fall was his induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame at the University of North Alabama in Florence, where he was quarterback “a few years back.”  The University is also building a black box theater that will be named in honor of George.  Construction should be complete by early next year and in time for the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival in March.  Here’s a link to a story about it (with a construction photo): http://www.timesdaily.com/stories/Black-Box-Theater-within-budget,183092.

Doug Dillard and brother Rodney Dillard performed with their respective bands at a big celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe, at the International Bluegrass Hall of Fame in Owensboro, Ky.

Rodney and his Dillard Band also have a new gospel CD out (see Merchandise Update above), and the band has a new fan site called DillardGrass at this link: http://rodneydillard.tv/?tcp_product=join-the-fan-club

All of The Original Dillards (Doug Dillard, Rodney Dillard, Dean Webb and the late Mitch Jayne) have been inducted into the Missouri Music Association’s Hall of Fame. They’re joined by their late pal John Hartford and by Charles Wolfe as the first members of the bluegrass genre in the initial class of Hall inductees.

Maggie Peterson teamed up with TV brother Rodney Dillard for several appearances at Mayberry-themed events so far this year, including the Mayberry Squad Car Nationals in Graysville, Ala., in July and Jeff Branch’s DARE fundraiser in Troy, N.C., in August.

James and Dorothy Best at Mayberry Days.

To stay current on the latest Shrews news (including sneak peeks from the set), visit www.killershrewsmovie.com.

Meanwhile, James still found time for a successful “Dukes of Hazzard” event in Virginia in August and Mayberry Days in Mount Airy in September.  And he also continues to be an avid painter.  He specializes in barns.  (No, Goober, he’s not painting actual barns.  He’s doing beautiful renderings of barns and other rural subjects and landscapes in oil on canvas!)

Roland White (one of Mayberry’s Country Boys in the “Mayberry on Record” episode) is a recipient of a 2011 Distinguished Achievement Award from the International Bluegrass Music Association. Keep tabs on Roland at www.rolandwhitemusic.com.

Margaret Kerry (two TAGS episodes) had an appearance at a Disneyana event in Dayton, Ohio, earlier during the summer. And she was in British Columbia for another one in August before heading to Mount Airy to see Mayberry friends in September. She’s also getting oh-so close to publishing her autobiography.

Proud grandfather Dick Linke on July 10 with five-day-old grandson Duke Kilian McCullough.

Richard O. “Dick” Linke (longtime personal manager for Andy Griffith and others and also TAGS associate producer) sends his greetings (Aloha!) from his home in Hawaii to Mayberry friends, especially in Mount Airy.  He turned 94 in October. 

****Mayberry Days Gallery **** 

Much of the recent activity for many of the TAGS cast and crew took place at Mayberry Days in September.  There were several new faces (assistant director Bruce Bilson, Morgan Brittany and George Lindsey Jr.)  Below are a few photos by our staff photographers, including Alan Thornton.

Neal Brower and Bruce Bilson...and a familiar face get ready for the Mayberry Days parade.

Elizabeth MacRae (Lou Ann Poovie) joyfully greets fans

Maggie Peterson performing with the Doug Dillard Band. (That's Doug at right and Ginger Boatwright at left.)

Karen Knotts--All smiles in the parade. Photo by Alan Thornton.

Parade Grand Marshal Morgan Brittany (Mary Alice Carter). Photo by Alan Thornton.

Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) welcomes Mayberry Days fans.

Allan Floyd Newsome makes sure George Lindsey Jr.’s sideburns are just right before hitting the Mayberry Days parade. Goober says, “Giddyup!

For more Mayberry Days photos, check out the giant Mayberry Days Photo Gallery, featuring shots by talented Mount Airy photographers Hobart Jones and Kenny Hooker at: http://surryart.ipower.com/main/displaypage.php?page=images/gallery/md11galleryindex.html

**** Mayberry on the Web ****

Two Chairs, No Waiting is our weekly podcast of TAGS has news, interviews and pretty much whatever happens to be going on in and around Mayberry. It’s hosted by our webmaster, Allan Newsome (aka Floyd). There’s a new episode every Tuesday (and you can watch and listen live during tapings on Monday evenings). Past episodes are in an online Archives in case you want to listen to episodes you’ve missed. (There are over 150 episodes so far!)

There’s a lot of info and discussions that you simply won’t find anywhere else, including rare interviews (vintage and new) with cast and crew members of TAGS. If you’ve got sound on your computer or have an iPod or similar device, you can easily tune in or download these podcasts.

Also, check out the podcast area of our www.imayberry.com site for info about a Mayberry Bible Study Podcast , also hosted by Allan.

And there’s a Brother Figure podcast to Two Chairs, No Waiting. It’s hosted by longtime TAGSRWC member Kevin Burke, who does a great job of describing and discussing individual episodes. It’s called Burke on Mayberry. Check it out.

TAGSRWC’s official page on Facebook now has more than 7,500 friends. You can find us at www.facebook.com/tagsrwc. There’s a variety of comments about Mayberry, and a lively stream of fans’ favorite TAGS lines. And our Facebook page is also one of the first places we post announcements and breaking news about TAGS. If you haven’t already dropped by the page, we hope you’ll check it out sometime when you have the chance.  We invite you to become a TAGSRWC Facebook Friend!

 

 **** POST NOTE ****

Between issues of Weaver’s Newsletter, keep up with the happenings in Mayberry with the more-or-less daily “Who’s Been Messin’ Up the Bulletin Board?” Digest.  It’s a free subscriber list that consists entirely of comments, news flashes, and questions and answers from subscribers.  You can sign up for that list by going to the “Mailing Lists” link at www.tagsrwc.com.

TAGSRWC also publishes The eBullet in more or less alternate months to Weaver’s Newsletter.  The eBullet is the online successor to our longtime printed newsletter, The Bullet.  Like Weaver’s Newsletter, The eBullet is free.  It includes some of the same news as Weaver’s Newsletter, but with more features and depth and a little less emphasis on merchandise news.  To sign up, go to: http://www.tagsrwc.com/ebullet/joinebullet.htm.

TAGSRWC’s other main vehicle for Mayberry information is simply our website at www.tagsrwc.com (and its sister site www.iMayberry.com). Both sites have extensive content and links for just about everything a Mayberry fan might be looking for.

The next issue of Weaver’s Newsletter is scheduled for December, with the next eBullet planned for late November.

For now, just remember…Old Man Remshaw is watching you!

“Boo!”

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

**** Merchandise Update ****

Ol' Ben may look like he's bundled up for a cold winter, but he's got some hot items in his store this August.

With the world economy seeming shaky and the stock market being so volatile these days (Say, how’s U.S. Steel doing?), wily folks turn to simple, safe and enjoyable places to invest their hard-earned funds.  And where better to get value for your dollar than Mayberry! That’s what Ben Weaver thinks, anyway.  But even ol’ Ben has gone soft and made lots of already great deals at Weaver’s Dept. Store even better.

For example, the prices of Mayberry artworks in his Art Gallery section are making heads turn with delight.

Same goes for prices in the  DVDs section.

All 249 TAGS episodes on DVD, plus the “Danny Thomas”
pilot, Return to Mayberry movie, bunches of
original commercials and more–all for only $172!

In addition to some brand new items, we’ve also recently restocked several out-of-production and otherwise rare items that we haven’t carried for a while, sometimes even for years.  We have only a small handful of some of these items (as few as just one or two), so browse our online shelves soon!  Here are some merchandise highlights:

**** Weaver’s Merchandise Fundraisers for Charities ****

“Don’t the trees seem nice and full.”

With so many dire situations going on in the world, from natural disasters in the U.S., Japan and Haiti to famine in Africa and hard economic times everywhere, TAGSRWC and our Weaver’s Dept. Store are trying to do find ways we can relieve some of the suffering and offer a helping hand.  We understand that so often life isn’t always as serene and happy as Mayberry, but if, through Mayberry, we can help bring a little joy and hope and a little less suffering for those in need, then that’s really the Mayberry Way.

Listed below are three of the most recent fundraisers TAGSRWC and Weaver’s have established.  There are many more online at Weaver’s in the Fundraisers for Charities section.

The Bullet & The Pocket Back Issues Fundraiser for The Contributor newspaper
$60.00  $30.00

Back Issues Set of at least 30 issues of The Bullet and at least 10 issues of The Pocket. These were the official printed newsletters of “The Andy Griffith Show” Rerun Watchers Club from 1982 through 2004.

The issues of The Bullet that area still available are mainly from the 1990s through March 2001, and The Pocket covers from 2001 through 2004, when our current printed flier, The Button, began.

Issues of The Bullet in particular feature interviews with the cast and crew from the show, plus Professor Brower’s Class columns by Neal Brower, lots of trivia, many rare photos, coverage of events, news, and trivia.  With this set of back issues, you get well over 400 pages of reading and rare photos.  (It’s probably over 500 pages worth, but Ernest T. got tired of counting.)

These vintage Mayberry newsletters are great way to discover (or relive!) some great moments in recent Mayberry history!

As a bonus, we’ll also include some issues of The Button (our current printed newsletter) and some issues of The Mayberry Confidential, the official newspaper for Mayberry Days, as part of the same great $30 deal.

And that’s not all.  All proceeds from the sale of these back issues go toward TAGSRWC’s support of The Contributor, a newspaper in Nashville that’s largely produced and exclusively sold by homeless and formerly homeless folks.

While our Mayberry newsletter staff cannot claim to comprehend the full scope of the struggles and difficulties of homelessness, we have witnessed enough and want to give these neighbors and friends a leg up and create awareness for the hard work they’re doing to help their lives and contribute to the community through their journalism and sales.

We appreciate the work involved in publishing and distributing a newspaper, so we especially applaud and support The Contributor‘s efforts.  What they’re doing is certainly going way beyond Mayberry to help those in need.  We hope that these sales of our Mayberry newspapers can assist their enterprise and success.

Trading Card Series 2 Complete Set for Joplin Relief

$20.00 $12.00

This Series 2 Set of “The Andy Griffith Show” Trading Cards (#111-220) consists entirely of black-and-white photos, but the photos used depict scenes from all eight seasons of the show.  All proceeds (not just the profits, but all funds) from our sales of these Sets go toward ongoing relief efforts for victims of the Joplin Tornado Disaster. We acquired these Sets from Mayberry fan and collector Paul Mulik, who sadly lost his home in the tornado, for the sole purpose of raising funds to help Paul help other victims of the disaster. Much of Paul’s Mayberry collection, including these sets of cards, was stored safely away from his home and was undamaged.

Series 2 cards were manufactured in the early 1990s, and have long been out of print and are now scarce.  We think our price for this collectible is still so good that it might even make sense for many collectors to buy two sets–one set to open and enjoy and one set to Set back for posterity, when a Set likely will be even more rare and potentially valuable.  Sort of like Barney’s nest egg he that used to buy his car from Mrs. Lesch, who happens to be among those pictured on a card in this set. This Set of cards is full of wonderful Mayberry memories in a nostalgic format…and helping a good cause at the same time.

Goober’s Grab-Bag for African Famine Disaster Relief
$120.00  $60.00

This Grab-Bag supports the urgent relief efforts for victims and refugees of the ongoing drought and famine in Somalia and Sudan.  We encourage everyone who can do so to give directly to the Disaster Relief effort of their choice. This Grab-Bag is just an additional way to support the Relief efforts.   All proceeds (not just the profits, but all funds) from our sales of this Grab-Bag are going to two relief organizations: CARE, the well-known international group that is on the ground doing relief work in East Africa; and the lesser known AFRECS (more info at www.afrecs.org), which has TAGSRWC members among its relief workers in Sudan.  Both groups have a very high percentage of their donated funds going directly to actual relief work.

These Grab-Bags often are purchased by customers with the idea of using the items for another fundraiser of their own (raffles and door prizes, etc.) for churches, schools, and other charities, so in the end, the original purchase of these items often helps more than one worthy cause. Here’s the scoop on this Grab-Bag, which is identical to one we currently have for the Japan Disaster.  We think we’ve come up with a fun Grab-Bag of interesting Mayberry items.  Most of the items are no longer in production and are therefore now in the category of “collectible.”At a minimum, each Grab-Bag has the following items:* 1 Officially Licensed T-Shirt with Barney Fife on it (The shirt design included is our choice according to availability, but you’ll need to specify in the Comments section of the online order form whether you want Small, Medium, or Large.  (Sorry, but larger sizes not available for this offer, though we do have a 2X Mayberry shirt available without Barney on it, so you can request that instead.)  The default choice if you don’t indicate a size is Medium.
* 1 Mayberry-related book with an original retail price of at least $10
* 1 “Andy Griffith Show” logo ornament
* 1 Newspaper with coverage of a major Mayberry event
* 1 Officially-licensed Mayberry license plate
* 1 Vintage Mayberry wall calendar (still in its original shrink wrap)
* 3 Different wooden Mayberry building fronts (Bluebird Diner, All Souls Church, and Mrs. Mendelbright’s Boarding House)
* 2 Mayberry bumper stickers
* 1 Mayberry-related audio or video tape (still sealed)
* 1 Pre-owned and very used Jim Nabors album (the vinyl LP variety).  Most will date from the 1970s or ’80s.
* 3 Different Mayberry photos (8×10)
* 2 Different over-sized Mayberry posters
* 1 Barney Sipping Soda Lithograph
* 2 different Mayberry birthday balloons
* 1 10-card wax pack of “Andy Griffith Show” Trading Cards
* Assorted Mayberry event and news publications and materials (fliers, newsletters, fans, magnets, buttons, etc.)

If the items were sold separately, their suggested retail prices would easily total over $120. But Goober is not the best at arithmetic and Ernest T. wasn’t around to help us count by stomping his feet, so our price is only $60 for the whole Grab-Bag. We have only a handful to offer with this configuration of items because most of the items are in extremely short supply. Get ‘em while you can.

All proceeds (not just the profits, but 100% of the $60 price) are going toward our support of CARE and AFRECS.  So with a Grab-Bag purchase, you get a good deal while also helping folks in desperate need!

Special Offer: When George “Goober” Lindsey heard we were doing these special Grab-Bags for Disaster Relief, he wanted to participate.  So, he signed a few photos that can be added to this Grab-Bag.  You can add one of these autographed photos to your Grab-Bag for an extra $20 (a total of $80).  Just select the option below to Goober-Size your purchase. We truly appreciate George for giving his support to our efforts to help the disaster victims.  And we thank all Weaver’s visitors for considering a purchase of this Grab-Bag.

Don’t Wait for the Hearse to Take You to Church CD
by Rodney Dillard
$14.00  NEW ITEM!!!

Release Date: August 16, 2011

This CD is brand new this month from Rodney Dillard & The Dillard Band (featuring Beverly Dillard) singing Gospel favorites and some newer songs that are sure to become favorites.

Includes 10 tracks and four Bonus tracks from Rodney’s “Mayberry Values” radio show.

TRACKS:
1 The Devil Just Can’t Knock Me off My Knees
2 Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
3 River of Jordan
4 Somebody Touched Me
5 Gospel Ship
6 Hear Them Thunders Roaring
7 Heaven
8 Softly and Tenderly
9 When My Time Comes to Go
10 Don’t Wait for the Hearse to Take You to Church

BONUS MATERIAL
1 New Minister
2 Church Inheritance
3 Man in a Hurry
4 Choirboy Barney

Uplifting music and inspirational words–all for a great price of only $14.00…giving everybody a little extra in their pockets when that offering plate comes around on Sunday!

Dance ‘Til Your Stockings Are Hot and Ravelin’ CD
by the Grascals
$6.00

This exciting new Mayberry-inspired bluegrass CD from the mega-award-winning Grascals features 7 tunes, including 5 from TAGS—“Dooley,” “Boil Them Cabbage Down,” “Ol’ Joe Clark,” “Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)” and “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”—plus the “Mayberry’s Finest Theme” and a song written just for this CD, “Boy, Giraffes Are Selfish.”

You can tell The Grascals are not only world-class musicians and performers, but also true Mayberry fans.  This CD is truly a hoot!  And great music to boot.

And here’s a video of The Grascals’ Birthday Salute to Andy Griffith.

Attaboy Don Knotts Comic Legends/Tied up with Laughter DVD

$15.00
Available Now!

Beyond Mayberry’s beloved Barney Fife, this Don Knotts: Tied up with Laughter!DVD shows Don in a series of wonderful, hilarious stand-up routines and skits in rare performances from the 1960s and ‘70s.

In this special hour-long comedy collection released just this spring, Don is joined by singer-actress Joey Heatherton, actress Jane Powell, former Dallas Cowboys player Lance Rentzel, comic (and Mayberry deputy) Jack Burns, Don’s Love God movie co-star Maureen Arthur (also wife of ”Andy Griffith Show” producer Aaron Ruben), and the legendary Jimmy Durante.

Bonus material includes Don with Lucille Ball and an early look at Don’s comedy career and some “never before seen” special features.

This DVD is sure to be a great treat for all fans of our favorite deputy–one of the true, cherished comedy legends of our time…and of all time.  And at a great price.

**** Cool Mayberry Caps for Hip Mayberry Cats ****

Embroidered Show Logo and Security by Fife Caps

$17.00 each

These officially licensed, cool canvas hats (in Mayberry Sheriff Dept. tan!) are finely embroidered with a choice of the official “Andy Griffith Show” logo or Security by Fife.  Or why not get both?  That way you’re covered for all occasions, except when you want to be just a Goober!  Adjustable for just the right fit for any occasion.

The Goober Beanie is Back!

$9.00

So…you say you wanna be a Goober?  This genuine Goober-Style Beanie Hat fashioned from brown felt has the look any Goober will love.  Best of all, you get to cut your own holes in the top, just as Goober himself would do.  Get your beanie, baby, and say “Yo!”  One size fits most.

T-Shirts Galore!!!
$18.00 each

Weaver’s has more than two dozen officially licensed Mayberry T-shirt designs.  Some are vintage designs that are no longer in production and hard to find anywhere else.  We also have a handful of shirts of other TV classics and some vintage embroidered Mayberry logo sport shirts and even a few Snappy Lunch sports shirts.

Despite this year’s spike in cotton prices, we’re holding the line on our T-shirt prices.  All of our heavyweight cotton T-shirts are still just $18.00.  And the sport shirts are nicely priced, too.  Most of the T-shirts are available in Sizes Medium, Large, XL and 2X.  Several also come in small.  (The size selection is not as large for the out-of-production vintage shirts.)

Have fun showing your Mayberry spirit with one of these fun-tastic shirts today!

Just a few of our many Mayberry T-shirt designs.

 Miss Crump’s Mayberry Book Mobile

And T-shirts aren’t the only thing that we have dozens of!  We carry most of the Mayberry and Mayberry-related books that have been published.  Some have been out of print for years, but we still have some copies.  Whether your interest is history or trivia, biography or cooking, we’ve got the Mayberry book for you or a friend.  Here’s a sampling of what we have:

In the mood to watch Mayberry instead of read about it?  Then we’ve got your covered there, too!

“The Andy Griffith Show 50^th Anniversary—The Best of Mayberry” DVD

$25.00 $22.00

This is a really exciting item that was released at the end of last year.  It’s an item that we had long been hoping for.  In addition to a bunch of the very best episodes, this 3-disc set includes uncut versions of the “Danny Thomas” pilot for “The Andy Griffith Show” and the 1986 Return to Mayberry movie.  And all at a phenomenally low price, even before Ben Weaver’s additional discount.  Here are some of the highlights of what’s on it:

* 17 Favorite Episodes:

* “Danny Meets Andy Griffith” (the “Danny Thomas” pilot for TAGS)
* Clips from Season Premiere nights for the 1962-63 and 1963-64 seasons
* The 1986 Return to Mayberry reunion movie
* Original sponsor commercials featuring cast members

This collection is chockfull of great Mayberry moments.  And the price makes for a truly unbeatable combination of quantity, quality and value.  We think it’s a dream come true.

**** Phone Orders ****

In addition to accepting orders online or by mail, our Weaver’s Dept. Store has a phone number FOR ORDERS ONLY (615) 604-1298.  The phone number is generally in operation from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday.  (They sneak out a lot to go fishin’ for carp and pike and such, so if you miss them during business hours, just leave a message with a number where they can call you back.)

Please call this number only for ordering or for inquiring about orders placed by phone.  All inquiries about online orders and mail orders should be made online.

Floyd’s Barbershop
Bulletin Board & Event Calendar

Falcon keeper?

The Andy Griffith Museum, featuring Emmett Forrest’s awesome collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia, is open daily in Mount Airy, N.C.  For info, visit the website at http://www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604. 

*  Aug. 13: David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning is on guard for the National Antique Auto Club of America’s Southeastern Fall Car Show in Bristol, Va./Tenn.
* Aug. 13 and 14: James Best appears at the Hazzard Homecoming in Sperryville, Va., with fellow “Dukes of Hazzard” stars.  For more info, visit http://www.cootersplace.com/.
* Aug. 18: Fans do a double-take when David Browning patrols the Elizabethton (Tenn.) Twins baseball game.
* Aug. 19: Betty Lynn(Thelma Lou) greets fans at the Andy Griffith Museum from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.  She will have autographed 8×10 photos available ($10).
* Aug. 20 and 21: Maggie Peterson, Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band, David Browning, and Allan “Floyd” Newsome perform at a Mayberry Moments show (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at St. John’s Evangelical Protestant Church in Cullman, Ala., on the 20th.  Tickets are $3.00.  Rodney and Beverly Dillard present their Mayberry Values program at the church at 10:00 a.m. on the 21st.  For more info, visit: http://www.sjepc.com/index_files/Page321.htm
* Aug. 23: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride perform in the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. outside at the Kimberling City Shopping Mall.  (Bring your own lawn chair.)
* Aug. 25: David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning is chief of the grandstands for the Danville (Va.) Braves baseball game.
* Aug. 26: Maggie Peterson and all of the Mayberry tribute artists in the next listing will be in Oakboro, N.C., for the town’s monthly Cruise-In parade, which starts downtown at 8:00 p.m.
* Aug. 27: Rodney Dillard and Maggie Peterson are joined by several of the Mayberry tribute artists (including David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Allan “Floyd” Newsome, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, Bob “Briscoe” Mundy, Phil “Ernest T.” Fox, Alma “Aunt Bee” Venable, and Jeff “Howard” Branch) for a concert benefiting the Montgomery County DARE program.  The concert starts at 7:00 p.m and will be at the James H. Garner Center in Troy, N.C.   There will also be a silent auction.  Reserved seats are $20; general admission tickets are $15.  For tickets and more info, visit http://www.bluegrassintroy.com/ or call (704) 985-6987.
* Aug. 28: Rodney and Beverly Dillard present their Mayberry Values program at Holly Mount Church in Mount Gilead, N.C.  For more info, call (704) 985-6987.

 * Sept. 3 and 17: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride perform in the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. outside at the Kimberling City Shopping Mall.  (Bring your own chair.)
* Sept. 3: David Browning entertains the crowds at Community Family Day in Crossville,Tenn.
* Sept. 5: No day off today to wear the ol’ Salt & Pepper for David Browning as he patrols the Labor Day celebration in Saltville,Va.
* Sept. 9 and 10: David Browning stakes out the Tom Johnson Camping Center’s Fall Barbecue in Marion, N.C.
* Sept. 11: Rodney Dillard and wife Beverly present their “Mayberry Values” program during the morning service at Abundant Life Church, in Mt. Juliet, Tenn.  For more info, visit http://www.alcmtjuliet.com.
* Sept. 12-14: The Doug Dillard Band and also Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band are featured at the all-star 100th Birthday Celebration of Bill Monroe in Owensboro, Ky.  Details TBA.  For more info, call 270-926-7891 or visit http://www.bluegrass-museum.org/general/CentennialCelebration.php#schedule.
* Sept. 20-22: LeRoy McNees makes three presentations at Life Lessons From Mayberry: It’s All There in Black and White in Ridgecrest, N.C. (outside Asheville).  This conference is a celebration of “The Andy Griffith Show” and the biblical truths and life applications found in the show.  The three-day event includes fun-filled Bible study based on some of your favorite episodes, great preaching and worship, bluegrass bands, country cooking, and lodging nestled in the North Carolina mountains. Life Lessons From Mayberry immediately precedes Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, so start a week of Mayberry fun and inspiration here!  For more info, visit at  www.lifeway.com/mayberry.
* Sept 23:  Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform at 8:00 p.m. at the Gram Parsons Annual Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival at Okefenokee Fairgrounds in Waycross, Ga.  Festival tickets are $35.00.  For more info, call (912) 288-3712.

The Doug Dillard Band with special Maggie Peterson

* Sept. 22-25: 22nd Annual MAYBERRY DAYS in Mount Airy, N.C.  Shows already confirmed include two concerts by The Doug Dillard Band, a new one-man show with Ronnie Schell (two “Andy Griffith” episodes and Duke Slater on “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.”) and son Greg Schell, “An Afternoon with James Best,” “Tied Up in Knotts” starring Karen Knotts, Memories of Elvis with Michael Hoover, the “Salute to Mayberry” with the VW Boys, Professor Brower’s Lecture with Neal Brower (featuring ”Andy Griffith Show” assistant director/future Emmy-winning director Bruce Bilson for his first Mayberry Days), the Mayberry Days Golf Tournament and Banquet, and Colonel Tim’s Talent Time.

Don Knotts, Bruce Bilson, Andy Griffith and director Bob Sweeney (front) on the TAGS set.

Other confirmed Mayberry stars so far include Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou), Maggie Peterson (Charlene Darling), Elizabeth MacRae (one “Andy Griffith” episode and Lou Ann Poovie on “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.), LeRoy McNees (of Mayberry’s Country Boys), George Spence (Frank the Boyfriend), Margaret Kerry (Bess Muggins and Helen Scobey) and singer Laura Hagen (widow of music director Earle Hagen).  For info and tickets, go to http://www.mayberrydays.org.

Elizabeth MacRae as Lou Ann Poovie

More stars possibly TBA.  In the meantime, it’s not at all too early to get tickets for the parts of the weekend that require tickets, because many sell out.  Ditto for hotel rooms.  (There’s a link to info about area accommodations on the Mayberry Days website.)

* Sept. 24: George Lindsey is being inducted into the University of North Alabama Sports Hall of Fame during a ceremony on campus in Florence, Ala.  Details TBA.

* Oct. 1: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride close out the 2011 Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. outside at the Kimberling City Shopping Mall.  (By now, you know the drill…bring your own lawn chair.)
* Oct. 7-9: Darling Boy Dean Webb and his Missouri Boatride band perform at the Wooley Creek Bluegrass Festival in Cape Fair,Mo.

* Nov. 6: Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform at 3:00 p.m. at the Sheldon Theater in St. Louis, Mo. Tickets are $20 to $25.  For more info, call (314) 533-9900.
* Nov 12-17: A Cruise to Mayberry 6: A 5-day Western Caribbean cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas.  Leaving from Tampa, Fla., with ports-of-call in Cozumel and Costa Maya, and 2 days at sea.  For more details, contact Sharon at All About Cruises by phone (10 a.m.-5 p.m. ET) at 1-800-832-7993, or visit the Mayberry Cruise  section of the All About Cruises website. (Note: You must have booked through All About Cruises and be part of the “Mayberry Cruise” in order to attend Mayberry portions of the cruise.)

2012

Apr. 20 and 21: Second Annual Mayberry Comes Westminster in Westminster, S.C.  Details TBA.

**** News of Cast & Crew ****

Andy Griffith has been enjoying a quiet summer at home on the coast of North Carolina.

Ron Howard is still trying to work the kinks out of the complex and massive multi-format productions he hopes to do for Stephen King’s Dark Towers. The latest word is that Ron still wants to direct at least some of the installments, but getting the financing worked out for the deal is the first (and giant) hurdle to cross.  As a result, the scope of the final project likely will be scaled down a bit.

Ron and Imagine Entertainment partner Brian Grazer are also working with “Amazing Race” producers on a movie-inspired reality competition show called “The Great Escape” for TNT. Imagine is also working on a film version of MAD Magazine’s Spy v. Spy comic strip, and Ron is producer of J. Edgar, a film about J. Edgar Hoover, and is executive producer of the much-anticipated Arrested Development movie, which likely will include Ron as the narrator.

Ron also is talking about plans for doing Rush, a film about Formula One racing and a version of Frankenstein from Igor’s point of view. Meanwhile, Cowboys and Aliens, the film starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde that was produced by Ron with Brian Grazer (with executive producer Steven Spielberg) is drawing big crowds in theaters now.

Ron and daughter Bryce Dallas Howard (villainess in this month’s The Help, one of the year’s most-anticipated films) are working as a producer-director-writer team (Bryce is director and writer!) on an ambitious short film called Imagin8ion.

Bryce Dallas Howard and father Ron

The film will tell a story using images selected from a worldwide photo contest (sponsored by Canon USA) that had nearly 100,000 entries. Ron was the judge who picked the eight winners from the finalists.

Jim Nabors was hospitalized briefly in Honolulu in July with a severe sore throat, a situation he treats with extreme care because of the immunosuppressive medications he has continued to take since his 1994 liver transplant. He had been scheduled to sing the national anthem for a special ceremony aboard the USS Arizona Memorial, but he had to cancel the engagement. He’s back home and doing fine.

George Lindsey is enjoying official retirement, but keeps a full schedule.  An honor coming up for him this fall is induction into the Sports Hall of Fame at the University of North Alabama in Florence, where he was quarterback “a few years back.”

Betty Lynn was under the weather a bit in July, but is feeling chipper again this month.  She continues to really enjoy life in Mount Airy, where she often greets fans, including a regular monthly gig at the Andy Griffith Museum (see Floyd’s calendar above).

Doug Dillard is still working his way through the summer’s heat as he builds his strength back after his recovery from a collapsed lung in February.  And wife Vikki is back home after recent major surgery as well.

All of The Original Dillards (Doug Dillard, Rodney Dillard, Dean Webb and the late Mitch Jayne) are being inducted into the Missouri Music Association’s Hall of Fame.  They’ll be joined by their late pal John Hartford and by Charles Wolfe as the first members of the bluegrass genre in the initial class of Hall inductees.

Maggie Peterson has teamed up with Rodney Dillard for several appearances at Mayberry-themed events so far this year, including a few this month. (Again, see Floyd’s calendar).

Margaret Kerry (two TAGS episodes) had an appearance at a Disneyana event in Dayton, Ohio, earlier this summer. And she’ll be in British Columbia for another one this month. She’s also hard at work on her autobiography and hopes to have it done in time for for her appearance at Mayberry Days in September.

James Best is now busy editing Return of the Killer Shrews, a sequel to Attack of the Killer Shrews, the cult classic in which he starred in the 1950s.  The film, shot in California this summer, stars John Schneider and also features fellow “Dukes of Hazzard” actor Rick Hurst, as well as Jennifer Lyons, Bruce Davison, Patty Browning and David Browning (not as the “Mayberry Deputy”).
James is shrewdly both producing and acting in Shrews this time around.  To stay current on the latest Shrews news (including sneak peeks from the set), visit www.killershrewsmovie.com.  Watch your back!

**** Mayberry on the Web ****

Two Chairs, No Waiting is our weekly podcast of TAGS has news, interviews and pretty much whatever happens to be going on in and around Mayberry. It’s hosted by our webmaster Allan Newsome (aka Floyd). There’s a new episode every Tuesday and also an Archives in case you want to listen to episodes you’ve missed. (There are over 150 episodes so far!)
We think you’ll find these podcasts creative, fun and informative. There’s a lot of info and discussions that you simply won’t find anywhere else, including rare interviews (vintage and new) with cast and crew members of TAGS.
If you’ve got sound on your computer or have an iPod or similar device, you can easily tune in or download these podcasts.

And there’s also a Brother Figure podcast to Two Chairs, No Waiting. It’s hosted by longtime TAGSRWC member Kevin Burke, who does a great job of describing and discussing individual episodes. It’s called Burke on Mayberry. Check it out.

TAGSRWC’s official page on Facebook now has more than 7,500 friends. You can find us at www.facebook.com/tagsrwc. There’s a variety of comments about Mayberry, and a lively stream of fans’ favorite TAGS lines. And our Facebook page is also one of the first places we post announcements and breaking news about TAGS. If you haven’t already dropped by the page, we hope you’ll check it out sometime when you have the chance.

 **** POST NOTE ****

Between issues of Weaver’s Newsletter, keep up with the happenings in Mayberry with the more-or-less daily “Who’s Been Messin’ Up the Bulletin Board?” Digest.  It’s a free subscriber list that consists entirely of comments, news flashes, and questions and answers from subscribers.  You can sign up for that list by going to the “Mailing Lists” link at www.tagsrwc.com.

TAGSRWC also publishes The eBullet in more or less alternate months to Weaver’s Newsletter.  The eBullet is the online successor to our longtime printed newsletter, The Bullet.  Like Weaver’s Newsletter, The eBullet is free.  It includes some of the same news as Weaver’s Newsletter, but with more features and depth and a little less emphasis on merchandise news.  To sign up, go to: http://www.tagsrwc.com/ebullet/joinebullet.htm.

TAGSRWC’s other main vehicle for Mayberry information is simply our website at www.tagsrwc.com (and its sister site www.iMayberry.com). Both sites have extensive content and links for just about everything a Mayberry fan might be looking for.

The next issue of Weaver’s Newsletter is scheduled for October, with the next eBullet planned for September.

10-4 and out for now!

**** Merchandise Update ****

Ben has some hot summer deals to tell us about!

Ol’ Ben Weaver has loaded his shelves for summer.  And in honor of Andy Griffith’s birthday month (June 1) and Don Knotts’ birthday month (July 21), we’ve got bunches of items on sale—even more than usual, including most of the Fine Art prints in our Art Gallery section.  And the summer heat and the cicadas (even worse than those ring-g-g-ing doorbells!) must be getting to Ben’s star employee, Bert Miller, because Bert’s gone around and put lower prices on items everywhere, especially the DVDs section.

And The Incredible Mr. Don Knotts book at an equally incredible price!

Complete Series (with pilot and movie) Box Set now 30% off original list price!!!

And with Father’s Day just around the corner, remember classics such as our Barney Necktie and the Act Like Somebody book about parenting in Mayberry.

In addition to some brand new items, we’ve also recently restocked several out-of-production and otherwise rare items that we haven’t carried for a while, sometimes even for years.  We have only a small handful of some of these items (as few as just one or two), so browse our online shelves soon!  Here are some merchandise highlights:

New CD Just Has Arrived!
Dance ‘Til Your Stockings Are Hot and Ravelin’
$6.00

This exciting new Mayberry-inspired bluegrass CD from the mega-award-winning Grascals features 7 tunes, including 5 from TAGS—“Dooley,” “Boil Them Cabbage Down,” “Ol’ Joe Clark,” “Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)” and “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”—plus the “Mayberry’s Finest Theme” and a song written just for this CD, “Boy, Giraffes Are Selfish.”

You can tell The Grascals are not only world-class musicians and performers, but also true Mayberry fans.  This CD is truly a hoot!  And great music to boot.

And here’s a video of The Grascals’ Birthday Salute to Andy Griffith.

Attaboy Don Knotts Comic Legends/Tied up with Laughter DVD
$15.00
Available Now!

Beyond Mayberry’s beloved Barney Fife, this Don Knotts: Tied up with Laughter! DVD shows Don in a series of wonderful, hilarious stand-up routines and skits in rare performances from the 1960s and ‘70s.

In this special hour-long comedy collection released just this spring, Don is joined by singer-actress Joey Heatherton, actress Jane Powell, former Dallas Cowboys player Lance Rentzel, comic (and Mayberry deputy) Jack Burns, Don’s Love God movie co-star Maureen Arthur (also wife of ”Andy Griffith Show” producer Aaron Ruben), and the legendary Jimmy Durante.

Bonus material includes Don with Lucille Ball and an early look at Don’s comedy career and some “never before seen” special features.

This DVD is sure to be a great treat for all fans of our favorite deputy–one of the true, cherished comedy legends of our time…and of all time.  And at a great price.

**** Cool Mayberry Caps for Hip Mayberry Cats ****

Embroidered Show Logo and Security by Fife Caps
$17.00

These officially licensed, cool canvas hats (in Mayberry Sheriff Dept. tan!) are finely embroidered with a choice of the official “Andy Griffith Show” logo or Security by Fife.  Adjustable for just the right fit for any occasion.

The Goober Beanie is Back!$9.00

This genuine Goober-Style Beanie Hat Fashioned from brown felt has the look any Goober will love.  Best of all, you get to cut your own holes in the top, just as Goober himself would do.  Get your beanie, baby, and say “Yo!”  One size fits most.

“The Andy Griffith Show 50^th Anniversary—The Best of Mayberry” DVD $25.00 $22.00

This is a really exciting item that was released at the end of last year.  It’s an item that we had long been hoping for.  In addition to a bunch of the very best episodes, this 3-disc set includes uncut versions of the “Danny Thomas” pilot for “The Andy Griffith Show” and the 1986 Return to Mayberry movie.  And all at a phenomenally low price, even before Ben Weaver’s additional discount.  Here are some of the highlights of what’s on it:

* 17 Favorite Episodes:

* “Danny Meets Andy Griffith” (the “Danny Thomas” pilot for TAGS)
* Clips from Season Premiere nights for the 1962-63 and 1963-64 seasons
* The 1986 Return to Mayberry reunion movie
* Original sponsor commercials featuring cast members

This collection is chockfull of great Mayberry moments.  And the price makes for a truly unbeatable combination of quantity, quality and value.  We think it’s a dream come true for Mayberry fans everywhere.

I Wish Life Was Like Mayberry CD
by Rodney Dillard   $16.00

This CD, released in Fall 2010, features Rodney Dillard singing lots of favorite Darlings tunes from “The Andy Griffith Show,” along with other popular Dillards tunes and some later songs about the Darlings.  These are some classic bluegrass and Mayberry songs for any fan of, well, bluegrass and Mayberry.

Features 19 tracks and some bonus material.  Ol’ Ben Weaver knows a toe-tappin’ good deal when he sees one!

TRACKS:

Bonus Material: A Tribute to Mayberry Values

From the archives of the popular radio show “Mayberry Minute,” hosted by Rodney.  The radio show ran nationally for three years as Rodney took a look back at “Andy Griffith Show” episodes and the life lessons they taught.

Limited Edition “The Andy Griffith Show”
50^th Anniversary Portrait $60.00 $30.00

This beautiful print has been hugely popular in the year since it was issued.  It’s sure to be a cherished lifetime keepsake marking this special time in the history of TAGS.  But more than a keepsake, it’s a superb work of art whose many smiling faces will bring an instant grin to the face of everyone who sees it.

Printed with premium inks on archival paper, this outstanding 12 in. x 16 in. collage pencil portrait is signed and numbered by talented Wilmington (N.C.) artist George Murray and officially licensed by CBS Consumer Products

The suggested gallery price for this commemorative print is $60, but we’ve got it for just $30.  That’s right…half off! (That summer heat really is getting to ol’ Ben Weaver.  He’s going totally soft on us.)  We have only a handful left of this limited edition print.  Get yours while you can.

And More…

We have the first six seasons of “Matlock” (the Sixth Season was released in January) along with all seasons of TAGS (including a Box Set with all eight seasons, the “Danny Thomas” pilot and the Return to Mayberry movie) and all five seasons of “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” And we have a nice assortment of the best movies starring Andy Griffith and Don Knotts.  They’re in the DVDs Section at Weaver’s.

Also, be sure to check out our Collectibles & Special Items at Weaver’s.  There are some unique and rare items there that could make really special gifts or additions to your own collection.  And we have a wide assortment of great licensed Mayberry products in the Cool Gifts section and throughout the Weaver’s shopping area at imayberry.com.

**** Phone Orders ****

In addition to accepting orders online or by mail, our Weaver’s Dept. Store has a phone number FOR ORDERS ONLY (615) 604-1298.  The phone number is generally in operation from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday.  (They sneak out to go fishin’ for carp and pike a lot, so if you miss them during business hours, just leave a message with a number where they can call you back.)

Please call this number only for ordering or for inquiring about orders placed by phone.  All inquiries about online orders and mail orders should be made online.

**** “Mayberry’s Finest” Update! ****

Mayberry’s Finest Brand Foods, the official food licensee of “The Andy Griffith Show,” has been busy with corporate dealings that will make the brand all the stronger going forward.  But all those Man in a Hurry-types of efforts have caused a production delay in the much-anticipated Commemorative Gift Tin.

Still scheduled to be popping out of the oven sometime in the next few months, this gift tin will contain four of the most popular varieties of Mayberry’s Finest baking mixes, such as Peach Cobbler and Cinnamon Toast muffins.  As a treat for fans of the show, the collectible tin will feature images of some of Mayberry’s most representative memorabilia.

And as a special feast for the ears, the gift tin will include the brand new CD of Mayberry tunes by the award-winning bluegrass band The Grascals (see description at the top of Merchandise Update above).

There’s still no definite production date yet for this special gift tin.  If you’re among those who pre-ordered, we still have your orders ready to go (at your original pre-order price) just as soon as the tins become available.  We think they’ll be worth the wait.  Meanwhile, continue to ask for Mayberry’s Finest baking mixes wherever you shop for groceries.

Floyd’s Barbershop
Bulletin Board & Event Calendar

It has already been an especially busy year for Mayberry goin’s-on.  (“Such goin’s-on, such goin’s-on!”)  Here are some of the upcoming happenings in the world of Mayberry:
* June 15: Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform at 7:30 p.m. at AMSD Concerts, 4650 Mansfield Street in San Diego, Calif.  Tickets are $20; $45 for dinner package.  For more info, call (619) 303-8176.

* June 16: Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform at 8:00 p.m. at Zoey’s Cafe in Ventura, Calif.  Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.  For more info, call (805) 652-1137.

* June 17: Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform at 8:00 p.m. at the Westwood Music Center in Los Angeles. Tickets are $25.  For more info, call (310) 478-4251.

* June 18: Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform at 5:00 p.m. and 9:10 p.m. at Huck Finn’s Jubilee at Mojave Narrows Regional Park in Victorville, Calif.  Tickets range from $5 to $95.  For more info, call (951) 780-8810.

* June 19: LeRoy “Mack” McNees and wife Janice host the non-denominational chapel service at California Bluegrass Association Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival at 9:00 a.m. in Grass Valley, Calif.  For more info about the festival, visit www.cbaontheweb.org.

* June 25: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride perform in the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. outside at the Kimberling City Shopping Mall.  (Bring your own lawn chair.)

* June 25 and 26: Margaret Kerry (Bess Muggins and Helen Scobey in Mayberry) appears at the Dayton Plane Crazy chapter of the Disneyana Fan Club Show at the Holiday Inn Dayton-Mall, 31 Prestige Plaza Dr., Miamisburg, OH 45342.  Hotel phone: (937) 434-8030.  (Margaret’s primary Disney connection is that she was the live model for Tinker Bell.)  Details TBA.

* July 9: Rodney and Beverly Dillard are special guests and performers for the 11th Annual Mayberry Squad Car Nationals and 7th Annual “Mayberry Comes to Graysville” Festival in Graysville, Ala. (near Birmingham).  The event also features many Mayberry tribute artists.  There’s a morning parade down Main Street, the Mayberry Squad Car Nationals (with Mayberry Squad Car replicas racing on an obstacle course) around Noon, and then trivia and other contests and vendors throughout the afternoon, followed by a barbecue dinner and the evening concert.  A single ticket covers the entire day and the dinner.  Exact times and other details TBA.

* July 10: Rodney and Beverly Dillard present their Mayberry Values program at Graysville United Methodist Church in Graysville, Ala. at 11:00 a.m.

* July 11: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride perform in the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. outside at the Kimberling City Shopping Mall.  (Bring your own lawn chair.)

* July 23: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride perform in the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. outside at the Kimberling City Shopping Mall.  (Bring your own lawn chair.)

* Aug. 6 and 23: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride perform in the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. outside at the Kimberling City Shopping Mall.  (Bring your own chair.)

* Aug. 7: Maggie Peterson and Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band are joined by David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning for an evening of Mayberry fun at the Freedom Hall Civic Center in Johnson City, Tenn.  Show time is 8 p.m. and admission is free.  For more info, call (423) 461-4855.

* Aug. 12: Mayberry Country Boy LeRoy “Mack” McNees performs three concerts in conjunction with the New Day Community Church in Boulder, Colo.  Details TBA.

* Aug. 13 and 14: James Best appears at the Hazzard Homecoming in Sperryville, Va., with fellow “Dukes of Hazzard” stars.  For more info, visit www.cootersplace.com.

* Aug. 20 and 21: Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band perform at a Mayberry Festival at St. John’s Evangelical Protestant Church in Cullman, Ala., on the 20th, and Rodney and Beverly Dillard present their Mayberry Values program at the church on the 21st.  Details TBA.

* Aug. 27: Rodney Dillard and Maggie Peterson are joined by several of the Mayberry tribute artists (including David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, and Jeff “Howard” Branch) for a concert benefiting the Montgomery County DARE program.  The evening concert will be at the James H. Garner Center in Troy, N.C.   Details TBA.  For more info, visit www.bluegrassintroy.com.

* Sept. 3 and 17: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride perform in the Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. outside at the Kimberling City Shopping Mall.  (Bring your own lawn chair.)

* Sept. 12-14: The Doug Dillard Band and also Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band are featured at the all-star 100th Birthday Celebration of Bill Monroe in Owensboro, Ky.  Details TBA.  For more info, call 270-926-7891 or visit http://www.bluegrass-museum.org/general/CentennialCelebration.php#schedule.

* Sept. 20-22: Life Lessons From Mayberry: It’s All There in Black and White in Ridgecrest, N.C. (outside Asheville), is a celebration of “The Andy Griffith Show” and the biblical truths and life applications found in the show.  The three-day event includes fun-filled Bible study based on some of your favorite episodes, great preaching and worship, bluegrass bands, country cooking, and lodging nestled in the North Carolina mountains. Life Lessons From Mayberry immediately precedes Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, so start a week of Mayberry fun and inspiration here!  For more info, visit at www.lifeway.com/mayberry.

* Sept 23: Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform at 8:00 p.m. at the Gram Parsons Annual Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival at Okefenokee Fairgrounds in Waycross, Ga.  Festival tickets are $35.00.  For more info, call (912) 288-3712.

* Sept. 24: George Lindsey is being inducted into the University of North Alabama Sports Hall of Fame during a ceremony on campus in Florence, Ala.  Details TBA.

* Oct. 1: Dean Webb and Missouri Boatride close out the 2011 Kimberling City Summer Bluegrass Concert Series from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. outside at the Kimberling City Shopping Mall.  (Bring your own chair.)

* Oct. 7-9: Darling Boy Dean Webb and his Missouri Boatride band perform at the Wooley Creek Bluegrass Festival in Cape Fair, Mo.

* Nov. 6: Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band perform at 3:00 p.m. at the Sheldon Theater in St. Louis, Mo. Tickets are $20 to $25.  For more info, call (314) 533-9900.

* Nov 12-17: A Cruise to Mayberry 6: A 5-day Western Caribbean cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas.  Leaving from Tampa, Fla., with ports-of-call in Cozumel and Costa Maya, and 2 days at sea. For more details, contact Sharon at All About Cruises by phone (10 a.m.-5 p.m. ET) at 1-800-832-7993.  For more details, visit the Mayberry Cruise section of the All About Cruises web site. (Note: You must have booked through All About Cruises and be part of the “Mayberry Cruise” in order to attend Mayberry portions of the cruise.)

**** News of Cast & Crew ****

Andy Griffith says that he’s doing O.K. this spring and early summer on the North Carolina coast.  He celebrated his birthday quietly earlier this month.  The brunt of the devastating April storms in the Southeast missed him.  But there was some sad family news.  His first cousin Lorraine Gilley of Pilot Mountain, N.C., passed away on May 2, at age 85.  She and late husband Earlie were great friends of Mayberry and were supporters of efforts, such as Mayberry Days.

ALL IN THE FAMILY—Andy and Cindi Griffith are surrounded by Griffith kinfolk following the unveiling of the TV Land Landmark statue during the 2004 Mayberry Days in Mount Airy. That’s Lorraine Gilley (in white) in front next to husband Earlie Gilley. Photo: TAGSRWC Archives.

Earlie Gilley is mentioned several times on TAGS.  Andy also gave a wink to both Lo and Earlie in “Opie’s Fortune,” when the Mayberry Gazette states that Virginia Beasley and Earlie Gilley announce their engagement.  (Her full maiden name was Virginia Lorraine Beasley.)  Our prayers and love are with Lo’s family as we remember this joyful person and wonderful friend.  Here’s a link to the obituary in the Mount Airy News: www.mtairynews.com/LorraineGilley

Ron Howard’s productions of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower (in three movies and two TV miniseries) are having a few hiccups as potential movie studios try to digest the giant budgets involved.  Stay tuned for updates.  Meanwhile, Ron has a couple of movies already in the can as producer (including this summer’s Cowboys & Aliens, starring Harrison Ford), and several in the pipeline, including an Arrested Development feature.)

Ron’s son, Reed, is working hard on becoming a professional golfer.  He’s on the eGolf Tour now and hoping to get his PGA Tour card.  Here’s a recent story: ReedHowardEsquireClub.

Jim Nabors greets the crowd at the 100th Indy 500 in May. He continued the decades-long tradition of singing “Back Home Again in Indiana.” Photo: http://photos.indystar.com

George Lindsey continues his recovery from a burst appendix and surgery in February.  He was pleased to be able to attend a very special “Salute to George Lindsey” at the University of North Alabama (his alma mater) on April 30 in Florence.  The Salute, in conjunction with the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival, was held just three days after the terrible tornadoes that tore through much of Alabama and other states.  Even so, a capacity crowd turned out for the gala event.

WHAT A BUNCH OF CHARACTERS—During a reception at April’s Salute to George Lindsey, George is surrounded by Mayberry tribute artists (l-r): Tim Pettigrew, Bob Mundy, David Browning, Allan Newsome and Kenneth Junkin. Photo by Joe Layton, tribute staff.

The evening featured a musical tribute from fellow “Hee Haw” star Lulu Roman and video tributes from Ron Howard, Rance Howard and Ernest Borgnine, as well as Mel Tillis and other country music stars.  It was also announced that evening that the George Lindsey Film and Digital Media Scholarship is being launched at the University.  Also, a theater arts building bearing George’s name is currently under construction on campus and due to be completed in 2012.  It was announced that George will be inducted into the University’s Sports Hall of Fame in September.  (George was quarterback and on the school’s first football team.)  It was a big night for George all the way around.

In late May, George also participated in a “Hee Haw” reunion with a couple of dozen of his former cast mates.  The special is scheduled to be released on DVD in the next few months.

George Lindsey shares a laugh and grin (and a knee) with Victoria Hall Traver (in yellow) and Lulu Roman and Larry Gatlin (seated to George's left) during a May taping of a "Hee Haw" reunion show.

A chip off the old block, George Lindsey Jr. directed and performed in a recent production of High Noonish at the West Valley Playhouse in Canoga Park, Calif.

And while on the subject of the work of children of TAGS stars, we should mention that Karen Knotts, daughter of Don Knotts, had three highly successful performances of her one-woman Tied Up in Knotts show in Tennessee in April—one in Murfreesboro and two at the Tennessee Valley Theatre in Spring City.  She’s also doing some stand-up comedy/cabaret shows in the L.A. area this month.

And one more nut from the Mayberry family tree…David Morris, son of Howard Morris, has been working on alternative rock project titled Picture an Accident. You can learn more about it and hear a track here: www.pictureanaccident.com.

We’re happy to report that Darling boy Doug Dillard has recovered well from a collapsed lung he suffered in February.  He and George Lindsey recently got together for lunch in Nashville and compared medical notes while munching on cornbread and home-style vegetables.

Parade Grand Marshal and featured performer Rodney Dillard at April’s Mayberry Comes to Westminster festival in Westminster. S.C. Rodney has a revamped website at: http://rodneydillard.tv.

Betty Lynn was interviewed by CNN’s Tom Foreman for a story about how TAGS and Mayberry tourism have helped stabilize the Mount Airy economy during the recession and after many areas factories and mills closed.  (Andy Griffith’s childhood friend Emmett Forrest was also interviewed for the story.)  CNN broadcast live from Mount Airy during its “American Morning” show on May 11^th.  You missed the story, you can still see it on cnn.com.  Betty also continues to greet fans and sign autographs at the Andy Griffith Museum once a month.  (See Floyd’s event calendar above.)

Maggie Peterson was a featured speaker for the Cherry Blossom Festival in Marshfield, Mo., in late April.  She was in Alabama in May for a couple of appearances.  And see the event calendar above for some of Maggie’s other upcoming appearances, including some with Rodney Dillard.

James Best and Rick Hurst on location for Return of the Killer Shrews.

James Best has just wrapped principal filming in California of Return of the Killer Shrews, a sequel to Attack of the Killer Shrews, the cult classic in which he starred in the 1950s.  The film stars John Schneider and also features fellow “Dukes of Hazzard” actor Rick Hurst, as well as Jennifer Lyons, Bruce Davison, Patty Browning and David Browning (not as the “Mayberry Deputy” this time).

This time Jimmie is shrewdly producing and acting.  Others in the cast include John Schneider and Jennifer Lyons.  To stay current on the latest Shrews news (including sneak peeks from the set, visit www.killershrewsmovie.com.  Be very afraid!

There’s no graceful way to make the transition from discussing Killer Shrews to the following sad update, except to say that the kooky fun of Killer Shrews is something Barbara Stuart surely would have enjoyed.

It is with tremendous sadness that we report that Barbara passed away on May 15.  She lived in Utah the last few months of her life in order to be near family members who live there.

Though remembered in Mayberry as bank robber Pat Blake in “TV or Not TV” (Episode 150) and probably even more so as Miss Bunny, Sgt. Carter’s girlfriend on “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.”, Barbara had a long and varied career of memorable roles.

Some favorites included playing an hilarious scene as Robert Stack’s wife in Airplane! and most recently the recurring role of Alice in the acclaimed Showtime series “Huff.”  A testimony to her range as an actor, she also worked in Hellfighters with John Wayne and in Bachelor Party with Tom Hanks.  Beginning in the mid-1950s, Barbara’s 50-year film career spanned an amazing cross-section of top dramas and comedies.  Most of her work was in TV.

Barbara was born on January 3, 1930 in Paris, Illinois.  By her mid-20s, she was well on her way with a solid career in Hollywood.  Her characters were often feisty and never failed to please.  In roles big and small, her performances always had great energy and spirit.

Barbara was just as full of energy and fun in her personal appearances, including many Mayberry reunions and other gatherings over the years.  She was always game for doing improvised sketches with friends and fellow “Gomer Pyle” stars Ronnie Schell and Elizabeth MacRae.  The sketches were  a huge hit with audiences.

HAPPY DAY—Barbara Stuart is flanked by Ronnie Schell and Jim Nabors as they pose with fellow “Gomer Pyle” cast member Elizabeth MacRae and Maggie Peterson during Jim’s induction into the Alabama Stage & Screen Hall of Fame in Tuscaloosa in 2006. Photo: TAGSRWC Archives.

Barbara’s great friend, Jackie Joseph (Mayberry’s Ramona Ankrum) shared these thoughts about Barbara in a recent column she wrote for the Tolucan Times:

With sadness I need to talk about the passing of Barbara Stuart, who lived in our community for many decades.  Always beautiful, always funny and always working, Barbara will be remembered, by those who knew and loved he as a loyal friend, a generous giver of her home and her heart, and a beautiful actress. As Bunny in “Gomer Pyle,” she was deeply adored by the Mayberry fans.  Give her a Google and see how Barbara Stuart entertained you in so many diverse ways.

 

 

We were strippers together in 1964 in a memorable “Dick Van Dyke Show” called “Dear Mrs. Petrie,  Your Husband Is in Jail.”  She was called Maureen Core, dressed in short military glitz, with a small working canon.  I was her partner, Alberta Schweitzer, wearing a leotard and a long veiled pith helmet.  We both ended up in the clink along with Dick.  So much fun!  We were neighbors, friends and colleagues.  And I need to offer a warm recognition to Barbara Stuart’s best pal, the exceptional Ruta Lee.  When the chips were down, Ruta was a great example of what a good friend really is.  Brava.  A standing “O” for all concerned.

Editor’s note: Jackie’s column appears regularly in The Tolucan Times.  Check it out. It’s always great reading.

And here’s a link to the obituary for Barbara that ran in Variety.  And a link to another: Tribute in the Canyon News.  (The latter has a few minor facts wrong, but overall is an insightful and positive remembrance of Barbara.)

That’s it for this issue.

**** POST NOTE ****

Between issues of the Weaver’s Newsletter, keep up with the happenings in Mayberry with the more-or-less daily “Who’s Been Messin’ Up the Bulletin Board?” Digest.  It’s a free subscriber list that consists entirely of comments, news flashes, and questions and answers from subscribers.  You can sign up for that list by going to the “Mailing Lists” link at www.tagsrwc.com.

TAGSRWC also publishes The eBullet in more or less alternate months to the Weaver’s Newsletter.  The eBullet is the online successor to our longtime printed newsletter, The Bullet.  Like the Weaver’s Newsletter, The eBullet is free.  It includes some of the same news as the Weaver’s Newsletter, but with more features and depth and a little less emphasis on merchandise news.  To sign up, go to www.tagsrwc.com/ebullet/joinebullet.htm.

TAGSRWC’s other main vehicle for Mayberry information is simply our website at tagsrwc.com.  It has extensive content and links for just about everything a Mayberry fan might be looking for.

The next issue of Weaver’s Newsletter is scheduled for early August with an issue of our main online newsletter, The eBullet, coming out in early July.

That’s all for now.  We hope you have fun browsing at Weaver’s and visiting imayberry.com.