Weaver’s Newsletter 
An Online newsletter of
“The Andy Griffith Show” Rerun Watchers Club (TAGSRWC)
June 2015
Floyd’s Barbershop Bulletin Board
&
Event Calendar
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Clearly a man with plans!
The Andy Griffith Museum, featuring the late 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.
* June 26: It’s darn fun when David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning visits the Salem (Va.) Red Sox baseball game.
* July 4: Barbara Eden appears at the Cajun Country Jam in Livingston, La. For info, visit www.facebook.com/livingstoncajuncountryjam
* July 4: David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, Phil “Ernest T.” Fox, Jeff “Howard Sprague” Branch, Michael “Gomer” Oliver, and Georgia “Aunt Bee” Branam harvest laughs at the Southeast Old Threshers Reunion festival in Denton, N.C. They’ll do shows with the Burrows Brothers bluegrass band at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. For more info, visit www.farmpark.com.
* July 11: Neal Brower, author of Mayberry 101, presents a lecture on the “Briscoe Declares for Aunt Bee” episode of TAGS, starting at 2 p.m., in the Andy Griffith Museum Theatre in Mount Airy, N.C. Admission is included with an Andy Griffith Museum admission. For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
* July 11: David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning adds Mayberry harmony to the Sing II Faith in Action Fundraiser at the Paramount Theatre in Bristol, Tenn.
* July 11 and 12: Roland White Band performs at the Frankfort Bluegrass Festival in Frankfort, Ill.
* July 14: David Mayberry Deputy” Browning sets up Checkpoint Chickie at the International Norton Owners Association Carolina Vintage Motorcycle Rally.
* July 17: Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) greets fans at the Andy Griffith Museum 12:30-3:30 p.m. She will have autographed 8 x 10 photos available ($10). For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
* July 17-19: Mayberry Meet-Up in Mount Airy, N.C. Timed in part to coincide with Betty Lynn‘s autograph session on Friday, this informal gathering is being coordinated by Allan “Floyd” Newsome as a chance for fans to gather and enjoy Mount Airy during a quieter time of year than with the wall-to-wall activities and crowds of Mayberry Days (also not to be missed!) in September.
There’s a light schedule of planned activities that folks can pick and choose from. It’s mostly just a chance to hang out and relax in Mount Airy with fellow visitors and local friends. The Mayberry Motor Inn and its gazebo serve as the home base for the weekend. Click the highlighted link above for details.
BIZARRO MAYBERRY–Prisoner Andy Griffith and Sheriff Johnny Cash. Say whaaat?!
* July 19: Top off your weekend in Mount Airy with a special event at the historic Earle Theatre, which will host director Gary Nelson and producer Dick Atkins, who will discuss Murder in Coweta County, their acclaimed 1983 TV movie starring Andy Griffith and Johnny Cash and Cindi Knight (who was soon to become Mrs. Andy Griffith).
Cindi Knight (Griffith) as Julia Turner.
The director-producer commentary session starts at 3 p.m. and will be followed by a rare screening of the movie at 4 p.m. (Several other screenings of the movie are also showing at the Earle between July 17th and July 21st, but today’s afternoon screening is the only one accompanied by the discussion with the director and producer.) Note: Gary Nelson also directed the “Malcolm at the Crossroads” episode of TAGS, two episodes of “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” and dozens of hit TV shows, miniseries and TV movies from the 1960s through the 1990s. It promises to be a special afternoon at the Earle.
BOY OF THE HOOD–Dean Webb (on mandolin) and The Missouri Boatride.
* July 25: Darling mandolin man Dean Webb and The Missouri Boatride Bluegrass Band perform as part of the FREE Bluegrass on the Lake concert series in the parking lot outside the Hillbilly Bowl in Kimberling City, Mo. Show time is 7 p.m. Bring your own comfortable seating.
* Aug. 6-8: David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning stalks fun at the Tazewell County Fair in Tazewell, Va.
* Aug. 8: Neal Brower, author of Mayberry 101, presents a lecture on the “Andy and Opie, Housekeepers”episode of TAGS, starting at 2 p.m., in the Andy Griffith Museum Theatre in Mount Airy, N.C. Admission is included with an Andy Griffith Museum admission. For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
She’s a Knotts!
* Aug. 12: Karen Knotts performs her “Tied Up in Knotts” show to the Red Skelton Museum in Vincennes, Ind. David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning also performs. Show time is 7 p.m., and tickets are $10. For info, call (812) 888-4184.
* Aug. 14 and 15: Karen Knotts brings “Tied Up in Knotts” at the Kentucky Classic Theatre in Lebanon, Ky. Tickets start at $10. Maggie Peterson will also perform during the weekend (details TBA). For more info or tickets, call (270) 321-0218 or e-mail: kentuckyclassictheatre@mail.com.
* Aug. 21: Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) greets fans at the Andy Griffith Museum 12:30-3:30 p.m. She will have autographed 8 x 10 photos available ($10). Come help Betty celebrate her birthday (a few days early)! For info, visit the website at www.andygriffithmuseum.org or call (336) 786-1604.
* Aug. 22: 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, Phil “Ernest T.” Fox, and Jeff “Howard” Branch) for a concert benefiting the Montgomery County DARE program on Saturday at the James H. Garner Center in Troy, N.C. Tickets for the show are $20 for reserved seats and $15 for general admission. Tickets for children 6 years-12 years old are $10. For more info, call Jeff Branch at (704) 985-6987, e-mail jbranch205@windstream.net, or visit www.bluegrassintroy.com.
* Aug. 29 and 30: David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning is on track for the 25th Annual Depot Days in Amboy, Ill.
* Sept. 20-23: Life Lessons From Mayberry: It’s All There in Black and White in Ridgecrest, N.C. (just outside Asheville) is a Bible study event drawing on the biblical truths and life applications found in “The Andy Griffith Show.” The event is $300 per person (based on double occupancy), and includes three nights of on-campus lodging, eight meals, Bible study sessions based on favorite TAGS episodes, dynamic preaching, worship, bluegrass concert, and special guest Margaret Kerry (Bess Muggins in “Christmas Story” and Helen Scobey in “Andy Forecloses”). To register, call Ridgecrest Conference Center at (800) 588-7222 or visit www.lifeway.com/mayberry.
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Barbara Eden on her way to Mayberry Days!
* Sept. 24-27: 26th Annual Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, N.C. Mayberry Days started in 1990, so this 26th annual festival marks its 25th Anniversary, and also the 55th Anniversary of “The Andy Griffith Show” itself. The festival already shows signs of being more chock-full of fun than ever before. If that’s even possible!
Clint Howard as Leon.
Guest stars confirmed so far include beloved host cast member Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou); Barbara Eden (Manicurist Ellen Brown), who is making her first-ever appearance at a Mayberry event; Clint Howard (sandwich-toting Leon), who is making his Mayberry Days debut and attending his first Mayberry event since 1997; Elizabeth MacRae (Betty Parker on TAGS and Lou Ann Poovie on “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.”); Ronnie Schell (two TAGS episodes and Duke Slater on “Gomer Pyle”); Margaret Kerry (Bess Muggins and Helen Scobey); festival favorite George Spence (Frank the Boyfriend); and George Lindsey Jr. Stay tuned for further updates on the incredible lineup of stars for this year’s special festival.
Tickets are already available online for key parts of the weekend, including the Mayberry Days Golf Tournament (aka The Emmett) and banquet show; Doug Dillard Tribute Concert by Darling boy Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band, with special guest Maggie Peterson (Charlene Darling); 
“Remember Me with Laughter: A Tribute to James Best presented by Dorothy Best with David Browning; the comedy show of James Gregory (“the funniest man in America”); the VW Boys Tribute to Mayberry; and Neal Brower’s Lecture including TAGS assistant director Bruce Bilson (who, after his two seasons on TAGS, went on to be an Emmy-winning big-time director of other top shows).
And there’s still more, including “Tied-Up in Knotts” starring Karen Knotts; Colonel Tim’s Talent Time; Michael Hoover’s ‘Memories of Elvis;” Smoke on the Mountain; The Embers; The Magnificents Band; and much more. For info, updates and tickets, visit www.surryarts.org .
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* Oct. 3: 55th Anniversary of the airing of the first episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” on CBS.
* Oct. 3: Dean Webb and The Missouri Boatride perform at The Old Brush Arbor at Keystone Baptist Church in Reeds Spring, Mo.
* Oct. 8: Karen Knotts performs “Tied Up in Knotts” at 2 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio. Venue and other details TBA.
* Oct. 12-17: Ronnie Schell is the special guest star on the Cruise to Mayberry 10 to the Caribbean aboard Carnival’s Conquest cruise ship. The cruise departs Ft. Lauderdale for Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, Nassau and a “Fun Day” at sea.
SEA SCHELL-Ronnie Schell is ready to shine on and foster good times on the Mayberry cruise. It’s the one for you!
Activities include a Mayberry trivia contest, whistling contest, Mayberry bible study, variety show, concerts, and entertainment by Tim White of the VW Boys and Mayberry Tribute artists, including Allan “Floyd” Newsome, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, Ronnie “Barney” Felker, Bob “Briscoe” Mundy, Christie “Andelina” McLendon, Jeff “Howard Sprague” Branch, Elease “Thelma Lou” Felker, Tim “Goober” Pettigrew and Keith “Colonel Harvey” Brown. “Elvis” tribute artist Wayne Euliss will also be a featured performer. For more info, visit www.allaboutcruisesnc.net/mayberry.php.
* Oct. 17: Karen Knotts performs “Tied Up in Knotts” at the Uptown Theater in Grand Prairie, Tex. Show time is 7 p.m. For more info and tickets, visit www.uptowntheatergp.com.
* Dec. 3-5: Maggie Peterson (Charlene Darling) is the special guest for A Life Lessons from Mayberry Christmas in Ridgecrest, N.C. (just outside Asheville). This heartwarming weekend will feature Bible studies based on four popular TAGS episodes, inspirational preaching and carols, and a Christmas banquet. Come celebrate Christmas…Mayberry style! For every member of the family–children’s prices available. To register, call Ridgecrest Conference Center at (800) 588-7222 or visit www.ridgecrestconferencecenter.org/event/mayberrychristmas.
* Dec. 18: Maggie Peterson and Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band are joined by David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning for a presentation of their Mayberry Christmas show at 7 p.m. ET at the historic State Theater in Elizabethtown, Ky.
* Dec. 19: Maggie Peterson and Rodney Dillard and the “Mayberry Christmas” show troupe come back to Middle Tennessee with a return engagement in Mt. Juliet (just east of Nashville). Details TBA.
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**** Merchandise Update ****
Here’s a few of the items we’re featuring at Weaver’s this summer. Go ahead and pick out something you like, and help keep Jan and Allan Newsome, the new proprietors of our online Weaver’s store, busy!
New T-Shirt!
Actually, this shirt is not totally new. It’s a vintage design from the ’90s that we’ve brought it back to our lineup.
Show your Mayberry Union High spirit and pride with this rugged T-shirt. Just add sweat, and then everybody will know you’re qualified to be featured in “Scoop” Fife’s “Pickups and Splashes from Floor and Pool“ sports column in the school newspaper.
This design and most of our T-shirts are just $20. (A few designs are $18, and the Lawmen all-over design is $25.) We also have sweatshirts and hoodies in two designs, as well as caps, Goober beanies, and deputy patches.
Fife Security Thermometer
$21.00
Do you want to know how hot or cold it is and also provide a sense of security for your home or office? Well, unless you can find Rafe Hollister around to tell you how hot it is (“dang hot!), here’s the man for the job. He’s a hot shot, because he’s always cool under pressure! Note: Now out of production, so get your thermometer while you still can!
Miss Crump’s Summer Reading
HELEN READY–It looks like somebody’s happy about getting to her summer reading!
We have all kinds of great books about Mayberry that are perfect for relaxed reading during the summer. Just get a nice cool glass of lemonade or sweet tea, sit on in your rocker or porch swing or under a shady tree (or indoors with air conditioning!), and sit back and read interesting things about Mayberry.
If you nod off for a snooze now and then while you’re at it, that’s O.K. Floyd even recommends it. And if you work up an appetite after all that heavy reading, we’ve got a wide variety of Mayberry and pop culture cookbooks, too.
Find all of these items and much more at weaversdepartmentstore.com, or just click on the orange and blue Weaver’s button at the top left or top right of the page whenever you’re visiting www.imayberry.com.
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**** News of Cast & Crew ****
TWEET HEARTS–Ron tweeted this photo of himself with wife Cheryl while celebrating their 40th anniversary earlier this month in Budapest. Follow Ron on Twitter @RealRonHoward.
Ron Howard started filming Inferno in Italy in April, and has been busy shooting at fascinating locations in Europe in the weeks since then. The release date for the film is October 2016. (And don’t forget his In the Heart of the Sea is coming to theaters in December. It’s a whale of a story!)
Meanwhile, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ron’s oldest daughter, is starring in the biggest movie on the planet, Jurassic World, the giant hit that is breaking box office records all over the globe since opening two weeks ago.
Ron and his Imagine Film Entertainment team are also pleased to have secured backing from Sony Pictures and MRC for their ambitious plans to bring The Dark Tower, based on the popular series of novels by Stephen King, to TV and to theaters. As faithful readers of this newsletter will recall, putting all the pieces together for this complex film project (involving equally complex stories) has been a multi-year saga. But it looks like the financial pieces are now in place.
TWITTER TRIO–Ron tweeted this photo with “Inferno” stars Tom Hanks and Felicity Jones on location in Florence, Italy, in May.
The Imagine duo of Howard and Grazer is also part of the team producing an as-yet untitled Beatles documentary, which is progressing well and is expected to give Beatles fans an unprecedented look at the Fab Four. Info about its release and distribution is expected soon.
IT’S MY PARTY–And I can smile if I want to! Jim Nabors with Carol Burnett at his 85th birthday party.
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Jim Nabors celebrated his 85th birthday in fine fashion on June 12. Jim hosted a party for 300 friends (including Carol Burnett) at his home in Honolulu.
ALOHA & HOWDY–Jim Nabors being honored by the Honolulu City Council.
Ten days earlier, he received an Honorary Certificate from the Honolulu City Council. It recognized his years of entertaining countless audiences in the islands and beyond. Here’s a link to a news video about that: www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/jim-nabors.
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Betty Lynn had fans arriving by the carloads and even busloads for her monthly meet-and-greet session at the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy last Friday. She’s there the third Friday of most months, including July and August.
FINE BRINE–Special guest star LeRoy McNees and wife Jan (aka HRH Pickle Queen) were ready for the parade at the 5th Annual Mayberry Comes to Westminster (S.C.) festival in May.
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Maggie Peterson and Morgan Brittany were among the stars at the annual Missouri Blossom Festival in Marshfield in April. Maggie has been a special guest for several festivals, and this year was an encore appearance for Morgan as well.
LOOK HERE! NO, OVER HERE! NO, HERE!–Eyes don’t know how this photo is going to turn out. They’re a sight! In any case, Maggie Peterson and Karen Knotts are front and center with a platoon of Mayberry tribute artists at Mayberry in the Midwest.
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Next up for Maggie was the Mayberry in the Midwest (including the Mayberry Squad Car Nationals) in Danville, Ind., with TV brother Rodney Dillard in mid-May. They were joined by Karen Knotts (whose mother Kay also accompanied her for the trip!) and a full slate of Mayberry tribute artists and large crowds of enthusiastic fans.
Ronnie Schell was under the weather and had to miss his appearance at Altoona Day in Alabama in May, but he’s looking forward to Mayberry Days and the Mayberry Cruise this fall.
Jackie Joseph has been back to her globetrotting ways this spring with a happy trip to France with husband David.
Margaret Kerry (Bess Muggins and Helen Scobey) entertained (including tap dancing) at Disneyland for festivities connected to the Tinkerbell Half Marathon in May. She also celebrated her 86th birthday that weekend.
Writer Sam Bobrick (19 TAGS episodes) reports that he spends most of his time these days writing plays. His plays, which run the full gamut of lengths, are popular choices by dinner and community theaters all across the country. Publisher Sam French (www.samuelfrench.com) carries many of his plays for those who want to check them out.
George Spence (Frank the Boyfriend in “Guest in the House”) celebrated his 87th birthday on April 18. He was under the weather this winter, but is feeling better now and, after having to miss last year’s festival, hopes he and wife Stephanie can return to Mayberry Days in September.
GEST OF “EDEN”–George Lindsey Jr. is quite the characters in the new anime production.
George Lindsey Jr. likewise is looking forward to Mayberry Days, and he’s working up a new song to debut for the occasion. Amid songwriting and comedy work (including performing some of both for a show at The Commons in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Father’s Day), he’s also volunteering as a carpenter at the California Wildlife Center in Malibu. And he has been dubbing voices in American English for seven characters in the Japanese anime Eden for William Winckler Productions. Here’s a link to a short behind-the-scenes video that shows George in action: GeorgeLindseyJrInEden.
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**** Mayberry on the Web ****
The iMayberry Community
This TAGSRWC online group is organized and overseen by webmaster Allan “Floyd” Newsome with able assistance from Keith “Col. Harvey” Brown. You can check it out and sign up for free at: http://imayberrycommunity.com.
The iMayberry Community complements 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.
Two Chairs, No Waiting is our weekly podcast of TAGS news, interviews and pretty much whatever happens to be going on in and around Mayberry. It’s hosted by 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 or view episodes you’ve missed.
Allan started the podcast in 2008. This week’s episode is #334. That’s a bunch of great barbershop talk about Mayberry!
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 live or download these podcasts. And you’ll also find links there to a couple of other outstanding Mayberry-related podcasts.
TAGSRWC’s official page on Facebook now has more than 145,000 friends! You can find us at www.facebook.com/tagsrwc. 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 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 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 generally with more features and depth and a little less emphasis on merchandise news. To sign up, go to: www.tagsrwc.com/ebullet.
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 August, with the next eBullet planned for mid-July.
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WINDS DAY–Don’t you love it when you’re looking for something to do and then you have an idea for something merry pop inside your head? Let’s go fly a kite!
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