Don Knotts
Author: Trudy Stroup
Not everyone knows Don Knotts the man. But when you say Deputy Barney Fife or Ralph Furley, a light bulb goes off and a picture comes to mind; one of a sunken chest, a broad, lopsided smile, wide, gentle eyes and a lot of false bravado. Maybe you see the perpetual bachelor or the ladies’ man, or perhaps a cowardly gunman from the old west. Whatever image comes to mind, it is of a beloved character, a wholesome character, and a family friendly character.
Jesse Donald Knotts was born July 21, 1924, in Morgantown, West Virginia to a dirt poor couple during a desolate time. His father, William Jesse Knotts, had not been able to get anything to grow on the little farm for several years. He worked part time in the coal mines, but the pay wasn't steady. The stress of trying to provide for his wife and three almost grown sons was already tremendous when William found out they were expecting another child. Despite his best efforts, William just couldn't make the farm work. The soil was dead and he suffered a nervous breakdown that left him bedridden.
Although she was nearly 50, Don's mother, Eloise, took charge and moved the family to town, supporting her husband and sons by doing laundry and odd cleaning jobs. The boys contributed to the family income when possible, but consistent jobs were almost impossible to find and even odd jobs had several potential takers. Their father was wasting away quickly and little Don watched as his father grew sicker by the day. He was a quiet, stoic little boy who was quite aware of the grim situation of the family. Try as she might, Eloise couldn't shield her young son from the hard truth of the time. The malnutrition associated with poor diet left its mark on Don's already slight frame. He was smaller than the other kids and he knew that it set him apart in a way that was not favorable. He felt weighed down with the pressure of hard life. Regardless of their situation, Eloise made sure that her family stayed clean, close knit and honored God. She made sure that all of her boys were in church every time the doors were open. She also made sure they had a strong sense of responsibility; not only for themselves, but also to help others in every way possible.
As Don grew up, he began using comedy as a coping mechanism to cover his feelings of loneliness. He saved up what money he could hoard and bought a ventriloquist dummy that he christened with the name Danny. He started performing at school and church functions as a teen and enjoyed the laughs that his act with Danny brought. I believe this was a way to feel more a part of the community and to separate himself from the hardships of growing up poor. I think it helped Don feel a sense of importance and self worth. Maybe he didn't feel poor when he was on stage bring people joy and happiness in a time that didn't have that much to share. After Don graduated from high school, he decided to move away from his mountain home to the big city. Once there, Don found that his strong southern accent and folksy material didn't play out well on the stage of the more sophisticated New York City. Audience members said he was unintelligible and his act didn't make any sense.
Dejected, Don returned to West Virginia and attended college. He majored in Education and Speech Therapy. He was determined to beat the accent that destroyed his dreams. However, at the end of his freshman year, Don joined the Army. In the middle of World War II, the Army took just about every volunteer and found something for them to do to keep the able-bodied men on the battle field. Don was placed as a "technician" from June of 1943 to January of 1946. He also performed with and toured with the GI's "Stars and Grips" revue, a morale boosting show that toured the Pacific Islands. One night, on the military transport ship to the next performance on the trail, Don threw Danny overboard and never looked back. During his service, Don was awarded four Bronze Service Stars, a Good Conduct Medal, and, most surprising to me, a Marksman Badge with the carbine bar.
Upon returning to West Virginia, Don went back to school and finished his degree in Education and Speech Therapy. He graduated school in 1948, but on his way to becoming a teacher, he met and married Kathryn Metz. In 1947, they had one daughter, Karen, and one son, Thomas. Don decided to give his dream one more chance before taking that teaching position and moved his family to New York City after graduation. He found work on several radio shows and quickly moved into television variety shows. He even took a part in the soap opera "Search for Tomorrow". (I guess he overcame that accent.) In 1955, he made his Broadway debut in the play "No Time for Sergeants". It was there that he met fellow teacher turned actor, Andy Griffith. The two became fast friends and their comedic timing was flawless from the first read. From there, the duo moved over to "The Steve Allen Show" and spent the next four years performing comedy skits with Steve.
In 1959, one of those skits was about a man traveling through a small town where the local sheriff was also the Justice of the Peace and the editor of the local newspaper. In this quirky little town called Mayberry, justice wasn't done by the book, but it was definitely well ordered and Steve seemed to cross the sheriff at every turn. Shortly after the airing of that skit, production of "The Andy Griffith Show" hit the planning stage. The story of the backwoods sheriff with the folksy way of taking care of his town was set to have a straight-laced deputy to play off of the comedic town leader, but Don had a different idea. He thought the sheriff should be someone the community could look up to and count on and the deputy should be the comedic relief. In his vision, the deputy should be a man that isn't really cut out for the job of lawman. Though he knows the law well and takes his job seriously, he just isn't quite up to the task. The show premiered in 1960 with the original idea of the writers and then something profound happened. "I was supposed to be the funny one on the show," Griffith said in a 2002 interview. "But halfway through the second episode, I realized Don should be the funny one and I should play straight man to him. And that's the best thing we ever did. That's what made the show." Don stayed with the show for five years earning 3 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role. Two guest appearances later in the series earned him two more Emmy Awards. Of his time on the show Don said, "The show was so much fun that I couldn't wait for the weekend to pass by so we could continue the fun." Though Don portrayed a bumbling fool on screen, Andy said, "Don is far from being Barney. He was modest, he was humble, and he was very bright."
In 1964, Don and Kathryn divorced and Don decided to make some changes. After five years on “The Andy Griffith Show”, he made the move to the big screen. He started with "The Incredible Mr. Limpet", a story about a dissatisfied-with-life man who wishes to be just about anyone or anything else and then he falls off the dock into the ocean and becomes a fish. This is one of my favorites. I loved the live action to cartoon scenes because it was the perfect mix of reality and imagination. This was just the first of a string of low to mid-budget films that include some of the cutest, most heartwarming, laugh provoking works of art in cinematic history.
However, as the '60's gave way to the '70's, movies began to change. They became more edgy as the free love of the culture invaded scripts. Don's clean-cut variety of comedy and his homespun personality just didn't quite fit in with the new direction of entertainment. But Disney thought Don still had value as a movie actor and the pairing brought us movies such as "The Apple Dumpling Gang" where he met Tim Conway. That coupling of comedy geniuses made for a long and lucrative partnership that gave us "Gus", "The Private Eyes", and "The Prize Fighter". Tim called Don "The Charlie Chaplin of our era."
The '70's also brought Don his second marriage to Loralee Czuchna in 1974. He was gaining quite the reputation as a ladies’ man when he met Loralee. According to his daughter, Don was a favorite with the ladies and had dates lined up several times a week after filming. In 1979, Don took his ladies’ man persona to the small screen in the role of Ralph Furley on the hit TV series "Three's Company" where he took over as the manager of an apartment building in Santa Monica, California when the Ropers left. Joyce DeWitt, who played Janet, had this to say about Don, "He would put down the script and just become this physical force you couldn't help but laugh at." She said Don and fellow cast member, John Ritter, would often engage in dueling Jack Benny impressions off-camera that kept the cast cracking up. Don's marriage to Loralee ended in 1983 and the end of "Three's Company" came shortly thereafter in 1984.
Don continued to work on television acting in made-for-TV movies. Then, in 1988, his old friend, Andy Griffith, started a new series and invited Don to play his pesky, grouchy neighbor on "Matlock"; a recurring role that he enjoyed throughout the run of the series. At a time when others start to slow down, Don’s film career continued to thrive. He didn't have lead roles, but instead did a string of characters that made a brief, but poignant, contribution to the outcome of the story, such as in the 1998 film "Pleasantville". Without his character, the story wouldn't have come together in quite the smooth, seamless way. He was the catalyst of the story setting events in motion. This resurgence didn't slow his television career or his love life.
In 2002, Don married third wife, Francey Yarborough, and continued to make guest appearances on several television shows. Sadly, he was forced to slow down when he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Though he had quit smoking decades earlier, the cancer flourished. At his side was his lifelong friend Andy Griffith. "I told him I loved him and held his hand. I said 'you gotta breath, Jess!' Jess was his first name. 'You gotta whip this thing.' His chest heaved several times, and I believe he heard my voice." A couple of breaths later he was gone and an era of good, clean entertainment went with him. That sad day was February 24, 2006.
© 2015-2016 Trudy Stroup. All rights reserved.
Author: Trudy Stroup
Not everyone knows Don Knotts the man. But when you say Deputy Barney Fife or Ralph Furley, a light bulb goes off and a picture comes to mind; one of a sunken chest, a broad, lopsided smile, wide, gentle eyes and a lot of false bravado. Maybe you see the perpetual bachelor or the ladies’ man, or perhaps a cowardly gunman from the old west. Whatever image comes to mind, it is of a beloved character, a wholesome character, and a family friendly character.
Jesse Donald Knotts was born July 21, 1924, in Morgantown, West Virginia to a dirt poor couple during a desolate time. His father, William Jesse Knotts, had not been able to get anything to grow on the little farm for several years. He worked part time in the coal mines, but the pay wasn't steady. The stress of trying to provide for his wife and three almost grown sons was already tremendous when William found out they were expecting another child. Despite his best efforts, William just couldn't make the farm work. The soil was dead and he suffered a nervous breakdown that left him bedridden.
Although she was nearly 50, Don's mother, Eloise, took charge and moved the family to town, supporting her husband and sons by doing laundry and odd cleaning jobs. The boys contributed to the family income when possible, but consistent jobs were almost impossible to find and even odd jobs had several potential takers. Their father was wasting away quickly and little Don watched as his father grew sicker by the day. He was a quiet, stoic little boy who was quite aware of the grim situation of the family. Try as she might, Eloise couldn't shield her young son from the hard truth of the time. The malnutrition associated with poor diet left its mark on Don's already slight frame. He was smaller than the other kids and he knew that it set him apart in a way that was not favorable. He felt weighed down with the pressure of hard life. Regardless of their situation, Eloise made sure that her family stayed clean, close knit and honored God. She made sure that all of her boys were in church every time the doors were open. She also made sure they had a strong sense of responsibility; not only for themselves, but also to help others in every way possible.
As Don grew up, he began using comedy as a coping mechanism to cover his feelings of loneliness. He saved up what money he could hoard and bought a ventriloquist dummy that he christened with the name Danny. He started performing at school and church functions as a teen and enjoyed the laughs that his act with Danny brought. I believe this was a way to feel more a part of the community and to separate himself from the hardships of growing up poor. I think it helped Don feel a sense of importance and self worth. Maybe he didn't feel poor when he was on stage bring people joy and happiness in a time that didn't have that much to share. After Don graduated from high school, he decided to move away from his mountain home to the big city. Once there, Don found that his strong southern accent and folksy material didn't play out well on the stage of the more sophisticated New York City. Audience members said he was unintelligible and his act didn't make any sense.
Dejected, Don returned to West Virginia and attended college. He majored in Education and Speech Therapy. He was determined to beat the accent that destroyed his dreams. However, at the end of his freshman year, Don joined the Army. In the middle of World War II, the Army took just about every volunteer and found something for them to do to keep the able-bodied men on the battle field. Don was placed as a "technician" from June of 1943 to January of 1946. He also performed with and toured with the GI's "Stars and Grips" revue, a morale boosting show that toured the Pacific Islands. One night, on the military transport ship to the next performance on the trail, Don threw Danny overboard and never looked back. During his service, Don was awarded four Bronze Service Stars, a Good Conduct Medal, and, most surprising to me, a Marksman Badge with the carbine bar.
Upon returning to West Virginia, Don went back to school and finished his degree in Education and Speech Therapy. He graduated school in 1948, but on his way to becoming a teacher, he met and married Kathryn Metz. In 1947, they had one daughter, Karen, and one son, Thomas. Don decided to give his dream one more chance before taking that teaching position and moved his family to New York City after graduation. He found work on several radio shows and quickly moved into television variety shows. He even took a part in the soap opera "Search for Tomorrow". (I guess he overcame that accent.) In 1955, he made his Broadway debut in the play "No Time for Sergeants". It was there that he met fellow teacher turned actor, Andy Griffith. The two became fast friends and their comedic timing was flawless from the first read. From there, the duo moved over to "The Steve Allen Show" and spent the next four years performing comedy skits with Steve.
In 1959, one of those skits was about a man traveling through a small town where the local sheriff was also the Justice of the Peace and the editor of the local newspaper. In this quirky little town called Mayberry, justice wasn't done by the book, but it was definitely well ordered and Steve seemed to cross the sheriff at every turn. Shortly after the airing of that skit, production of "The Andy Griffith Show" hit the planning stage. The story of the backwoods sheriff with the folksy way of taking care of his town was set to have a straight-laced deputy to play off of the comedic town leader, but Don had a different idea. He thought the sheriff should be someone the community could look up to and count on and the deputy should be the comedic relief. In his vision, the deputy should be a man that isn't really cut out for the job of lawman. Though he knows the law well and takes his job seriously, he just isn't quite up to the task. The show premiered in 1960 with the original idea of the writers and then something profound happened. "I was supposed to be the funny one on the show," Griffith said in a 2002 interview. "But halfway through the second episode, I realized Don should be the funny one and I should play straight man to him. And that's the best thing we ever did. That's what made the show." Don stayed with the show for five years earning 3 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role. Two guest appearances later in the series earned him two more Emmy Awards. Of his time on the show Don said, "The show was so much fun that I couldn't wait for the weekend to pass by so we could continue the fun." Though Don portrayed a bumbling fool on screen, Andy said, "Don is far from being Barney. He was modest, he was humble, and he was very bright."
In 1964, Don and Kathryn divorced and Don decided to make some changes. After five years on “The Andy Griffith Show”, he made the move to the big screen. He started with "The Incredible Mr. Limpet", a story about a dissatisfied-with-life man who wishes to be just about anyone or anything else and then he falls off the dock into the ocean and becomes a fish. This is one of my favorites. I loved the live action to cartoon scenes because it was the perfect mix of reality and imagination. This was just the first of a string of low to mid-budget films that include some of the cutest, most heartwarming, laugh provoking works of art in cinematic history.
However, as the '60's gave way to the '70's, movies began to change. They became more edgy as the free love of the culture invaded scripts. Don's clean-cut variety of comedy and his homespun personality just didn't quite fit in with the new direction of entertainment. But Disney thought Don still had value as a movie actor and the pairing brought us movies such as "The Apple Dumpling Gang" where he met Tim Conway. That coupling of comedy geniuses made for a long and lucrative partnership that gave us "Gus", "The Private Eyes", and "The Prize Fighter". Tim called Don "The Charlie Chaplin of our era."
The '70's also brought Don his second marriage to Loralee Czuchna in 1974. He was gaining quite the reputation as a ladies’ man when he met Loralee. According to his daughter, Don was a favorite with the ladies and had dates lined up several times a week after filming. In 1979, Don took his ladies’ man persona to the small screen in the role of Ralph Furley on the hit TV series "Three's Company" where he took over as the manager of an apartment building in Santa Monica, California when the Ropers left. Joyce DeWitt, who played Janet, had this to say about Don, "He would put down the script and just become this physical force you couldn't help but laugh at." She said Don and fellow cast member, John Ritter, would often engage in dueling Jack Benny impressions off-camera that kept the cast cracking up. Don's marriage to Loralee ended in 1983 and the end of "Three's Company" came shortly thereafter in 1984.
Don continued to work on television acting in made-for-TV movies. Then, in 1988, his old friend, Andy Griffith, started a new series and invited Don to play his pesky, grouchy neighbor on "Matlock"; a recurring role that he enjoyed throughout the run of the series. At a time when others start to slow down, Don’s film career continued to thrive. He didn't have lead roles, but instead did a string of characters that made a brief, but poignant, contribution to the outcome of the story, such as in the 1998 film "Pleasantville". Without his character, the story wouldn't have come together in quite the smooth, seamless way. He was the catalyst of the story setting events in motion. This resurgence didn't slow his television career or his love life.
In 2002, Don married third wife, Francey Yarborough, and continued to make guest appearances on several television shows. Sadly, he was forced to slow down when he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Though he had quit smoking decades earlier, the cancer flourished. At his side was his lifelong friend Andy Griffith. "I told him I loved him and held his hand. I said 'you gotta breath, Jess!' Jess was his first name. 'You gotta whip this thing.' His chest heaved several times, and I believe he heard my voice." A couple of breaths later he was gone and an era of good, clean entertainment went with him. That sad day was February 24, 2006.
© 2015-2016 Trudy Stroup. All rights reserved.