Hidden Bits of Trivia from the ‘Andy Griffith Show’

Don Knotts coined the nickname, ‘Ange’.

As we said above, Knotts and Griffith were very close off screen. Knotts would always call Andy Griffith ‘Ange’ and the nickname stuck.

Don Knotts Coined The Nickname, Ange

There was only one African American with a speaking role.

Through 248 episodes of The Andy Griffith Show only one black actor would ever speak: Rockne Tarkington. He played a football coach in the episode, ‘Opie’s Piano Lesson’. Not so multicultural, eh?

There Was Only One African American With A Speaking Role