Leaving A Well-Loved Show
After 1965, Don Knotts left The Andy Griffith Show because he had thought the show was over and signed a deal with Universal Studios to make several films. However, after network studio pressure, Andy Griffith decided to keep the show going for several more years. According to Don Knotts, he deeply regretted leaving the show, but he could not continue as a cast regular even if he wanted to because of his film commitments. However, even if it was a mistake, it still allowed Don Knotts to star in so many movies that we have a chance to enjoy watching, so all’s well that ends well.
Leaving A Well-Loved Show
Playing An Astronaut
In the 1967 film The Reluctant Astronaut, Don Knotts plays the main character Roy Fleming, whose father Arbuckle (portrayed by Arthur O’Connell) wants his son to have a better life and thus sends Roy’s application to NASA. Roy’s mother (portrayed by Jeanette Nolan) later tells her son that NASA has accepted Roy as a “WB-1074.” Arbuckle’s friend “Rush” was played by Paul Hartman, who later starred on The Andy Griffith Show. Reviewers and viewers saw The Reluctant Astronaut as decent and ranked it similarly to The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.
Playing An Astronaut
