Question: Beginning with the "Convicts at Large" episode in season 3, full width window boxes appear at the bottom of both front windows on the inside of the Sheriff's Office. Prior to this episode, they did not exist. Window boxes are often used to display decorative plants but I don't see any plants. And if they were supposed to partially block the background, the blinds were long enough to accomplish that. I find it hard to believe that the producers would spend additional money (for material and labor) for something that seems to serve no purpose. So why were they added?
Super Grover
3rd Jun 2016
The Andy Griffith Show (1960)
Answer: Those "boxes" are valences that used to be very common, before air conditioning. They allow for windows to be open during rain storms. They permit air circulation, without letting the rain in.
Answer: I suspect these were common, as to block the wind from blowing the blinds and papers on the desk.
19th Feb 2021
The Andy Griffith Show (1960)
Question: Whose car were Barney and Floyd driving in this episode? If this was Floyd's car, why was he not driving?
Answer: When Floyd and Barney have run out of gas, Barney chides Floyd by saying, "Why didn't you put gas in this car? If you're gonna drive through the country, you're supposed to make sure the tank is filled." This suggests it's Floyd's car. Since Barney insisted he knew a shortcut, Floyd let him drive the car.
23rd Jul 2018
The Andy Griffith Show (1960)
Barney and the Governor - S3-E15
Question: Who was the young man standing in courthouse with the governor when he shook Barney's hand?
Answer: In the shot inside the courthouse, when Governor Ed shakes Barney's hand, it's presumed the young man with the Governor is his aide or personal assistant. The young man is carrying an attache case which likely belongs to the Governor, and earlier the Governor told Andy that he had some business in the vicinity. Note, at the start of the scene, right before Barney and Andy walk into the courthouse to meet Governor Ed, his chauffeur (played by Rance Howard, who is Ron Howard's real-life dad) is standing beside the Governor's car.
21st Feb 2015
The Andy Griffith Show (1960)
Question: In what episode was the tune that became the theme for Mayberry RFD originally used? I remember it was B/W and had something to do with a bank robbery and the old guard Acer.
Answer: The episode with the bank robbery and old guard named Asa is from season 3, episode 13 "The Bank Job," but the music can be heard much earlier than that. The theme music for Mayberry RFD is named "The Mayberry March" and a few bits here and there can be heard in several episodes of season 1, such as "Bringing Up Opie," though, in season 2, episode 4 "Mayberry Goes Bankrupt" about half a minute of the music is heard while Frank's house is being renovated.
2nd Dec 2013
The Andy Griffith Show (1960)
Question: Who was Ralph Henderson?
Answer: In S3 x E11 Convicts-at-Large, there is a character named Big Maude Tyler, who is the leader of three female escaped convicts. Andy listens to the radio as the news announcer says that Big Maude's aliases include Clarice or Annabelle Tyler and also one amusingly named Ralph Henderson.
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Answer: As noted in the previous answers, in real life, things like this provided wind and/or rain deflection, and also maintained a bit of privacy when blinds were raised somewhat. The interior courthouse set was located in the studio, so the "outside" Main Street didn't exist. I believe these things were added to the courthouse windows for practicality, to avoid some crew movement being visible on the opposite side of those windows. These are not "window boxes" to hold anything, as they're actually bottomless; we can see the Venetian blind's long pull cords under them. They're made of plywood and simple to build, so the "material and labor" was inexpensive. Similar variations made of different materials are in other movies/shows. In 1957's "12 Angry Men," textured chicken wire glass panels are in the jury room windows, and in "Jesse Stone: Night Passage" another type is in Jesse's office windows.
Super Grover ★