The Andy Griffith Show

The Andy Griffith Show (1960)

347 mistakes - chronological order

(63 votes)

The Andy Griffith Show mistake picture

The Rumor - S4-E29

Continuity mistake: While Aunt Bee and the party guests are gathered in the parlor, when Gomer hoots like an owl in the shot facing him note Floyd's eyeglasses - black with thick straight temples, but in the shot from behind Gomer and all following shots Floyd's wearing different eyeglasses - lighter color with curved tips.

Super Grover

The Rumor - S4-E29

Visible crew/equipment: Just as the first shot opens of Andy walking down the block we can see the moving reflection of a crew member wearing a short sleeve, button down shirt, who's presumably sitting on the camera dolly as it rolls along keeping pace with Andy.

Super Grover

The Rumor - S4-E29

Other mistake: When Barney, Thelma Lou, Helen, and Andy are in the squad car talking about getting dinner, there's black tape on the chrome trim of the triangular vent window - presumably to prevent the camera/crew's reflections; and the vent window is shut in wide shots, but open in the closeup - also to prevent reflections.

Super Grover

The Rumor - S4-E29

Continuity mistake: While Barney and Thelma Lou are stalling Andy and Helen in the squad car, note the long whip antenna is missing (the empty bracket that always holds the antenna in place is over the rear passenger door) when they drive off to Andy's, but when they pull up to the house the antenna's on properly.

Super Grover

The Rumor - S4-E29

Visible crew/equipment: At the courthouse, while Barney and Thelma Lou are trying to stall for time, in the shots facing Andy and Helen when Andy says, "Steaks, chops, macaroni surprise," we can see the shadow of the boom mic moving around at the top, left side of the screen.

Super Grover

Back to Nature - S4-E31

Revealing mistake: When Andy, Barney, Gomer, and the kids are at the campsite in the woods, during the daytime scenes the only shadows that should be seen are the ones being cast by the sun, but there are shadows being cast in different directions due to the set lighting.

Super Grover

Back to Nature - S4-E31

Deliberate mistake: Gomer leaves the woods after they were lost and doesn't have anything with them then when they get to the campsite he has the snare that they made.

The Andy Griffith Show mistake picture

Opie Loves Helen - S5-E1

Revealing mistake: At the end, in the shots of the kids dancing in class, the width of the wall between the shelf/coat hooks and the perpendicular wall with the door has bizarrely increased by 1-2 feet, but that extra width is gone in previous and following shots. Presumably they needed extra space for all the kids to dance so they moved that left wall.

Super Grover

Barney's Physical - S5-E2

Other mistake: In this episode (aired Sep. '64) Barney tells Andy that 5 years ago on May 16 (1959) he joined the sheriff's office, and later they all have a surprise party for Barney. However, in season 4 "Citizen's Arrest" (aired Dec. '63) Andy tells Barney that he found, "The custody receipt for the first revolver I issued you... August, 1953... 10 years ago last month since I swore you in." Andy even mentions having a party with a cake that has 10 candles on it.

Super Grover

Barney's Bloodhound - S5-E6

Other mistake: When the escaped convict takes Barney hostage, they walk away from the lake and Barney drops the piece of paper with the convict's picture. Later, when Andy walks across the grass he finds Barney's cap and the paper lying on the grass, but the problem is that Andy needs to pull up at the center of the paper because it's pinned to ground, presumably so it wouldn't move or blow away for the shot.

Super Grover

Opie's Group - S8-E9

Andy: Clara, sometimes a parent can't see what he should do, and sometimes it takes a person from the outside to show him. And I'd like to thank you.
Clara: Groovy.

Super Grover

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Convicts-at-Large - S3-E11

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?

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: 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

Answer: I suspect these were common, as to block the wind from blowing the blinds and papers on the desk.

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