Andy and Don

The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show

De: Daniel de Visé

Narrado por: George Newbern

A lively and revealing biography of Andy Griffith and Don Knotts, this “humorous, informative, and poignant book” celebrates the powerful real-life friendship behind one of America’s most iconic television programs and “shows how the magic was created” (Library Journal).

Andy Griffith and Don Knotts first met on Broadway in the 1950s. When Andy moved to Hollywood to film a TV pilot for a comedy about a small-town sheriff, Don called to ask if Andy’s sheriff could use a deputy. The friendship and comedy partnership between Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife ignited The Andy Griffith Show, elevating the folksy television sitcom into a timeless study of human friendship. Together, they created a program with a uniquely small-town dynamic that captured the hearts of Americans across the country who watched these two men rocking on the front porch, meditating about the pleasure of a bottle of pop.

But behind this sleepy charm, de Visé’s exclusive reporting “captures the complexity of both men and the intimacy of their friendship with extreme detail and sensitivity” (Publishers Weekly), from unspoken rivalries, passionate affairs, unrequited loves, struggles with the temptations of fame, and friendships lost and regained. Although Andy and Don ended their Mayberry partnership in 1965, they remained best friends for the next half-century.

Written by Don Knotts’s brother-in-law, Andy and Don is “a rewarding dual biography that is also a lively look inside the entertainment industry in the latter half of the twentieth century” (News & Observer). Entertaining and provocative, it “captures a golden moment in modern Americana. You’ll not only return again to Mayberry, you’ll feel as though you’ve never left” (Tom Shales, Pulitzer Prize–winning television critic).

Reseñas de la Crítica

“A lilting labor of love, a book that captures a golden moment in modern Americana. You'll not only return again to Mayberry, you'll feel as though you've never left.” (Tom Shales)

“This delightful book, written by Knotts’ brother-in-law, traces the production of the series and the friendship of its two leads, a friendship that continued long after the actors went in different career directions, right up to Knotts’ death in 2006.... A well written, respectful, and informative look at a classic TV show and the two friends who made it great. Delicious comfort food for boomers and, really, anyone with cable.”

“An intimate look into the lives of two thoroughly unique human beings who became not only household names but icons. What a thrill to take a peak down the alleys of Mayberry and beyond.” (Billy Bob Thornton)

“Andy Griffith and Don Knotts are one of the most famous comedy duos in America, and in this tender tribute, De Visé, Knotts’s brother-in-law, chronicles their relationship.... De Visé offers an intimate look at the lives of these two stars, and his access is invaluable to understanding their lifelong friendship. He captures the complexity of both men and the intimacy of their friendship with extreme detail and sensitivity.”

“The perfect holiday gift for your aunt, uncle, grandma, or hipster niece, this well-written, often eloquent chronicle is just what fans of the show have waited for every fan of The Andy Griffith Show – and the great actors and writers who made it come alive – will treasure it.”

"A delightful, affectionate tribute to the show, and to the two stars whose unique chemistry, both on and off the screen, was the key to its enduring appeal." (Richard Zoglin)

"This is the book about The Andy Griffith Show you didn't know you needed. De Visé shows that Griffith and his equally famous sidekick were far more complicated, troubled—and interesting—than their public personae ever let on." (Jennifer Keishin Armstrong)

“An engaging, well-researched portrait of what made one of the great comedy duos of the television age tick.”

“This book by a Knotts in-law shows how the magic was created.... The author chronicles their parting of ways, career and marital ups and downs, cast reunions of the old show, and later their reteaming in Griffith's popular series Matlock. De Visé examines the childhood, early careers, and outsize ambitions of both men, explaining why their chemistry made them click. By turns humorous, informative, and poignant.”

“Veteran journalist de Visé returns with a plethora of memories about actors Andy Griffith and Don Knotts, who propelled The Andy Griffith Show to enormous popularity in the 1960s.... As the author reminds us, the show about rural Mayberry remains in the popular culture: it's never been off the air, he writes, and Mount Airy, North Carolina, continues to profit from fans' visits and its annual ‘Mayberry Days.’”

The Making of a Friendship is an understatement

This book was so good and makes you see Don Knotts and Andy Griffith in such a different light. If you liked the Andy Griffith show and all the characters, you have to read this book.

Comic Duo

A great duo..this was a great book. This almost got me to watch more of the color episodes

The truth

I really appreciate the author being forthright and reporting a balanced view of the good and bad. I don’t love Andy and Don any less because of this.

Loved it!

If you are an honest fan of these 2 like I am, I can’t see how you would not love this book. Written well and fair to both of them, I enjoyed listening to this book as much as I love visiting them on the show. True friendship at its best. Really loved it.

Love and Respect

Would you listen to Andy and Don again? Why?

Would I listen to Andy and Don again, not sure. It is a great book but it maybe to painful.

What did you like best about this story?

The best thing about the book was that it told it like it was. It gave history that I did not know. These two great artists really understood and loved each other. It helped explain why I loved the series and them so much and the movies and appearances they made together and seperately .

Which scene was your favorite?

The entire book was my favorite scene. If I did have to pick one, it would be the times when Andy and Don worked together.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

When the book came to Don's passing, there was tears in my eyes and the same at the end of the book when Andy passed. Yes, both of you will be in heaven, together, happy, and making others laugh and smile.

Any additional comments?

I decided to purchase and read the book because of the cover. I and my family have loved the "Andy Griffith Show with Don Knotts" since it first came out. I own all of the episodes so I can see them when I want. These men where far from perfect in real life, but think of all of the enjoyment they both have given over the years, and will continue to give, to common people like me in the future. My kids, who don't really like "old TV series", will sit and watch and laugh at these show. Andy, Barney, Opie, and Aunt Bee have certainly brought a lot of enjoyment over the years to a great number of people.

This book told it the way it was, the good, the bad, and the love. I liked the way the author went back and forth between the two. I found a great number of similarities between Andy and Don. Show business can be real tough. The book went through all of this for the both of them. I will never look at the series that same way again.

Not the story I expected.

Having grown up watching the show, I was curious about the behind the scenes stories. I'm glad I listened to it, but it showed the dark side of their relationship, as well as the good.

Great show great book

Lots of great information. Many things I did not know. Very well written. Very interesting.

Loved it!

I was having a tough time in my life. I listen to this book and it lifted me up.

a pleasant escape

Listening to this book was a pleasant escape from my frantic job. I could listen to stories about Andy and Don and their deep friendship and I always felt better after every listening session. Whenever the narrator would mention one of the shows or famous comedy bits that Don Knotts would do, I would pause the book, search it up on YouTube and view it. A couple years ago, I visited Mount Airy randomly on a trip back from my brother's house, going to Indiana. So then I understood many of the town references that were made in this book.

I was saddened by the detailed recounting of how each man died, who was present in the room, and what the circumstances were surrounding their celebrations of life. But it was appreciated to know those details, just as it was the controversy installing their statues. I recommend this book wholeheartedly. The narrator was great because his vocal performance did not annoy or get in the way of the storytelling.

Lovely Story of a Great Friendship

No nasty stories here. Andy Griffith had a bit of a temper and was a control freak, but that's about it. These two guys were great friends and George Newbern's narration adds to the coziness.