The bulging eyes. The gaunt face. The fish lips. The high-pitched voice. Beloved comic actor Don Knotts knew how to be funny and it was his great fortune to find his perfect role, inept small-town deputy Barney Fife opposite his real-life friend Andy Griffith on “The Andy Griffith Show.” Knotts portrayed Barney as someone with too much pride, too little smarts, too much emotion, too much bravado and yet, made him likable. Even though Barney is a fool and drives Andy crazy, Andy goes to great extremes to make sure Barney’s pride doesn’t get shattered because, deep down, Barney is a good guy and a good friend.
Knotts grew up in Morgantown, W. Va., and went to Morgantown High School and West Virginia University. After college, his career began to take off and his appearance with Griffith in the movie “No Time For Sergeants” led to his signature part of Barney. He then starred in several movies and as one more memorable TV character, Mr. Furley, the leisure suit- and toupee-wearing landlord on “Three’s Company.”
They’re proud of Don in Morgantown and have honored him with a few tributes. Busy Route 119 in and out of town was renamed Don Knotts Boulevard, and the sidewalk in front of the Metropolitan Theatre, where Don performed, has a star, Hollywood Walk of Fame-style, with his name and likeness on it. A statue of Don has been in the works for several years, too.
And to those who say they’re making too big a deal of Don Knotts in Morgantown, we’d like to say “Nip it! Nip it in the bud!”
Don Knotts Boulevard (also known as University Avenue and Route 119) runs north and south through Morgantown near the Monongahela River. The Metropolitan Theatre is at 369 High Street.
Gunnar Johnson, a Sun Sentinel designer, is the author of Eccentric Roadside, http://www.eccentricroadside.blogspot.com, a blog featuring unusual roadside sights.
