“I Appreciate It, and Good Night” to Andy
I think a lot of us felt like we’d lost a friend when word came yesterday that the great Andy Griffith had passed away at the age of 86. Most of us “knew” Andy for pretty much our entire lives- whether it was as the homespun sheriff of Mayberry, or the irascible lawyer of “Matlock”. He was an excellent actor- could pull off comedy and drama equally as well, and show real heart in doing either. He starred on Broadway- he could do stand-up; his early records are considered classics- and he actually won a Grammy for a gospel record he recorded! If you ONLY know Andy from his TV shows, I suggest you take a look at his movies –“No Time for Sergeants” for one, and especially “A Face in the Crowd” for a real tour de force of Andy’s acting prowess. On the original “Andy Griffith Show”, Andy would often do a final commercial at the show’s end- and wind it up with- “I appreciate it, and good night.” We appreciated you- and good night, Andy. Rest in peace.
Now, about the traditional fireworks we all (or most of us) enjoy on this holiday-this is especially a good year to leave it to the professionals, with the very dry conditions- in fact, you may have heard-even some of the professionals are taking this year off , rather than do anything that might cause a fire.
As I’ve written before- if it goes bang or boom or flies, it’s illegal in Illinois. (I’m talking about fireworks, so, keep whatever jokes you have about that first sentence to yourself!) I have certainly bought fireworks in neighboring states- but, quite honestly, I’ve ended up blowing them up in those same states…I’ve always enjoyed stuff that has a lot of light and color, but, not so much overly loud stuff (blame that on my sensitive ears as a child)-and especially love skyrockets that end in a nice display.
I’m also a fan of the packaging- really interesting artwork and, many times, strange concoctions of words, thanks to whoever is trying to translate something into English. One of my favorites, that I find every so often at fireworks purveyors, is a small cardboard car with a cardboard monkey in the driver’s seat- emblazoned with the title-“MONKEY DRIVE!” I can never decide if it’s just a sort of broken English description, or if it’s a command…but it never fails to make my friends and I laugh.
A related little ground display that always made us laugh was called “the Nutty Monkey” (what’s the obsession with fireworks that these monkeys have?) It was like a fountain of sparks, and very nice, but- it was the artwork on it that really made it- a drawing of what looked like a crazed simian, like one of those toy monkeys who plays the cymbals gone berserk! Add to this me describing this to a good friend at the time we had obtained this incendiary item in the voice of Bill Murray as Karl Spackler in “Caddy shack” – and we were all laughing like idiots (the kind of idiots who would actually light the fuse…)
A favorite item for some to make to add to the noise factor on the 4th was a “potato gun”-you make a sort of bazooka out of a big hunk of plastic pipe, with a little electronic igniter in it- load in a potato-then you spray something like hairspray inside the rear chamber- aim, and hit the igniter- and the potato just about goes into orbit, accompanied by a huge boom! You could use the “people are starving in other countries” argument about wasting potatoes- but, there have been times when it seemed like you could just send one of those spuds to them with the power of the tuber bazooka.
I think some fireworks have a tendency to bring out the destructive worst in people. We all know someone who has blown up small model cars and airplanes (or worse) with firecrackers. I had a good friend from my high school days- a quite, intelligent guy, good student, always on his best behavior- went on to be a solid radio and TV newsman in Cedar Rapids, Minneapolis, and now in Florida. Put a package of those little Black Cat firecrackers in his hands and you were asking for trouble. I recall one 4th of July when he was just wandering around with them, tossing them here and there- including through the front door of a neighbor’s house. They had a screen door- but one panel had no screen, no window- nothing- and he blissfully tossed a cracker right through, into these folks’ living room!
Please- if you are planning on the “do-it-yourself” fireworks this year- you might want to rethink it, and save the fire department some work. Now , if they’d just come up with digital LED fireworks…
24 Responses to “I Appreciate It, and Good Night” to Andy
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Long live Matlock!
Wishing, Sven, and all the blog posters and viewers a very happy July 4th.
I’d like to second Anna Marie’s motion! Also, a great July 4 movie that would fit right in with Sven’s show would be “The TIme of Their Lives” (1946), with Abbott and Costello. As I mentioned before on this blog, it’s one of their best comedies, with some genuinely spooky scenes as well. Lou plays a Revolutionary War era tinker; he and a young woman (Marjorie Reynolds) are mistaken for traitors to the cause and are shot and killed. Their ghosts, cursed to remain earthbound until evidence surfaces proving their innocence, haunt the house on the property on which they had been killed. One of the house guests in the twentieth century Lou persistently picks on is a Manhattan psychiatrist (Bud Abbott), who happens to be the lookalike ancestor of his chief eighteenth-century romantic rival and enemy. It’s a must-see for both Abbott and Costello fans and comedy-horror enthusiasts. I hope Sven shows it some day.
Sven/Rich: Speaking of fire crackers in toy models, the iconic early ’60s Cleveland TV horror movie host Ghoulardi (Ernie Anderson) would do this frequently on his show. Two other northeast Ohio horror hosts who have also used “da boom booms” on these same kinds of items have been The Ghoul ((Ron Sweed) and The Son of Ghoul (Kevin Scarpino).
The courthouse sure looks empty, but aren’t the clouds in heaven full.
RIP Andy Griffith
Ken, that was great. From one of my favorite episodes. God Bless You, Andy. Happy and safe 4th to all my fellow ‘goolians here.
Thanks so very much for posting this Sven! <3. Rest In Peace Andy Griffith AND Don Knotts! <3. Thanks so much for the great memories!
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Happy 4th of July, Everyone!
Having the day off from work sort of makes it feel like a Saturday…which means I’m expecting to watch Svengoolie tonight, when I actually have to wait 3 more days. Oh well, I guess I can make do with some fireworks.
Rest in Peace, Andy Griffith. Does anyone out there remember the commercials for Ritz crackers that Andy did in the ’70′s? My brother and I are in our mid-40′s now and we still can’t eat those crackers without me saying , “Everything’s great when it sits on a Ritz…” and then my brother follows with “MMM mmmm Good cracker, good cracker.”
The power of television is an amazing thing.
I’ve been feeling like today is Saturday too. I keep wondering what Sven will be playing tonight, then I remember: nothing. today isn’t Saturday, numbskull. oh well. glad I’m not the only one.
Andy was so great. The Andy Griffith show was a great show, timeless. My brother lives in NC very close to Mount Airy which inspired Mayberry. What a class act and an under appreciated actor.
Wicked Esther: I remember those Ritz cracker commercials, too! Andy’s homespun reactions on those were great! BTW, I understand that Sven is showing, on July 21, “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” again, starring Andy’s great co-star, Barney Fife himself, Don Knotts. Maybe at least the mail segment of that show will be updated to acknowledge Andy’s passing.
Sven/Rich, Once again, Rest In Peace, Andy! It’s hotter than a firecracker out there today!
Happy 4th Sven and all. Speaking of blowing up models, I always hate to hear those stories of people blowing up their old Aurora Monster model kits. But, as much as I hate it, I’ll bet the people who did the act hate it even worse, given how much some of those things are worth now! Be safe, and I hope no one looses any body parts over it!
Happy Fourth of July, everyone! Now if I can just get through our local fireworks display tonight without muttering “Mmmm, good firecracker”…
One Andy Griffith film that’s underappreciated and worth catching is “Hearts of the West” from 1975. Andy plays a veteran “B” Western cowboy star in the 1930s who teaches Jeff Bridges the ropes about the movie business. It’s a gentle comedy about that era of Hollywood.
I made a commit about The Andy Griffith Show With Don Knotts the day before Mr. A passed on.(unknowing he was sick). I was saying who I believed made that show worth watching. It was Andy’s show. And Mr. Griffith brought into his show many adorable caricatures, like Andy’s cousin Barney, Floyd the barber, Gormer the gas attendant and his cousin Gober, The Dillerds music family, Ernest T. Bass, Aunt Bee and son Opie. Mr. Griffith found, and used many talented actors. All ways being the straight man in his own show. So I give thanks to Mr. Andy Griffith, for many years of enjoyment and laughter. May God have mercy on all are Soles.
Dale–It’s good to know there are others who remember the ol’ Ritz commercials. They were so much more “homey” and comforting than current commercials.
And Lynn– I literally laughed out loud at the idea of Andy Griffith saying “MMMmm good firecracker”. I’ll have to tell that one to my brother.
Speaking of my brother and Andy Griffith , when we were kids, my brother would always refer to it as The Andy “Griffin” Show and Mom would shout, “No, it’s MERV Griffin!”…and if you weren’t in the living room, you’d have to listen for the whistling theme song to determine whether it really was Merv or Andy coming on tv!
Little brothers….always out to confuse us all! Even 35 years later!
Great post about Mr. Griffith, Sven. Could not have said it better. (Lynn…cute “good firecracker” comment…a combo of 4th of July and Andy Griffith’s iconic Ritz commercial!). I lived in Elizabeth City, N.C. for two years…not far from Andy’s home. I feel I’ve lost a TV and actual neighbor. Thanks for the great legacy, Andy. Another niche for Andy was his comedy records catalogue, including “What it was was Football”…. Andy giving his commentary upon first time experiencing a football game in his best Will Stockdale “No Time For Sgts.” Personna. It was a hit…I have the “45″ ….purple Capitol label circa 1958.
Happy & SAFEm July 4th to you all… BUT…
1.) Something I’ve missed every 4th of July since the early ’80s is WGN’s annual airing of “Yankee Doodle Dandy” with James Cagney… guess I should finally break-down & buy the DVD.
2.) People… PEOPLE… PLEASE… Bruce Springsteen’s “Born In the U.S.A.” is the ballad of a guy forced to fight in VietNam, basically loses everything, and then gets treated like crap when he returns home. STOP putting it up as a patriotic, pro-American anthem… LISTEN to the lyrics!!!
3.) The same can be said about the movie “Born On the Fourth of July”, starring the former Mr. Katie Holmes.
Yeah, Glenn, “Yankee Doodle Dandy” was a longtime 4th of July staple. I did buy the dvd a while back. And I watched it on the 4th. And just to stir in some Svengoolie faire…..I had forgotten that the great Rosemary DeCamp (also the Mom in “13 Ghosts”)played George M. Cohan’s Mom! She’s an iconic Mom…played Shirley Partridge’s Mom too! A long and grand career!
It’s perfect time to make a few plans for the future and it is time to be happy. I’ve learn this publish and if I may just I wish to recommend you some fascinating things or suggestions. Perhaps you could write next articles regarding this article. I want to learn even more issues about it!
Well stated. The innocence and certain purity of Andy’s generation is dying with them.
Ken of NC…..wonderful and Andy Griffith episode-related comment about “empty courthouse”…but “full clouds in heaven”. So thoughtful, so well done! Bravo! Just the type response that Mr. Griffith and all living and deceased cast members would cherish. First Rate!
You asked about the 70′s movie where everyone is “all white” and the hero dies in a fountain after being speared in the chest.
The movie was the “Omega Man” starring Charlton Heston.
Sorry to leave this here, but I couldn’t find another place to answer.
(And yes that is Wereraccoon as in Werewolf)