Ron Howard On Working With Andy Griffith | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

[@sprezzatura8755]

I met Andy Griffith years ago. I was a doorman in New York and had to get him a taxi. He waited with me. We had a good long chat about God knows what. I just remember how courteous, attentive and interested he was. Pure, unpretentious class.

[@richmondstevenj]

I waited on Ron in an Orlando restaurant when they were shooting Parenthood. Really sweet down to earth gentleman. Good tipper too.

[@ericsinger7393]

I love to hear that.

[@antoniosantorini9355]

Talking to a doorman, I'm sure Andy thought of that all day

[@Sbannmarie]

Super cool! 😎

[@annelleaste3055]

I believe he was the real deal.

[@brianjl7477]

The Andy Griffith Show still holds up - I'm glad it was such a positive experience for Ron, which is unlike what some child stars go through. Ron is one of the best!

[@revvyhevvy]

Rance wouldn't have let it be any other way!

[@thisisit2082]

@@revvyhevvyYup. The Howard’s didn’t play when it came to their kids careers. Ron wanted to turn down American Graffiti and Rance said, no you ain’t.

[@dlxmarks]

Having parents who were both experienced actors helped a lot in keeping him grounded through the ups and downs of the business.

[@joeconcepts5552]

It sounds like that wasn’t just due to his parents but also to Andy Griffith who let him be a regular kid. I’m sure lots of shows would’ve just humored the “stage parent” and not listened all that much to him.

[@standdownrobots_ihaveoldglory]

I've heard he was able to play regular little league throughout the show! He turned out famously well, not just as a professional but as a notoriously good person, and the AGS team is always credited with being top notch with him. Sad that his was a rare experience, but happy he took the opportunity & ran with it.

[@acerjuglans383]

I would NEVER get tired of hearing Ron talk about the Andy Griffith Show.

[@jacquelinedavis6607]

He is so intelligent with an amazing memory.

[@Marty1410]

I totally agree. My wife and I watch the show every weeknight while we eat.

[@djb5320]

Yes you will. If you ever find yourself listening to anything else, there is your proof.

[@BAKER22-l4u]

Get counseling

[@Pharoset]

Eventually, yes you would.

[@Patxidog]

I love how Ron Howard is talking to the whole room not just to Conan. A true storyteller.

[@ChrisPagnozzi]

yes! I was thinking the same thing.

[@kingslaphappy1533]

He’s respectful of everyone on the panel.👍

[@BAKER22-l4u]

WTF is WRONG with you?

[@michaelelliott1212]

Probably due to his directorial training.

[@timd4789]

Thats a skill

[@christianbritton1362]

Ron Howard is a national treasure. His voice is comforting brings back so many fond memories.

[@sub-harmonik]

the narrator of arrested development 😁

[@beltar]

Ron even gestures like Andy when he talks about him!

[@tomthalon8956]

National libtard treasure.

[@DurkMcGerk]

He was perfect as narrator of AD because he had that "hey-I-know-that-voice" voice

[@DentyOne]

I lost my dad to COVID. He was, in so many ways, Andy Taylor. His talk, his walk, his attitude, his wisdom, and his sense of humor. When I watch The Andy Griffith show, there's a tiny part of me that feels like I get to see dad again.

[@greenthumb8266]

I’m sorry for your loss, I lost my dad when I was 27 many, many, years ago, he was like Andy too. Not sure how it all works, but I know I’ll see him again, and you will see yours again too one day. Imho

[@Zale-vj439]

I hear ya'. My late father is the spitting image of Tom Bosley (the dad on Happy Days). I always thought that even back when the show aired, and as I'm writing this I'm thinking.. oh wow, another one of Ron Howard's fathers on television. I did not expect the coincidence with that.

[@B-RollBooks]

My condolences. Sounds like you were very fortunate to have a wonderful father. And he was lucky to be so loved by you.

[@markr5132]

Lucky you to have such a man for a father.

[@aggiejet]

He’s smiling down on you now for your sharing that with us. You are a lucky person.

[@eurofritz4617]

Hearing adult "Opie" say Hey Paw in this interview warmed my heart, love the Andy Griffith Show.

[@danpatrick9080]

I was just thinking how natural the term comes out of him. I wonder if he actually addressed his father as Paw or dad?

[@hollystiener16]

@@danpatrick9080 dad

[@OkapiJim]

Sounded the same, right? Loved it.

[@dugferd2266]

One of my favorite scenes is Andy and Barney on the porch, with Barney going over his plans for the rest of the evening... A walk, stopping by the drug store for a bottle of pop, then over to Thelma Lou's to watch a little tv... And then repeating it,... Yep, that's what I'm onna do... [Repeats plans]. The show just captured the pace of lifestyle so wonderfully.

[@mjw9310]

Yes! My family still quotes that when we're getting ready to leave to go somewhere. 😄

[@fullthrottlemaxrpm]

Man in a Hurry episode

[@lisafreebairn7736]

Oh my gosh, that is one of my favorites too!

[@lynnturman8157]

Or when Barney and Andy are sitting on the porch and Barney says how his parents had an anniversary and he didn't know what to get them, so he bought them a new septic tank. Andy looks at him, pauses, and says: "You're a fine son, Barn." No reason why that should necessarily be funny but it's one of the funniest moments of the whole series, IMO

[@gruntherblendin388]

​@@mister_vegasNew spark plugs? "She'll take eight..."

[@TheEasyLikeSundayMorningShow]

The Andy Griffith Show definitely still holds up. Funny as hell.

[@Jiddy12345]

Shazam!

[@pocketbarrels]

They all do... Beverley Hillbillies, MASH, Gunsmoke, they each have their charms.

[@mattsnyderARTIST]

At least the 1st 5 seasons

[@chrislupusrex9610]

My favorite show of all time

[@andrewgrove1691]

​@@mattsnyderARTISTyes. After don left it regressed

[@carolynluckas1219]

I watch reruns every night two episodes I’ve seen over and over again because it calms you down and brings you to a comfortable simple place like we don’t have anymore…brings you back to the reality of humanness…☺️❤️it’s like a big great hug…

[@anniemaet3047]

Every night! Wholesome and has values.

[@williamscott3123]

Well said. My wife and I enjoy watching Andy Griffith, The Waltons, Family Affair and a few other shows from our youth for the very same reason. They remind us of simpler times when faith, family and honor were values we all cared about. The popular culture of today is so dark and toxic that it gets me depressed if I am exposed to it for very long. Call me square, but I’d much rather spend my time watching shows that make me feel good about life.

[@thomasupton2664]

Soul balm

[@revwillyg6450]

I love the show playing on Pluto TV over and over. I can just turn it on any time of night and enjoy. I like to guess the episode in the shortest possible time.

[@BAKER22-l4u]

WTF? Lol

[@wilsoncalhoun]

"Write him like he respects his father." I like that. Thinking about it now that's really what set the Opie and Andy dynamic apart from the other families on network TV when that was still a thing, that they both loved and respected each other even when they disagreed.

[@Jeremynicholson]

Still remember that episode opie kills the bird with the slingshot.. legendary writing.

[@DJ-bj8ku]

It made for some dramatic scenes, like when Andy questioned Opie’s honesty about McBeevee.

[@martinadrianarcenas867]

I love how Ron gathers himself with the soft "okay" before he proceeds to tell the story

[@charlie-obrien]

​​@@Jeremynicholson Winkin, Blinkin and Nod.

[@Jeremynicholson]

@@charlie-obrien when Andy left the window open for opie to hear the baby birds chirping for their mother that's not coming back and told him to “just listen for awhile”. Sometimes rough but real parenting, don't see it on tv anymore.

[@SideshowCris]

My dad always liked to play this game with me where we'd recast the entire town of Mayberry from whoever was around us in public. It was an exercise in advanced people watching, looking for specific behaviors to find the person you thought could be the most essential Barney, Andy, Gomer, Otis, etc. When my dad passed, the only thing I could think to say by his body when we were having the visitation was "There aren't enough people for Mayberry here but I'm pretty sure the funeral director is Howard Sprague."

[@TheresFuckeryAfoot]

This got me choked up. Thanks for sharing this 💗

[@charlie-obrien]

Good man.

[@stephenhill4353]

Good fun, great memories

[@davidgraham2673]

Great comment to say goodbye with.

[@saiyanprime]

I really appreciate how much Ron Howard seems to give attention to the other people in the room even when he's really only conversing with Conan. He makes eye contact with everyone while telling stories.

[@scotts9821]

Came here to say this. He's so inclusive to everyone. very cool.

[@calmthemonster]

YES!! @scotts9821 said it for me.

[@TylerD288]

He behaves as a person with good manners should.

[@myhatelect]

He seems humble, which is interesting for someone with that background. Sounds like he respected the whole crew as a team

[@Jim-pt8kk]

Yes, he doesn’t come across like a douche, like Tom Hanks does

[@YourMrFixer]

I think it’s the best show ever. It’s funny. It’s sweet. It’s timeless and it’s set in paradise.

[@kamuelalee]

The Andy Griffith Show is the iconic father-son TV show. None finer.

[@BAKER22-l4u]

Lol..WTF?

[@dustinolvey8877]

I like King of the Hill.

[@TheMisterGriswold]

Agreed, but The Rifleman is also great.

[@Thataintnothing]

The Courtship of Eddies Father !

[@patlacy1140]

Sanford and Son

[@vermontmike9800]

Citizen’s arrest! Citizen’s arrest! Still one of my favorite scenes.

[@davidblakely1282]

I saw a police car make a Uturn yesterday. In my mind I was yelling Citizens’ arrest! Citizens’ arrest!

[@BAKER22-l4u]

Get counseling

[@vermontmike9800]

@@BAKER22-l4u ?

[@CAW78]

@@BAKER22-l4u desperate for attention I see. Sad.

[@Intrepimid]

I'm 40. I still remember watching so many reruns of Andy when i was a kid. My mother loved that show. I'd be lying if i said that show didn't have any impact on who i am today.

[@coopermcdermott]

same here. And those reruns actually cut some of those long scenes Conan and Ron talk about. It was great as an adult seeing the original TV airings on DVD or TV Land and rediscovering those conversations.

[@fletcherchambliss1590]

Opie and Andy reminds me of Scout and her father in “to kill a mockingbird”. The kids respect their father very much. They know he’s not perfect but they see the heart of the man.

[@weeniehutjunior]

great comparison. I agree.

[@TullyMars-d3m]

Wow so true.

[@jenniferhansen3622]

That's a perfect comparison!

[@1972mrkleen]

The Andy Griffith show usually had a message on morality but it never seemed pushy or preachy! Best tv show ever & it Ain't close....

[@jillmacchitelli6473]

The suggestion that Opie should respect his Dad set the tone for their relationship. The show wouldn’t have been the same without that.

[@leogothisoscar271]

Exactly. Think of how many other shows people look to for guidance in parenting.

[@markr5132]

Yes, and so glad they didn't pull what pretty much ever sitcom does in later seasons or having the teen lose respect for his wise father and confuse his kindness for weakness or lack of worldly knowledge. Although the last season or so they were bumping up against when Opie formed a rock band.

[@CthulhuForCocoaPuffs]

​@@markr5132rock band? Are you talking about Happy Days?

[@markr5132]

@@CthulhuForCocoaPuffs No I think it was the last season Oppie was in a band-probably one episode. Best child actor by a mile. No kid ever came close!

[@Lethgar_Smith]

I remember reading an essay once that was written just about the opening sequence of the show. It depicts a father and son outside walking and going to go fishing. It is a singularly iconic American image even before the show was created. Andy's character is depicted in his sheriff's uniform but it is unusual. He is not wearing a tie and his collar is undone. Is he at work? Did he take time out of his day just to go fishing with his son? He is a law enforcement officer but clearly he has no gun. The scene projects an image of calm and relaxation but also of order and a sense of comfort knowing that everything is at peace and civilization is thriving. We can all relax, take off our tie, put down the gun and go fishing with our son. America can be Mayberry

[@NHT2]

Ron Howard's voice is so iconic and crisp. Thank you for all your work sir!

[@mel-thompson]

The Andy Griffith Show is home to me. It's grounding in the all too crazy world we live in. As long as they show it somewhere, I'll watch.

[@Nay-kp6uu]

It's probably on PlutoTV. It's a free site/app. Had all kinds of channels shows streaming

[@1in6win]

So cool how Ron’s career evolved. And awesome he’s still here to talk about the legends that were Griffith and Knotts.

[@kd8752]

And years later Ron Howard as a director says he encouraged a young Joaquin Phoenix in Parenthood to make suggestions about his character in that movie. Such a wonderful example of graciously passing on the lessons and privileges that were granted to you as a child.

[@lonniewalsh-wv2zm]

I love the TV show never tired of it. Watch lots of reruns and plus if I want to good laugh Don Knotts is there😅

[@weeniehutjunior]

Ron Howard!!!! I love the deep analysis of TV history between Conan and Ron. I could listen to them talk all day. Ron Howard is such an American Treasure, and a brilliant actor and director. Plus, he genuinely seems like the nicest man in the world.

[@Donley76]

One of my all-time favorite TV shows. It's still so good.

[@williamoreally5113]

I was born in 78. And feel very fortunate that my father introduced The Andy Griffith show to me at about 6 yrs old. I watched it all through my childhood, adolescents and I catch episodes here there these days. I still laugh just as hard now as then.

[@CornbreadOracle]

Essentially the Andy Griffith Show was about love. And love is always relatable.

[@johncolquitt3086]

The greatest testament for the show to me is that Ron Howard still loves it and sees it as a wonderful experience. There were so many child actors that were so negative about thier time on shows. The grown ups made it a great experience for a little boy and that speaks volumes.

[@MarkyMatey]

I'm 28 yrs old, i saw Andy Griffith re reuns and I really love them. I revisited some of those episodes and yeah they hold up, such timeless writing

[@nolongerblocked6210]

I grew up in the 70s & 80s watching & loving the Andy Griffith Show. My mother who's 72 still watches the Andy Griffith Show daily(& other old shows like that) on Pluto. Whenever I'm at her house & see it on I still sit & watch for awhile

[@guaporeturns9472]

Ron Howard is so sharp and articulate.. just like Conan

[@outofabook]

In so many interviews, Ron Howard shows how the depth to which he thinks. It definitely makes sense that he would have the kind of mind that would make him the great director he ended up being.

[@kurtcpi5670]

The Andy Griffith show was and is the best of all time.

[@racourdav]

You see how Ron looks around at everyone when he's speaking? To include them all in the conversation? That's a lost art.

[@CasperLCat]

I noticed that too, immediately. He was replying to Conan, technically speaking, so that’s a deliberate choice on his part, to broaden out his interaction. I can’t help thinking that’s something from my generation (Conan’s) and older, having being trained when young to include everyone out of courtesy, that you won’t see as much in the future.

[@standdownrobots_ihaveoldglory]

Everyone could chuckle at Mayberry but also everyone claimed their hometown was just like it. Andy gave it dignity and Don was more restrained than in many roles & kept it rooted in comic reality. And I’m a 2nd gen fan, watched it in syndication on sick days in the 80s. The old folks love it 10x that much and they all take credit somehow for Ronny turning out so good 😂 they’ve never met him but he’s their ❤❤❤

[@weeniehutjunior]

so true.....I grew up in a suburb of Minneapolis in the early 70's, and we (like many Gen X kids, I suspect) played outside all day, carefree. I look back on my childhood neighborhood and almost always describe it as "like Mayberry"

[@bh5606]

One of the best ever. Opie keeps questioning Pa and getting him off track an Pa finally says, “I think we’re just drifting’”, still breaks me up 62 years later.

[@elfari100]

Such a treat to get this insider's view of such a timeless show! And ahead of it's time. Showing a believable relationship between a son and his SINGLE DAD.

[@Mrs.Frankenstein]

Greatest show ever made. We watch it every day, and go to every festival we can.

[@metalmuumuu4181]

I loved Ron Howard on Andy Griffith, he was such a lovely, sweet character.

[@piffpete420]

I’m an 80’s baby and that’s still my favorite show ever to watch. Timeless

[@papasquat355]

It is timeless because of it's wholesome nature. I love hearing these stories because they are also timeless. The AGS was a part of our lives well after it turned on the color.

[@zipcity6720]

Most old comedies can be enjoyed only for their nostalgia; the actual jokes seem hacky or cliched. But when the comedy not about jokes but embedded in the behavior of brilliantly created and acted characters, it holds up forever.

[@Jeremynicholson]

M*A*S*H is the only other show I think will hold up to time like this.

[@zipcity6720]

@@Jeremynicholson I agree; good call.

[@FL8mileshigh1]

"The Andy Griffith Show" is one of the best TV shows ever made. The show had great characters. Andy and Don are probably the best TV comedy team in history. Andy being the straight man setting up many of the jokes and Don executing his comedy talent. This earned Don 5 Emmy awards. It was good wholesome humor and there were some episodes that taught life lessons. The one where Opie accidentally kills a bird with his slingshot, "Opie The Birdman," is an example. Andy had a way of making a point without being "preachy." Still watching in 2024.

[@anitahargreaves9526]

He still sounds like a teenager, loved this interview, wholesome. 👵🇬🇧❤

[@newwavepop]

I Grew up in the 70s watching it in syndication and i have always loved the Andy Griffith Show. i would give anything to have this kind of entertainment come back, ok already with the smug cynical families. when i was about 8 my Father worked at a truck stop and George "Goober" Lindsey was coming in one day to meet people and sign things as part of a sponsorship he had with some engine product i do not remember what. so my Father brought me into work that day and i was the only kid there and George hung out with me all day, as he talked to other people he kept me sitting next to him and always included me and he had lunch with me in the diner. he was so genuine and sweet i have never forgot what a cool day that was and how nice he was to a child. i miss the people of that generation dearly.

[@Jim-pt8kk]

Ron Howard is super smart. I’m his age and I can’t even remember what I did to three years ago and he has remarkable clarity like a photographic memory of certain scenes

[@GregorySovine-bt9hj]

53 years old and have wanted the entire show front to back multiple times.

[@NevinNolte]

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard Ron Howard talk so in depth about his time on Andy Griffith….fantastic interview Conan!

[@NoviJimB]

Maybe the best TV show ever. The right actors, writers, producers, working together - that's the recipe for greatness. And it wasn't just the main stars, but the supporting actors - everyone was perfect. And a lot of great guest stars and recurring roles. For me the show was never quite the same after Don left, he was brilliant.

[@Ahqeter]

Over the past several years, my kids and I watched every episode at least three times.

[@ingredpaulson4530]

“The Andy Griffith Show” is beautiful! As a kid being raised by a young single widow, I could relate to it. No main character on the show was part of a traditional nuclear family. The wonderful community of characters served as "family".

[@michaeltb6276]

I watched The Andy Griffith Show a couple of years ago, too, from beginning to end. It's a rock solid classic.

[@leannlaplante3643]

Just watched The Andy Griffith last night before going to sleep. It always helps me relax and feel good on the inside. Thank you so much for covering this wonderful show!!

[@QuintonLeo]

For some reason this makes me sad but also gives me hope that there's a whole a generation today that could be watching this and it's the first time they've heard of Andy Griffith or Don Knotts. They're both icons and the Andy Griffith show is one of few shows that I really believe will stay timeless.

[@theman37251]

Love The Andy Griffith Show , Like you say so down to earth, that's what made the show. Love Ron Howard.

[@kevinbirge2130]

Andy Griffith is the best-written series of that era.

[@neutrino109]

Loved Ron and Clint's book! And Andy Griffith of vourse. Loved those down moments on the show. Especially the musical ones.

[@traciejones6491]

Favorite show! My husband and I watch it a lot and never tire of it. We love the first 5 seasons of black and white episodes. Ron Howard was wonderful in it himself. What a treasure of a show to be involved with!

[@ddsara6566]

Something very comforting about The Andy Griffith show that starts with the whistling in the theme song and goes through the closing credits.

[@sandgroper1970]

How smart was Ron's Dad Rance, who was basically a working actor, not some star, actually go up to Andy Griffiths and suggest how about having a proper respectful father dad relationship... The fact that it worked, with audiences then and still obviously with people now.

[@melissaford717]

I read the book The Boys by Clint & Ron Howard. I was impressed by their father and how he helped mold the father-son relationship on the show. It was a fantastic read. You take care 🙂

[@donreid6399]

@@melissaford717 Indeed so. I read it a couple of months ago, and gained a deep respect for Rance, Clint and Ronnie. Great book, wasn't it, Melissa? 🙂

[@HRConsultant_Jeff]

Ron appreciates the gift he was given and speaks well of the people that helped him along the way. It shows in his movies as well, how he treats the actors and the story especially with older actors like in Cocoon which could have been a B science fiction piece but the characters were allowed to develop and made the movie about them and not the aliens.

[@luckystarpiano]

Honestly, Ron Howard has to be one of the purest and wholesome people in Hollywood ❤

[@cheribee968]

Love Ron’s memories of Andy Griffith. I still watch re runs if they are on and it’s still as sweet and loving as ever. Very funny and who doesn’t wish for that lovely town.

[@returntothailand]

I've watched the show and all its seasons so many times now, from the days when i was a "kid" to an adult and now in retirement. It truly is an amazing piece of Americana. It has everything and everyone in there. If you look for yourself you will find yourself sometimes. The romamance, bro-mance, and hilarous characters like Earnest T and Otis. Every small town had somebody and something like them at one time or another.🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@jenhasken]

Oh my gosh when he smiled at the beginning it’s Opie!! Andy Griffith is such a great show. It showed you how to treat people with kindness. It shows community working out their differences and coming together. And it was funny. What a gem. ❤

[@a5-30-31cts]

One of the great Interviews done on this podcast Conan O'Brian Needs a Friend.- IMO. So inciteful, significant, revealing and informative

[@benniebarrow348]

Not sure there will ever be another show that has it all and will forever be enjoyed. Its simplicity yet depth is just amazing.

[@chubi167]

My dad loved the show. I don’t know if I could watch it today since he passed. Too painful for me. But I have very fond memories of watching it with my dad.

[@Chaotic_Enigma]

I have multiple streaming services but I'll find myself often watching this when I see it on tv by way of antenna. It ended 7yrs before I was born but it's good enough to watch no matter the year

[@RandomGuyMusic-g5v]

The father-son relationship between Andy and Opie, particularly raising a boy in the South without a mother, is what makes that show GOLDEN. Wouldn't have been the same if Opie was a brat as originally conceived. Kudos to Ron Howard's father.

[@suj1201]

This was great! The Andy Griffith show is my favorite. There were serious dramatic moments as well as silly comedic ones. It’s a show that just made ya feel good watching. Fantastic acting all around too.

[@shaggycan]

Rance Howard was always a win when he showed up in something. I especially remember him in Babylon 5.

[@lsloan1960]

I think besides having good parents, who Ron Howard is as a person was really shaped by Andy Griffith. And I am sure that Andy (and everyone in the cast) must have been extremely proud of who Ron became and what he did as a director. I mean, I can only imagine Andy and Don Knotts sitting in the theater watching "Apollo 13" just being amazed by it all.

[@revvyhevvy]

The Ron Howard posts are gold, Jerry, GOLD!! If only they were longer!

[@thanksfernuthin]

He was an incredibly cute kid and so easy to love. You really wanted to see him and his dad prevail.

[@ChristopherStone]

I grew up with TV Land watching Andy Griffith as a kid and completely forgot Ron Howard was in it. The theme song is so iconic my rescued African Grey parrot sings it all the time lol

[@ChicCanyon]

For clarification did you forget Ron Howard played Opie or did you forget Opie existed?

[@ChristopherStone]

@@ChicCanyon I forgot he played Opie lol I was too young to remember which actors were playing the characters.

[@DWtechfan]

That’s so cool that your parrot sings the theme song for the show. I have a parakeet that only stares in the mirror and never does anything like that. I’ve played music and everything for him, nothing.

[@largemargeog1023]

This goes to show that writing and acting is an art not a science and that having good taste and good voice is more important than having hard and fast rules. For every compliment they had for the Andy Griffith show they brought up a counterpoint that they also loved. I love that kind of critical thinking.

[@cc3775]

My son who is now 14 loves The Andy Griffith show.

[@theargonauts8490]

That’s good to hear! Your son knows a classic 👍

[@boudusaved4719]

Ron Howard is a national treasure.

[@speecher1959]

Floyd the barber and Andy in front of the barber shop talking about absolutely nothing - It does not get better than that! I love Howard's recollections of those times.

[@joeday4293]

I recently read that Howard McNear, more than any other actor on the show, was most likely to spout off something absurd on camera that would break up the rest of the cast. Apparently most of Floyd The Barber's dialogue was just Howard McNear being his normal eccentric self.

[@seldomseensavage3459]

@@joeday4293”Floyd” was from another planet!!! I am constantly in awe of his ability as an actor…so much so I imagine Howard McNear being turned loose to improvise. His hands & facial gestures along with his voice trailing off & sometimes inability to stay on point in conversation are priceless!! WHAT A SHOW!!

[@Boethius411]

The opening scenes of The Cheyenne Social Club starring Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda. 20 minutes of hilarious nonstop talking about nothing by Henry Fonda’s character as the scenes change around them. It’s the closest thing to a Floyd story on Andy I’ve ever seen. Perfect timing for nothing. 😂

[@thecuriositypath]

I listen to many old radio shows on SiriusXM and Howard McNear got around to many shows and many episodes as a character actor. Since I saw him first as Floyd, that's how my mind's eye goes, regardless of the radio role.

[@kolesteele4242]

I’m 31, bc of my 72yr old dad I have the theme song stuck in my head forever. ❤️

[@tnrodgers]

The silence and timing speaks more than dialogue. It’s the nice day on the bench moments that draw people in. Great interview.

[@evabeckwith9111]

This is very interesting. I'm a child of the 50s. My dad, who was very open minded, did not watch sitcoms because, as he told me, the fathers were disrespected! I was floored to hear Ron talking about that very aspect.

[@greyhoundfivemedia812]

Opie the Birdman is one of the best half hours of TV storytelling ever broadcast. "The cage seems awfully empty, paw." "Yeah, but don't the trees seem nice and full?"

[@brandonhebert5485]

I had read one time that in that episode where Opie dropped to his knees and started crying he actually was crying on the set it was real tears and after the director said cut nobody said a word. They said that child just set his career in motion for the rest of his life. They didn't have to fake it or redo the scene. It came out perfect the first time.

[@branchesofYAH]

I'm watching it again, I just now last night got into the second season. That and leave it to Beaver, remind me of a time that may never have been, but should have been.

[@michaelrhudak]

Conan loves old TV and old comedy and you can tell how invested he is in the topic.

[@DanFedMusic]

I love hearing about the inner workings and the process.

[@EinsteinsHair]

There's a video on KZbin about the Hogan's Heroes filming location. They show an aerial view, and if you went out the gate of Stalag 13, the road leads to the main street of Mayberry. They are both gone now, paved over. I also know that the Mayberry street was used for outdoor scenes in a couple of Star Trek episodes, the fan favorite, "The City on the Edge of Forever," and "Miri." Wonder if Ron ever got to explore the lot, or they made him stay in Mayberry?

[@glenbateman5960]

I watched the show growing up, then got to watch it again and again with each of my kids in the 80's and 90's. They all loved it as much as I had. It was fun seeing it through their eyes.

[@spudrain]

It’s amazing how Ronnie Howard picked up on the nuance at such a young age. It’s what made him a great director.

[@TR4Ajim]

Andy Griffith was in a TV movie (with William Shatner) called “Pray for the Wildcats”, and he played such a creepy bad guy. Much darker than in “A Face in the Crowd”. It really gave an glimpse into the range of characters he could play.

[@malinwj1167]

Another AG movie from the 90s called "Gramps" - a very bad guy!

[@Avery_4272]

Great to hear Ron Howard share these memories. And I agree, Rance's idea was great re: showing that Opie respected his dad, Andy - and that he had good reason to. Andy Taylor was a man of integrity and decency. And he treated Opie with respect and patience. In The Birdman episode (one of my favorites, and wonderfully directed by Richard Crenna), Andy is firm but doesn't resort to punishment - instead, he is creative in how he helps Opie learn something, and he is supportive and kind and trusts the process of Opie gaining new awareness.

[@EricFarwell-gh9pw]

& When Andy & Don just sang, y'know the way friends just do sometimes...😊

[@lisamann8521]

Conan is right...tv shows are nothing like they were back then. I love watching The Andy Griffith Show still. I wish they would show every single one. The show definitely reminds me so much of what it was like back then. One of the best shows to me, is the one at Christmas. I've only seen one Christmas episode so I don't know if there was any more. Anyway, I love the Christmas cards they were looking at, the tree they decorated, the decorations around the jail, the friends and family. It just warms my heart like nothing else on tv. I wish that Ronnie would come out with a show exactly like it, made to look from this exact time era! That would be awesome! Kudos to every single actor on The Andy Griffith Show, y'all made our days!

[@tjtampa214]

Ronnie still has the same recognizable voice- love that. What a great show and great history. Thx. for the memories. (Conanan & Mayberry & Ronnie) 💗

[@wolverineiscool7161]

Rom Howard is a national treasure!

[@jarenbigelow8606]

Ron, your having worked with Don Knotts is one of the few things I am jealous in my life.

[@strafeson]

The Andy/Opie relationship made that show great and memorable. Thank God for Rance Howard's suggestion.

[@marcuspi999]

I love hearing Ron Howard insights. His experience is so unique regarding television history .

[@Duffyartwork]

Glad I was raised watching andy griffith show. I just remember enjoying the characters and morals of the show