Ellie Saves a Female (TAGS Episode)
Contents
Episode Info
Ellie Saves a Female
- S1.E27
- Filmed: 27
- Aired: 27
- Original Air Date: 1961/04/17
- Writer(s): David Adler
- Director: Bob Sweeney
Plot Summary
Ellie, continuing her feminist pursuits, chooses to assist Francine Flint, the daughter of a local farmer, in gaining independence, despite her father's disapproval. Andy resolves the conflict by persuading Farmer Flint that a gentler approach, symbolized by the use of honey to attract bees, is more effective in achieving his goals, in this case, retaining his daughter's help on the farm.
Plot
There's this girl named Frankie, the daughter of a local farmer. She goes into the drugstore and is clearly interested in the makeup and perfume, but she's super shy and not wearing any. Ellie, who works there, wants to help her out. Turns out, Frankie's an only child and has to help her dad on the farm all the time, so she's always in work clothes and doesn't really get to dress up. Ellie decides to give her some makeup and perfume, even though Andy thinks it's not their place.
Andy drives Ellie out to Frankie's farm, but her dad is not happy about it. Barney, being Barney, boasts that he could handle the situation. Ellie calls his bluff, and Barney ends up at the farm, but he gets the same reaction as Ellie. So, Barney decides to sneak Frankie away and bring her back to town.
Ellie gives Frankie a makeover, and when they show up at the courthouse, Andy and Barney don't even recognize her! She looks amazing. When they take Frankie home, her dad doesn't recognize her either. He admits she's beautiful but says he needs her help on the farm. Andy then suggests that if Frankie got married, her husband could help out, and Frankie would be able to live up to her full potential. Finally, Frankie's dad sees the light.
Odd Facts Known by Few
- Actor R.G. Armstrong, who played Mr. Flint, has a master's degree in English from the University of North Carolina. He also was a regular in the 1987 tv series "Friday The 13th" as "Lewis Vandredi". Armstrong was a close, life-long friend of Andy Griffith. The two met at UNC Chapel Hill and did stage work together as members of The Carolina Playmakers. He also made one appearance in Andy Griffith's other hit series, Matlock (1986), playing a sheriff in the two-part episode "The Hunting Party."
- A candy bar cost 5 cents.
- Chewing tobacco costs 20 cents at Walker's.
- Andy is usually the one teasing Barney, but in this episode the tables have turned. Ellie sprays Andy with perfume and Barney joins in the fun by teasing him.
- The name of the fictitious perfume Andy gets sprayed with is "Midnight Madness."
- The sign on the wall behind the cash register in Walker's Drug Store is now correctly spelled "ENLARGEMENTS." In previous episodes, in interior shots of Walker's Drug Store, the sign was misspelled "ENLARGMENTS."
- The 40-Acre backlot set, originally used for The Real McCoys farm, was repurposed as the Flint farm in The Andy Griffith Show, with careful framing to exclude the McCoys' house. This versatile set, located at the far west end of the backlot near Wally's Filling Station, was featured repeatedly throughout the series from various angles. It was eventually demolished to make way for the exterior Camp Henderson sets used in Gomer Pyle: U.S.M.C.
More Information
Character List
- Andy Griffith - Andy Taylor
- Ronny Howard - Opie Taylor
- Don Knotts - Barney Fife
- Elinor Donahue - Ellie Walker
- R.G. Armstrong - Mr. Flint
- Edris March - Frances (Frankie) Flint
- Bob McQuain - one of the Jenkins men
