Quiet Sam (TAGS Episode)

Episode Info

Quiet Sam

• S1.E29
• Filmed: 29
• Aired: 29
• Original Air Date: 1961/05/01
• Writer(s): Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum
• Director: Bob Sweeney

Plot Summary

Barney becomes suspicious of the odd habits of Sam, an unfamiliar farmer. Sam is acting strangely because his wife is about to give birth to their first child and he has nobody to help him. With the local doctor unavailable, Andy and Barney come to the rescue. Andy winds up not only delivering the child but also baby-sitting Barney.

Plot

Barney becomes suspicious of a quiet man named Sam Becker after seeing his truck parked near a fire hydrant. Though the parking is legal, Barney's suspicion grows after a brief, awkward encounter with Becker outside a grocery store. He describes Becker to Andy with stereotypical "criminal" features like a narrow chin and close-set eyes. Andy dismisses this, suggesting Barney is describing himself.

Later, a storm brews, and Barney, obsessed with the "Becker case," convinces Andy to check on Becker's farm. They find Becker working on his tractor at night, which Barney finds suspicious, suggesting he might be planting marijuana. Becker then abruptly runs into his house, further fueling Barney's paranoia. Andy, however, remains unconvinced. They return to the jail, where Andy deals with a storm-anxious Otis and receives a frantic call from Becker requesting his presence at the farm.

Barney, assuming the worst, gathers Floyd and forms a posse to rush to the farm. The reason for Becker’s strange behavior is revealed: his wife, Lilly, is in labor. Andy is there to help. Miscommunication and Becker’s haste to tend to his wife prevent Andy from informing Barney of the real situation, which Barney misinterprets as Becker capturing Andy.

Barney's dramatic arrival at the farm is met with the explanation of Lilly's labor. Andy, despite being nervous, ends up delivering the baby. While Becker anxiously awaits news, he and Barney share war stories from their time in the army and the Korean War, respectively. Andy delivers a healthy baby boy. As Andy and Barney step outside for a smoke, Floyd and the posse arrive, embarrassing Barney. The baby is named Andy.

The story concludes the next morning with a celebratory gathering at the farm, complete with a bluegrass band, as the community celebrates the new arrival with Andy leading them in singing "They'll Be Coming Around the Mountain."

Odd Facts Known by Few

• Barney notices Sam's truck too close to the fire hydrant, and calls it "Rule 8 Section B".

• Around 8:30 into the episode, Barney proposes that Sam might be cultivating marijuana. Andy and Barney are watching Sam Becker's farm. As Sam drives his tractor, Barney speculates that he's planting marijuana. Andy doubts it's marijuana but agrees Sam is planting something.

• One of the few episodes where it actually rains in Mayberry.

• Ellie is mentioned by Barney but does not appear.

• Andy and the Country Boys sing "She'll be Comin' 'Round The Mountain When She Comes" at the shivaree-like 'shower' in the epilogue.

• The band "The Country Boys" appears in the background in the last scene. They had previously appeared in "Mayberry on Record" (S1.E19). The dark-haired guitar player is Clarence White who was later a member of the rock band The Byrds (1968).

• Floyd Lawson, Mayberry's barber, mentions that his wife's name is Melba. Sadly, she seems to pass away sometime after this episode since Floyd will be a widower in "Floyd the Gay Deceiver" (S3.E9).

• Barney tells Sam that he did his part to "whip the dreaded Hun," meaning he served in The Army during World War II.

• Barney was stationed in Staten Island and was a librarian during the War.

• Barney reminds Andy that he flunked Miss Webster's biology class in 1938.

• Sam fought in Korea.

• Sam's wife's name is Lily.

• Sam's son (Andy) weighed 8 pounds and 9 ounces. This is the first child we know of named after Andy Taylor. Later in the series, Charlene Darling names her daughter "Andylina" after Andy.

• William Schallert uniquely appeared on episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show" (TAGS), the "Star Trek" episode "The Trouble With Tribbles" (1967), and the "My Name Is Earl" episode "South Of The Border, Part Uno" (2006).

• In Sam Becker's house, a copy of Andy's hometown newspaper, The Mount Airy Times, is on a table.

• The first of only two times that Andy is seen wearing his police hat. The only other time is in Season 3, Episode 26, "Andy's English Valet."

Quotes

• Barney: "Don't look at him, he'll know we're talking him"

Barney: "What's he doing now?"

Floyd: "I don't know, you told me not to look him"

Character List

• Andy Griffith - Andy Taylor
• Ronny Howard - Opie Taylor
• Don Knotts - Barney Fife
• Frances Bavier - Aunt Bee Taylor
• Hal Smith - Otis Campbell
• Howard McNear - Floyd Lawson
• William Schallert - Sam Becker
• undetermined - Clarence
• undetermined - Nate
• The Country Boys - band at shower