Sheriff Barney (TAGS Episode)

Episode Info

Sheriff Barney

• S2.E12
• Filmed: 44
• Aired: 44
• Original Air Date: 1961/12/25
• Writer(s): Ben Gershman and Leo Solomon
• Director: Bob Sweeney

Plot Summary

Barney gets an offer to become the sheriff of Greendale, and Andy tries to discourage him. Unsure how to handle matters, Andy gets an idea to let Barney be sheriff of Mayberry for a day. Given the opportunity to get a taste of what the office of high sheriff entails, Barney understands that he is not up to the job and calls Greendale to decline.

Summary

The episode opens at the Mayberry courthouse, where Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife are handling routine duties. A letter arrives from Greendale's mayor and council, offering Barney the position of sheriff until the next election, prompted by an exaggerated Mayberry Gazette article praising Barney's deputy work, as noted in IMDb. Barney is overjoyed, his ego inflated by the prospect of becoming a "high sheriff," and he begins boasting about his qualifications, including his self-proclaimed expertise in judo and marksmanship (despite his single-bullet policy).

Andy, however, is skeptical, believing Barney, while a dedicated deputy, lacks the creative problem-solving skills needed for a sheriff's role in a potentially rowdier town like Greendale. Barney dismisses Andy's concerns, determined to accept the offer. To test Barney's readiness, Andy, inspired by a suggestion from Opie, proposes they swap roles for a day, with Barney as acting sheriff of Mayberry and Andy as deputy. Barney eagerly accepts, seeing it as a chance to prove himself.

As acting sheriff, Barney dives into his duties with characteristic zeal but poor judgment. His first act is to interrogate Otis Campbell (Hal Smith), the town drunk, about the source of his liquor, which Otis has always kept secret. In a comedic scheme, Barney sneaks into Otis' cell at night, pretending to be his "subconscious" to extract a confession. Otis, wise to the trick, playfully gives Barney his own address, 411 Elm Street, leading to laughter from Andy and Otis when Barney realizes his mistake. Barney, frustrated, throws Otis out of the courthouse and sends "Deputy" Andy to chalk parking violations.

Later, two neighboring farmers visit the courthouse to complain about a property fence dispute. Barney, unable to mediate, impulsively locks both in cells, exacerbating the situation. When Andy returns, he resolves the dispute with his calm, common-sense approach, highlighting Barney's limitations. Feeling dejected, Barney doubts his ability to handle the sheriff role.

To restore Barney's confidence, Andy orchestrates a face-saving moment. Rafe Hollister, a moonshiner on Mayberry's wanted list, arrives to turn himself in. Andy, aware of Barney's low spirits, promises Rafe that Aunt Bee will make him chicken and dumplings and sweet potato pie if he surrenders to Barney instead. Rafe complies, allowing Barney to make a "key arrest," boosting his ego. Reinvigorated, Barney calls Greendale's mayor to decline the offer, declaring, "Mayberry needs me," as a way to save face while choosing to stay.

The episode concludes with a humorous twist: Andy accidentally locks himself in a cell, and Barney, boasting he's the only one who can free him, locks himself in another cell.

Odd Facts Known by Few

• Jack Teagarden's name appears in the end credits of the episode 'Sheriff Barney' (December 25, 1961), but he is nowhere to be seen. Jack Teagarden was the father of all trombone players that a 15 year old Andy Griffith was awestruck by in the film Birth of the Blues in 1941. Presumably what happened was that the scene he appeared in was deleted and his name was not removed from the credits. (This is just like the Stanley Farrar non-appearance in Goober Takes a Car Apart.)

• It's revealed that Barney lives at 411 Elm Street, in Mayberry. Coincidentally, this is the same street address as the Texas Schoolbook Depository Building in Dallas, from which Lee Harvey Oswald would shoot and kill President John F. Kennedy nearly two years later.

• The Greendale mayor's door and the printing on its window are exactly the same as the Mayberry mayor's in The Mayberry Band (1962). Here, it simply says "Mayor's Office," while in the other, "Town of Mayberry" has been added above "Mayor's Office."

• In the final scene, Barney and Andy accidentally lock themselves in the cells. The key, which is lying on the nearby railing post, alternates between lying flat to standing on its edge in the closeup shot, to then lying flat again.

• Jack Prince makes his first appearance as Rafe Hollister. In his three previous episodes, Prince had played a similar character - albeit with a different name each time. However, his last three appearances would all be as Rafe - creating one of the most beloved characters in series history.

• Rafe turns himself into Andy at the courthouse. Wanting to perk up Barney's spirits, Andy promises Rafe that Aunt Bee will make Rafe chicken and dumplings and sweet potato pie if Rafe turns himself into Barney.

• In the final scene, Andy accidentally locks himself in one of the cells and Barney begins to mock Andy for doing so. Andy mentions the key is over on the railing, or beings to, when Barney tell him he knows where the key is but he has work to do and proceeds to lock himself in the opposite cell. The key, which is lying on the nearby railing post, alternates between lying flat in the long camera shot to standing on its edge in the closeup shot and back to lying flat again.

• Dabbs Greer who plays Greendale Councilman Dobbs makes his first of four appearances in Mayberry as four different characters of which Mr. Sims is the best known from the episode Barney Fife, Realtor.

Character List

• Andy Griffith - Andy Taylor
• Don Knotts - Barney Fife
• Ronny Howard - Opie Taylor
• Howard McNear - Floyd Lawson
• Jack Prince - Rafe Hollister
• Hal Smith - Otis Campbell
• Dabbs Greer - Councilman Dobbs
• Ralph Dumke - Mayor Purdy of Greendale
• Paul Bryar - Mr. Osgood/Greendale Councilman
• Orville Sherman - Mr. Welch
• Frank Warren - Art
• Joseph Hamilton - checker player