1986

In the 1986 song Modern Woman, Billy Joel asks, “And after 1986, what else could be new?” Nothing, considering the return of two television legends whose personas were extraordinarily familiar. Andy Griffith debuted as Ben Matlock, a defense attorney...

Parenting, Mayberry Style

In The Andy Griffith Show episode Opie the Birdman, a lesson in creative parenting is exhibited to great effect.  Sheriff Andy Taylor of Mayberry, North Carolina foresees trouble if Opie, his son, uses a slingshot.  Hence, he orders Opie not to use it. Opie, in turn,...

From Gentleman Farmer to Nasty Warden

Today is Earth Day, so designated on April 22nd to honor a pioneer in the environmental movement.  April 22nd is Eddie Albert’s birthday.  The first Earth Day occurred in 1970. Albert is perhaps best known for playing Oliver Wendell Douglas, a successful New...

Father’s Day For All the Single Dads

Happy Father’s Day! Since television became a mass medium during the 1950s, the single dad paradigm has been a staple of prime time television. From Mayberry to the Ponderosa, the single dad character has shown courage in the face of adversity, strength in the wake of...