Barney Fife

Bernard "Barney" P. Fife [In [http://www.tv.com/the-andy-griffith-show/a-plaque-for-mayberry/episode/8353/summary.html?tag=ep_list;title;24 "A Plaque for Mayberry"] episode, Andy states that Barney's middle name is Oliver. In later episodes Barney refers to himself as Barney "P." Fife and in the episode [http://www.tv.com/the-andy-griffith-show/class-reunion/episode/9111/summary.html?tag=ep_list;title;18 "Class Reunion"] the Mayberry Union High yearbook lists Barney's name as Bernard Milton Fife.] is a fictional dramatic character in the American television program "The Andy Griffith Show", portrayed by comic actor Don Knotts. Barney Fife is a deputy sheriff in the slow, sleepy southern community of Mayberry, North Carolina. He appeared in the first five black and white seasons (1960 – 1965) as a main character, and, after leaving the show at the end of season five, made a few guest appearances in the following three color seasons (1965 – 1968). He appeared in TAGS spin-off "Mayberry R.F.D." (1968 – 1971), and in the 1986 reunion telemovie "Return to Mayberry".

Overview

Don Knotts had previously co-starred on the "Steve Allen Show", along with Tom Poston, Pat Harrington Jr., and Louis Nye - which is where a frantic, twitching "man on the street" character was first introduced. He created Deputy Barney Fife in the same fashion, as a hyper-kinetic but comically inept counterpart to Mayberry's practical and composed Sheriff Andy Taylor. Sometimes considered a blowhard with delusions of grandeur, Barney fancies himself an expert on firearms, women, singing and just about any other topic of conversation brought up while he is around. Conversely, Andy knows that Barney's false bravado is a smokescreen for his insecurities, and low self confidence.

Barney is often overly analytical and alarmist about benign situations, such as the modest Mayberry crime scene. He takes a minor infraction, blows it out of proportion, and then concocts an elaborate plan (sometimes involving inept civilians, like Otis Campbell or Gomer Pyle) to resolve it. This only inflicts mass chaos for Andy to quell. Despite his failings, Barney is passionate about law enforcement, regularly spouting off penal codes and ordinances to thugs and jaywalkers alike.

An emotional powderkeg, Barney easily projects panic, despair, fear or other extreme reactions. He has what he describes as a "low sugar blood level". He is smug and self-confident until a real-life situation surfaces, wherein he becomes flustered. Outwardly "a man of the world", Barney is truly naïve and easily duped. Though constantly warned by Andy, he falls for countless scams. This gullibility is evident in an episode ("Barney's First Car") where he is conned into buying a lemon from a crafty old widow.

A gossip and gadfly, Barney is known for blabbing both personal and police secrets (such as Andy's examination's of women's rings at the jewelry store, or the locale and time of a stakeout, or an armored car full of gold coming through the town). This often makes him appear as a petty halfwit, though at heart he is a caring, amiable soul. Despite a knack for exasperating the townsfolk, Barney is fondly embraced by most of them.

One major comedic source is Barney's lack of ability with a firearm. After numerous misfires (usually a Colt or Smith & Wesson M&P .38 caliber revolver), Andy restricts Barney to carrying only a single bullet in his shirt pocket, "in case of an emergency." The bullet always seems to find its way back into the pistol, where, predictably, it is accidentally discharged. The accidental discharge of Barney's pistol becomes a running gag: Barney gives a lecture on gun safety and either fires his pistol in his holster, or else he closes the gun and it goes off! Another major running gag with Barney was locking himself, or himself along with Andy, in one of the jail cells. When Barney is talking and walks into a jail cell, chances are it will shut with him inside and the keys out of reach. When Andy is locked in along with him, they are forced to embarrassingly yell for help from any citizen that may be within hearing range.

Early in the series, Andy and Barney comment that they are cousins. However, several episodes muddy the lineage and suggest that Barney may not be directly related to the Taylors. On "Aunt Bee's Invisible Boyfriend", Barney tells Andy, "If she (Aunt Bee) were my aunt, I'd wanna investigate this fella" (no familial Taylor ties). In one porch dialog, Barney speaks to Andy about buying his folks a septic tank for their anniversary. Andy does not refer to them as aunt and uncle (no familial Fife ties). On several occasions, Aunt Bee reminded Andy that, "he's YOUR friend" (suggesting no blood kin to either Taylor). While one can rule-out a shared Taylor bond, the two could be related via Andy's maternal side, or even via Andy's late wife. Yet in another installment, "Cousin Virgil", Andy is introduced to Barney's backward cousin, who is obviously not related to the sheriff. Genetics aside, the two are best friends, having grown up together in Mayberry. It was mentioned a few times that they had the same teacher in elementary school, and that they both graduated from Mayberry Union High together. In a 1963 episode Andy remarks that a 35-year-old man {Barney}-implying barney was born 1928.

When he's not patrolling the streets of Mayberry, Barney spends his free time dating a local girl named Thelma Lou (Betty Lynn), whom he doesn't marry until, "Return to Mayberry", a 1986 NBC movie. Thelma Lou is Barney's main girlfriend throughout the show, although he also dates other women, in particular, a Bluebird Diner waitress named Juanita, who is never seen but is often mentioned. Barney takes up residence in different places including the Raleigh YMCA and Mrs. Mendelbright's boarding house (where she forbids him from owning either a "hot plate" cooker or too bright a light bulb). When not on duty, he is usually seen in a fedora and a "salt-and-pepper" suit. Although the deputy enjoys singing, he has a "tin ear". Nearly being barred from singing engagements was a dilemma for Barney, and is highlighted by several episodes, most notably, "Barney and the Choir" and "The Song Festers". He does, however, serenade Juanita over the office phone, without complaints.

Some continuity slip-ups can be expected, as the series had several writers. An illustration of this is with the various middle names given for both Barney and Andy. In the episode "Class Reunion", Barney's middle name is Milton, though at other times he is called "Bernard P. Fife". In another episode, where he believes he is the descendant of Nathan Tibbs, a Mayberry Revolutionary hero, he says his name is "Barney 'Tibbs' Fife." Andy jokingly says, "I thought your middle name was Oliver." A similar problem exist with Andy's middle name which was given as Jackson on his own show (when his high school photo was shown), but his newborn son's name was given as Andrew Samuel Taylor Jr. on "Mayberry RFD" (during a christening).

Like Andy, who was stationed in France, Barney served in World War II, although he was a file clerk who never left the United States (he stated that "me and this other fella ran the PX library" on Staten Island). (It should be noted that both Andy and Barney graduated from Mayberry Union High in June, 1945 and that the war in Europe was over in May 1945. With at least six weeks of basic training, Andy couldn't have been in Europe before August, 1945. Andy couldn't possibly have seen action on a European battlefield.) Barney was nevertheless proud of his war record: "I did my part to lick the dreaded Hun," he boasted on one occasion. Ironically, Barney later acquired knowledge of military discipline from Hugo Hopfleisch, a retired German soldier who served in World War I and eventually took up residence in Mayberry. " [He] may have been on the wrong team back in '18," Barney admitted, "but he's a heck of a soldier!"

Barney Fife appeared on "The Andy Griffith Show" from the show's beginning in 1960 until 1965, when Knotts left the show to pursue a career in feature films. It is explained that Barney Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh. Knotts reprised the character in guest appearances each season until "The Andy Griffith Show" left the air in 1968. Barney was also on the inaugural "Mayberry RFD" episode, in which Andy and Helen marry. Andy Griffith struggles to keep a straight face as driveling "best man" Barney seemingly objects to the union and then fumbles to find Helen's ring. Nearly two decades would pass before the character is reprised in the reunion film "Return to Mayberry" in 1986, by which time Fife has moved back, become acting sheriff, and was running for sheriff himself.

Calling a police officer or authority figure "Barney Fife" has become an American slang term for gross ineptitude or overzealousness. (This was done recently in the Scott Peterson case, where the defendant's mother referred to the local police captain as "Barney Fife".)

Famous quotes

*"Nip it in the bud!"
*"Heartaches!"
*"Nip it! Nip it! Nip it!"

*(Referring to Ernest T. Bass) "He's a "nut"!"
* (After being seen performing an unusual action) "What's the matter? Haven't you ever seen a man (performed action) before?"
*"You know what they say about a man that puts off getting married? They say he starts getting irritable, yep. That's what they say."
*"Now, men, I have just one thing to say. This isn't gonna be kid's stuff, and you'll be on your own, and there will be no mollycoddling."
*"That badge means something! Don't disgrace it!"
*"It is definitely no fun when that iron door clangs shut on you." (This is from an instance where Barney teaches Opie and his friends about the law.)
*"The kindness of mercy is not strained; it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven."
*"Floyd, if you would keep your mind outta Washington and stick to your barbering, I might get a better haircut. Now, what did you do with my sideburns?"
*(Paying Floyd) "Here, go buy a barber book!"
*"Hablae usted espanoly?"
*"Here at 'the Rock,' we have two basic rules. Memorize them so you can say them in your sleep. Rule One: "Obey all rules"! Second, do not write on the walls...as it takes a lot of work...to erase writing...off of walls."
*"All right, all right, all right! Of course you smell gas. What do you think this car runs on, coal?"
* (Referring to Floyd) "See what I mean? He's blind as an owl!"
*"You're real funny, you know that? We ought to book you on one of those excursion lines." (There are various versions of this theme, after Andy has gently poked fun at Barney).
*"I had my eye on you "right from the start," mister!" (spoken by Barney whenever Andy exposed a con artist whom Barney up to that moment had naively trusted)
*"Guess!come on guess!
*"Pick a Lock"

External links

* [http://www.virtuemag.org/articles/remembering-mayberry Remembering Mayberry]
* [http://www.barneyfife.com/ BarneyFife.com]
* [http://www.tagsrwc.com/ The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club]