Too funny…story about what if Don Knotts had shown up on Dick Van Dyke Show instead of Danny Thomas? If you’ve never seen “It may look like a walnut” episode on The DVD Show, the rest of this will go right over your head (quote Barney).
Danny Thomas Popped up on the "Dick Van Dyke Show’s Classic "Walnut" Episode on ME TV Well, what if Barney Fife had shown up Instead? Incredible as that sounds, this blurb from the September 22, 1962 edition of the syndicated "TV Scout" newspaper column contains the tantalizing suggestion that Carl Reiner may have at least toyed with the idea of involving both Don Knotts AND Andy Griffith in an earlier draft of his classic sci-fi parody. I suspect it was a fleeting notion that was soon forgotten. Or perhaps last minute schedule issues forced an eleventh hour rethink that prompted Danny Thomas to step into the role? Either way, breathes there a fan of either series who wouldn't pay a considerable sum to see Deputy Barney go toe to toe with Rob Petrie, armed only with a sack of walnuts! Here's the text of that item as it appeared in newspapers on September 22, 1962: TV SCOUT September 22, 1962 The cast of The Dick Van Dyke Show is talking about a particularly wild episode Carl Reiner has written for the show’s second season. “According to what I have heard,” Mary Tyler Moore told TV Scout, “Dick has a dream in which everyone looks like a walnut and talks like Andy Griffith or Don Knotts. We’ll either win an Emmy for the show, or they’ll put Carl Away Permanently.” Harriet, the chicken thief _______________________________________________ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.wbmutbb.com/
