>>>If Hal Smith had not been chosen for the part of Otis, who do you think would have been a good choice for the part? My vote would have been for Foster Brooks.<<<
Foster Brooks was certainly good at imitating a drunk. But I can't imagine anyone else making a satisfactory Otis. Hal Smith was incredibly funny, but he also brought warmth, sincerity, and a certain ingenuousness to the role that endeared him to viewers. These qualities made him seem, in a way, more like a naughty boy than a drunken man and, thus, made his role as the town drunk more palatable. They are also why Barney described Otis as a "nice man" and was moved to tears to think of what it would be like if Otis died. Thelma Lou (Janet) _______________________________________________ WBMUTBB mailing list [email protected] http://wbmutbb.com/mailman/listinfo/wbmutbb_wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
