Don Knotts was a great comedy actor best remembered for his roles in The Andy Griffith Show as Junior Sheriff Barney Fife and Three’s Company as Landlord Ralph Furley.
He gave the globe numerous chuckles, surprising us with his distinctive, stunned smile. Knotts kept his personal life quiet after becoming a household figure with The Andy Griffith Show; it wasn’t until his tragic death in 2006 that more elements of his life were revealed.
Knotts was born in Morgantown, West Virginia, in 1924 to a farming father and a mother who was forty years old. Growing up in a low-income family, he relied extensively on comedy to escape the reality of life.
Despite facing many challenges early on, he never lost sight of the joys of life or gave up on honing his art, which we now all enjoy.
Don’s life began with struggle when his father, who had a mental illness, had a complete breakdown shortly after Don was born. His father was also notoriously abusive, sometimes going after his kid with a frightening knife.
These horrific happenings left a lasting mark on Don during his formative years, resulting in a tendency toward introversion and guardedness that lasted the rest of his life despite the joyful demeanor he projected on stage.
Sadly, two of Don’s four brothers died at a young age; Earl died at the age of 13 from pneumonia before antibiotics were commonly accessible as treatments for such ailments, and William died at the age of 31. Don’s emotional state was affected by the catastrophic losses.
Don grew up in a boarding home owned and operated by his family, which was far from ideal. Despite his tragic circumstances, Don had an extraordinary ability to bring joy and happiness to people around him, especially at such a young age.
But it would be a long time before he could put his gift to use in Hollywood and share it with the rest of the world.
Don began his career as a lowly chicken plucker – nothing glamorous or thrilling -. Still, during this time, he developed an interest in ventriloquism, leading him to perform at churches and other venues.
Don eventually flew to New York, hoping to establish himself as a comic, but this effort was unsuccessful, forcing him to return home to West Virginia.
Fortunately for Don, this was not the end of his trip, as he quickly enlisted in the United States Army and utilized his service as an opportunity to continue doing what he loved: making others laugh.
This eventually led to his going on tours with Danny “Hooch” Matador in their play Stars and Gripes for fellow soldiers during WWII.
Even more impressive was the fact that, although having recruited in active combat service, Don never had any contact with firearms or engaged in any combat at all, instead focusing his efforts on delivering smiles to soldiers fighting on the front lines.
As a result, while stationed in the western Pacific Islands until 1946, he received multiple medals for his excellent service.
When Don returned home after the war, he settled in New York and began advancing his career through his Special Service Secret Branch contacts.
Between 1953 and 1955, he landed his first on-screen role in the popular soap opera Search For Tomorrow, which he described as “the only serious role I ever played professionally.”
Don never anticipated being cast as Deputy Barney Fife in The Andy Griffith Show, which would become a legendary sitcom. Initially, Andy Griffith’s character was supposed to be the comedic lead while Don played the straight man; however, they quickly discovered that having Don be funny, and Andy play straight was a far stronger dynamic.
This special bond between the two led to the show’s extraordinary success. Unfortunately, Don quit the series too soon, believing there would be no more episodes.
Following that, he signed with Universal Studios and appeared in several films until returning to television in 1979 as Landlord Ralph Furley of Three’s Company.
Don Knotts reunited with his long-time friend and fellow actor Andy Griffith in the hit television film Return to Mayberry in the 1980s.
Don reprised his role as Deputy Barney Fife, the iconic character that made him a household name.
Don began taking on additional voice acting gigs in his latter years, most notably as the voice of Scooby-Doo in a video game released in 2000. Don received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame the same year for his contributions to show business.
Don was diagnosed with lung cancer soon before his death at 81, and he had to deal with the numerous medical difficulties that came with it. He died in a Los Angeles hospital and rested at Westwood Memorial Park.
Karen just shared an event she had on her dying father’s deathbed. She remembered how, despite the gravity of the situation, her father managed to crack a joke, eliciting a wave of inappropriate laughing that prompted Karen to leave the room.
In a new interview with Fox News, Karen offered further information on this “forbidden” reaction, admitting that it was tough for her to be standing in front of her beloved father and laughing as he was actively dying. She couldn’t help but be amused by his wisecracks and sense of humor.
Despite her father’s impending death, Karen recalled how he managed to inject some comedy into the situation. Karen was cautious to burst out laughing in fear of hurting her father’s feelings, despite his tendency to be hilarious sometimes.
When she told this story to filmmaker Howard Storm, she regretted not taking his advice and staying there to offer her ailing father what “comedians live for – laughter.”
Even when facing death, her father maintained his sense of humor, and Karen wished she could have stayed and laughed out loud with him.
Don was a family man with three marriages and two children, a daughter and a son. Don had hoped his daughter Karen would shun a career in the entertainment world, but she followed in her father’s footsteps. On the other hand, Karen was a natural in this profession and could not be stopped.
Karen recalls her father as devoted to his career, frequently working long hours and spending most of his time at home preparing lines for his role.
When he was at home with the family, he kept many of his work-related thoughts to himself or shared them with Karen’s mother. Despite this, Karen recalls her contact with him warmly since she was frequently requested to assist him in running lines for practice.
Karen’s memoirs shed light on her father, Don Knotts’ life, which had previously been hidden entirely from public view. Karen confirmed that his traumatic upbringing had a significant impact on him.
Don suffered from hypochondria and macular degeneration, which earned him sympathy from those who knew him personally, such as Betty Lynn, who characterized him as wonderfully gentle and nothing like the raucous figure Barney Fife.
Don went to counseling with Karen to help him deal with his spells of despair and anxiety. His memory lives on through a statue dedicated to celebrating all that he accomplished during his lifetime in his hometown of Morgantown.
The artist, Jamie Lester, notes that the prop represents Don Knotts’ participation in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, a film from around the same time as his work on the Andy Griffith Show.
The legendary actor was also honored with “Don Knotts Boulevard” in Morgantown, which keeps him for his five Emmy nominations.
When Don died in 2006, Andy Griffith professed his appreciation for him, saying he could hear his voice as he held his hand and felt his chest heave numerous times.
Don Knotts will be remembered as one of the greatest and most beloved people in show business; give him a like on Facebook if you agree!
