Remembering When ‘Andy Griffith Show’ Star Betty Lynn Appeared on ‘Little House on the Prairie’
Earlier this week, fans of The Andy Griffith Show were saddened to hear of the passing of one of the show’s most memorable players, Betty Lynn.
While she had a long career in Hollywood, Betty Lynn was most well-known for her portrayal of Thelma Lou, girlfriend to the bumbling Mayberry deputy Barney Fife on the iconic series.
While many remember the actress well as the maker of the best cashew fudge in all of Mayberry, Thelma Lou, Betty Lynn also found memorable roles in a variety of television shows and films over the years.
In fact, before her time on the iconic Andy Griffith Show, Betty Lynn was featured in prominent roles in films such as June Bride, Sitting Pretty, and the 1950 film Cheaper By the Dozen.
After The Andy Griffith Show finished its successful run, Betty Lynn went on to continue her career in the acting business.
Lynn appeared as a guest star in a number of popular television shows; including a 1974 role on the iconic series, Little House On the Prairie.
After ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ Betty Lynn Guest-Starred In A ‘Little House’ Episode
The Little House On the Prairie, episode which is titled If I Should Wake Before I Die features a woman named Miss Amy who is played by Josephine Hutchinson.
Miss Amy feels saddened and is missing her family. Especially during her upcoming eightieth birthday.
After a conversation with the Little House On The Prairie Ingalls girls at a funeral, they decide the best way to bring Miss Amy’s family to her is to stage her own death. And subsequent funeral.
The woman is certain that her staged funeral will bring her distant children and grandchildren home to Walnut Grove. Despite the fact, they hadn’t been to visit in a number of years.
Betty Lynn played the role of Thelma Lou on The Andy Griffith Show for five years. From 1961 until Don Knotts’s departure from the series in 1966.
In total, Betty Lynn is featured in twenty-six episodes during the series’s successful run.
Actress Makes Mayberry Her Home
Betty Lynn may have said goodbye to Mayberry when she left The Andy Griffith Show in 1966. However, the town did remain a very integral part of her life for years to come.
In fact, the Andy Griffith Show star decided the perfect place to settle upon retirement would be the real-life counterpart of the fictional Mayberry…Andy Griffith’s own hometown of Mount Airy, North Carolina.
Betty Lynn settled in Mount Airy in 2006. For a number of years, the actress enjoyed her time making appearances at the local museums. She even spent time representing The Andy Griffith Show in Mount Airy parades and special events over the years.
The actress remained in Mount Airy until her passing on October 16, 2021.
