The Andy Griffith Show was an iconic show for the time. There were so many memorable episodes from the program that did so well in the 1960s. It’s hard to pick one favorite episode, but what about the best Christmas episode? Well, Outsiders, would you believe it if we were to tell you they made just one Christmas-themed episode out of all 249 episodes the show put together. Just one and it was called, “Christmas Story.”
Yes, that one episode involving putting Sam in jail for selling that moonshine that led to Andy and the gang bringing Christmas to the jail was it. This was the only episode that was a Christmas-themed version throughout the course of the show.
‘The Andy Griffith Show’ Reunion
It took some time and some planning, but it happened in 1986. Return To Mayberry happened. The original main figures, outside of Aunt Bee, returned for the TV movie to check back in on America’s favorite small, fictional town in North Carolina. But what was the story behind it? How did they get the group back together for that special time?
Rance Howard, Ron’s father, was interviewed in 2016 about the reunion and everyone being together again and said, “I remember I had a small part in it and my late wife [Jean Howard] was there with me.” He continued, “We were all having dinner at this little restaurant. We were all sitting in a dining room having dinner and laughing and talking.”
Howard continued, “And Andy came up and he said, ‘Yeah, this is just the way it should be. You and Jean, there’s Ronny over there, this is just like old times.’ I never quite had seen Andy that mellow before. It was a memorable show and I think we all enjoyed it very much.”
What Had Changed
How cool is that, Outsiders? They picked up right where they left off and Andy seemed to be a different kind of guy, more laid back than years ago when Ron was young. People change, though.
Andy Griffith said of the reunion, “We did a Mayberry reunion show a few years ago, and Ronnie’s the reason we did it.” He continued, “Because me and Don and Ronnie were at dinner one night and he asked me why I wasn’t going to do [a reunion show].” So, Ron was the curious one about it. Griffith concluded, “I answered, ‘I’ve always been afraid of it.’ He said, ‘If you ever do it, I want to be in it.’ Well, that put me to thinking. So, we did it. Big hit.”
The rest was history. Everyone got back together in the town of Mayberry for the reunion of The Andy Griffith Show.
