Barney Mends a Broken Heart – The Andy Griffith Show season 3, originally aired November 5, 1962
Synopsis
Barney Mends a Broken Heart – After Andy and Peggy have a lover’s quarrel, and Barney tries to console Andy by setting them up with a date with the Fun Girls from Mount Pilot. Their first appearance in the series.
Review
Frankly, Barney Mends a Broken Heart shows Barney Fife in a good light. He’s a true friend, who’s trying to help his best friend, Andy Taylor. Andy had a date with Nurse Peggy, which she had to break when a college friend showed up unexpectedly. And Andy lets jealousy get the better of him, and storms out. So, Barney decides to lend a helping hand.
However, Barney is comedy relief for a reason. His solution is to have them go to to Mount Pilot, and pick up a pair of pretty girls for a date. This is the introduction of the “fun girls”. They’re a pair of nice, flighty, attractive young ladies. They fit with Andy like a porcupine in a balloon factory! But, Barney’s trying.
Funny quotes
Barney Fife (Don Knotts): [Andy has returned to the courthouse in a huff; he was supposed to be on a date with Peggy; he’s angrily looking around for a magazine] What happened, did you get stood up?
Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith): No, I didn’t get stood up. Have you seen my magazine?
Barney Fife: Wasn’t she home?
Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith): She was home, she was home… had company.
Barney Fife (Don Knotts): Company?
Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith): Yeah… .an old college pal of hers, guess what his name was? [Nods while standing over the seated Barney–whose real name is Don Knotts] DON. Wouldn’t you know his name would be Don? [Long pause from open-mouthed Barney]
Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith): Some dates last a whole evening and some of ’em get over nice and early, like this one did. You understand that, do ya?
Opie Taylor (Ron Howard): Uh-huh. You got stood up.
Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith): I did not. How you know about that?
Opie Taylor (Ron Howard): Matt Merles told me that when you make a date with a girl and she ain’t there to meet ya, then you’re stood up.
Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith): Well, that certainly didn’t happen to me. I went over to Peggy’s house and she had something else to do, so I come on home. Now, that don’t sound like gettin’ stood up, does it?
Opie Taylor (Ron Howard): Don’t sound like a date, either.
Conclusion
Barney Fife (Don Knotts): [Barney and other unwanted company are now leaving; the women have gone outside] I’m sorry this wasn’t the one, Andy, but I’ll keep working on it. You’ll never be lonely as long as I’m around.
Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith): [Andy stands alone at the door; he talks out loud, shaking his head and rolling his eyes] I don’t know what I did to deserve all this attention from him, but whatever it was, I ain’t never gonna do it again.
Cast of characters
- Andy Griffith (A Face in the Crowd, Matlock) … Andy Taylor
- Ron Howard (The Music Man) … Opie Taylor (as Ronny Howard)
- Don Knotts (The Incredible Mr. Limpet) … Barney Fife
- Frances Bavier (The Stooge, The Day the Earth Stood Still) … Aunt Bee Taylor
- Jean Carson … Daphne
- Joyce Jameson (Tales of Terror, The Comedy of Terrors) … Skippy
- Fred Beir … Don, Peggy’s Guest. That Andy gets jealous over, and storms out.
- Josie Lloyd … Lydia Crosswaithe
- Michael Ross (Attack of the 50 Foot Woman) … Al
- Betty Lynn … Thelma Lou
- Joanna Moore (Monster on the Campus, Touch of Evil) … Peggy ‘Peg’ McMillan