A Plaque for Mayberry – the town wants to honor the direct descendent of a Revolutionary War hero. Until they find out who it is …
A Plaque for Mayberry – The Andy Griffith Show season 1
Members of the Women’s Historical Society think that the direct descendant of a Revolutionary War hero may be living in Mayberry. They borrow town records for their research. Barney uses the library and deduces that he, himself, is the person they are looking for. When the women announce that town drunk Otis Campbell is the real descendant, the mayor and town council have a fit.
Andy Taylor: Well, Barney, I believe a sobriety test is given to a prisoner when you first bring him in. Now, you ought to have done that to Otis last night.
Barney Fife: Aw, Andy, you know we couldn’t have given a sobriety test to Otis last night.
Andy Taylor: Well, why not?
Barney Fife: He was too drunk.
They want Andy to get Otis out of town and bring in a substitute to accept the award. Andy refuses, saying it wouldn’t be fair to Otis. Somewhat late for the ceremony, Otis and his wife show up dressed in their Sunday best. The women present the plaque to Otis who says he can’t take credit for being born.
Otis Campbell: I’ve been thinkin’ about the big, long speech I can make here, then I got to studying about how that was all wrong. See, I don’t deserve this award. I didn’t do nothin’. Bein’ descended from a hero don’t make you one. Shucks, a man can’t take credit just for being born; so, I want to give this to Mayor Pike to accept for the town of Mayberry, of which I am proud to be its citizen.
So he gives the plaque to the mayor for the town of Mayberry. Original airdate: April 3, 1961
Cast of characters
- Andy Griffith (A Face in the Crowd, Matlock) … Andy Taylor
- Ron Howard (The Music Man) … Opie Taylor
- Don Knotts (The Incredible Mr. Limpet) … Barney Fife
- Hal Smith (The Great Race, Adventures in Odyssey) … Otis Campbell
- Dick Elliott (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Christmas in Connecticut) … Mayor Pike
- Isabel Randolph (The Missing Corpse) … Mrs. Bixby
- Dorothy Neumann (The Undead, The Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow) … Rita Campbell
- Carol Veazie (Auntie Mame) … Mrs. Harriet Wicks
- Burt Mustin … Jud Fletcher
- Joseph Hamilton … Councilman
- Joseph Crehan (Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome) … Councilman