Don Knotts was an American comedic actor that starred in both television and movie roles throughout his distinguished career. He was perhaps best known for his role as Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show.
Fast Facts:
- Real name: Jesse Donald Knotts
- Born: July 21, 1924
- Birthplace: Morgantown, West Virginia
- Died: February 24, 2006
Career Overview
Don Knotts made his television debut in 1953 on a soap opera called Search for Tomorrow. He met Andy Griffith while co-starring with him in the film No Time for Sergeants. The two went on to work together on The Andy Griffith Show. Because of a mis-communication between Knotts and Griffith, Knotts thought that the show was coming to an end after five seasons. Because of this he signed a contract with Universal Studios to make five movies for them. This led to him leaving the show before it was truly finished. During the late 1970s Knotts returned to television with his role as Mr. Furley in the hit sitcom Three's Company. Don Knotts had many other appearances in film and television during his distinguished career, which have influenced a generation of comedians and will surely have an impact on those in the future.
Don Knotts Timeline
Note: The majority of the links in this timeline are to IMDb, which has pop-ups.
July 21, 1924: Born
1958: No Time for Sergeants
1960: Wake Me When It's Over
1957-1960: The Steve Allen Show
1967: The Reluctant Astronaut
1960-1968: The Andy Griffith Show
1970-1971: The Don Knotts Show
1971: How to Frame a Figg
1973: I Love a Mystery
1975: The Apple Dumpling Gang
1976: No Deposit, No Return
1978: Hot Lead and Cold Feet
1979-1984: Three's Company
1985: The Little Troll Prince
1986: Return to Mayberry
1988-1992: Matlock
1996: Big Bully
1998: Pleasantville
2000: Quints
2005: Chicken Little
2005: That '70s Show
February 24, 2006: Died
