Andy Griffith Show Memories : Episode #9 - A Feud is a Feud

A Feud is a Feud

Overview

Andy finds himself in the middle of feuding mountain families when two youngsters show up at his house in the middle of the night to be married.

Episode Number: 9 Season Number: 1

First Aired: December 5, 1960

Writer: David Adler

Director: Don Weis

• Andy Griffith (Andy Taylor)
• Ron Howard (Opie Taylor)
• Frances Bavier (Aunt Bee Taylor)
• Arthur Hunnicutt (Mr. Wakefield)
• Tammy Windsor (Hannah Carter)
• Claude Johnson (Josh Wakefield)
• Chubby Johnson (Mr. Carter)

Episode Summary

When Andy nearly gets shot while attempting to marry the son and daughter in two feuding families, he decides the best way to help the youngsters is it to find out what caused the feud in the first place and end it. After explaining to Opie and Aunt Bee the dangers inherent in getting caught between feuding families, with his famous version of Romeo and Juliet, Andy sets off to end the long running feud. Despite his efforts, Andy is unable to discover the cause of the feud because the families don't know either. Furthermore, Andy discovers that despite decades of so-called feuding, no one from either family has ever been injured or ever shot at. Andy brings the fueding parties together, explaining how bad it makes them look to have a feud where no one has ever been killed. He then tries to egg on the two feuding fathers into a half-hearted duel, which sends both running for their lives like scared rabbits! When it becomes clear that their two youngsters have enough courage and are willing to stand up for each other, the fueding fathers realize the potential of their offspring, embrace the marriage, and end the feud.

Notes/Trivia

• This episode was a vehicle for Andy Griffith's Romeo & Juliet stand up routine, which was released on his classic comedy album in the late 1950s. It is generally considered second only to "What it was, was football".
• Andy says he learned some French when he was "over there in the war."
• During the duel, Andy pretends to check the shotguns and removes the shells. He mistakenly switches the guns when he hands them back. (
• The fictional Wakefield and Carter fued presented in this episode was an allusion to the real Hatfield and McCoy fued of the late 1800's. Though the Wakefields and Carters were noted for never having spilled a drop of blood, the Hatfield and McCoy feud stands as the bloodiest feud in American history.
• Andy's attempt to find the cause of the feud is hilarious because all he ever learns is that they're feuding "because they're shootin' at one another" and "they're shootin' at one another because they're feudin'."
• The series was filmed entirely in Hollywood, at Desilu Productions on the former RKO Pictures lot. Mayberry exteriors were shot on the former Selznick International Pictures lot, later known as Forty Acres. The rural fishing hole that opened each episode was Franklin Canyon Lake, just north of Beverly Hills. Franklin Canyon was also the site of the show's Myers Lake and other outdoor locales.

• The whistled theme song, "The Fishin' Hole" was composed by Earle Hagen (the music coordinator and famous whistler of the show) and Herbert Spencer, with unsung lyrics by Everett Sloane. Hagen also wrote the music for the series.

More From Mayberry

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Also see:

Episode #1 - The New Housekeeper

Episode #2 - The Manhunt

Episode #3 - The Guitar Player

Episode #4 - Ellie Comes to Town

Episode #5 - Irresistible Andy

Episode #6 - Runaway Kid

Episode #7 - Andy the Matchmaker

Episode #8 - Opie's Charity