After a number of bit parts in films like Cheaper by the Dozen and small roles in TV series including Disneyland, Lynn first appeared as Thelma Lou in 1961. That would be nice! Don Knotts and Andy Griffith as their characters during the 1965 variety special "The Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, and Jim Nabors Show" | Photo: Wikimedia Commons Images. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. One of the last surviving cast members from the classic television comedy The Andy Griffith Show, actor Betty Lynn who played Thelma Lou on the series, has died at the age of 95. She was 95. Her two cousins are Mary Grace Gossage and Karen Moore. And Im just the happiest old lady you ever met., It made me smile to learn that Thelma Lou still watches reruns of, One of Betty Lynns favorite restaurants in Mount Airy is called The Loaded Goat, after. Lydia's extremely odd personality doomed an effort by Barney and "Thel" to arrange a date and possible romantic match with Andy. I thought, No, whats Thelma Lou without Barney Fife? I left, too, Betty explained to Cleveland.com, and continued recalling her last day at work: I said goodbye to Don, and Andy and Aunt Bee and everybody, then I went into the ladies room and just collapsed in tears. The actor died that year at age 86. Among regular cast members of The Andy Griffith Show, only the director Ron Howard, who played Opie, Sheriff Taylors son, is still alive. Replies (2) 4 0. warlock1974 LSU Fan Prairieville Member since Jan 2015 1575 posts. Actress Betty Lynn, who played Thelma Lou on The Andy Griffith Show, pays her respects at the Andy Griffith statue in Mt. Her two cousins are Mary Grace Gossage and Karen Moore. What about Thelma Lou? Its quite interesting, really. Details are to be released at a later date. Bettys life before and after the show has been a rollercoaster. Lenda was born to Ray and Wanda Rucker on September 11, 1941, in Earth Texas on their family farm. The two were former co-stars, seeing as Lynn played Thelma Lou on "The Andy Griffith Show." She was the girlfriend of the hilarious Barney Fife. Thelma Lous occupation through 26 episodes remained a mystery, as did her surname. Im so welcomed here. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". All the characters had a job of sorts. On those days, he just drives and listens. Theres love and friendship. She is so very sweet and puts everyone at ease. Absolutely. A: No. Despite their ups and downs, Thelma Lou stated that Barney was the man she wanted to marry and be the father of her children, and Barney once told Thelma Lou, "You're the only one I ever gave a hoot for." After Thelma Lou, Betty Lynn had a problem. In addition to the Griffith museum, the town offers recreations of familiar Mayberry haunts like Floyds barber shop. Her name is as light, breezy and innocent as the characters she played on film and TV. In the film, it was revealed that Thelma was a widow, and by the end of it, she and Barney had finally gotten their happily ever after. Thelma Lou's last name and occupation are never revealed; However, in one episode, she mentions getting back to the office. Answer (1 of 5): Well let's go down the list and see what happened. Goosebumps! Unlike her character, Betty was never married, but there were rumors among fans of the show for years about a romance between her and Don. Although she was . Herein, How much did Don Knotts make per episode on Three's Company? And that was it. Those days were some of the happiest of my life.. It does not store any personal data. All Answers. Her two cousins are Mary Grace Gossage and Karen Moore. She was 95. Sam Claflin is the first to admit that when he got the part of Billy Dunne, the co-lead singer of a world-famous 1970s rock band in " Daisy Jones & the Six, " he was no musician. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The death was announced by the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy, Mr. Griffiths hometown and the inspiration for fictional Mayberry. She is Mayberry Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife's love interest. In this Sept. 6, 2007 file photo, actor Betty Lynn, who played Thelma Lou on "The Andy Griffith Show," pauses at a statue of Andy and Opie Taylor in Mount Airy, N.C. Lynn died Saturday, Oct . Lynn grew up . As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Last Updated: December 2022. Replies (2) Options Top. Thelma Lou, or Thel by boyfriend Barney Fife, is a character on the American television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968). Her character was often flustered by the tightly-wound personality of boyfriend Barney Fife, played by Don Knotts, but they continued to date throughout most of the series. Personally, Ive always thought Barney Fife was a fool to let his steady girl slip through his hands because, to quote him, Thelma Lou, youre the cats. Thelma Lou was the cats, and so is the actress who played her. Betty Lynn, the film and television actor who was best-known for her role as Barney Fife's sweetheart, Thelma Lou, on "The Andy Griffith Show . (1976) The Runaways (1979) House Calls (1980-81) . Melvin, the best tour guide in Mount Airy, NC. In Return to Mayberry, it is said said she is divorced, presumably from Gerald Whitfield. Betty was on the show from 1960 to 1966. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Of Being Called 'Thelma Lou'. She is generally portrayed as a sweet-natured, somewhat touchy, caring person who genuinely has an understanding of Barney, despite his unbecoming antics and personality problems. She was 95 years old. Market data provided by Factset. [1] This episode is Thelma Lou's final appearance on the series. In the late 1940s, after being "discovered" in the short-lived Broadway production of "Park Avenue," the fresh-faced Betty was signed on as a starlet for Twentieth Century Fox and appeared in several of their popular movies, billed herself briefly as "Betty Ann Lynn" before abruptly dropping her middle name from the credits.Betty made her movie debut in a small, sprightly role in the classic Clifton Webb comedy Sitting Pretty (1948). And that doesnt happen every day of the week in show business. What did Thelma Lou on Andy Griffith Show do for a living? Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Betty Ann Lynn, performing in "On Park Avenue," Broadway, 1946 | Photo: GettyImages. That would be nice! At 18, Betty was sent overseas to perform the "girl next door" act for troops during World War II. Ms. Lynn said that she could have stayed with the series, which ended in 1968, had she accepted the producers offer to make her the owner of a hairdressing salon. Thelma Lou (played by Betty Lynn) first appeared on the show in Season One, Episode 22 with Cyrano Andy; they met at Wilton Blair's funeral although she attended Mayberry Union High, and graduated in the same class as both Barney and Andy in 1945. And Im just the happiest old lady you ever met., I believe she is the happiest lady Ive ever met, though, even at the age of 90, she didnt seem old. Betty instead focused on 50s TV and also returned to the stage with a production of "The Moon Is Blue" (1954). Im just going to stare at you for a while, if thats okay. The character appeared in 26 episodes, starting with the first-season episode, "Cyrano Andy". Her phone number a work was 596. Pay no attention to the line of people waiting to meet me., Christi, Betty Lynn, and Landon; Photo credit: Thomas Gillingham. Anyway, its all the different things that bring people here. A running gag on the show involved Barney and Thelma Lou spending a "quiet evening together" and somebody (usually Andy) walking in on them to find Barney's hair mussed and lipstick prints all over his face. Did Juanita ever appear on Andy Griffith? I don't think I ever saw her working. I like cashews. Betty portrayed Thelma Lou on The Andy Griffith Show for five years, from 1961 to 1966.She appeared in only 26 episodes, for which she earned $500 per episode. Melvin insists he has never heard a single person in town say anything negative about her. How do you I stop my TV from turning off at a time dish? Actress Betty Lynn is better known for her role as Thelma Lou on The Andy Griffith Show, and shes one of the few surviving members of the cast. When they got engaged for the third time, the man told Betty that if something were to happen, she could keep the necklace. She expressed her love for the city to The Associated Press in 2015. For Betty, the rumors of an affair between her and Don were, on the one hand, disrespectful because he was a married man, but on the other hand flattering, as she explained: I finally told Don we have to look at this a different way. Betty dated several men in Hollywood but was only madly in love with one. Always having to take her to the duck pond in the squad car. While Betty enjoyed other entertainment outlets such as film and the stage, it is her "Thelma Lou" character that remains indelibly etched in the minds of all her fans.Betty came from a musical background as the daughter of a singer and began her career as a young teen performing in both supper clubs and on Broadway; in such musical productions as "Walk with Music" (1940) and "Oklahoma!," the latter as a dancing replacement. Janney will play the landlord, a hard-shelled . She earned $500 per episode, and she left when Don Knotts decided to pursue a career in film. More like this. A: With help including The Andy Griffith Show Book by Ken Beck and Jim Clark, here are some answers: It was on The Danny Thomas Show, which included the pilot for Griffiths show, that we learned that Andys wife Opies mom died when Opie was a speck of a baby., Barney was fond of Juanita Beasley, a local waitress, who was never seen onscreen. All you have to do is say, "This is Thelma Lou." Im very grateful. Oct. 18Betty Lynn, the actress forever known as Thelma Lou in the hearts of "Andy Griffith Show" fans, died Saturday at the age of 95. One of my favorite Andy Griffith trivia questions is to give Thelma Lou's last name. in 2007, I didnt think Thelma Lou made much sense., Betty Lynn, Thelma Lou on The Andy Griffith Show, Dies at 95, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/19/arts/television/betty-lynn-dead.html. But in a 1966 episode, after Mr. Knotts departed as a series regular, Barney returned for a high school reunion to learn that Thelma Lou had gotten married. (Photo by: Frank Carrroll/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images). It was great to have known and worked with her. She lives in a small, quaint home within Mayberry city limits - making Barney's ice cream deliveries much quicker. It was great to have known and worked with her.. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Thelma Lou what?' I hated to leave., Don Knotts as Barney Fife, Betty Lynn as Thelma Lou on "Return to Mayberry," 1986 | Photo: GettyImages, Both Betty and Don returned for the final episode of the show, where it was revealed that Betty had married another man. Of course , the answer is that they never gave her a last name on the show . Betty Lynn, Barney Fifes Girlfriend Thelma Lou on The Andy Griffith Show, Dies at 95. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested! But as Barney said, "Thelma Lou, you're the only girl I love!". Lynn appeared as Thelma Lou in the hit series from 1961 until 1966. Elizabeth, Bettys mother, eventually left the man when Betty was ten months old, and the divorce was finalized when she was 5. Stanwycks obituary in the New York Times in 1990 said they had been estranged for decades. Dion Anthony Fay died in 2006. Thelma Lou Fife (ne ???) We are led to believe she died, but the only time Opie and Andy actually discuss her is during an episode where Andy is trying to explain "love" to Opie. She was the steady girlfriend of Deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts) and, despite . Answer (1 of 2): Thelma Lou - Mayberry woman of mystery! Did you encounter any technical issues? The movie is described as a mix of Thelma and Louise and Taken and positions itself as a feminist revenge thriller. As actors they were all great to work with. Elizabeth Ann Theresa Betty Lynn was born on August 29, 1926, in Kansas, Missouri. She is played by the late Betty Lynn. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much In the sixth-season episode, "The Return of Barney Fife", Barney returns to Mayberry for a high-school reunion. In all, she appeared in 26 episodes. Betty Lynn, who portrayed Thelma Lou, the patient girlfriend of Barney Fife, the bumbling deputy sheriff of the homespun town of Mayberry in the long-running 1960s sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, died on Saturday in Mount Airy, N.C. She was 95. Did Andy and Helen have a baby? In that case, the role of Thelma Lou made Betty Lynn an incredibly wealthy woman. And he turned to me during rehearsals, and Bob Sweeney was directing, and he said, 'Well, what's your last name? Betty Lynn, best known for her role as Barney Fife's lovable girlfriend Thelma Lou on The Andy Griffith Show, died on Saturday, Oct. 16, The Andy Griffith Museum reports.She was 95. It was like she was saying, This is your time. FOREVER THELMA LOU. Betty Lynn recounted that she so strongly objected to her character being married to anyone other than Barney that while performing in the episode, she pretended that Whitfield was actually a co-worker who she paid to pretend to be her husband so that she wouldn't "be left in a lurch" with Barney. Given that she never married, she left . Elizabeth Ann Theresa "Betty," also commercially called Betty Lynn, is a former US actress. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. "He brought me to a sweet town, wonderful people, and just said, Now, thats for you, Betty.". Several well-known names like Lori Lethin, Alice Hirson, Linda Purl, and Nancy Stafford appeared in the popular TV series. 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