Ken Berry, who starred in Mayberry R.F.D., the spinoff of The Andy Griffith Show, spoke about co-star Frances Bavier during an interview with the Television Academy Foundation. Bavier played the likable Aunt Bee, Sheriff Andy Taylor’s aunt on The Andy Griffith Show. In the TV series, Berry visited Bavier in Mayberry town and became part of the town’s inner circle.
Bavier had dreams of starring as a bigger and more conventional character, and she showed viewers of the sitcom what she was capable of by skillfully delivering on her role.
Berry revealed how Bavier felt about her role
Berry revealed that Bavier did not like her role as Aunt Bee at first, because she wanted something more than playing a “plain” old aunt. “Frances, I liked her so much. But she was this ‘actress,’ you know, and I think that she wanted to be known the way some of her contemporaries were known as a theatrical actress,” Berry said.
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At that time, Bavier felt like she could have landed better roles, but had to make do with what she had. Fortunately, the sitcom gave her a boost she never expected, and Bavier became famous and gradually began to appreciate her role.
There was no one better suited to play Aunt Bee
As the show went on, fans became familiar with Bavier’s character, and she became more popular and loved for it. As much as she wanted to be seen as a “serious actress,” the success of her work in The Andy Griffith Show made her realize there was no one better fit for the role than herself, which led to her being one of the cast members of Mayberry R.F.D.
“And she didn’t really appreciate it that much, I don’t think, until later on in life. And then she capitalized on it. You know, she had fun with it,” Berry concluded. “But she probably always wanted to be a more serious actress.”