Don Knotts Dies Age 81
Don Knotts Dies Aged 81
21st July 1924 - 24th February 2006
It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Don Knotts the legendary television character actor best known for his role of Deputy Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show. In the realms of Old-Time-Radio we will remember him as Windy Wales, the handyman at the H-Bar-O Ranch in Bobby Benson's Adventures . Windy Wales in true Don Knotts style was a comedic character and a teller of tall tales. Knotts played in this wonderful juvenile western adventure from 1951 until 1955.
Following are some wonderful memories I have received that I am sure will resonate some memories of those times in your mind too.
Bobby Benson & The B-Bar-B Riders I remember as a kid of about 10 was a favorite show on radio of American kids. My grandma had English walnut trees around the south side of her house and so she would pick them in season and I would help her shell them. Well one day while on her back porch I was shelling some walnuts without her supervision and instead of using a hammer I used a butcher knife. Not realizing any danger I took a mighty whack and nearly cut my pointing finger off. Blood everywhere and off to the doctor but at the time I was listening on the radio to "Bobby Benson" and my grandma nearly hysterical said "Why wasn't you just listening to the BRBR Riders"? She couldn't get it straight but I don't think she cared. I say that to say this about Bobby Benson. While I didn't know who the players real names were I knew Bobby, Tex, Harka & Windy Wales. I still don't know the names of the others but found out who Windy Wales was on radio. None other than "Don Knotts" who died just the other day at 81. He was a favorite of nearly all Americans as "Barney Fife" on the Andy Griffith Show which plays all over the world today. Clint
Bobby Benson was one of my favorites when I was 9 years old living on a farm down in a small country town called Carrington, Missouri.
We lived in a big farmhouse on an 87-acre farm. We had no electricity, no inside plumbing.
We had one old dry cell battery radio that we were not allowed to touch till our dad got home. However he did let us listen to one show that came on when we got home from school.
My brother and I would run into the house and turn on the radio that was already set to the station and hear that favorite cry of "Bobby Benson and the B Bar B Riders".
I love your site and am so thrilled that I can now listen to Bobby Benson again at the age of 63 going on 64. Delbert
You can listen to Bobby Benson's Adventures on RUSC by clicking on the link and hopefully I will have a few more episodes to add over the weekend.
In recent years he said he had no plans to retire and for those of you with little kids or grandchildren if you take in the recent Disney family animated movie Chicken Little (November 2005) you can hear the voice of Don Knotts as Mayor Turkey Lurkey.
Click on the link to read more about Don Knotts ' notable life and career.
Happy listening my friends,
