The New Housekeeper (TAGS Episode)

The New Housekeeper

Season 1 > • < Episode 1 >

Air Date

October 3, 1960

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Danny Meets Andy Griffith	The Manhunt

Summary

Sheriff Andy Taylor and his young son Opie are in need of a new housekeeper. Andy's Aunt Bee Taylor looks like the perfect candidate and moves in, but her presence causes friction with Opie.

Quote

"I'm speakin' now so's I won't have to forever hold my peace."

- Opie

Sequential Episode

1

The New Housekeeper is the first episode of the first season of The Andy Griffith Show. Although the first episode of the series, it is the second canon episode starring Andy Taylor, following the pilot episode of the series in the show's predecessor The Danny Thomas Show.

Summary[]

Sheriff Andy Taylor and his young son Opie are in need of a new housekeeper. Andy's Aunt Bee Taylor looks like the perfect candidate and moves in, but her presence causes friction with Opie.

Plot[]

Andy and Opie's beloved housekeeper Rose Pine gets married, and Andy performs the marriage himself inside The Courthouse, which leaves Andy and Opie with no one to take care of them. Andy calls his Aunt Bee, who raised him, to come and live with them. Opie is determined to not like Aunt Bee because she isn't Rose. Andy tries to convince Opie that Aunt Bee can do everything Rose did, like play baseball, go fishing, and hunt frogs, but no matter how much she tries, Aunt Bee continues to foul up each attempt.

S1E1-Bee-Leaves — Aunt Bee prepares to leave

Finally, not feeling welcome, she decides to leave. Opie sees her getting into the truck but quickly runs out to stop her. Andy and Bee are surprised and asks him what changed his mind. Opie replies that she needs to stay with them because she's helpless without the skills that Opie could teach her; so Aunt Bee, now feeling wanted, decides to stay.

Notes/Trivia[]

The first line of The Andy Griffith Show: "Anybody here know why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."
Andy and Barney refer to each other as "cousin" in this episode. This relationship is referenced again in The Manhunt and Runaway Kid but is never referenced besides these episodes.
Barney talks as though he was recently hired. How long he has been on the force does vary over the coming seasons.
This episode was filmed in March 1960, if you look closely at the calendar in the courthouse.
The pickup truck that Andy drives in this episode is never seen again in the series. The yard with the truck and garage door is also not used again.
Since Frances Bavier's early years were spent on the Broadway stage, it is difficult to find images of the young Aunt Bee. A framed publicity photo of the ingenue Bavier can be seen hanging in the Taylor living room. You can see it here.
Opie mentions his dog, Gulliver. As a boy, Ron Howard had a dog named Gulliver.
Opie's bird was named Dicky.
This episode starts a tradition that every season pilot begins with an emotional Opie episode.
Barney is the first person to present a musical instrument. He almost plays the harmonica for the opening wedding.
Barney mentions that he wants to be known as "Reliable Barney Fife,” a moniker he would refer back to many times in the series.
The first song Andy plays in the series on his guitar is "The Crawdad Song.” It is the song he plays the most throughout the series - 3 times.
This is the only episode in which we see 1) Andy's backyard, 2) Andy's truck, 3) the back of Andy's garage, 4) Opie's pet bird Dicky, 5) a shortened version of Andy's porch, 6) Andy, Aunt Bee and Opie fishing together, 7) a platform along the wall beneath Andy's front window, 8) some weird gourd ornament in the yard beside Andy's garage, and 9) Wilbur and Rose Pine.
Barney is missing a tooth on the upper left. He will continue missing that tooth (along with a chipped front tooth on the right) throughout season 1. In season 2, Don Knotts had his teeth fixed.
Barney's first arrest in the series: Emma Brand, jaywalking

Goofs[]

House configuration: The front porch is shorter, you can see the double doors to the left of the fireplace and there

Platform Later Removed

is a raised platform along the inside front wall of the living room. These things change in future episodes.
Andy handles hard-boiled eggs that have just been cooking for 45 minutes. They are obviously not hot.
When Andy enters Opie's bedroom, the birdcage door is facing forward and the bird feeder is on the left side of the cage. When Andy walks over to the cage, the door is to the back and the feeder is on the right. When Andy walks away and Opie approaches the cage, the cage is turned back to the original position.

Music[]

The show begins a running tradition of featuring folks music in many episodes.

Andy sings "Crawdad Hole.” (Author: Unknown. approx. 1917)

Quotes[]

Andy Taylor: "Anybody here know why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace. I now pronounce you man..."
Opie Taylor: "I know why they shouldn't be married."
Andy Taylor:" Opie, what're you tryin' to do?"
Opie: "I'm speakin' now so's I won't have to forever hold my peace."
Barney Fife: "You're not supposed to speak."
"Opie": "Then why did he ask?"

Rose Pine: "Opie, dear, I'm marryin' Mr. Pine because I love him."
Opie: "I thought you loved ME."
Rose: "I do, Opie."
Opie: "You don't catch me marryin' somebody else."

Andy (to Opie): "And to think I's glad when you learned to talk."

Andy: "Well, what changed your mind?"
Opie: "Well, if she goes, what'll happen to her? She doesn't know how to do anything - play ball, catch fish, or hunt frogs. She'll be helpless."