Betty Lynn, who died this weekend, played an Andy Griffith Show character named Thelma Lou. Then she moved to the town the show is based on, where the line between fiction and reality gets blurry.
Andy Griffith had stated many times The Andy Griffith Show was not based on Mt. Airy altho there are names of some people, as well as the restaurant Snappy Lunch (I heard this once on the show.) which are mentioned (I also once heard on the show the name of the street on which he lived in Mt. Airy) and, of course, Andy Griffith is from Mt. Airy so in that regard it is. Generally, it is not based on Mt. Airy, and as one of the many who contributed to the creation of the show, Andy would know. It would have been nice if Andy would have had a better life experience in Mt. Airy, generally so, altho it is very nice he found a place on Roanoke, which was of great importance to Andy. Sure, there were some positive experiences Andy had in Mt. Airy, but providing, overall, his life experience there wasn’t as positive as should have been for Andy, at least he found some happiness in Manteo and did come to visit Mt. Airy a couple times later in life, I am glad he did so.
I saw that piece on CBS Sunday Morning and thought the trolley car interviews drove the whole piece off the cliff...
Andy Griffith had stated many times The Andy Griffith Show was not based on Mt. Airy altho there are names of some people, as well as the restaurant Snappy Lunch (I heard this once on the show.) which are mentioned (I also once heard on the show the name of the street on which he lived in Mt. Airy) and, of course, Andy Griffith is from Mt. Airy so in that regard it is. Generally, it is not based on Mt. Airy, and as one of the many who contributed to the creation of the show, Andy would know. It would have been nice if Andy would have had a better life experience in Mt. Airy, generally so, altho it is very nice he found a place on Roanoke, which was of great importance to Andy. Sure, there were some positive experiences Andy had in Mt. Airy, but providing, overall, his life experience there wasn’t as positive as should have been for Andy, at least he found some happiness in Manteo and did come to visit Mt. Airy a couple times later in life, I am glad he did so.
I am a Class of ‘61 graduate of MAHS
Mt. Airy High School. Left Mt. Airy in 1962, never to return, only visit!
I loved the CBS Sunday Morning featuring
My hometown, the political part was not necessary IMO.
Jeremy keep up the great work you are doing.
Jeremy, you are the Charles Kuralt of NC history & lore, fact & fiction. Good story.
Where did she live in mt airy? Address so i can view the house?
Plz post a CB Pic of bettys house where she lived in mt airy nc. I cant find it