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I was watching my favorite show (The Andy Griffith Show) last night with the wife after wednesday night church. Specifically the episode with malcolm tucker, the busy city businessman from Charlotte.
For folks that are much older than I, and were alive in the 30s to 60s, was life really that simple and laid back then in NC?
If so, what do you think happened that changed it?
If not, what is the show missing?
Do you miss any parts of that time period? Any particular good memories?
My knowledge of that time is limited to grandpa telling me about mustard and ketchup sandwiches in the depression followed quickly by WW2.
Are you talking about this specific episode of Andy Griffith? Cause I am not familiar with it, but I am familiar with the show in general.
I think there is definitely a grain of truth in the Andy Griffith Show's portrayal of the 50s/60s in NC, but it's been polished up a lot for TV. They don't show a lot of the hard times/racism/poverty. I'd suggest a dose of "Blood Done Sign My Name" to go along with Andy Griffith.
My mom worked with the wife of one of the guys that Blood Done Sign My Name was about sometime in the 80s. Fascinating story.
My parents’ stories about growing up in small town NC are a mixture. Their personal stories usually veered close to Mayberryish I suppose. My paternal grandfather for one sounded like he’d have been best friends with Andy, swapping jokey stories. But behind the edges, you could sense there was a darker underbelly that their parents tried to keep away from them but they obviously knew was there. Once while watching In the Heat of the Night, I asked my dad about any similarities he recognized. He said he recognized more than he wished. So it was a complicated place, one with Floyds and Aunt Bees, but also bad guys quite a bit worse than Otis.
The Malcolm Tucker episode. One of my favorites from the show.
I grew up in a rural area just east of Raleigh in the 50's and 60's. Today that would be Sunnybrook Rd. between Poole and New Bern. Life was simple and laid back. I probably miss the old downtown Raleigh the most.
On that note, there are still places that have elements of what my dad grew up with in the 50s. I know the old country store my grandfather used to visit now has once-a-month jam sessions of old-timers doing some bluegrass, one of them even remembered my grandfather. Certainly these types of places are outside the big cities though, which are barely recognizable from my childhood let alone my dad’s.
Are you talking about this specific episode of Andy Griffith? Cause I am not familiar with it, but I am familiar with the show in general.
I think there is definitely a grain of truth in the Andy Griffith Show's portrayal of the 50s/60s in NC, but it's been polished up a lot for TV. They don't show a lot of the hard times/racism/poverty. I'd suggest a dose of "Blood Done Sign My Name" to go along with Andy Griffith.
I'm in my mid 20s.
The idea is sort of all throughout AGS, but this specific episode really juxtaposes busy, greedy life vs a laid back, rural, modest life. I was curious how much fact that was.
On that note, there are still places that have elements of what my dad grew up with in the 50s. I know the old country store my grandfather used to visit now has once-a-month jam sessions of old-timers doing some bluegrass, one of them even remembered my grandfather. Certainly these types of places are outside the big cities though, which are barely recognizable from my childhood let alone my dad’s.
I happen to know of almost an identical situation where an old country store that was abandoned for years now hosts weekly Friday night old time and bluegrass jam sessions. Used to be owned by the Phipps family up where my family lives.
That same area is much like the 50s still I think. Entire town is closed on Sunday expect the big chains. County newspaper lead stories are elementary students in a school play Haha.
The Malcolm Tucker episode. One of my favorites from the show.
I grew up in a rural area just east of Raleigh in the 50's and 60's. Today that would be Sunnybrook Rd. between Poole and New Bern. Life was simple and laid back. I probably miss the old downtown Raleigh the most.
The only episode I can think of that I like more is the Christmas Story when they take old Ben in to celebrate Christmas after all his foolishness.
The idea is sort of all throughout AGS, but this specific episode really juxtaposes busy, greedy life vs a laid back, rural, modest life. I was curious how much fact that was.
I'll give that movie a look see.
I've seen a number of episodes of The Andy Griffith Show but don't remember this one. The episode sounds like a Mayberry take on the Aesop fable of the city mouse and the county mouse. Library of Congress Aesop Fables
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