Editing The Andy Griffith Show (section)

==Reruns, spinoffs and reunions==
[[File:Andy Griffith Ken Berry Mayberry RFD 1968.JPG|thumb|right|Sam Jones ([[Ken Berry]]) and his son Mike ([[Buddy Foster]]) were recurring characters in the final season of ''The Andy Griffith Show,'' setting up the sequel series ''[[Mayberry R.F.D.]]'']]
In 1964, daytime [[reruns]] began airing during the fall season and the show has been in syndication since.<ref name="Kelly" /> The reruns were retitled ''Andy of Mayberry'' to distinguish the repeat episodes from the new episodes airing in primetime.<ref>{{cite book|last=Terrace|first=Vincent |title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 Through 2007|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediatele2007terr|url-access=limited|year=2009|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-3305-6|page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediatele2007terr/page/n72 66]}}</ref>

At the end of season four (May 1964), the [[backdoor pilot]] "[[Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.]]" aired and the following September, the spinoff series ''[[Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.]]'' debuted with Jim Nabors in the role of Gomer and [[Frank Sutton]] as [[drill instructor]] Sergeant Vince Carter.

In the last episodes of the eighth season, as Griffith was preparing to leave, the character Sam Jones, played by [[Ken Berry]], was introduced as the new star and the series was retitled ''[[Mayberry R.F.D.]]'' Most of the cast members continued their original roles, with Bavier becoming Sam's housekeeper. To create a smooth transition, Andy and Helen were married in the first episode with the new title and remained for a few additional episodes before leaving with a move to [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]], effectively ending their appearances.

After ''RFD''{{'}}s cancellation in 1971, George Lindsey played Goober for many years on the popular country-variety show ''[[Hee Haw]].''

Goober, Barney and Emmett all made appearances in the series premiere of ''[[The New Andy Griffith Show]],'' which starred Griffith as a similar but canonically different character, Mayor Andy Sawyer. All three characters treated Sawyer as if he were Andy Taylor. The series only lasted ten episodes.<ref name="tvparty_newags">[http://www.tvparty.com/newandy4.html The New Andy Griffith Show, TVparty.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128094703/http://www.tvparty.com/newandy4.html |date=January 28, 2021 }}, retrieved February 12, 2020</ref>

In 1986, the reunion [[telemovie]] ''[[Return to Mayberry]]'' was broadcast with several cast members reprising their original roles. Absent, however, was [[Frances Bavier]]. She was living in [[Siler City, North Carolina]] in ill health and declined to participate. In the TV movie, Aunt Bee is portrayed as deceased (and in fact, Bavier did die three years later), with Andy visiting her grave. Also absent were Howard McNear, Paul Hartman, Jack Burns, and the cast members who were featured only in the ''Mayberry RFD'' seasons.

Griffith and Howard reprised their roles a final time for a [[Funny or Die]] skit supporting the [[Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign|2008 presidential campaign of Barack Obama]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/20/ron-howard-brian-grazer-t_n_145164.html|title=Inside Ron Howard's Obama Video Endorsement – EXCLUSIVE|work=[[The Huffington Post]]|last=Thomson|first=Katherine|date=December 21, 2008|access-date=October 2, 2015|archive-date=October 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025135058/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/20/ron-howard-brian-grazer-t_n_145164.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1993, ''The Andy Griffith Show'' had a Reunion Special which featured Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, Ron Howard, Jim Nabors, George Lindsey, and Jack Dodson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-02-21-reunion-shows_x.htm|title=Happy days for television reunions|last=Oldenburg|first=Ann|date=February 21, 2005|work=USA Today|pages=1|access-date=June 8, 2009|archive-date=May 29, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070529223018/http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-02-21-reunion-shows_x.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2003, four surviving cast members (Griffith, Howard, Knotts, and Nabors) came together for a reunion special that featured the actors reminiscing about each other's time on the show. The production was interspersed with archival footage and short filmed interviews with some of the other surviving cast members. This special was called ''The Andy Griffith Show: Back to Mayberry.''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386286/|title=The Andy Griffith Show: Back to Mayberry|website=IMDb|access-date=June 8, 2009|archive-date=February 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212004233/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386286/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/10/news/review-television-a-friendly-mayberry-get-together.html|title=Review/Television; A Friendly Mayberry Get-Together|last=O'Connor|first=John J.|date=February 10, 1993|work=The New York Times|pages=1|access-date=June 8, 2009|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209193112/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/10/news/review-television-a-friendly-mayberry-get-together.html|url-status=live}}</ref>