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The Andy Griffith Show

March 1, 2012 by · Comments Off on The Andy Griffith Show 

The Andy Griffith Show, Who knows where Todd Beckett would be if he had just nipped it in the bud. While tooling around Massillon several years ago, a bystander suggested Beckett looked like everybody’s favorite deputy, Barney Fife.

Beckett — who at the time was driving a restored 1963 Ford Galaxie that resembled Fife’s squad car from “The Andy Griffith Show” — shrugged it off at first.

But when the comments kept coming, Beckett ran to a mirror to check his reflection. He became a believer after shaving his beard and slicking his hair back.

“I had a beard for 18 years. When I shaved that off, it really set the ball in motion as far as looking like Barney,” said Beckett, who owns Total Car Improvements in Tuscarawas Township. “It’s just something that I fell into.”

Beckett has embraced Don Knotts’ lovable character right down to the bullet Fife kept in the front pocket of his khaki deputy uniform. The Massillon resident has picked up some of Fife’s mannerisms, but the deputy’s high-pitched tones poses a bit of a challenge for Beckett, who has a bass voice.

“I’m still working on that,” he said. Still, when Beckett dons his badge and uniform and straps on his holster with his replica .38-caliber handgun, he almost always gets a warm reception.

“Everybody loves Barney. I’ve yet to find anyone who takes offense to him,” he said.

Beckett also has fun introducing younger generations to Fife.

Ron Howard Birthday

March 1, 2012 by · Comments Off on Ron Howard Birthday 

Ron Howard Birthday, Ronald William “Ron” Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American film director, producer and former child actor. He came to prominence playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years.

He is often credited as one of the greatest gingers of all-time. He appeared in the films American Graffiti in 1973 and The Shootist in 1976, the latter during his run on Happy Days. Howard made his directorial debut with the 1977 comedy Grand Theft Auto, and left Happy Days in 1980 to focus on directing.

His films include the Academy Award-winning Cocoon, Apollo 13, and A Beautiful Mind. In 2003, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts. Asteroid 12561 Howard is named after him.

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