Don Knotts Biography

Fast Facts

• Earned five Emmy awards for his role as Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show"
• Enlisted in the U․S․ Army following high school and spent most of his time entertaining troops during WWII
• Quote: "I thought of Barney as a kid․ You can always look into the faces of kids and see what they are thinking, if they're happy or sad․ That's what I tried to do with Barney․"
• Quote: "My idol was Jack Benny and he was the master of subtlety and timing․"
• Passed away on February 24, 2006 in Los Angeles due to complications from lung cancer just hours after a visit from friend and co-star, Andy Griffith
• After leaving "The Andy Griffith Show" in 1965, he signed a five-film deal with Universal Studios and would later star as a supporting character on the 1980s hit sitcom, "Three's Company"
• After performing ventriloquist acts across the country, he would later gain fame in the late 1950s in Steve Allen's variety show, a role that would help him land his most memorable role to date, Deputy Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show"
• Has a statue erected of his likeness in his hometown of Morgantown, West Virginia
• Awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2000
• Tired of performing his ventriloquist act and being upstaged by his doll, he reportedly threw 'Danny' overboard in the South Pacific while serving in the Army