The Andy Griffith Show

The Andy Griffith Show (1960)

2 mistakes in Deputy Otis

(62 votes)

Deputy Otis - S2-E31

Visible crew/equipment: After Otis admits to Andy the reason why his brother thinks that he works at the courthouse Otis walks back to the cell, but when Andy calls him back and gets up, just as Andy walks around the desk we can briefly see two actor's marks where they will stand momentarily.

Super Grover

Deputy Otis - S2-E31

Other mistake: Upon arriving at the courthouse, Andy and Barney discover they don't have their keys to get in so Andy decides to go knock on the window at Otis' cell, which he does to wake Otis. However, Otis' cell does not have a window, only the adjoining cell does. (00:20:00)

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Suggested correction: Otis' cell does have a window. In the previous episode with Barney's cousin, Barney's pulls the window out of the wall to get Otis out. Also in another episode Barney gets an intercom and places one part by the window to demonstrate how it would work.

It has a window but no glass. It shows Andy knocking on the window to wake Otis up but then it shows him hanging on the bars.

Opie's Group - S8-E9

Andy: Clara, sometimes a parent can't see what he should do, and sometimes it takes a person from the outside to show him. And I'd like to thank you.
Clara: Groovy.

Super Grover

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Convicts-at-Large - S3-E11

Question: Beginning with the "Convicts at Large" episode in season 3, full width window boxes appear at the bottom of both front windows on the inside of the Sheriff's Office. Prior to this episode, they did not exist. Window boxes are often used to display decorative plants but I don't see any plants. And if they were supposed to partially block the background, the blinds were long enough to accomplish that. I find it hard to believe that the producers would spend additional money (for material and labor) for something that seems to serve no purpose. So why were they added?

Answer: Those "boxes" are valences that used to be very common, before air conditioning. They allow for windows to be open during rain storms. They permit air circulation, without letting the rain in.

Answer: As noted in the previous answers, in real life, things like this provided wind and/or rain deflection, and also maintained a bit of privacy when blinds were raised somewhat. The interior courthouse set was located in the studio, so the "outside" Main Street didn't exist. I believe these things were added to the courthouse windows for practicality, to avoid some crew movement being visible on the opposite side of those windows. These are not "window boxes" to hold anything, as they're actually bottomless; we can see the Venetian blind's long pull cords under them. They're made of plywood and simple to build, so the "material and labor" was inexpensive. Similar variations made of different materials are in other movies/shows. In 1957's "12 Angry Men," textured chicken wire glass panels are in the jury room windows, and in "Jesse Stone: Night Passage" another type is in Jesse's office windows.

Super Grover

Answer: I suspect these were common, as to block the wind from blowing the blinds and papers on the desk.

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