The Andy Griffith Show

The New Housekeeper - S1-E1

Visible crew/equipment: While Andy's in Opie's bedroom when Opie's thinking about running away, the moving shadow of the overhead boom mic is visible, first on the wall behind Opie's headboard and then on the door. Also note, when Andy shows Aunt Bee how to hold the baseball bat and moves her into position, we can see a long white tape mark on the grass (since it's possible that Andy placed the tape, however unlikely, it's being noted here).

Super Grover

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The Guitar Player - S1-E3

Visible crew/equipment: While Andy and Barney are standing beside Bobby Fleet's vehicle, Andy mentions that it's too bad they're all not staying overnight so they could hear Jim play, and when it cuts to the next shot we can see the reflection of the overhead boom pole and mic moving on the surface of the vehicle.

Super Grover

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Runaway Kid - S1-E6

Visible crew/equipment: After Andy talks to George's father on the phone, he gets up and stands near the fireplace while explaining to Opie why he broke his promise and called George's father, and when Opie's on the couch asking if he can run off sometime, we can see the white tape mark on the rug where Andy was standing moments ago.

Super Grover

Stranger In Town - S1-E12

Visible crew/equipment: While Barney's in the barber chair, Floyd starts talking about how he'd tried living at the back of the barber shop, and when the shot faces Barney we can see the reflection of a crew member's legs moving around - the only ones in the shop are Barney, Floyd, and the two men seated by the corner.

Super Grover

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Andy and the Gentleman Crook - S1-E21

Visible crew/equipment: When Aunt Bee is in the kitchen preparing to take a tray of food to the prisoner she momentarily walks out of the kitchen through the swinging door. As she pushes the door open, a crew member's hand and arm can be seen behind the door.

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A Plaque for Mayberry - S1-E25

Visible crew/equipment: While everyone's waiting for Otis to arrive at the plaque presentation in Mayor Pike's office, after Andy admits to the mayor that he asked the real Otis to show up, it cuts to the mayor walking behind his desk, and we can see the chalk T-mark on the floor where Mrs. Bixby stands.

Super Grover

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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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Trivia: In Walker's Drugstore, among all the magazines by the wall there's a TV Guide magazine (from Oct 9, 1954) on the shelf, and on its cover is Lucille Ball the co-owner of Desilu Productions - which produced TAGS, and also filmed at Desilu Studios.

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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