The Taylors in Hollywood - S6-E8
Visible crew/equipment: After the studio's security guard tells Andy they're filming on stage 40, when it cuts to the Taylors walking onto the set we can see two chalk T-marks on the floor (one in front of Andy's feet). (00:13:00)
The Cannon - S6-E11
Visible crew/equipment: After Warren accidentally fires The Cannon, in the following closeup of Andy commenting that he shot a station wagon, the shadow of the moving boom and mic is visible at the lower left corner of the screen. (00:22:05)
Visible crew/equipment: After Andy agrees with Helen to suggest a blind-date for Warren, when it cuts to Warren walking into the courthouse, we can see set lighting and equipment behind the door instead of the usual painted backdrop. (00:01:55)
Opie's Job - S6-E1
Visible crew/equipment: When Goober walks up to Andy outside the grocery/meat store, before Goober picks up the apples we can see a chalk mark on the ground between his feet.
Visible crew/equipment: When Floyd and the other men are with John Canfield joking about Floyd's barber skills, a chalk T-mark is visible on the ground by the man with his foot on the bench. Then when Canfield walks away we can see more chalk marks on the ground.
The Bazaar - S6-E5
Visible crew/equipment: After Andy shouts at Goober to get his pickup truck away from the courthouse, it cuts to Andy, Warren, and all the women in the courthouse, and we can see the chalk T-mark on the floor at Warren's feet.
Visible crew/equipment: After Goober has deliberately removed the distributor cap from Andy's squad car, when Andy slams the hood shut we can see the reflection of the filming crew on Floyd's window. Then when Andy and Helen drive away in Goober's truck, the microphone pops up into view at the bottom of the screen. (00:17:20)
Answer: It was a joke. They were supposed to be dumb hillbillies.
Both. According to later interviews with both Andy and the Dillards band (the real name of the band that played the parts of the Darling children, of which Charlene (Maggie Peterson - Mancuso was also a member) the reason the Darling boys never had any lines was because they would've had to have been paid if they spoke. In return for appearing without lines or pay, Andy promised to get as much of their music onto the show as possible which, he did. This obviously gave them a lot of exposure.