11. Leaving Mayberry
When Knotts received a multi-picture deal from Universal Studios after five seasons on The Andy Griffith Show, he took it. He thought the show was over. As it turned out, Griffith hadn’t found anything better to do so he renewed the contract. Knotts couldn’t break his contract with Universal, even though he loved the Mayberry. The show-writers wrote out Knotts’ character, Barney Fife, citing that he took work as a detective in Raleigh.