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Don Knotts, "Barney Fife" grave and tombstone, Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, Los Angeles, California, photo

Don Knotts, "Barney Fife" grave and tombstone, Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, Los Angeles, California, photo

The tombstone and grave site of Don Knotts, famed for his role on on The Andy Griffith Show as Deputy Barney Fife. Knotts was born on July 21, 1924 as Jesse Donald Knotts in Morgantown, West Virginia.

The television career of Don Knotts began with the series, Search For Tomorrow (1953-1955). Afterwards, he made regular appearances on The Steve Allen Show (1956-1960). During 1955-1957, Knotts appeared in the Broadway production of No Time For Sergeants. The Broadway play, No Time For Sergeants became the 1958 movie starring Andy Griffith in the lead role opposite of Knotts as the easily disturbed Cpl. John C. Brown who was unamused by the country bumpkin antics of the Griffith character. It was the first time that Knotts and Griffith worked together.

His most beloved role came next as the cocky yet nervous and insecure Deputy Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show from 1960 to 1965 with several additional guest appearances in the later years of the series. In all, Knotts appeared in 141 episodes of the Andy Griffith series and was a five time Emmy award winner for his portrayal of Barney Fife. After leaving The Andy Griffith Show, Knotts appeared in a number of movie roles including: The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964), The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966), The Reluctant Astronaut (1967), The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968), The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975), Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978), and The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979).

Don Knotts died in Los Angeles on February 24, 2006 of pneumonia as a result of lung cancer. He was 81 years old. Knotts is buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, Los Angeles, California. The plaque on his grave features Knotts in several of his well known movie roles along with the Barney Fife character. The inscription at the bottom reads: "He saw the poignancy in people's pride and pain and turned it into something hilarious and endearing."

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