The best kind of friends are old friends. Even if you don't stay in touch, having an old friend means that there's no deadline to reconnect. If the friendship is powerful enough, you can call on them anytime, anyplace, for anything at all.

When Andy Griffith decided to call on his old pal Don Knotts, the two were long overdue for a reunion. According to an interview with the Tribune Media Services, Knotts and Griffith had previously worked together. Knotts stated that the two "became friends, but I hadn't seen him in a long time."

The Andy Griffith Show has roots in The Danny Thomas Show, where the character of Andy Taylor was introduced. Knotts was able to catch Andy's episode of The Danny Thomas Show, and while he enjoyed it immensely, the actor felt it was missing something. Or rather, he felt it was missing someone.

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"I just called him up and suggested adding a deputy," said Knotts. Luckily, great minds think alike, and Griffith agreed with Knotts' suggestion. Of course, there was only one man for the role: Knotts himself. "He [Griffith] said, 'Well, that's a great idea,'" said Knotts. "So I met with the executive producer and discussed it."

The character of Barney Fife is based on an earlier iteration of a character played by Knotts during his time on The Steve Allen Show.

"On The Steve Allen Show, I developed the character of a nervous guy who just literally shook all the time, and that was the forerunner of Barney Fife," said the actor. "When I did Barney, though, he was new to me. Though I did play him as scared or nervous sometimes, I didn't think he was the same character."