Andy Griffith said he was "closer to Don [Knotts]" than anyone else

The funniest duo, on-screen and off.

May 10, 2024, 10:49AM By MeTV Staff

CBS Television Distribution

Best friends are hard to come by, especially in this day and age. If you've been lucky enough to have the same best friend over several decades, consider yourself lucky, because that relationship is special. No matter how many years go by, no matter how long you go without seeing each other, you know that you'll always be pals.

Even before Andy Griffith and Don Knotts became best friends, they had already discovered a kind of synchronicity in their comedy that made them incredibly compatible with each other. While Don Knotts was active and wild, Griffith was more reserved and soft-spoken. It was a combination that was electric, and with their shared background of Southern roots, it meant that there was no shortage of entertaining content to be created on The Andy Griffith Show.

In an interview with The Daily News, Griffith spoke about his long-time costar and revealed that their friendship wasn't just professional; it was also personal.

"We're more than friends," Griffith said. "I think I'm closer to Don than anyone else. We've worked side by side ten hours a day for years."

Even when Knotts elected to leave The Andy Griffith Show, there was no real animosity between the two actors. Griffith was well aware of Knotts' decision before he even officially made it.

"Don has been talking about leaving the show for over a year, so I'm not surprised at his decision," the actor said. In fact, not only did Griffith accept his friend, he supported him, even if it meant they would be separated.

"I agreed with Don that it was time for him to make a movie. "He wants to star in pictures." Knotts went on to enjoy the incredible film career that so many people hoped he'd have, but no one more so than his friend Andy Griffith.

"I know he's going to make it," Griffith said.