Don Knotts said that playing a journalist drew attention to The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)
"Stick a press card in your hat brim, put a pencil behind your ear, dangle a cigarette from the corner of your mouth, and bang out a hot exclusive on a cold typewriter, is sound advice for any actor looking for a meaty role that the public likes," said the actor.
Though plenty of us remember Don Knotts as Deputy Sheriff of Mayberry, the actor has taken on plenty of professions on the big screen. For example, in the 1966 film The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, Knotts portrayed an aspiring reporter frequently foiled by his own incompetent nature.
During an interview with The News-Virginian, Knotts explained that playing a reporter was an easy way to guarantee your film would have an audience.
“Stick a press card in your hat brim, put a pencil behind your ear, dangle a cigarette from the corner of your mouth and bang out a hot exclusive on a cold typewriter, is sound advice for any actor looking for a meaty role that the public likes,” Knotts said.
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*available in most MeTV marketsOf course, while Luther Heggs had big dreams of notoriety in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, success frequently manages to evade him. In real life, Knotts was quick to clarify that he had no interest in claiming preemptive success. “I’d be a bad reporter if I tried to predict tomorrow’s news today,” said Knotts when asked whether the film would secure his star status. “We’ll have to wait until people see me in this hilarious comedy.”
Of course, Knotts was being humble; though the film received mixed reviews, it performed well at the box office and helped fuel Knotts’ film career.
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