Even the funniest of actors can feel self-conscious about their comedic abilities. When Don Knotts starred in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, it was his first foray into film since leaving The Andy Griffith Show behind.

After seventeen weeks of shooting the film, Knotts felt that the film had potential, but was concerned as to whether an audience would share that belief.

Knotts recalled the film’s opening in his memoir, Barney Fife and Other Characters I Have Known.

“Universal decided to give it a sort of premiere opening in New Orleans,” wrote Knotts. “They asked me to go down there and ride in a parade and make a brief appearance on the stage of the Joy Theater.”

Before that, however, Knotts wanted a first-hand look at how viewers were responding to the movie, and he was more than willing to go undercover to get the inside scoop. The actor revealed that he secretly attended a sneak preview of the film. Almost instantly, all of Knotts’ worries were put to rest.

“I slipped into the theater and took a seat in the audience and waited nervously,” wrote Knotts. “When the title The Ghost and Mr. Chicken came on the screen, my heart started pounding like a sledgehammer, but before long, the audience began to laugh, and I felt a huge sense of relief. Nothing else, not at first, just relief. I watched and listened, and they laughed pretty much in all the right places. Reaction was good, especially for a preview audience.”

Not only did the experience relieve Knotts of any anxiety regarding the film, but it also taught him the value of a good audience.

“Sitting there watching it with a theater filled with people who had never seen it before and listening to their reaction brought the picture to life,” wrote the actor.