Missed casting opportunities are always fun to speculate about. Reading some old rumors and pondering, 'What if?' can make for some fascinating imaginary scenes. After all, haven't we all pictured Raiders of the Lost Ark with the first choice, Tom Sellick, donning the iconic fedora? 

Well, here's one to add to your imagination... What if Don Knotts had starred on The Jackie Gleason Show? Would he have Art Carney's role? Would the show have been as successful with Knotts onboard, or would it have been bigger? Would Knotts still have become Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show?

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The Andy Griffith ShowDon Knotts

Don Knotts explained the many sides of comedy

While it's interesting to envision, we all know it ultimately never came to fruition. However, that wasn't because Knotts didn't try.

During the developing days of his budding career, Knotts was successful in landing more dramatic roles. He found himself in productions like Kraft Theatre and Robert Montgomery Presents. While these parts definitely helped pay the bills, Don Knotts knew he was meant for something more. To make a bigger name for himself, he was sure he'd have to find his big break in comedy. So, the future Deputy Fife set his sights on some of the era's funniest shows.

In his 1999 autobiography, Barney Fife, and Other Characters I Have Known, Knotts openly discusses these first few attempts at the comedy limelight.

"I did everything I could think of to break through to the casting people on these shows, to no avail," Knotts wrote.

"One day, in desperation, I called The Jackie Gleason Show. A man who sounded something like a gangster answered the phone. 'Yeah?' he asked. Flustered, I said, 'Well, uh, listen, who would I talk to about casting over there? I'd love to do your show. I'm a comedian.'

"After a long pause, the voice came back, 'We got a comedian,' and he hung up."

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