Don Knotts wasn't an overnight success, and he loved it

Knotts wasn't interested in fleeting fame.

July 15, 2024, 3:10PM By MeTV Staff

CBS Television Distribution

Don Knotts was one of the most talented comedians of our time, but at the beginning of his career, it wasn't always visible.

According to an interview with the Tampa Bay Times, Knotts said that his career had been more of a gradual simmer to success rather than a quick burst. Knotts also added that was the way he preferred it.

"The change in my life has been gradual because the change in my career has come very gradually," he said. "I didn't suddenly become known overnight. I think that's a lot easier to take."

"The first time I walked down the streets of New York, I had been on the Allen show for about a month," Knotts said. "I began to realize that people were knowing who I was. I must say the adjustment to that was difficult for the first year or so. It was a long way from then to now."

In fact, Knotts observed that while overnight success gives you fame and riches, it could come at the cost of your mental health. "It wasn't like coming on in one big hit picture or one big song," Knotts said of his success. "For those fellows who gain fame overnight, it's sometimes devastating. I didn't think I could have weathered it."

While Knotts would eventually reach worldwide acclaim on The Andy Griffith Show, he seemed to constantly be aware of just how lucky he was to be a star, and just how much fame was worth. "While sometimes it's taxing, I wouldn't want to be famous just on the face of fame, because that's meaningless," he said. "But, I enjoy that people seem to like my work because that's gratifying. And wherever you go in this country there seem to be hands outstretched in friendship."