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This guest star on The Andy Griffith Show said the series spoiled her
Your suspicions were correct; The Andy Griffith Show was an amazing place to work.
Joining the cast of a television series as a guest star is no easy feat. With just one episode, you must seamlessly blend with the universe of the show while simultaneously ensuring your character remains memorable enough to stick out in an audience's mind.
Such a task was simple for a woman like Susan Oliver, who had been acting for years before she appeared in The Andy Griffith Show. Viewers remember Oliver as the prisoner during the season four episode, "Prisoner of Love."
Oliver was a seasoned actor; she knew what to expect when she came onto a television set, and it wasn't much. But during an interview with the Standard-Star, Oliver revealed that she was surprised by the kindness of those on the set of The Andy Griffith Show, both cast and crew.
"Everybody applauded after a scene," said Oliver "I was consulted on the script and listened to. Then, on the set people were genuinely nice to each other. A grip would say 'excuse me' to another passing by with equipment."
The kindness didn't just end on set. "It was almost like doing a little playlet," said Oliver. "There was no slacking off, yet afterward we all had drinks together and I was invited to their Christmas party. Usually, you forget the girl in the series, but not here. I even went to Andy's house and had barbequed ribs, which were brand new to me."
By contrast, Oliver explained that mere hours after she left the set of The Andy Griffith Show, where the attitude she received was a complete 180 from what she had previously.
"Nobody said hello, nobody cared to even bother," said Oliver. "Now it was a lovely script and I had a good character to play, but when I finished I went home and cried because it just wasn't worth it. You couldn't begin to compare the hours passed with the warmth and kindness displayed on the Griffith Show."
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