Revealed - What Happened to Opie's Mom ? (2024)

FAQs

What did happen to Opie's mom? ›

She died when Opie was very young. They make a passing reference at the beginning of the second season about him being quite small when she passed. Otherwise, she is not mentioned. There are no pictures at the home and none of her family is introduced on the show.

The Andy Griffith Show: The New Housekeeper (CBS television broadcast Oct. 3, 1960). Bee was the aunt of Andy, a widower, and cared for Opie on the show when he was between six and fourteen years old.

Andy and Helen return to Mayberry for a visit and bring their new baby, Andy Jr. with them.

Andy calls her Aunt Bee in the first scene of the first episode, before she even arrives. Her last name (Taylor) isn't mentioned until later, but since she is Andy's aunt, her last name would easily be assumed. And “Bee” (usually spelled “Bea”) is a common nickname for Beatrice.

In "The New Housekeeper", the show's first episode, Aunt Bee returns from Morgantown, West Virginia after Andy's housekeeper, Rose, marries and leaves. Andy explains to Opie that he was raised by Aunt Bee, and Bee later mentions, without elaboration, having raised other Taylors.

That's where Andy Griffith's Opie comes in. Rather than having some unattractive name like Oscar Percival Taylor that was turned into O.P. or Opie, Ron Howard told Jay Leno on “Tonight” that his character was named after bandleader-actor Opal “Opie” Taft Cates, who once boasted a radio audience of 35 million.

Karen Knotts

Don Knotts / Daughter

One notable exception was Frances Bavier, who played Aunt Bee for all eight seasons as well as two seasons of Mayberry R.F.D. Bavier had retired shortly after leaving R.F.D. in 1970. Her absence was explained by a scene in which Andy visits the cemetery where Aunt Bee is buried, confirming that Aunt Bee is deceased.

An outside look of the property formerly known as Aunt Bee's house, which is currently under rennovation by new owner Kathy Nail in Siler City. Nail is in the process of turning the home into a bed and breakfast.

We know she gave birth to Opie. However, she must have left the family shortly after that happened. That's because in an episode of The Danny Thomas Show where Opie loses his pet turtle because it was stepped on Andy reveals that he lost Opie's mom when he was "the least little speck of a baby".

Were Andy and Helen lovers in real life? ›

Andy Griffith had real feelings for Helen Crump actor Aneta Corsaut. Helen Crump stole Andy Taylor's heart on screen; apparently, life imitates art. While the duo kept things quiet, Corsaut and Griffith developed their own relationship as things were heating up between Andy and Helen.

Knotts departed as a series regular, Barney returned for a high school reunion to learn that Thelma Lou had gotten married. Still, all was not lost for him. When much of the cast reunited in 1986 for a two-hour television movie, “Return to Mayberry,” Thelma Lou had gotten divorced. She and Barney married in the film.

In So Much to Say: Helen tells the girls she is pregnant with Ryan's child.

In the backdoor pilot episode from The Danny Thomas Show, viewers learn Andy lost his wife when Opie was "the least little speck of a baby." In the first episode of the show Andy has a maid who is getting married and moving away.

Andy Griffith, famous for his starring role in "The Andy Griffith Show," was an actor, director, producer and Grammy-winning Southern gospel singer and writer. He died Tuesday, July 3, at 86.

Dixie Griffith

Andy Griffith / Daughter