Andy Griffith’s Final Visit With Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier)

Over the years, much has been said about the fact that actress Frances Bavier wasn’t a whole heck of a lot like the character she portrayed on The Andy Griffith Show. Some folks have even gone as far as to say that she was quite a grump who, while the show was being made, was difficult to work with and held a particular disdain for Andy Griffith. At least, that’s the conversation I had with someone over on Reddit a while ago, and it’s a sentiment that has circulated in fan circles for decades.

The truth of the matter is that Frances was a complex human being who, like all of us, had her good and bad moments. She was a classically trained New York stage actress who sometimes found the lighthearted, rural atmosphere of the set a bit beneath her professional sensibilities. And, yes, it is true that she didn’t always get along with Andy. Their personalities often clashed; Andy was the jovial, back-slapping center of the set, while Frances preferred a more reserved, quiet dignity.