The Fun Girls "Daphne and Skippy" | |
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The Andy Griffith Show character | |
First appearance | "Barney Mends a Broken Heart" (1962) |
Last appearance | "The Arrest of the Fun Girls" (1965) |
Portrayed by | Skippy by Joyce Jameson and Daphne by Jean Carson |
The Fun Girls ("Daphne and Skippy") are fictional recurring characters on The Andy Griffith Show , an American TV sitcom from the 1960s.
"The Fun Girls" (sardonically nicknamed by Thelma Lou) were a pair of fun-loving women: the giggly Skippy (played by Joyce Jameson) and the gravel-voiced Daphne (played by Jean Carson). The two hailed from Mount Pilot, the "big city" near the small town of Mayberry. They were flirtatious, they loved dancing, and their appearance in town almost always meant trouble for Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife (both of whom had steady girlfriends). Skippy was characterized by her high-pitched, grating laugh and was generally attracted to Barney (whom she incessantly called "Bernie"). Daphne was known for her throaty greeting "Hello Doll" and was attracted to Andy.
The first appearance of the Fun Girls resulted in Andy receiving a black-eye during a scuffle with Daphne's erstwhile boyfriend.
On one occasion, Andy and Barney had to cancel their dates with their girlfriends Helen Crump and Thelma Lou respectively so they could work late at the courthouse, only to be interrupted by Skippy and Daphne. Andy and Barney innocently tried to escort the two back to Mt. Pilot so they could finish their work, but were spotted in the car with them by their girlfriends. To get back at them, Helen and Thelma Lou went out with cousins Gomer and Goober Pyle, and in turn, Andy and Barney went out with the Fun Girls. By the end of the day, it was apparent that Gomer and Goober were better matches for the Fun Girls as they genuinely seemed to enjoy each other's company.
Their last appearance has them coming to Mayberry to have a fun time with Andy and Barney, much to their chagrin as they want nothing to do with the girls. They try to keep them occupied before leaving to go on dates with Helen and Thelma Lou, but Barney is forced to stay to make sure they don't wreck the courthouse. Thelma Lou and Helen discover the girls in the courthouse and the men in compromising positions, they leave in a huff. Fed up, Andy explodes at them, telling them to get out of town, which the Fun Girls do, much to Skippy's dismay. The men make up with their girlfriends and have a date night at Andy's house, only to discover the Fun Girls there, putting the men back at the bottom of the barrel with their girlfriends.
The Fun Girls made three appearances on The Andy Griffith Show from 1962 to 1965:
Ep.# | Episode title | Directed by | Written by | Airdate |
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69 (Season 3 Episode 6) | "Barney Mends a Broken Heart" | Bob Sweeney | Aaron Ruben | November 5, 1962 |
122 (Season 4 Episode 27) | "Fun Girls" | Coby Ruskin | Aaron Ruben | April 13, 1964 |
155 (Season 5 Episode 28) | "The Arrest of the Fun Girls" | Theodore J. Flicker | Richard M. Powell | April 5, 1965 |
Jean Carson also appeared in the episode "Convicts at Large", playing a man-hating, escaped prisoner convicted of spousal abuse.
Andy Samuel Griffith was an American actor, comedian, television producer, singer and writer whose career spanned seven decades in music and television. Known for his Southern drawl, his characters with a folksy-friendly personality, as well as his gruff but friendly voice, Griffith was a Tony Award nominee for two roles. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's film A Face in the Crowd (1957) and No Time for Sergeants (1958) before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead roles of Andy Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968) and Ben Matlock in the legal drama Matlock (1986–1995).
The Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color.
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Return to Mayberry is a 1986 American made-for-television romantic comedy film based on the 1960s sitcoms The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D.. The film premiered on April 13, 1986, on NBC, and was the highest-rated television film of 1986. Sixteen of the original cast members reunited and reprised their roles for the film and its success could have led to additional Mayberry programs, but Griffith was committed to Matlock for the 1986–87 season.
Mayberry R.F.D. is an American television series produced as a spin-off continuation of The Andy Griffith Show. When star Andy Griffith decided to leave his series, most of the supporting characters returned for the retitled program, which ran for three seasons on the CBS Television Network from 1968 to 1971.
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Elizabeth Ann Theresa Lynn was an American actress. She played Thelma Lou, Deputy Barney Fife's girlfriend, on The Andy Griffith Show. During the 1940s and 1950s, she appeared in many films, including Sitting Pretty (1948), June Bride (1948), the original Cheaper by the Dozen (1950), and Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956). She also played a major role in an episode of the television series Little House on the Prairie.
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Margaret Ann Peterson was an American actress and singer. She was best known for playing Charlene Darling on The Andy Griffith Show. She also played the character of Doris in the episode "A Girl for Goober" (1968).
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Joyce Jameson was an American actress, known for many television roles, including recurring guest appearances as Skippy, one of the "fun girls" in the 1960s television series The Andy Griffith Show as well as "the Blonde" in the Academy Award-winning The Apartment (1960).
Susanna Josephine Lloyd, credited professionally as Josie Lloyd, was an American actress. She was the daughter of Norman Lloyd and Peggy Lloyd, who was also an accomplished Broadway actress and director. Lloyd had roles on The Andy Griffith Show, including her 1962 and 1965 portrayals of the eccentric character Lydia Crosswaithe. Lloyd was the fourth wife of puppeteer Bil Baird. They were married in 1974 and remained together until Baird's death in 1987.