I'm only on the first season but so far Mayberry is strictly all-honkey. Does that ever change?
shareThere are only black people in the background. It is what it is. A TV show produced during the early 1960's when the Civil Rights Movement barely existed in Hollywood just like in the rest of America.
shareIn one of the color episodes a black ex-football player shows up and helps Opie with football. I think that's the only speaking role for a black person. There are some black extras throughout the show in town scenes too, maybe not right at the beginning, though.
shareIn the first season episode S01E30 'Barney Gets His Man' there is a crowd scene at the beginning, and in that scene a black lady has a line of dialog.
sharethis always creeped me out about this series.....it's about a southern sheriff during the civil rights era.....but it's a very sanitized version of things.....like hey kids look how nice and fun I am after all!! I bet if SNL had existed back then they would have had a ball with this series.
shareSCTV did do some TAGS parodies. I don't think they were about civil rights, though. I am glad you made me recall those - Rick Moranis as Andy and Eugene Levy as Floyd, IIRC.
shareactually, it Rick playing Merv Griffith as Andy https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=sctv+andy+griffith&&view=detail&mid=373184C97AFD079EAC40373184C97AFD079EAC40&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dsctv%2520andy%2520griffith%26qs%3DMM%26form%3DQBVR%26sp%3D1%26pq%3Dsctv%2520andygriffith%26sc%3D2-17%26cvid%3D7C706B455110465FB44CD02C6259BF7D
shareI thought the show was balanced rather well. Mayberry was set in the foot of the mountain areas of NC versus a former plantation area. An area where there would be very few black people but on the average more tolerant of black people because the local economy never depended on slavery. Any agriculture was subsistent in nature like with the Darling family. They never raised any cotton to speak of and made enough money to buy clothing, a few tools, and a dilapidated old truck and not much else.
shareHow many black people are on I love Lucy, which is set in NYC? The Connecticut episodes don't count because even in 2020 black people aren't allowed to live there.
What about other shows of the era?
The Connecticut episodes don't count because even in 2020 black people aren't allowed to live there.
You realize the real reason that there weren't black characters is because it was made before the equal rights ammendment was passed.
shareI assume you are mocking the OP.
shareMore just pointing out why none of the main characters were black. But frankly the fact black people didn't have the same rights as white people til about 100 years years after the Civil War is absolutely ridiculous. I still like this show though.
shareI asked because the Equal Rights Amendment has never been passed. If it were passed it would guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex.
I think you mean the Civil Rights Act.
Considering how almost everyone on the show except Andy was portrayed as dimwits and baffoons maybe it was better that the cast was all white.
Instead of complaining about a 60 yr old sitcom why not turn your attention to the ultra rich liberal politicians, elites and media movers-and-shakers who are so quick to accuse others of being racist from the safety of their (almost) all white gated communities?
Funny scene by a black man that pertains to Andy Griffith lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZf2TEa6BfA
The liquor store in Mayberry didn't carry Kools or malt liquor, the bank didn't cash welfare checks, and there were no bail bond offices.
share