Opie Taylor

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Opie Taylor was the name of the character played by Ronny Howard on The Andy Griffith Show, an American sitcom of the 1960s on the CBS television network. The pilot episode was spun-off from the The Danny Thomas Show.

Opie was the son of Sheriff Andy Taylor and lived in the fictional small town of Mayberry, North Carolina. Opie was raised by his widowed father (who Opie always called "paw") and great aunt Bee. Aunt Bee moved into the Taylor household in the first episode, following the departure of their housekeeper, Rose. Opie initially thought Bee was a disappointing encroachment, but quickly grew to love and accept her. Opie had an atypical 1960s upbringing, having no mother or grandparents and a father who was a sheriff.

The father-son relationship between Opie and Andy was a crucial element of the show, underscoring familial love. Andy strove to teach Opie right from wrong. On one occasion, Andy taught Opie the value of responsibility and parenthood after Opie accidentally killed a mother bird with his slingshot, leaving three chicklings without a mother. Naming the birds "Winkin, Blinkin, and Nod", Opie nurtured and fed them until they were independent and ready to fly on their own. Andy would sometimes misjudge Opie, and erroneously suspect him of being selfish and oblivious to the needs of others. Conversely, it would often be revealed that Opie was self-sacrificing to accommodate others less fortunate than him. Opie once forfeited a grocery job to allow a boy with an ill father to replace him. He also once gave away a new coat to a girl who didn't have any.

When not visiting his father and the bumbling Deputy Barney Fife at the courthouse, Opie would get into jams with his friends Johnny Paul Jason, Howie Pruitt, Tray Bowden, and Arnold Unger. Some of the juvenile misdeeds included: selling Miracle Salve to the citizens of Mayberry; accidentally destroying Aunt Bee's prize rose; and tricking Goober into thinking a shaggy dog could speak English. Opie even started his own tell-all community newspaper, much to the dismay of his family.

Opie's teacher at school was Helen Crump. Over the course of the show, Helen dated Andy and later, on the spin-off series Mayberry R.F.D., she married him and gave birth to Opie's half-brother, Andy Jr.

[edit] Trivia

Gregg Hughes, AKA "Opie" from the nationally syndicated radio show The Opie and Anthony Show, got his nickname at a young age from Opie Taylor.