I've read from time to time how difficult Aunt Bee could be on the set and how she really didn't like Andy etc.

How much of that do ya'll think is true?

I've read she was sort of an "odd duck" during her retirement in Siler City but was just curious if anyone had any thoughts on her during the years on the show.

TIA

I don't know how much of this is true and how much is rumors but it is somewhat interesting nonetheless.
http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/b/Frances%20Bavier/frances_bavier.htm

I heard Andy speak on this a bit in one of the reunion shows. She didn't cotton to Andy well all the time. But he said when she took ill and was nearing the end of her life, he called her (or she called him, don't remember now) and they apologized for past problems. She told Andy that she knew she had been difficult to work with and was sorry for the way she had been. So it sounds like what ever problems they may have endured, they came to peace with one another before she died.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=1457&PIpi=78979
One would like to think that Andy and "Aunt Bee" reconciled.

it is a shame that so many 'difficult' people live their lives with total disregard to other peoples feelings and think if they only say "oops , sorry" with their last dying breath then that makes everythink alright. i understand that once the show was a hit , they were committed to keeping her and the character , but who made the call to hire her in the first place ? was she the only overweight grandmotherly type lady in hollywood ?

widow bradshaw wrote on Jul 18^th, 2009 at 11:07pm:

was she the only overweight grandmotherly type lady in hollywood ?

How about Reta Shaw?...  :D

widow bradshaw wrote on Jul 18^th, 2009 at 11:07pm:

who made the call to hire her in the first place

She couldn't do anything....couldn't play baseball, couldn't go fishing, what was she good for?  :-?

but she needed Opie ! ;D

How about Reta Shaw?...  :D
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As my grandpa would have said, "that old gal could act!" (he called nearly every female an old gal).  Whether it was Eleanor Poltice or Ralph Henderson( ;D) she could flat play the part! I also liked the lady that played Mrs. Pendleton. I thought she played that type of part very well in the episode where Emmitt buys the fur coat. She also was equally fun as Barney (Dr. Haywood's) mother in the shakiest gun in the west.

I actually really like Francis Bavier's portrayal of Aunt Bee. She could do the touching scenes, comedy bits, and even the mad-as-fire scenes as only a professional could. I even read where Denver Pyle talked about how good of an actor she was. In fact he even went as far as to compare her to Doris Day in her ability to make the person playing against her to act better.

I too saw the TV Land (I think) interview where Andy talks about her calling him just before she died. Whatever her bedside manner, I can't imagine any one else doing that part justice.

Cast as a whining widow lady in the 1960 pilot for The Andy Griffith Show, Bavier made so indelible an impression that the part of Aunt Bee was created for her virtually on the spot. She remained with The Andy Griffith Show even after Griffith left the series in 1968 and the program's title was changed to Mayberry RFD. Upon her retirement in 1970, Bavier dropped totally out of sight, and it was assumed by her friends and fans that she had passed away. When it was ascertained that Bavier was indeed alive, Andy Griffith tried to entreat her to appear in a 1986 Griffith Show reunion. Frances Bavier flatly refused, making it clear that she wanted no further contact with her former TV costars; she was alone and completely cut off from show business — and liked it that way.

I think Francis, being a 'serious' actress, didn't understand the lack of seriousness taken to the craft by these young upstart television actors.  She was trained to get it right the first time.  The young kids coming up could always get it right on the next take as they weren't live.  I think this is what bothered Francis the most.

Where did you get that info Widow?  I heard Frances Bavier was too sick to appear in "Return to Mayberry" and that she did indeed reconcile with Andy Griffith just before she died.  I've also read that the role of Aunt Bee so appealed to her that she moved to Siler City, NC because of her association with TAGS and her character.

I've heard two stories.  One that she refused to play the part and two, that she was too ill to travel, let alone act.  

Mister Bass wrote on Jul 20^th, 2009 at 1:37pm:

Where did you get that info Widow?  I heard Frances Bavier was too sick to appear in "Return to Mayberry" and that she did indeed reconcile with Andy Griffith just before she died.  I've also read that the role of Aunt Bee so appealed to her that she moved to Siler City, NC because of her association with TAGS and her character.

Frances Bavier refused to be part of "Return to Mayberry" which was filmed in 1986.  Bavier passed 3 years later from congestive heart failure brought on by coronary artery disease coupled with a couple of heart attacks.  She had breast cancer, but that was not an underlying cause of death.

She retired to Siler City in 1972 because she had visited there many times during different celebrations and fell in love with the town.  Had nothing to do with TAGS.  Her last acting role was in 1974 in the movie  "Benji"

 I have that also Pierre. I guess since she shunned the spotlight, we'll never know for sure. Andy would know though.

Mister Bass wrote on Jul 20^th, 2009 at 1:37pm:

Where did you get that info Widow?

cheated , copied & pasted directly from "allmovie.com" !