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The eBullet
An Online newsletter of
“The Andy Griffith Show” Rerun Watchers Club (TAGSRWC)
Volume 8, Issue 3
June 1, 2008
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Welcome to our third issue of The eBullet for 2008!  As many of you know, we’ve been having some technical difficulties with the distribution of our online newsletters during the last couple of months.  Most of the problems had to do with the server we use for sending the newsletters and also with spam filters and other things that can cause mass mailings to bounce back. 

   If you ever miss receiving an issue of The eBullet, you can always catch up by reading it in the eBullet Archives in the Newsletters section at iMayberry.com.  Each issue is usually placed in the Archives within about a week of its being distributed.  If you’re signed up for our daily Digest of messages from members, it also has its own password-protected Archives where you can follow the ongoing stream of messages.

   We think we’ve now gotten all the technical glitches worked out.  (Hooray for Webmaster Allan Newsome for solving this really complex computer problem!  We’re lucky to have his know-how at our disposal.) 

   This was scheduled to be the May issue, but we’re sending it in early June because we re-sent the April issue (originally scheduled for March) in May.  We’re planning the next issue for late July, which will put us back on our intended schedule.

   But enough housekeeping…let’s get on to all the happenings in Mayberry!  We unfortunately start on a very sad note.

Mayberry Mourns Loss of Music Legend

He Hooked Our Hearts with Beloved Tunes

Earle Hagen 1919-2008

  By now, news has reached all corners of Mayberry, Camp Pendleton, New Rochelle, N.Y., and beyond about the passing of amazing musician and wonderful human being Earle Hagen.  He died at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif., on Memorial Day evening.  Earle had valiantly battled a variety of heart difficulties for many years.  He was 88 years old.

   There was never any doubt that Earle Harry Hagen was all about heart.  He had a welcoming personality and was generous with his talents and time.  He was respected as a brilliant musician (including stints as a trombonist and arranger for top bands of the Big Band era) and was considered the respected dean of TV composers.  His approach to scoring TV shows transformed a craft that, until he came along, had been fairly cookie-cutter in approach.  Earle worked hard to carefully tailor his music to the particular shows, characters and scenes he was working on.

   Earle’s work for TAGS would by itself have been career enough for many a talented person.  Not only did he compose (in about 15 minutes!) and whistle the TAGS theme, but he also wrote most of the background music performed in the episodes.  Among the themes he wrote were “The Man Hunt” (basically Barney’s theme) and themes for Aunt Bee, Opie, Ellie and others.  He wrote ”Mayberry March,” which was used in many TAGS episodes and later became the theme for “Mayberry R.F.D.” 

   Earle was not only a composer, but also music director for many of these shows and others.  He received multiple Emmy nominations and won for an episode of “I Spy.”  He was also nominated for an Academy Award in 1960 for his work on Let’s Make Love, starring Marilyn Monroe.

   Another tune of Earle’s that is recognized and beloved the world over is “Harlem Nocturne,” which he composed in 1939 and which 45 years later became the theme for “Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer.”

   It’s impossible to capture the full scope of Earle’s life and career in the paragraphs in this story.  Not even a book could do his life justice (and Earle wrote three, two acclaimed books on scoring films and his 2002 memoirs).  Here are a few links to good stories about Earle that have appeared since his death:

http://www.filmmusicsociety.org/news_events/features/newsprint.php?ArticleID=052708

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-me-hagen28-2008may28,0,3791913.story

http://wcbstv.com/entertainment/earle.hagen.death.2.735096.html

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/05/28/OBIT_HAGEN.html

   An outstanding Web site operated by admirers of Earle’s is at http://www.earlehagen.net.  The site has lots of photos and info and links to many other worthwhile sites and stories with detailed information about Earle’s fascinating life and career.

   There’s also an interview with Earle that appeared in the July 1993 issue of our old printed newsletter, The Bullet.  For those who are longtime TAGSRWC members or maybe have ordered that issue from TAGSRWC at some point, the story might provide some additional insights about Earle.

   Earle Hagen was preceded in death by Lou, his wife of 59 years, in 2002.  He is survived by his second wife, Laura; two sons, Deane and James; three stepchildren and four grandchildren.  A memorial service was planned for June 1 in Cathedral City, Calif.

   For those interested, the family has suggested Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation at http://www.mhopus.org for memorial donations.

   Editor’s Note: On behalf of our fan club as a group, TAGSRWC is making a donation to the Surry Arts Council in Mount Airy, N.C.  Earle always spoke fondly of his visit to Mount Airy for Mayberry Days in 2003, and he was impressed by the efforts to develop the arts in Surry County, including Mayberry Days and programs in the schools.  We feel sure Earle would approve of this Mayberry variation of supporting the arts, including music.  Instead of Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, it’s more like Mr. Hagen’s Opie fund. 

   Donations to the Surry Arts Council can be made online at http://www.surryarts.org.  There is a variety of options for memorial donations, ranging from straight donations to inscribed tiles at the amphitheater or seat plaques at the Downtown Cinema or Andy Griffith Playhouse.

**** Floyd’s Barbershop Bulletin Board & Event Calendar ****

* Now until Aug. 23:  The Missouri Boatride, a bluegrass group featuring Darling Boy Dean Webb on mandolin, is performing a Summer Concert Series off the back of Larry Sifford's '49 Chevy flatbed truck, every other Saturday night starting May 3rd at 8:00 p.m. in the Kimberling City (Missouri) Shopping Center parking lot in front of the Hillbilly Bowl. These concerts are free and brought to you by the merchants at this location.  If you're in the Branson area, check ’em out.

* June 12, 14 & 15: Karen Knotts performs her one-woman show "Tied Up in Knotts" about her father, Don Knotts, at the Whitefire Theater in Sherman Oaks, Calif.  Show times are 8 p.m. Thurs., 2 p.m. Sat, and 7 p.m. Sun.  For tickets, call 1-800-838-3006. 

* June 15: LeRoy and Jan McNees lead the chapel service for the 33rd Annual Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival in Grass Valley, Calif.  For more info, visit http://www.cbaontheweb.org.

* June 21: David Browning shines at the Greenville (Tenn.) Astros game. 

* June 25-29: Ronnie Schell performs at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.  For tickets and info, visit, http://www.pechanga.com.

* June 28 & 29: James Best appears at DukesFest at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.  David Browning will be on hand for crowd un-control on the 28th as well.  Visit http://www.dukesfest.com for more info.

* July 5: Doug and Rodney Dillard and their band perform at the 22^nd Annual Sally Mountain Park Bluegrass Festival in Queen City, Mo.  They will also be doing a special workshop at 11 a.m. called “Stories of Mayberry.”  For more info, visit http://www.sallymountainshow.com. 

* July 9: Jim Nabors is in concert at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster, Penn.  For more info, visit http://www.americanmusictheatre.com.

* July 11-13: LeRoy McNees performs at the Ernest T. Bass-approved Athy Bluegrass Festival in Athy, Ireland.  For more info, visit http://www.athy-bluegrass.com/index.html.

* July 12: Rodney Dillard is confirmed as guest star for the 8^th Annual Mayberry Squad Car Nationals in conjunction with the 4th Annual Mayberry Comes to Graysville festival at the Community Center in Graysville, Ala. (just northwest of Birmingham).  Rodney often brings special guests with him, so stay tuned for more details about the lineup.
   In addition to the Mayberry Squad Car racing (free and probably starting around 11:00 a.m.) and Rodney’s evening concert, other confirmed activities include a parade down Main Street at 10 a.m. with Rodney as Grand Marshal.  (It's free, of course.)  There also will be a car show (also free) between the end of the parade and the start of the free Squad Car Nationals.
   A ticket (price to be determined but usually about $20 for adults and about $10 for kids 12 and under) is required for the rest of the day's festivities inside the air-conditioned Community Center.  Tickets will be available at the door or in advance at the Graysville City Hall.  The indoor ticketed activities include a trivia contest, Q&A with Rodney and others, a delicious down-home dinner and shenanigans by Mayberry tribute artists in conjunction with Rodney's evening concert.
   Among the tribute artists confirmed are David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Allan “Floyd” Newsome, Kenneth “Big Maude” Junkin, Jeff “County Clerk” Branch and Jamie “Opie” Sullivan.
   The Mayberry Squad Nationals is organized by TAGSRWC's “Hearty Eatin' Men and Beautiful, Delicate Women” chapter (Tuscaloosa, Ala.).  Mayberry Comes to Graysville is sponsored and hosted by the City of Graysville, Ala., in association with Graysville's Mayberry Minutemen chapter of TAGSRWC. The sponsoring hotel is the Best Western in neighboring Gardendale, Ala.
   Check the Event Calendar online at iMayberry.com for updates or visit www.graysvillecity.com.

* July 18 and 19: Don Knotts Hometown Celebration in Morgantown, W.V.  Don's daughter Karen Knotts will perform her one-woman "Tied Up in Knotts" show at the Metropolitan Theater.  Francey Yarborough Knotts (Don's widow) and various friends of Don's will also participate and share memories and stories.  David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning will perform as well.  Memorabilia displays, movies, trivia and look-alike contests, tours, and apple dumplin's are among the activities being served up.  Some parts of the weekend require tickets.  Package pricing is available at two price levels.  More details (including an event Web site where tickets can be purchased) TBA soon.

* July 25: David Browning slides into Salem, Va., for an Avalanche game.

* July 26: David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning is on the path for fun (and how!) for the Danville (Va.) Braves game.

* July 30: Everyone hopes his socks aren’t too porous and the tightly-knit crowd doesn’t unravel when David Browning tells yarns at the Bristol (Va.) White Sox game.

* Aug. 1: David Browning’s back to rock the stadium at the Salem (Va.) Avalanche game.

* Aug. 2: David Browning is a sight to see at the Asheville (N.C.) Tourists game.

* Aug. 5: David Browning is on patrol for National Night Out in Amherst, Va.

 * Aug. 9: Doug and Rodney Dillard and their band and their TV sister Maggie Peterson Mancuso perform at the Second Annual Mayberry in Troy, a fundraiser for the Montgomery County DARE program in Troy, N.C.  At least seven popular Mayberry tribute artists (including David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning) will also perform.  Show time at the James Garner Center is 7 p.m.  Tickets are $20 for reserved seats, $15 for general admission and $10 for kids ages 6-12.  To order tickets in advance, call Jeff Branch at (910) 572-1313 or (704) 985-6987.

* Aug. 21-23: David Browning makes the circuit, first for Food City Family Race Night on Thurs. and then for the NASCAR scene on Fri. and Sat. at the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

* Aug. 30: David Browning makes the rounds on the diamond for the Mississippi Braves game in Pearl.

* Sept. 16-21: Ronnie Schell headlines in the Comedy Improv Room at Harrah's in Las Vegas, N.V.

* Sept. 25-28: 19^th Annual Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, N.C.  Stars confirmed so far include Doug Dillard, Rodney Dillard, Betty Lynn, Maggie Peterson Mancuso, James Best, Jackie Joseph, Elizabeth MacRae, LeRoy McNees and George Spence.  For more info, visit: http://www.surryarts.org.

* Nov. 1-6: A Cruise to Mayberry (click here for more info and photos of past cruises) to the Bahamas aboard Carnival’s Fascination ship. This 5-day cruise departs from Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday, November 1, and cruises to: Nassau, Half Moon Cay, and 2- “Days at Sea” returning back to Jacksonville on Thursday, November 6.  The VW Boys are joining the Mayberry family with their mixture of Music, Magic & Comedy. Tribute artists Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, Allan “Floyd” Newsome, Bob “Briscoe Darling” Mundy, Jeff “Howard Sprague” Branch, Jamie “Opie” Sullivan, Gary “Gomer” Crain, Tara “Juanita” Spath, and Samantha “The Manicurist” Miles. Others TBA.  Rates start at $259 plus $179.92 Port Tax per person, based on two per cabin.  For more info, call Sharon Euliss at All About Cruises in Burlington, N.C., at 1-800-832-7993.  Or e-mail her at PWESJE@aol.com.

**** News of Cast & Crew ****

Happy 82^nd Birthday to Andy Griffith!

   Andy Griffith recently filmed a music video for the song “Waitin’ for a Woman” for country superstar (and certifiable Mayberry nut) Brad Paisley.  It’s going to be a real hoot (let’s just say that Andy gets in touch with his inner Mr. Schwamp), so keep an eye out for it. 

   Andy was also featured in a political TV spot for Bev Perdue, a Democratic candidate for governor in North Carolina.  (She won her primary election on May 6.)  Here’s a link to the place on her Web site that has the spot: http://www.bevperdue.com/u2b_gallery.asp?videoID=uGFDrHs6z18

   No release date has been announced yet for Play the Game, the movie Andy filmed last fall.  The film also features Rance Howard and Clint Howard.

   Ron Howard is currently in post-production for the film version of Frost/Nixon, based on the hit play about David Frost’s interviews with Richard Nixon after he resigned. 

   The film’s release has recently been rescheduled for Dec. 5.  Also, Ron is still in pre-production as director for Angels & Demons, the sequel to The Da Vinci Code that stars Tom Hanks.  The release date for that film, originally set for release this Christmas, has been pushed back until May 2009 because of the writers strike.

   Ron is also producer for several other projects, including an Arrested Development movie, based on the comedy series he produced and narrated, and The Changeling, which is being directed by Clint Eastwood.

   Jim Nabors was back again at the Indy 500 to sing “Back Home Again in Indiana.”  He had missed last year’s race because he was under the weather, but he was full of sunshine and back spreading good cheer this year.

 Maggie Peterson Mancuso is recovering well from recent knee surgery…on both knees!  (We bet she’ll be carrying buckeyes in her pockets from now on!)  She’s already back performing, including some Vegas dates with a group called the Cat Pack.  She and husband Gus also did a show in her hometown of Greeley, Colo., earlier this year, before her knee surgery.

   A hearty congratulations to Mitch Jayne, whose Fiddler’s Ghost novel was awarded the Gold Medal in the Midwest Best Regional Fiction category at the 12^th Annual Independent Publisher Book Awards (the IPPYs) in Los Angeles on May 30^th.

   The award-winning family film Moondance Alexander, featuring James Best (and written and produced by his daughter, Janeen Damian, and her husband, Michael Damian), is now out on DVD.

   Richard O. “Dick” Linke checked in with us from Hawaii in May.  He says he’s doing well and still thoroughly enjoying retirement on the Big Island.  He’s contemplating a visit to the mainland later this year, but it’s pretty hard to pry him out of his tropical paradise.

**** Chapter Update ****

We have one new chapter since the last eBullet:

Wilbur Finch                                                                                       Pine River, Minn.

   That brings our total number of chapters founded to 1,325.  If you’re interested in starting a chapter of TAGSRWC, all you need to do is pick a name that has not already been chosen, and submit it with a list of your founding members by postal mail.

   What you do as a chapter is entirely up to you.  Your group can do as much or as little as you like.  Or write to us also if you would like to contact a chapter near you.  Our address is TAGSRWC, 9 Music Square South, PMB 146, Nashville, TN  37203-3211.

**** Merchandise Update ****

Widening Our Scope

   Along with Visa and MasterCard, Weaver’s Dept. Store now is set up to accept DiscoverCard!  Brace yourself…we’re flying head over heels into the 21^st Century!  Unfortunately, we don’t see the American Express Card in our future, so you can still leave that one at home for now.

* Goober’s Great 2008 Grab-Bag of Mayberry Stuff   $60.00 
 http://www.weaversdepartmentstore.com/index.php?item=67

   We have just a handful left of this Grab-Bag.  All of the items are no longer in production and are therefore now in the category of “collectible.”
   At a minimum, each Grab-Bag has the following items:

* 1 Officially Licensed T-Shirt with Barney Fife on it (The shirt design included is our choice according to availability, but you’ll need to specify in the Comments section of the online order form whether you want Medium, Large, or 2XL.  Size XL is not available for this offer.  The default choice if you don’t indicate a size is Large.)
* 1 110-card Set of “Andy Griffith Show” Trading Cards (either a Set of Series 2 or Series 3 cards—Ben Weaver’s choice, depending on current availability
* 1 Mayberry-related book with an original price of at least $10
* 1 “Andy Griffith Show” ornament
* 2 Different newspapers with coverage of major Mayberry events
* 1 Officially-licensed Mayberry license plate
* 1 Mayberry mouse pad
* 2 Vintage (that is, not 2008) Mayberry wall calendars (still in their original shrink wrap)
* 3 Different wooden Mayberry building fronts (Mrs. Mendelbright’s Boardinghouse, Mayberry Hotel, and All Souls Church)
* 3 Different Mayberry bumper stickers
* 1 Mayberry-related audio tape (still sealed)
* 5 Different Mayberry photos (8x10)
* 2 Pairs of 2 different Mayberry birthday balloons (a total of 4 balloons)
* Assorted Mayberry event and news publications and materials (fliers, newsletters, fans, magnets, buttons, etc.)

   If the items were sold separately, their suggested retail prices would total over $120.  But Goober is not the best at arithmetic and Ernest T. wasn’t around to help us count by stomping his feet, so our price is only $60 for the whole Grab-Bag.
    All proceeds (not just the profits, but 100% of the $60 price) are going toward our annual support of the Surry Arts Council and its Mayberry Days festival in September in Mount Airy, N.C.  So with a Grab-Bag purchase, you get a good deal while also supporting a good Mayberry cause!

* 2008 “Andy Griffith Show” Wall Calendar--Was $14.00; Now $10.00!

http://www.weaversdepartmentstore.com/index.php?category=44

   Now that we’re four months into this year, we’re knocking $4 off the price of this 2008 wall calendar.  We expect this will be our only price reduction on this item because we don’t have very many left.  And these TAGS wall calendars have a history of going up in price again as collectibles as the years pass. 

   This fifth straight year of a TAGS Wall Calendar celebrates that milestone with all color photos for 2008.  Now, don’t panic.  “All color” doesn’t mean photos only from the color seasons.  Several photos are from the black-and-white era.  The photos are in color only because they’re publicity stills.  Some haven’t been published since the first set of trading cards in 1990. 

 * Waitress DVD (widescreen version) featuring Andy Griffith   On Sale…$22.00  http://www.weaversdepartmentstore.com/index.php?category=73

  This hit independent film of 2007 features Andy Griffith as Old Joe, a crusty diner owner.  It also stars Keri Russell. 
   There’s a lot of wholesome pie-making in this romantic comedy, but there are also some mature themes that give it a PG-13 rating.  The suggested price is $30.00, but we’ve got it for just $22.00

* All New Box Set of All Eight Seasons of “The Andy Griffith Show,” Plus the “Danny Thomas” Pilot and Return to Mayberry   $192.00
http://www.weaversdepartmentstore.com/index.php?maincat=72

    The suggested retail price for this Box Set of every episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” (plus the “Danny Thomas” pilot episode and the 1986 Return to Mayberry movie) is over $240.00.  The previous 8-season box-set release (without the pilot and the movie and now also discontinued) carried a suggested retail price of $320.00.  We think our $192.00 price is an exceptional value.
    We also sell individual Complete Seasons on DVD at nice discounts.

* Complete First Season of “Matlock” on DVD   $39.00

http://www.weaversdepartmentstore.com/index.php?category=73

   After years of anticipation, “Matlock” is finally available on DVD!  The first season has 23 episodes plus the movie pilot on seven discs.  “Matlock” always had great guest stars, and the first season certainly set the pace with Dick Van Dyke, Roddy McDowall, Billy Bob Thornton, Pipe Laurie, Desi Arnaz Jr., Norman Fell, Billy Zane, Jose Ferrer and lots of other familiar faces.  The list price for this set is $50, but we’ve got it in stock now for just $39.00!

* Mayberry-opoly Board Game   $30.00
http://www.weaversdepartmentstore.com/index.php?category=56

   This board game, new in 2007, is a dream come true for “Barney Fife, Realtor” and anyone who has ever wished to own a little piece of that paradise we know and love as Mayberry!
   If you love Monopoly and Mayberry or you know somebody who does, then you’ll really love Mayberry-opoly.
   At just $30.00 per game, Mayberry-opoly is worth the price just to have the cool design of the box and the board to look at or display.  We think it’s the most fun opoly game ever created.

 * Fiddler’s Ghost by Mitch Jayne   $15.00
http://www.weaversdepartmentstore.com/index.php?category=25

   Darling boy Mitch Jayne’s fascinating 2007 novel, Fiddler’s Ghost, is getting fantastic reviews.  It’s absorbing reading for anybody who loves a good ghost story, music, skillful writing, or just plain great storytelling from a true master.  Few people have as much of a command and appreciation of language (especially the Ozark variety) as Mitch.  We don’t want to give away the plot, but we will say that it’s a charming, entertaining and engrossing tale.  Mitch also has a new Web page (mostly info about his books so far):  

http://mitch.jayne1.googlepages.com/home

Barney Fife's Guide to Life Love and Self-Defense   $15.00

http://www.weaversdepartmentstore.com/index.php?category=28

  This fun 1993 book (hardback, 166 pages) by brothers Len and John Oszustowicz imagines worldly advice coming from the mind of Barney Fife.  Nuff said.

   The popular book has been out of print for over 10 years and is now a sought-after collectible. We have a few copies from the First Printing that are still in brand new condition.  And best of all, we're offering the book for just a couple of dollars more than the cover price (and less than the annual inflation rate has been.)  Get 'em while you can before we change our minds about the price.

   And we also have several other classic, out-of-print Mayberry books, including Inside Mayberry, Mayberry My Hometown and The Official Andy Griffith Show Scrapbook.

 * Complete Third Season of “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” on DVD   $32.00  http://www.weaversdepartmentstore.com/index.php?category=91

   The Complete Third Season of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (the first season featuring Elizabeth MacRae as Lou Ann Poovie) is now available at Weaver’s, along with the First and Second Seasons.

* The Complete Fourth Season of “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” http://www.weaversdepartmentstore.com/index.php?category=91 is coming out on May 20.  We’re taking pre-orders now.  The list price is $39.00, but we’ve got it for just $32.00.

**** Chapter News ****

Several chapters, including “Hearty Eatin’ Men and Beautiful, Delicate Women” (Tuscaloosa, Ala.), “You Better Put a Buckeye in Your Pocket and Do the Incant for a Sore Foot” (Bessemer, Ala.), “Irritatin’, Ain’t It?” (Fall Branch, Tenn.), “I Ain’t No Rockefeller” (Bristol, Va.) and Mother Figure (Huntsville, Ala.) were among the hundreds of people on hand for the Eagles’ Wings fundraiser in Tuscaloosa in April.  A full cast of Mayberry tribute artists was there to help Eagles’ Wings raise money for a facility to take care of adults with disabilities.

  “Shakedown!  Shakedown!” chapter (Laurinburg, N.C.) sent us a report saying they had a great meeting in April.  Howard Sprague tribute artist Jeff Branch joined over 20 chapter members in attendance for Southern-style chicken, fun and fellowship. 

   “Some of Us Got It, Some of Us Ain’t” (Clayton, N.C.) celebrated its 10^th anniversary as a chapter at their meeting in April.  Weenies and baked beans were served.  Opie and His Merry Men couldn’t have celebrated better!  Their meeting was covered by their local Clayton News-Star newspaper.

   Barney chapter (Greensboro), Sarah chapter (Charlotte), Mavis Neff (Durham.), Mr. McBeevee (Asheville) and Pepperelli Pizza (Raeford) are among other chapters in the Tar Heel state that checked in recently to report that “everything is O.K. in Mayberry.”  Barney chapter is still meeting monthly.  The others?  Well, maybe not so often, but they’re still watching TAGS every chance they get and enjoying Mayberry-related  activities!

   Mayberry chapter (Knoxville, Tenn.) published the latest edition of its thrice-yearly Mayberry Minutes newsletter in April.  Editor Kent Baker does a whiz-bang job with the 14-page publication that’s jam-packed with the goings-on of the busy chapter.  Check out the chapter’s Web site at mayberrychapter.com

**** Miss Crump’s Mayberry Quizzes ****

Because of the hitches in the get-long of our original newsletter distribution of the April eBullet, the quiz below found its way to only a very few subscribers, which meant that most readers didn’t even have a chance to know about the contest, much less enter it.  (“A decoy…Shazam!”)  So we’re rerunning the quiz this time to give everybody a fair shot.

   Now, there was a handful of eager pupils who did get their newsletter and were able to get their entries in on time.  We don’t want to penalize those folks for their good fortune in getting their newsletter or for their skill in getting their answers in before the deadline.  So, they will be entered in a separate drawing for the same prize as entrants for this edition of the same quiz.  That’s right—Miss Crump will be awarding two prizes.  It’s a win-win for everybody.  (Just don’t tell ol’ Ben Weaver that we’re raiding his shelves twice!)

   We won’t announce the early-bird winner until the next issue in order to protect him or her from folks seeking the correct answers in this second heat.  (Consulting with others would technically be fair because this is an open-source test, but it just wouldn’t be very sporting to encourage folks to ask somebody whose quiz has already been graded.)

   Anyway, here’s the quiz again for everybody who didn’t get it in time the first time, or for those who could use a little more time.

Miss Crump’s Mayberry Quiz # 76

Even more than usual, this quiz from Miss Crump is a true Mayberry history test.  (If you can’t guess why, we’ll explain in the next issue.)  Because this is sort of a mid-term exam, the questions are sort of middle of the road in difficulty.  (Well, O.K., there are some pretty tough ones, but there’s a couple of fairly easy ones, too.)  Good luck!

1. Name two times that Andy is seen in his home repairing a lamp.

2. Name a happening in Mayberry that is described as “a bolt from the blue.”  (“A bolt out of the blue” is also acceptable, but that’s not the one we’re looking for.  In a tie-breaker situation, an entry that has both references might get a special prize!)

3. Who in Mayberry is once said to have dropped a bacon and tomato sandwich on the ground?

4. Who once gummed a cookie with Andy Taylor?

5. Name two people who have been seen driving the Darling family’s truck.

BONUS: What proposed action would save Mayberry an estimated $3,628?

   Submit your answers by e-mail to OldLadyCrump@iMayberry.com or, if you just don’t trust a machine with your entry, mail your answers to TAGSRWC, 9 Music Square South, PMB 146, Nashville TN 37203-3211.  All entries must be e-mailed or postmarked by June 30.

   The person whose quiz has the required correct answers will receive his or her choice of any single item offered online at Weaver’s.  (Neither a box set of TAGS DVDs nor a set of Wooden Mayberry Building Fronts is considered a single item.  Neither are sets of tin signs, grab-bags or combos.) 

   If there is more than one person with the most correct answers (as is usually the case), we’ll draw a winner from all the top entries.

**** Postnote ****

   Between issues of The eBullet, keep up with the goings-on in Mayberry with the daily “Who’s Been Messin’ Up the Bulletin Board?“ Digest.  It’s a free subscriber list that consists entirely of comments, newsflashes, and questions and answers from subscribers.  You can sign up for that list by going to the “Mailing Lists” link at http://tagsrwc.com.

   TAGSRWC also publishes Weaver’s Newsletter in more-or-less alternate months to The eBullet.  Like The eBullet, the Weaver’s Newsletter is free.  Its focus is mainly on new Mayberry merchandise and collectibles and quick newsflashes.  To sign up, go to: http://mail.weaversdepartmentstore.com/mailman/listinfo/newsletter_weaversdepartmentstore.com

   TAGSRWC’s other main vehicle for Mayberry information is simply our Web site at http://www.tagsrwc.com (and its sister site http://www.iMayberry.com.  Both sites have extensive content and links for just about everything a Mayberry fan might be looking for.