"A lilting labor of love." -- Tom Shales, Pulitzer prizewinning TV critic

"Well-written and fast-paced." -- Washington Post

"Delicious comfort food for boomers and, really, anyone with cable."  -- Booklist (starred review)

Now in its thirteenth paperback printing!

Andy Griffith and Don Knotts met on Broadway in the 1950s. When Andy went to Hollywood to film a TV pilot about a small-town sheriff, Don called to ask if the sheriff could use a deputy. The comedic synergy between Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife ignited The Andy Griffith Show, elevating a folksy sitcom into a timeless study of human friendship, as potent off the screen as on. Andy and Don -- fellow Southerners born into poverty and raised among scofflaws, bullies, and drunks -- captured the hearts of Americans across the country as they rocked lazily on the front porch, meditating about the simple pleasure of a bottle of pop. But behind this sleepy, small-town charm, Daniel de Visé's exclusive reporting reveals explosions of violent temper, bouts of crippling neurosis, and all-too-human struggles with the temptations of fame. Andy and Don chronicles unspoken rivalries, passionate affairs, unrequited loves, and friendships lost and regained. Written by Don Knotts's brother-in-law and featuring extensive unpublished interviews with those closest to both men, Andy and Don is the definitive literary work on the legacy of The Andy Griffith Show and a provocative and entertaining read about two of America's most enduring stars.

"What a thrill to take a peek down the alleys of Mayberry and beyond." -- Billy Bob Thornton, Oscar-winning actor and director

"[De Visé] captures the complexity of both men and the intimacy of their friendship with extreme detail and sensitivity." -- Publishers Weekly

"A delightful, affectionate tribute to the show, and to the two stars whose unique chemistry, both on and off the screen, was the key to its enduring appeal." -- Richard Zoglin, bestselling author of Hope

"By turns humorous, informative, and poignant.” -- Library Journal

"This is the book about The Andy Griffith Show you didn't know you needed." -- Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, bestselling author of Seinfeldia

"As a story about a TV show and a creative partnership, Andy and Don satisfies. It’s also a lively look inside the entertainment industry in the latter half of the 20th century. But more than anything, it’s the story of a beautiful friendship.” -- News & Observer

Available for purchase from your favorite retailer via Simon & Schuster!