Movie To Honor Mayberry's Town Drunk Otis Campbell Hal Smith

[chipnall]

What a talent - Otis Campbell was one of the best characters ever. Even as a child I picked up on how good he was. He was serious as a heart attack but fe=unny as could be.

[sickkat44]

hal would call terminally ill children as winnie the pooh to cheer them up. blake edwards had a pool table on the set of "the great race" and the cast would play for $5 a ball, he had a 7 week contract for his scenes. hal was being fitted for a bald pate to test for uncle fester on "the addams family". it was taking too long and he said "just get jackie coogan, he's already bald!" and jackie got the job. i was very lucky to have made his acquaintance. best regards for your documentary.

[sickkat44]

i knew hal briefly in the early 90's. i cast voices for jh&r and he was one of our talent. a really nice guy and got some stories from him. did you know that he built the building that housed the post office in prescott az? was barney rubble when blanc had his car accident? loved liverwurst sandwiches? he and his wife had dinner with jay stewart the night before jay comitted suicide? was only otis in about 12 episodes of andy griffith? originally started as a western sidekick ala pat buttram?

[ProfessorIgor]

Daws Butler filled in for 4 episodes as Barney Rubble while Mel was in his coma after the crash.

[143AC]

Mr.Hal Smith was also the host And performer of the local

Hollywood,Cal./Syndicated kids tv show The Pancake Man.

[mia0899cs]

Good luck! You can do it! I'll be here waiting for it!

[johnswackyworld]

in time..once i get things organized better!

[Fringe111]

Oh yes I recognize him. No I didn't know him but I got your note about you no who and your doing the right thing.

[fenegal]

he also did the voice of john avery whittaker on focus on the family's adventures in oddysey... another andy griffith alum who voices a character on adventures in oddysey is parley baer... you have truly honored a man who was so much more than otis the drunk... a true hollywood character actor

[johnswackyworld]

thank you...and I can't wait until i finish this project in hopefully a year to hopefully show at a premier at mayberry days in 2010..john

[fredvab]

John, thank you so much for doing this. I have always felt that Hal deserved so much more credit than he has received. I have a question - did Hal do the voice of Jiminy Cricket? Sometimes when "Otis" talked, I thought I could hear the voice of Jiminy. Thanks again, Fred.

[johnswackyworld]

yes. hal was the voice of jiminy cricket. he wasnt the orginal jiminy -- but did the voice several times for disney.

[pegbars]

Hi, John! A good place to start honoring him would be to capitalize his name. ;)

[johnswackyworld]

well, the book i wrote has done okay for me! don't know how i would capitalize on his name, thou. his executor would have to give me more permission! i'm prety much his publicity agent --even if he has been dead for over ten years.