Comprehensive information and links about Barney Fife

Barney Fife .

Played by Don Knotts, Fife was the hyperkinetic but comically inept counterpart to Mayberry's cool-headed Sheriff Andy Taylor. After several occasions of accidently discharging his revolver (usually a Colt .38 caliber) Andy restricted Barney to carry only a single bullet to be kept in his shirt pocket. The bullet(s) always seemed to find its way back into the pistol where predictably it would be accidently discharged, sometimes when Barney was demonstrating his famous "fast draw"

Calling someone "Barney Fife" is an American slang term for an incompetent or overzealous police officer or authority figure. In fact, it was used as the name of a character in the Half-Life series of video games, Barney Calhoun.

Early in the series, Andy and Barney comment that they are cousins, but the family connection is rarely mentioned again.

Barney's middle name remains a mystery. Sometimes he is called Bernard P. Fife, but Andy says at one point, "I thought your middle name was Oliver!"

When he's not patrolling the streets of Mayberry, Barney spent his free time dating a local girl named Thelma Lou [played by actress Betty Lynn. However, he carried on an affair with a diner waitress named Juanita behind Thelma Lou's back. Juanita was never seen on camera. And if one takes the series all together Barney in fact is somewhat of a Rogue when it comes to relationships with women

Although Barney enjoys singing, he has no vocal talent. This fact features in several episodes, notably "Barney Joins the Choir." He is also self-decieved over his prowess in the art of Judo.

Eventually, Barney moves away from Mayberry to work as a detective in Raleigh, N.C. Some of Andy's visits to see his old friend Barney on the job in the big city appear in later episodes; however, his skills as an officer remain quite limited.

Very sensitive and sentimental, Barney could be moved to tears, anger or any other over-reaction quite easily.

In one episode, Barney finds a poem written about him in graffiti on the side of a wall. It said:

Barney often puts on a show of bravado to mask his insecurity and lack of confidence. His behavior often made him appear arrogant and foolish, but he was at heart a kind, caring person.

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