Not many performers can claim to have appeared in a film or television role every year for more than thirty straight, but it's a boast Don Knotts can make. From 1953 through 1984, the scrawny physique of everyone's favorite goofball was a constant on the big and small screens.
Although primarily known for comedy, Knotts began his TV career on "Search for Tomorrow." His first comedic roles were as a regular on "The Steve Allen Show," and in the Broadway and feature film versions of "No Time for Sergeants." But it was not until 1960, when he was cast as his signature character, sheriff's deputy Barney Fife in "The Andy Griffith Show," that Knotts became a household name.
It was a part that Knotts seemed born to play. A master of physical comedy, he was blessed with the body of a cartoon character. His bugged-out eyes, turtle neck, and bad posture were perfect for conveying every nuance of Barney's nervous nelly persona. As the reliable sidekick to Griffith's Sheriff Andy Taylor, Barney's false bravado inevitably led to disaster, thanks to his fatal blend of zeal and ineptitude.
Knotts won five Emmys in seven years, and a multi-picture deal with Universal. He had already worked in movies, including a starring role as a man-turned-fish in "The Incredible Mr. Limpet," but in "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken," "The Reluctant Astronaut" and "The Shakiest Gun in the West," the actor's image as a world-class wimp rose to new heights, affording him every opportunity to exploit his physical attributes with pop-eyed double takes.
Knotts switched between film and television over the next several years. He partnered Tim Conway in six movies, and even hosted his own TV variety series.
In 1979, he found himself back in a top-rated primetime comedy as landlord Ralph Furley in "Three's Company." Playing a deluded ladies' man clueless about his total lack of sex appeal, sporting polyester leisure suits, and dripping in gold chains, Don Knotts elicited laughs from a whole new generation of TV watchers.
Knotts continued to appear regularly on television, including recurring guest spots on "Matlock" with his old pal from Mayberry, Andy Griffith. Just two years ago, he surprised his fans by returning to features. In a cameo specifically created for him by "Pleasantville" writer/director Gary Ross, Knotts was the odd-duck TV repairman who transports two colorful 1990s teenagers into the black-and-white world of a 1950s sitcom. Earlier this year, he appeared in "Quints," a Disney Channel movie.
Don Knotts has indeed done it all, bringing both humor and pathos to the many characters he has played. Sure, we laugh at their physical antics, but we also empathize with their poignant vulnerability. And thanks to Barney Fife & Co., we have learnt that even the goofiest geek, the biggest buffoon, or the ultimate nerd can triumph in the end. 
