Where These Stars From The Andy Griffith Show Are Buried

"The Andy Griffith Show" ran on CBS for eight seasons from 1960 until its finale in 1968. Throughout the show's 249-episode run, viewers got their first looks at up-and-coming stars like Ron Howard and Jim Nabors and were greeted by the familiar faces of veteran character actors Frances Bavier and Burt Mustin. The prime-time sitcom received multiple Emmy nominations, including five wins in the category of Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy Series for Don Knotts (per IMDb).

Longtime fans of the show have mourned the passing of the majority of its stars and guest stars over the last several decades, including Knotts and Andy Griffith, who died in 2006 and 2012, respectively.

For those die-hard lovers of "The Andy Griffith Show" who wish to pay respects to their favorite stars' final resting places, you might be surprised to know how many parts of the country play host to their interments. From a private estate on Roanoke Island to a charming hamlet in rural Alabama to the Hollywood Hills, you'll find as much variety in the stars' final resting places as you would character quirks on the show.

Emmy Award-winning actor Don Knotts might be most known for playing the bumbling, excitable, and anxiety-ridden Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show," but the actor amassed quite the resume throughout his decades on the big and small screens. From his pre-Mayberry years on "The Steve Allen Show" to his 1980s portrayal of Mr. Furley on "Three's Company," Knotts cemented himself as a household name over several generations.

Knotts also had a prolific film career, beginning with the reprisal of his character Cpl. John C. Brown from the play "No Time for Sergeants" when it was adapted for the screen. (It was during the stage production that he met his future TV co-star Andy Griffith.) Following the five years he spent playing Mayberry's deputy, Knotts starred in a number of films, including "The Incredible Mr. Limpet," "The Shakiest Gun in the West," and the cult favorite "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" (via IMDb). In his later years, Knotts made regular TV appearances, including a recurring role on Griffith's show, "Matlock."

Knotts died from lung cancer at the age of 81 on February 24, 2006 (via The Orlando Sentinel). The publication revealed that Knotts continued to work as an actor up until his final months, including lending his voice to the animated film "Chicken Little" and making guest appearances on TV shows that include "That '70s Show" and "Las Vegas." The actor was laid to rest in Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles (per Library of Congress). 

The loquacious and sometimes spacy Floyd the Barber was played by Howard McNear. Fans of the show might not be aware, but McNear's acting career was launched by radio, when he starred in the show "Speed Gibson of the International Secret Police" from 1938 to 1940 (per Closer Weekly). McNear put his career on hold when he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Upon his return from service, he dove back into radio, playing the role of Doc Charles Adams on the popular show "Gunsmoke" from 1952 until its end in 1961. Throughout the 1950s, McNear was also making many TV and film appearances, including regular roles on "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show." His film credits included "Journey to the Bottom of the Sea" and "Anatomy of a Murder."

While in the middle of "The Andy Griffith Show," McNear suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed. He had to leave the show for over a year but returned at Griffith's request. Unable to walk or stand, McNear played his character sitting down from that point forward.

McNear's last acting credit was in a 1967 episode of "The Andy Griffith Show." Closer Weekly tells us that the toll the stroke took on McNear was too much, and he retired. He died a short time later, on January 3, 1969. He was buried at the Los Angeles National Cemetery (via U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs).

During the first few seasons of "The Andy Griffith Show," Mayberry's sheriff had several love interests. There was the nurse, Peggy McMillan (played by Joanna Moore), who graced the town with her presence over several episodes. Then there was Ellie (Elinor Donahue), the pharmacist whom Andy dated in the first season. But it was Opie's teacher Helen Crump who would eventually capture Andy's heart, with the two courting throughout 66 episodes. The courtship culminated with the pair getting married in the first episode of the 1968 spinoff "Mayberry R.F.D.," marking the first of only two appearances of the couple in the show's three-year run.

Helen Crump was played by Aneta Corsaut, who made her film debut alongside the legendary Steve McQueen in the horror/sci-fi classic "The Blob" in 1958. After the finale of "The Andy Griffith Show," the actress continued to garner parts in film and on TV. She was a regular on the daytime soap "Days of Our Lives" and made appearances on "Marcus Welby, M.D." and "Emergency." Corsaut also appeared in several horror films, most notably "The Toolbox Murders" and "Bad Ronald" (per IMDb). Her last role was on the show "Matlock," with Griffith.

The Hutchinson News boasts that the actress was a native of the Kansas town, paying tribute to her in 2021, years after her 1995 death from cancer. According to Corsaut's obituary in the Los Angeles Times (via Genealogy Trails), the actress was buried in Valhalla Memorial Park in North Hollywood, California.

Though he began acting late in life, Burt Mustin became quite the familiar face among television viewers throughout the 1950s, '60s, and '70s. Mustin didn't make his first screen appearance until 1951 when the actor was 67 years old. He was quickly cast in a string of films and TV shows, often in the role of a wise and witty elderly man. Before he was ever seen in Mayberry, Mustin had regular roles in "Our Miss Brooks," "The Great Gildersleeve," and "The Texan." Classic TV lovers will recognize his familiar face as Gus the Fireman in the 1950s and '60s television hit "Leave It to Beaver" (per IMDb). Before being cast in screen roles, Mustin hosted a radio variety show in his hometown of Pittsburgh. He was involved in a theater troupe as well, performing many of the Gilbert and Sullivan standards (per Turner Classic Movies).

Mustin appeared in more than a dozen episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show," usually as the wily Jud Fletcher. After Mayberry, Mustin stayed active, appearing in everything from "My Three Sons" to "All in the Family."

Mustin died in 1977 at the age of 92. He was buried at the Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery.

Rance Howard was the father of director-producer-actor Ron Howard, who played Opie Taylor on "The Andy Griffith Show," and actor Clint Howard. The prolific character actor only made four appearances on "The Andy Griffith Show," but he amassed nearly 300 acting credits throughout a career that spanned over six decades. His bit parts and walk-on roles were vast, with Howard making appearances on everything from "Seinfeld" to "The X-Files" to "NCIS." He even appeared on an episode of "Arrested Development," alongside his son Ron (via IMDb).

After Howard's death on November 25, 2017, Ron and Clint took to Twitter to mourn his passing and celebrate his life as a father, husband, and accomplished actor. According to People, Ron Howard wrote that he and Clint were "blessed to be [his] sons." Ron recalled how their father recognized that it was difficult to be in the spotlight as a child actor and did everything he could to make their childhoods as normal as possible. The outlet reports that the elder Howard made TV appearances with Clint on the show "Gentle Ben" and co-wrote "Grand Theft Auto" with Ron for producer Roger Corman. 

Howard was buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, California. 

Hope Summers was a master character actress, despite getting such a late start in what would become a lucrative career. She made her first screen appearance in 1950 at the age of 48, in the short "Better Use of Leisure Time" in 1950. Several years later, Summers was cast in the soap "Hawkins Falls: A Television Novel," in which she made over 1,000 episode appearances (via IMDb). Before being cast in the role of Aunt Bee's pesty and gossipy best friend in "The Andy Griffith Show" in 1961, Summers held roles in "Wagon Train," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," and "The Thin Man," as well as numerous film roles. Horror fans remember Summers most from her small part in the 1968 film "Rosemary's Baby," in which she plays a member of the Church of Satan who is enthusiastic about the birth of the Antichrist.

The Huffington Post reports that after "The Andy Griffith Show" ended, Summers appeared in "Mayberry R.F.D.," "Welcome Back, Kotter," and other TV shows throughout the 1970s. She died from heart failure in 1979 at the age of 77. Summers was laid to rest at Mountain View Cemetery in Walla Walla, Washington.

The proprietor of Emmett's Fix-it Shop in Mayberry was the town handyman Emmett Clark. Emmett was a regular character on the last season of "The Andy Griffith Show," appearing in 16 episodes that season (per IMDb). The role of Emmett was played by comedian and stage actor-dancer Paul Hartman. Hartman was born into show business, making his first appearance on stage at only 6 weeks old. His father, Ferris Hartman, was the "Ziegfeld of the Pacific Coast," according to The New York Times. As a young adult, Hartman broke through the vaudeville circuit as a dancer and comedian, performing on stage with such stars as Ginger Rogers. 

Before his role as Emmett, Hartman played various film and TV roles on familiar shows like "The Twilight Zone," "Ozzie and Harriet," and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." Hartman resumed the role of Emmett in 62 episodes of "Mayberry R.F.D." (per IMDb). His last acting credit was in the 1972 TV movie "Getting Away from It All."

The New York Times tells us that the actor died at the age of 69 on October 2, 1973. Hartman was cremated, and his ashes were scattered into the sea off the coast of Los Angeles (per Find a Grave).