Don Knotts' Daughter Karen Lifts The Lid On Why He Really Left The Andy Griffith Show

Fans of "The Andy Griffith Show" know that Don Knotts made the show what it was thanks to his portrayal of Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife. In turn, "The Andy Griffith Show" made Don one of the iconic stars from the '60s. Understandably, it was sad for fans when Don left the series after five seasons, while it continued on for three seasons after that. Now, 20 years after Don's death, his daughter is opening up about what made him leave the hit show early.

Starring in a popular series takes a lot of dedication, and that dedication extends far beyond an actor's time on set. "We didn't see him a lot, because he worked 10, 12 hours a day," Karen Knott said of her dad in a new interview with Woman's World. According to her, he also spent lots of time at home preparing for the show. After he made his exit from "The Andy Griffith Show," many people assumed Don was one of the many actors who left cushy gigs for solo stardom. Yet, Karen says that it had more to do with just how difficult and all-consuming playing Barney Fife really was for her dad. "Put yourself in his place. That show was hard, hard work," Karen told Woman's World, adding, "Then think of the character, and also the energy that it took to play him. Imagine the intensity, plus the level of perfection that was being strived for."

Both Don Knotts and Andy Griffith originally decided to stay on "The Andy Griffith Show" for five years. After it saw so much success, though, Griffith chose to keep it going longer than he had intended. Don, on the other hand, was ready to leave, since he landed a five-picture deal at Universal and went on to star in movies. Luckily, it seems there were no hard feelings between him and Griffith, despite their different choices. They continued to work together and stayed friends for years to come. Don later played a part on the show "Matlock," whose cast was led by Griffith. 

According to Karen Knotts' Woman's World interview, "[Don] just looked at things as one project or another. He never was one to go back and look at stuff from the past," noting, "In fact, I don't remember ever seeing him watch 'The Andy Griffith Show.' He loved the show, but he would just look at each new project for what it was and take it for what it was. And dive into that particular project. That's just how he functioned." Despite that, he did occasionally come back to "The Andy Griffith Show" as a guest star after his exit, also appearing in "Mayberry R.F.D." and "Return to Mayberry." 

Evidently, Don knew when he was ready for a career change. That change worked out for him in the end. Still, it's no wonder why so many people wished he'd spent even more time bringing Barney Fife to life.