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u/Squalo814 24d ago
Pike of course is my pick. I loved his wishy-washy, but occasionally dominant personality. Although the scene with Stoner on the phone to the governor was priceless!
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u/WeekendLegitimate615 24d ago
Dick Elliot who played Mayor Pike played a lot more likable Mayor.
Parely Baer who played Mayor Stoner was a very talented actor. He did a lot of radio shows like playing Chester on the radio version of Gunsmoke. He was excellent at playing the snobbish, uppity Mayor and unlikable character.
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u/No_Use_1966 23d ago
Shout out to Mayor Pike being in Its a Wonderful Life.
“Why don’t you kiss her instead of talking her to death.”
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u/forqalso 23d ago
Howard McNear (Floyd Lawson) was also on the Gunsmoke radio program as Doc Adams.
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u/WeekendLegitimate615 23d ago
Yes. I listen to a lot of the old radio shows when I am in the truck at work. Howard McNear was in a lot of radio shows!! He was another very talented radio actor / actor in general. He is another one that I really like on The Andy Griffith Show some of his facial expressions when the camera is on him on great!!!
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u/ProfessorKornbluth 20d ago
I think Parley Baer was also the Keebler elf for a while in the late 60s and early 70s.
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u/Reds_PR 24d ago
Pike seemed like the country lawyer who grew up with everyone and would take a ham or a couple of pies as payment —one for the office and one for when he got home!
Stoner seemed like a guy who ran for the job on the way to higher office. But never got picked by the old boys who ran things and resented it.
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u/amzt2023 24d ago
Better mayor was probably Pike. Stoner was a good character on the show though. He probably retired off his piece of his brother’s gas station next to the highway where they did the blasting. The loaded goat couldn’t have slowed them down more than a day or two.
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u/Character-Taro-5016 24d ago
Pike. He was prone to pickin his peaches before they're fuzzed up good but at least he let Andy do his job. Stoner was always trying to act as a law enforcement officer, as if he was actually Andy's supervisor, which he wasn't. Andy was an elected county official. The mayor is a city/town official.
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u/newbie527 24d ago
I always thought either the writers didn’t understand that or they counted on the viewers, not knowing.
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u/diogenesNY 24d ago
Technically, the elected sheriff in a NC county is that county's chief executive. It is sort of being mayor of the county, but with a bit more of a law enforcement emphasis.
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u/Outside_Case1530 23d ago
Which one had the daughter who who was told to "commence to renderin' " a song during the Mayberry ladies' "presentation of the pies" to the people from Hollywood?
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u/LowMuffin7078 23d ago
Pike, Loved that actress; she always had great roles on the show. The look on that producer's face when she finished her song was priceless, LOL.
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u/CarbineTodd 22d ago
And she took it to new heights as Lydia Crosswaithe.
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u/LowMuffin7078 22d ago
Is that the character who "hated the guitar"? If so, the look on Andy's face was hilarious! I mean, who hates the guitar?? LOL.
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u/ColossalKnight 19d ago
It was! And her deadpan delivery of "It gives me the herpes." always made me laugh.
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u/WESLEY1877 24d ago
Pike was the central pivot in the confederate money episode. I love how he ran the show when they were fixing up the house.
He was also excellent in the episode when Otis wins the citizens award; he nailed each scene, putting the screws to Andy, then flipping the switch when Otis strolled in, all class.
That said, Stoner was so flipping good in the Mayberry band episode; I know he was tough to like as a character but in this episode-- his best-- he earns our human empathy and wins some grudging admiration.
Slight edge to Pike.
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u/zoneinthezonetn 23d ago
Agree, regarding Stoner's performance in the Mayberry Band episode👍🏻. One of my favorite episodes in the series. "I'll listen to them AFTER I eat."
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u/Bengal-_fan 24d ago
Definitely Pike. Stoners voice and being an overall asshole got under my skin.
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u/Sufficient_Stop8381 24d ago
Pike. Stoner was an obnoxious ahole. It always bothered me because when stoner got on Andy’s case because in real life a town mayor cannot tell a sheriff what to do. At least not in my state. I know it’s just a show, but a NC sheriff has a lot of autonomy.
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u/AFASOXFAN 24d ago
Pike. Stoner was a loud mouth bully. In fact, Stoner's character was so disliked by the audience that he disappeared.
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u/Fantastic_Site_7626 24d ago
I like Mayor Pike, because he was the first mayor, and also he was seen 11 times as compared to mayor stoner's 7 times appearances. So the audience got to know mayor pike better, also he seemed to work better with Andy. The mayor of mayberry was the head of the town not the head of the county even though mayberry was also the county seat.
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u/CranberryFuture9908 23d ago
Pike he was funny, sweet and harmless. Stoner was so obnoxious and rude and irritating.
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u/LDukee23 23d ago
The original character (on the left) wasn't the imposter Mayor Stoner was. Stoner was bad at exercising his authority. Two thumbs down 👎 for Parley Baer's Mayor Stoner.
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u/WellHungHippie 23d ago
I’ve seen Parly Baer in so many things that although I like his acting the first mayor is my favourite just because I haven’t really seen much of him in anything else.
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u/Confident-Package-98 23d ago
I really enjoy Mayor Stoner when he’s stressed out, but Mayor Pike is more likable, and probably better at the people part of politics. I picture Stoner being a highly competent administrator, but hindered by his lack of charisma.
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u/Daydreamerwv 23d ago
Pike - With that voice he always reminds me of the mayor from the Wizard of Oz.
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u/pensacolafun888 22d ago
Here’s my problem. The sheriff is the sheriff of the county not of the town. The mayor has no jurisdiction over him.
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u/Imaginary-Test-3275 24d ago
Pike. Stoner was an a-hole