myers lake

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Host: Allan Newsome
Running time: 0:36:17

Two Chairs No Waiting began in 2008 and I’ve done three episodes over the years about Myers Lake. Myers Lake is actually located in the Franklin Canyon area of Los Angeles and is located at the purported geographical center of the city of Los Angeles.

Myers Lake is the one place that remains where fans of The Andy Griffith Show can go to walk in the footsteps of Andy and Opie. If you’re ever in the Los Angeles area, you do not want to miss the chance to visit this location. Every episode of The Andy Griffith Show began with Andy and Opie walking along this path with Opie picking up a rock and throwing it into the lake.

This video was shot in September 2021 and I recommend watching the video version of this Two Chairs episode to be able to see the sights where Mayberry history occurred.

This week’s installment of This Week in Mayberry History by Randy Turner featuring “Elvia Allman.”

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Contact Info

Follow Two Chairs No Waiting on Facebook and/or follow me on Twitter. I  post Mayberry things there as another way to let folks know about The Andy Griffith Show.

Please leave comments or ask questions on the TwoChairsNoWaiting.com website or using the contact information given in the podcast. I would love to have you be a part of our next feedback episode. Call the Two Chairs No Waiting Hot-line at (888) 684-8415 and leave a voice mail to be part of the show.

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Related Links:

• Myers Lake (Two Chairs related episodes)
• Myers Lake – Information about how to get to Franklin Canyon and links to all kinds of good information (Mayberry.info)
• Mayberry Man Movie
• The Mayberry Effect
• Elvia Allman (Wikipedia)
• Maggie Peterson Collection
• Subscribe to The eBullet
• Maggie “Charlene Darling” Peterson needs help (GoFundMe.com)
• The Andy Griffith Show Ambassadors Program
• Two Chairs No Waiting Merchandise
• iMayberry Community – http://imayberrycommunity.com/
• Sign up for the Two Chairs No Waiting Podcast mailing list
• The Mayberry Historical Society – http://www.mayberry.info/
• The Mayberry Channel on YouTube.com – http://www.youtube.com/user/mayberrycom

Executive Producer of Two Chairs No Waiting Episode #652:
Mayberry Meetup Attendees

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Two Chairs No Waiting

Host: Allan Newsome
Running time: 0:27:53

We start off the episode with a great clip of Betty Lynn at the 2015 Col Tim’s Talent Time held during Mayberry Days.  Betty has such a Mayberry spirit that anytime we can hear from her is wonderful.

We follow that up with a Bruce Bilson telling us about the first time “Opie” tried to throw the rock into the lake for the opening credits of The Andy Griffith Show.  It was filmed at Franklin Canyon and this is a story you will not want to miss.

To top things off, we get to hear from YOU…the listeners of the show…with your feedback about the last several episodes.

It’s BIG!

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Don’t forget to sign up for the Two Chairs No Waiting e-mail mailing list.  I want to be able to reach out to you if there’s a problem with the website and the best way to do that is by using a mailing list.  Don’t worry, I won’t be filling your mailbox with e-mail but I would like to have a way to say “hey” if the need arises.

Contact Info

Follow me on Twitter if you use twitter. I’ve been posting Mayberry things there as another way to let folks know about The Andy Griffith Show.

Don’t forget to leave comments or ask questions on the TwoChairsNoWaiting.com website or using the contact information given in the podcast. We’d love to have you be a part of our next feedback episode. Call the Two Chairs No Waiting Hot-line at (888) 684-8415 and leave a voice mail to be part of the show.

If you use iTunes, please visit the Two Chairs No Waiting page of the iTunes store and leave a review and rating.

Related Links:

• Betty Lynn at Col Tim’s Mayberry Days 2015
• WALK TO THE FISHING HOLE – As told by Bruce Bilson, Asst Director
• The eBullet Subscription Form
• Weaver’s Newsletter Subscription
• Sign up for the Two Chairs No Waiting Podcast mailing list
• iMayberry Community – http://imayberrycommunity.com/
• The Mayberry Historical Society – http://www.mayberry.info/
• The Mayberry Channel on YouTube.com – http://www.youtube.com/user/mayberrycom

Executive Producer of Two Chairs No Waiting Episode #351: Tim Bradshaw

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Two Chairs No Waiting

Host: Allan Newsome
Running time: 0:24:35

Since the podcast began back in 2008, we’ve dedicated two previous episodes to Myers Lake/Franklin Canyon in Los Angeles but we haven’t discussed it since 2011, so let’s revisit.

Franklin Canyon is the one place that remains where fans of The Andy Griffith Show can go and walk in the footsteps of Andy and Opie.  If you’re ever in the Los Angeles area, you do not want to miss your chance to visit the location that opened every episode of The Andy Griffith Show.

Andy and Opie walked along, Opie picked up a rock and then he threw it into the lake.  Who can forget that and if you visit the location, you’ll never forget that either.

In the episode we talk not only about Myers Lake but also a little about two “Mayberry” related commercials I recently ran across.  If you pay attention….Mayberry just seems to pop up no mater what you’re doing.

Sign up for the Two Chairs E-mail Mailing List

Don’t forget to sign up for the Two Chairs No Waiting e-mail mailing list.  I want to be able to reach out to you if there’s a problem with the website and the best way to do that is by using a mailing list.  Don’t worry, I won’t be filling your mailbox with e-mail but I would like to have a way to say “hey” if the need arises.

Contact Info

Follow me on Twitter if you use twitter. I’ve been posting Mayberry things there as another way to let folks know about The Andy Griffith Show.

Don’t forget to leave comments or ask questions on the TwoChairsNoWaiting.com website or using the contact information given in the podcast. We’d love to have you be a part of our next feedback episode. Call the Two Chairs No Waiting Hot-line at (888) 684-8415 and leave a voice mail to be part of the show.

If you use iTunes, please visit the Two Chairs No Waiting page of the iTunes store and leave a review and rating.

Related Links:

• Mayberry Historical Society: Myers Lake
• TCNW 13: Myers Lake is Franklin Canyon Reservoir
• TCNW #126: Return to Myers Lake
• Huff Post: Andy Griffith Show Filming Location In LA: How To Recreate The Opening Credits
• Official Gold Peak Tea “Home Sweet Home” Commercial
• Ortho® Weed-B-Gon® TV Commercial
• The eBullet Subscription Form
• Weaver’s Newsletter Subscription
• Sign up for the Two Chairs No Waiting Podcast mailing list
• iMayberry Community – http://imayberrycommunity.com/
• The Mayberry Historical Society – http://www.mayberry.info/
• The Mayberry Channel on YouTube.com – http://www.youtube.com/user/mayberrycom

Executive Producer of Two Chairs No Waiting Episode #335: Mrs. Weaver

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Two Chairs No Waiting

Host: Allan Newsome
Running time: 0:21:40

Mayberry fans know that Andy Taylor was called, “The Sheriff Without A Gun” but did you realize that he did carry a gun from time to time?  Throughout the series, Sheriff Taylor *did* carry a gun on at least eleven occasions.  There may be more but these are the ones I was able to come up with when preparing my notes.

Let’s have fun remembering these moments and if you can think of others, I would LOVE to hear from with with the details.

We also have a few voice mails from folks that called in and one has some talk about visiting Myers Lake.  You’ll find links to the Myers Lake information below.

Sign up for the Two Chairs E-mail Mailing List

Don’t forget to sign up for the Two Chairs No Waiting e-mail mailing list.  I want to be able to reach out to you if there’s a problem with the website and the best way to do that is by using a mailing list.  Don’t worry, I won’t be filling your mailbox with e-mail but I would like to have a way to say “hey” if the need arises.

Contact Info

Follow me on Twitter if you use twitter. I’ve been posting Mayberry things there as another way to let folks know about The Andy Griffith Show.

Don’t forget to leave comments or ask questions on the TwoChairsNoWaiting.com website or using the contact information given in the podcast. We’d love to have you be a part of our next feedback episode. Call the Two Chairs No Waiting Hot-line at (888) 684-8415 and leave a voice mail to be part of the show.

If you use iTunes, please visit the Two Chairs No Waiting page of the iTunes store and leave a review and rating.

Related Links:

• Two Chairs No Waiting 13: Myers Lake is Franklin Canyon Reservoir
• Two Chairs No Waiting 126: Return to Myers Lake
• Mayberry.info Myers Lake Info
• Weaver’s Department Store
• 2015 Mayberry Meet-up in Mt. Airy 17-19 July
• Sign up for the Two Chairs No Waiting Podcast mailing list
• iMayberry Community – http://imayberrycommunity.com/
• The Mayberry Historical Society – http://www.mayberry.info/
• The Mayberry Channel on YouTube.com – http://www.youtube.com/user/mayberrycom

Executive Producer of Two Chairs No Waiting Episode #328: Jan Newsome

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Host: Allan Newsome
Running time: 0:21:44

Two Chairs No Waiting

The body of water called “Myers Lake” on The Andy Griffith Show is actually called the “Upper Franklin Reservoir.”  The reservoir is located in Franklin Canyon Park in Hollywood hill of Beverly Hills.

We talked about this area back on episode 13 of Two Chairs No Waiting back in January 2009.  For some reason that is one of the most downloaded and searched for episodes so I thought it would be a good time to return to Myers Lake.

Franklin Canyon Park is a public park located near Benedict Canyon at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains. The park comprises 605 acres, and is located in what is said to be the geographical center of the city of Los Angeles. The park features a 3-acre lake (a.k.a. Franklin Lake or Myers Lake by Mayberry fans), a duck pond (Heavenly Pond),  and over five miles of hiking trails. The park was used for the opening of The Andy Griffith Show.

The park traces its beginnings to 1914 when William Mulholland and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power built a reservoir in upper Franklin Canyon. The 1930s began the frequent use of the canyon for filming. Today about 25 films are shot there each year.

Don’t forget to leave comments or ask questions on the TwoChairsNoWaiting.com website or using the contact information given in the podcast. We’d love to have you be a part of our next feedback episode. Call the Two Chairs No Waiting Hot-line at (888) 684-8415 and leave a voice mail to be part of the show.

If you use iTunes, please visit the Two Chairs No Waiting page of the iTunes store and leave a review and rating.

Directions

2600 Franklin Canyon Drive, Beverly Hills, California

From the West Side, head north on Beverly Drive following signs to Coldwater Canyon. Turn left on Coldwater/Beverly Drive and turn left again on Beverly Drive , at Fire Station No. 2. The third right is Franklin Canyon Dr. continue through residential area to park entrance. At the intersection of Franklin Canyon and Lake Drive turn right to go to Franklin Canyon Ranch site or turn left to go to the Sooky Goldman
Nature Center and Franklin Canyon Lake.

From the San Fernando Valley, From the Ventura Freeway (101) or Ventura Blvd. Take Coldwater Canyon Boulevard south to the intersection of Coldwater Canyon and Mulholland Drive. Make a 90 degree right turn onto Franklin Canyon Dr. There is no street sign “Franklin Canyon.” Road signs read “Road Closed 800 Feet” “Sunset to Sunrise”; this is the park entrance. Do NOT make a “U-Turn” for this will bring you onto Mulholland Drive instead of Franklin Canyon. Stay on paved surface to reach the Sooky Goldman Nature Center and continue south of the lake for 1.5 miles to reach the Franklin Canyon Ranch Site area.

As you enter the “loop” that goes around the lake (it’s one way so this should make it easy to describe), you will have a wooden railing on the left. That railing is where Andy stopped on “The Return to Mayberry” and looked down at Myers Lake.  There is a parking area about 40 yards down on the left.

Park there and walk over to the railing just to the left of the parking area (not the railing that on the main road but the wooden “fence” that keeps folks from falling down the slope.   When you look down the slope you’ll see the path. This is where Andy and Opie walked.  There’s a wooden picnic table down there.

Related Links:

• Franklin Canyon Park – Wikipedia article about “Myers Lake.”
• Map of Franklin Canyon Park – PDF file of the park.
• Overhead image of Upper Franklin Reservoir
• Franklin Canyon Park – Brought to you by the Santa Monica Mountain Conservancy.
• How to Hike Franklin Canyon in Beverly Hills
• Bonanza: Scenery of the Ponderosa –  Franklin Lake (a.k.a. Myers Lake) on Bonanza.
• Photos of Franklin Canyon – These are photos taken during my two trips to visit Franklin Canyon.
• Google Map of Franklin Canyon Park
• Video at Franklin Canyon – Your host and his son, Adam, back in 2004 at Myers Lake filming our version of the opening credits of TAGS.
• Let’s Go to the Fishin’ Hole – Report by The Mayberry Times publisher (1996) about his trip to Myers Lake and meeting with some of the cast members.
• A Walk With Andy and Opie – Report in “My Sen-Tence” from the mid-1990’s by Paul Filder and his trip to Franklin Canyon.
• Two Chairs No Waiting 13: Myers Lake is Franklin Canyon Reservoir

Executive Producer of Two Chairs No Waiting Episode #126: Jay Hicks

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Host: Allan Newsome
Running time: 0:13:19

Two Chairs No Waiting

This episode is all about Franklin Canyon and the real “Myers Lake” location where the opening credits for The Andy Griffith Show were filmed.  If you’re ever in the LA area you will not want to miss out on visiting this location. Be sure to take this podcast along with you so you can listen to the ‘scouting report’ about where the Mayberry related areas are.  Don’t miss out on the photos and other links in our show notes.

Below are the directions to “Myers Lake.

You can only go one-way around the lake and that’s staying to the right. When you start around the lake….stop at the first parking area and walk over toward the wooden railing. Looking down from the road you’ll see an area of dirt….that’s the area where Andy and Opie walked. If you get past the wooden railing…you’re too far. The other side of the lake is where Howard was fishing for “ole Sam”.

The house that’s on the right before you go across the dam is the game wardens office when Andy and Helen went fishing without a license and had to pay the fine.

Directions

2600 Franklin Canyon Drive, Beverly Hills, California

From the West Side, head north on Beverly Drive following signs to Coldwater Canyon. Turn left on Coldwater/Beverly Drive and turn left again on Beverly Drive , at Fire Station No. 2. The third right is Franklin Canyon Dr. continue through residential area to park entrance. At the intersection of Franklin Canyon and Lake Drive turn right to go to Franklin Canyon Ranch site or turn left to go to the Sooky Goldman
Nature Center and Franklin Canyon Lake.

From the San Fernando Valley, From the Ventura Freeway (101) or Ventura Blvd. Take Coldwater Canyon Boulevard south to the intersection of Coldwater Canyon and Mulholland Drive. Make a 90 degree right turn onto Franklin Canyon Dr. There is no street sign “Franklin Canyon.” Road signs read “Road Closed 800 Feet” “Sunset to Sunrise”; this is the park entrance. Do NOT make a “U-Turn” for this will bring you onto Mulholland Drive instead of Franklin Canyon. Stay on paved surface to reach the Sooky Goldman Nature Center and continue south of the lake for 1.5 miles to reach the Franklin Canyon Ranch Site area.

As you enter the “loop” that goes around the lake (it’s one way so this should make it easy to describe), you will have a wooden railing on the left. That railing is where Andy stopped on “The Return to Mayberry” and looked down at Myers Lake.  There is a parking area about 40 yards down on the left.

Park there and walk over to the railing just to the left of the parking area (not the railing that on the main road but the wooden “fence” that keeps folks from falling down the slope.   When you look down the slope you’ll see the path. This is where Andy and Opie walked.  There’s a wooden picnic table down there.

Related Links:

• Photos of Franklin Canyon – These are photos taken during my two trips to visit Franklin Canyon.
• Video at Franklin Canyon – Your host and his son, Adam, back in 2004 at Myers Lake filming our version of the opening credits of TAGS.
• Franklin Canyon Reservoir – Live Search Maps will show you an “Aerial” view of the exact location Andy and Opie walked in the opening credits. The “pins” are off a bit but they’ll get you started. Click “Aerial” after the page loads to see the overhead view.
• Franklin Canyon – The TV show “Combat” as filmed at Franklin Canyon as well. See if you can spot Myers Lake areas in the images on this site.
• Opening Credits Location – Wikimapia.org provided another nice view from above of “Myers Lake.”
• Let’s Go to the Fishin’ Hole – Report by The Mayberry Times publisher (1996) about his trip to Myers Lake and meeting with some of the cast members.
• A Walk With Andy and Opie – Report in “My Sen-Tence” from the mid-1990’s by Paul Filder and his trip to Franklin Canyon.

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