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TCNW 789: Mayberry Filming Locations

Two Chairs No Waiting
Two Chairs No Waiting

Host: Allan Newsome
Running time: 0:35:48

In early April 2024, members of the Mayberry Chapter of The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club (TAGSRWC) lead a group on a trip to the Los Angeles, California area. They visited major filming locations for TAGS including Franklin Canyon, Red Studios and the Desilu (Forty Acres) backlot. They also discovered other filming locations that haven’t, so far as anyone is aware, been identified before such as the baseball field where Opie’s Mayberry team played Mt. Pilot and the gas station location where the Taylors & Goober stopped for gas in “Goober and the Auto Show.” They were able to sit in the plane used when Aunt Bee learned to fly and to see where that episode was filmed, Whiteman Airport. They met up with several cast or crew members including Ruta Lee, Bruce Bilson, Leroy McNees and Joy Ellison. They also met with kids of cast and crew to include Dixie Griffith (Andy’s daughter), Andy Bullock (TAGS writer Harvey Bullock’s son), and Kit McNear (Howard “Floyd” McNear’s son).

The person responsible for locating and identifying previously unidentified location was Codie Sloan and we are so fortunate to have him sharing his first hand experience of this amazing trip. Codie wanted everyone to know he’s not trying to toot his own horn with his report but hopes that through it all listening or watching can share in the excitement he, and the others on the trip, experienced.

Thank you, Codie, for letting us all travel along with you virtually.

Stick around after the report for some Mayberry trivia and see how many questions you can answer.

TCNW 789: Mayberry Filming Locations

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Contact Info

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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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Executive producer of Two Chairs No Waiting for Episode #789: Rick Marks & Codie Sloan

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Two Chairs No Waiting
Two Chairs No Waiting

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.”

TCNW 652: Myers Lake is Franklin Canyon Reservoir 2021

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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 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.

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

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

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Two Chairs No Waiting

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!

Two Chairs No Waiting 351: Betty Lynn and Listener Feedback

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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.

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

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Two Chairs No Waiting

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.

Two Chairs No Waiting 335: Myers Lake Revisited

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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.

 

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

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Two Chairs No Waiting

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.

 

Two Chairs No Waiting 328: Sheriff Without A Gun?

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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.

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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

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.

TCNW 126: Return to Myers Lake

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.

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

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Video Version of this podcast on YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1ncJ86vgbU

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

Two Chairs No Waiting

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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