Otis Campbell
Encyclopedia
Otis Campbell is the fictional "town drunk
" in Mayberry
on the American
TV sitcom The Andy Griffith Show
. Otis was played by Hal Smith
and made frequent appearances on the show from 1960 to 1967,
and stopped appearing in the show towards the end of the series due to concerns by the show's sponsors over the portrayal of excessive drinking.
is arriving at the courthouse, much to the chagrin of the sheriff or Deputy Barney Fife
.
In the episode "The Case of the Punch in the Nose", it is revealed that Otis was first arrested for drunkenness on September 23, 1941, at 2PM, but was released as it was "his first offense."
A common joke on the show was to have Otis see something bizarre or unexpected while he was inebriated that was actually present, but which he would assume to be a drunken hallucination. Once, Sheriff Taylor locked a dynamite-laden goat in a padded jail cell to prevent an explosion. Predictably, Otis stumbled in after a night of drinking, and let himself into the same cell, only to find the mattress nailed to the wall (curiously, along with the blanket). Otis attempted to climb into the bed anyway, and naturally fell on the floor. Believing the peculiarity to be a result of his intoxication, he exclaimed, "First time I ever fell off a bed onto the wall."
If Barney deemed a situation urgent enough, he would sometimes deputize Otis. Otis often became agitated with Barney's dictatorial style, and a verbal shouting match
would ensue. On the Danny Thomas Show
episode that was the pilot for The Andy Griffith Show, Andy had deputized another town drunk, Will Hoople, so that Will could arrest himself every time he got drunk. It could be assumed that Andy had probably given Otis this same "authority," since Otis regularly "arrested" himself, and so he could be called upon to help when needed.
In one episode, it is revealed that Otis has a brother named Ralph, who is the town drunk of another town.
Otis is usually found "smashed, buzzed, tiddly, gassed, off the wagon and back on the sauce, or just plain drunk," by Barney Fife.
In the episode "Ellie For Council," viewers are introduced to Otis's wife, Rita Campbell. In that episode, Otis is jailed for assault - the only time for an offense other than drunkenness. During a fight with Rita, Otis tries to hit her with a leg of lamb, misses, and hits his mother-in-law in the mouth.
In the 1986 television movie Return to Mayberry
, it is revealed that Otis is now completely sober and employed as the town's ice-cream man.
Hal Smith (the actor who portrayed Otis) was a teetotaller
, according to Andy Griffith
(Larry King Live, 2003), and never had even one alcoholic drink.
Otis was one of Mojo Nixon
's heroes, along with Elvis Presley
and Foghorn Leghorn. The character Otis from The Secret of Monkey Island
is named after him.
Town drunk
The town drunk is a stock character, almost always male, who is drunk more often than sober.The town drunk typically dwells in a small enough town that he is the only conspicuous alcoholic...
" in Mayberry
Mayberry
Mayberry is a fictional community in North Carolina that was the setting for two American television sitcoms, The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D. Mayberry was also the setting for a 1986 reunion television movie titled Return to Mayberry...
on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
TV sitcom The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised by CBS between October 3, 1960, and April 1, 1968. Andy Griffith portrays a widowed sheriff in the fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina...
. Otis was played by Hal Smith
Hal Smith (actor)
Harold John "Hal" Smith was an American character actor and voice actor. Smith is best known as Otis Campbell, the town drunk on The Andy Griffith Show, and was the voice of many characters on various animated cartoon shorts...
and made frequent appearances on the show from 1960 to 1967,
and stopped appearing in the show towards the end of the series due to concerns by the show's sponsors over the portrayal of excessive drinking.
Character overview
Otis works as a glue dipper in a furniture factory Monday through Friday, and drinks all weekend. After a binge, Otis will usually lock himself in the town jail until he is sober. He has a key to the front door of the courthouse and the cell keys are hung on a nail near the cells (presumably, to accommodate Otis). The lack of crime in Mayberry, and the laid-back attitude of the Sheriff's department, easily accommodates Otis's drinking habit. Otis often lets himself in jail on the same day that a dignitary or a superior of Sheriff Andy TaylorSheriff Andy Taylor
Sheriff Andrew "Andy" Jackson Taylor is the principal character on The Andy Griffith Show, an American sitcom which aired on CBS, . The character made a few appearances in the show's spinoff Mayberry R.F.D. and appeared in a reunion telemovie Return to Mayberry...
is arriving at the courthouse, much to the chagrin of the sheriff or Deputy Barney Fife
Barney Fife
Bernard "Barney" Fife is a fictional character in the American television program The Andy Griffith Show, portrayed by comic actor Don Knotts. Barney Fife is a deputy sheriff in the slow paced, sleepy southern community of Mayberry, North Carolina...
.
In the episode "The Case of the Punch in the Nose", it is revealed that Otis was first arrested for drunkenness on September 23, 1941, at 2PM, but was released as it was "his first offense."
A common joke on the show was to have Otis see something bizarre or unexpected while he was inebriated that was actually present, but which he would assume to be a drunken hallucination. Once, Sheriff Taylor locked a dynamite-laden goat in a padded jail cell to prevent an explosion. Predictably, Otis stumbled in after a night of drinking, and let himself into the same cell, only to find the mattress nailed to the wall (curiously, along with the blanket). Otis attempted to climb into the bed anyway, and naturally fell on the floor. Believing the peculiarity to be a result of his intoxication, he exclaimed, "First time I ever fell off a bed onto the wall."
If Barney deemed a situation urgent enough, he would sometimes deputize Otis. Otis often became agitated with Barney's dictatorial style, and a verbal shouting match
Shouting match
A shouting match is an argument or debate characterized by the loud volume or intensity of the participants.-Parliamentary procedures:Large assemblies may easily degenerate into shouting matches as the participants raise their voices in order to be heard...
would ensue. On the Danny Thomas Show
The Danny Thomas Show
The Danny Thomas Show is an American sitcom which ran from 1953-1957 on ABC and from 1957-1964 on CBS...
episode that was the pilot for The Andy Griffith Show, Andy had deputized another town drunk, Will Hoople, so that Will could arrest himself every time he got drunk. It could be assumed that Andy had probably given Otis this same "authority," since Otis regularly "arrested" himself, and so he could be called upon to help when needed.
In one episode, it is revealed that Otis has a brother named Ralph, who is the town drunk of another town.
Otis is usually found "smashed, buzzed, tiddly, gassed, off the wagon and back on the sauce, or just plain drunk," by Barney Fife.
In the episode "Ellie For Council," viewers are introduced to Otis's wife, Rita Campbell. In that episode, Otis is jailed for assault - the only time for an offense other than drunkenness. During a fight with Rita, Otis tries to hit her with a leg of lamb, misses, and hits his mother-in-law in the mouth.
In the 1986 television movie Return to Mayberry
Return to Mayberry
Return to Mayberry is an American television reunion movie for the 1960s American sitcoms The Andy Griffith Show and, to an extent, Mayberry R.F.D. as well. The movie premiered on April 13, 1986 on NBC, and was the highest-rated telemovie of 1986. Sixteen of the original cast members reunited for...
, it is revealed that Otis is now completely sober and employed as the town's ice-cream man.
Hal Smith (the actor who portrayed Otis) was a teetotaller
Teetotalism
Teetotalism refers to either the practice of or the promotion of complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages. A person who practices teetotalism is called a teetotaler or is simply said to be teetotal...
, according to Andy Griffith
Andy Griffith
Andy Samuel Griffith is an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's epic film A Face in the Crowd before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead...
(Larry King Live, 2003), and never had even one alcoholic drink.
Otis was one of Mojo Nixon
Mojo Nixon
Mojo Nixon is an American musician, known for playing psychobilly music...
's heroes, along with Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
and Foghorn Leghorn. The character Otis from The Secret of Monkey Island
The Secret of Monkey Island
The Secret of Monkey Island is a graphic adventure game developed by Lucasfilm Games and published by the same company after its name was changed to LucasArts. The game spawned a number of sequels, collectively known as the Monkey Island series...
is named after him.