of Barney with the dragon's head for the newspaper, and Andy tells Butler about the legal consequences of his actions. Later, at a campaign rally for Acting Sheriff Fife, Barney learns that Andy opted out of the sheriff's race to give Barney a better chance to win, he humbly asks the crowd to vote for Andy as a write-in candidate because "That's exactly what I'm gonna do." Andy is eventually elected sheriff, Opie accepts a newspaper job in Binghamton, and Barney and Thelma Lou finally get married, with Ernest T. and the Darlings joining in the celebration. The final shot (seen behind the end credits) is of Sheriff Taylor and Deputy Fife folding up an American flag at the end of the day on Mayberry's Main Street. Cast Andy Griffith as Andy Taylor Ron Howard as Opie Taylor Don Knotts as Barney Fife Howard Morris as Ernest T. Bass Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle George Lindsey as Goober Pyle Aneta Corsaut as Helen Crump Taylor Jack Dodson as Howard Sprague Betty Lynn as Thelma Lou Maggie Peterson as Charlene Darling Denver Pyle as Briscoe Darling Hal Smith as Otis Campbell Rodney Dillard as Rodney Darling Doug Dillard as Doug Darling Mitch Jayne as Mitch Darling Dean Webb as Dean Darling Richard Lineback as Wally Butler Karlene Crockett as Eunice Taylor Allen Williams as Lloyd Fox Paul Willson as Ben Woods Rance Howard as Preacher Robert Broyles as Wilson Karen Knotts as Opie's Receptionist Production Most of the surviving cast members of The Andy Griffith Show reprised their roles in the reunion movie. One notable exception was Frances Bavier, who played Aunt Bee for all eight seasons as well as two seasons of Mayberry R.F.D. Bavier had retired shortly after leaving R.F.D. in 1970. Her absence was explained by a scene in which Andy visits the cemetery where Aunt Bee is buried, confirming that Aunt Bee is deceased. The official reason given for Bavier's absence was poor health (she died in 1989). Ron Howard, playing an adult Opie, had quit his acting career by this point to focus on being a film director, and had already directed the hit movies Night Shift (1982), and Splash (1984) (the latter of which even featured Griffith co-star Howard Morris in a cameo role.) As of 2023, Return to Mayberry remains the last significant acting role for Howard. The Forty Acres backlot in Culver City,