<P> Fife appeared on The Andy Griffith Show from the show 's beginning in 1960 until 1965 , when Knotts left the show to pursue a career in feature films . It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh . Knotts reprised the character in guest appearances each season until The Andy Griffith Show left the air in 1968 . Barney also appeared in the inaugural Mayberry R.F.D. episode , in which Andy and Helen Crump marry . In 1971 , the character , whose name is not explicitly mentioned , appears in the premiere episode of The New Andy Griffith Show , visiting the mid-sized city of Greenwood to catch up with Mayor Andy Sawyer , who looks exactly like Andy Taylor and shares some of Taylor 's earlier mannerisms and friendships with Fife , Goober Pyle and Emmett Clark . Fifteen years would pass before the character was again reprised in the reunion film Return to Mayberry in 1986 . By then , Fife had moved back and become the town 's acting sheriff . </P>
<P> Fife appeared on The Andy Griffith Show from the show 's beginning in 1960 until 1965 , when Knotts left the show to pursue a career in feature films . It is explained that Fife had left Mayberry to take a job as a detective in Raleigh . Knotts reprised the character in guest appearances each season until The Andy Griffith Show left the air in 1968 . Barney also appeared in the inaugural Mayberry R.F.D. episode , in which Andy and Helen Crump marry . In 1971 , the character , whose name is not explicitly mentioned , appears in the premiere episode of The New Andy Griffith Show , visiting the mid-sized city of Greenwood to catch up with Mayor Andy Sawyer , who looks exactly like Andy Taylor and shares some of Taylor 's earlier mannerisms and friendships with Fife , Goober Pyle and Emmett Clark . Fifteen years would pass before the character was again reprised in the reunion film Return to Mayberry in 1986 . By then , Fife had moved back and become the town 's acting sheriff . </P>
when did barney fife leave andy griffith show
when did barney fife leave andy griffith show
to pursue a career in feature films
to pursue a career in feature films