posted
I've been slowly making my way through severalAndy Griffith complete series DVD's from the first episode on.
Ok, I gave up on the "screen capture" and resorted to taking a digital pic of the various scenes....sorry about the weird screen pattern showing....
I was watching an Episode on the Season 4 DVD last night and it opened up with Barney and Andy standing on the sidewalk watching a sign guy paint letters on a storefront window.....
This is from 1962.....Story opens with:
Close up of sign guy's painting technique on glass window of store
Pans out to Andy and Barney looking on...
Barney jumps in front of sign painter to warn passerby "not to bump into sign painter"...but in the process Barney bumps into sign painter - and sign guy's cheek hits the window, rubbing across his freshly painted lettering - typical Barney-ism.
Sign painters reaction - and smudged window lettering
posted
Tell 'em Glenn said it was o.k. since he was Andy Taylor's brother.
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Hey, wasn't Mayberry in North Carolina too? (Cue Twilight Zone music...do da do da)
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Hey Jane....Mayberry was patterned after Mount Airy, NC. Which was the birthplace of Andy Griffith.
We drove though it on the way to Timi's place a few years back. It was almost like driving through a modern day Mayberry! LOL
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
I remember that episode. Someone started a list one time of movie scenes with sign painters and also famous people who were once sign painters (like Woody Guthrie). A common scene for a sign painter was doing a glass office door when someone would storm out slamming the door and shattering the glass. I recall one comedy where the same guy had it happen a few times till he finally broke it himself.
posted
I think we have that episode at home but I can't remember which one it was.
There's one old comedy show I watched, can't remember if it was Andy Griffith or not, but this painter is painting a truck door when someone suddenly drives off with it and the frustrated signpainter leaves a white streak down the side of the truck.
You can often see good painted stuff on old films. I seem to always notice signs and lettering on old movies and shows and when I do, I'm thinking "you know...that was before plotters"
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Ok...I'm having trouble getting a screen shot to work.
I'm trying Corel 12 Screen Capture...and it keeps cropping the pic. Then, for some reason, Photoshop is cropping it more when I try and "save it to web" at 600 pixels wide instead of just shrinking it....
It might be till tomorrow...
But it's actually on my Season 3 disk and the show title was "Mountain Wedding"...right after "Dogs, dogs, dogs."
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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Let's live dangerously and go for it Todd. Life's too short not to take the odd risk. One of these days I am going to rip that label off my mattress that says never remove and see what happens.
-------------------- Steve Shortreed 144 Hill St., E. Fergus, Ontario Canada N1M 1G9 519-787-2673
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Go ahead Steve, tear off that label. My life has been a living hell for the last 15 years ever since I did that. The IRS is nothing compared to the Dept. of Mattress and Bedsprings (DMB). Canada has there's too.
-------------------- Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Posts: 2785 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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quote:Originally posted by Bill Lynch: I remember that episode. Someone started a list one time of movie scenes with sign painters and also famous people who were once sign painters (like Woody Guthrie). A common scene for a sign painter was doing a glass office door when someone would storm out slamming the door and shattering the glass. I recall one comedy where the same guy had it happen a few times till he finally broke it himself.
I'm almost positive that has happened numerous times in a variety of "Three Stooges" episodes.
[ June 30, 2006, 11:11 PM: Message edited by: Mike Stowe ]
-------------------- Mike Stowe Signs Unlimited Mishawaka, IN info@pwcgraphics.com Posts: 208 | From: Mishawaka, Indiana USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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We have a neat old movie about the workings and maintenance of a railroad. At one point, the sign painter shows up to put some nice long stretched out roman lettering on a pullman car. He's wearing a suit, a NICE suit. He's portrayed as quite the professional.
Like I said, it's an old movie.
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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Todd, I believe that sign painter's name was Charley Phelps (Barney & Andy were talking to him as he lettered the cop's harley in one episode). Anyway, when we were at Shep's shop for his 1st woodgraining class, I was workin' just outside the front door when a pick-up pulled in & when Shep asked who just got there, I said "Chrley Phelp's & his wife" because this is what I saw on the truck door. I was kinda suprised Shep didn't recognize the truck since his shop's next door to Mayberry (I didn't even realize that's just a fictional name because everybody was talking about Mayberry Days being held in the little town next door that weekend). It turned out to be those kids from Florida, who lettered their truck just to come up for Shep's class (they knew a whole lot more about the Andy Griffith than I did).
-------------------- Chris Elliott 1longshot@classicnet.net cell 62084two2232 Posts: 686 | From: Scottsdale, AZ & Anthony, KS, USA | Registered: Dec 1999
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""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3485 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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Neato. That's on odd technique, tho, isn't it? Outlining and then filling in? I thought that was only done on walls. love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Iwas thinking that this morning Glenn then it came to me that most filming isn't done with one take, so I thought how many times did he have to do that to get the shot "just right" maybe the outlines were painted or even screened onto the glass prior to the filming.
Makes wiping it off and relettering it easier and faster.
-------------------- Bob Rochon Creative Signworks Millbury, MA 508-865-7330
"Life is Like an Echo, what you put out, comes back to you." Posts: 5149 | From: Millbury, Mass. U.S. | Registered: Nov 1998
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Jill & Glenn....lots of the 'old ' sign guys did it thet way!
Small quill to do the outline and a 'mop' to fill in. Nice clean letters that way....remember...that was before low tack tape.
I remember when low tack tape first came out and full width strokes started being used....the old guys were horrified! Corners were not perfect! They called it slop work, besides, tape was an unneeded expense!
[ July 01, 2006, 12:41 PM: Message edited by: Si Allen ]
-------------------- Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA
(714) 521-4810
si.allen on Skype
siallen@dslextreme.com
"SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
Never mess with your profile while in a drunken stupor!!!
Brushasaurus on Chat Posts: 8827 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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uhhh Todd,.....there isn't a real town named Mayberry, NC, but they used the little town close to Shep to film the series. They have an annual celebration of Mayberry Days or Andy Griffith days or something. They pull a great crowd & even some of the actors from the series show up. Like I said.....it wuz news to me too.
-------------------- Chris Elliott 1longshot@classicnet.net cell 62084two2232 Posts: 686 | From: Scottsdale, AZ & Anthony, KS, USA | Registered: Dec 1999
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Reminds me of when I used to do window lettering and got stuff like "Sure takes a steady hand to do that, doesn't it."; "I've got a nephew that's an artist; he can paint signs too"; "Does it bother you if I watch?"; "Did you have to go to school to learn that?"; "Can I come over one evening and you show me how to do that?" (ROTFLMAO!!); and "I knew an old guy once; he was a drunk; his hand shook like a leaf til his brush touched the glass."
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Hey Chris, as i read posts, wondered if anybody would put up Robert's truck. THANKS!!!
That was a fun time up in the Hills, bad bugs, tho, Giant Scorpions.....
John
-------------------- John Lennig / Big Top Sign Arts 5668 Ewart Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada bigtopya@hotmail.com 604.451.0006 Posts: 2184 | From: Burnaby, British Columbia,Canada | Registered: Nov 2001
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I thought I was the only guy that knew the Mayberry signpainter was named Charlie Phelps. I always remembered it because their was an old guy in my antique car club named Charlie Phelps. And when I saw the episode with Barney and the police bike I always remembered it.
BTW Andy Griffith is my favorite show.
-------------------- Lou Pascuzzi www.economysigns.com Fine Hand Lettering since 1973 Danbury, Ct 203-748-4580 "IOAFS" Posts: 341 | From: Danbury, Ct | Registered: Feb 2000
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i think boro is closer to the real reason the letters are outlined.........for repeat takes. i learned from an old "shakey jake" guy who NEVER EVEN laid down a pencil/stabilo line when he painted. only thing he would do if the lettering was to be straight, was draw top/bottom line......and the rest was done in his head....but he liked doin a fast script on a slight arc.....this way you never could say it was crooked....hahahahahaha
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Lou - I gotta like a guy who digs Andy Griffith....I've been watching an half an episode a night for weeks.....so far I bought season dvd sets 1 thru five....I'm working on the last dvd in season 3 right now!!
Thanks Chris....I musta misunderstood your first post.....I was thinking there might really be a "Mayberry, N.C." In a perfect world there would be....actually...Potterville is probably pretty close.
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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I'm with si. When I was first staring out I worked with a couple of older guys who worked in this manner. They also gave me a ton of flak for using tape.
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
posted
I've seen old painters doing outlines first when working inside the window, working in reverse.A white line, then filled with another color. Would not work for the movie, but A painter used to working this way would find it easy for takes.
-------------------- T.J.BARKER ARTLINE SIGNS PLOT 2 PRIORS LEAZE LANE HAMBROOK WEST SUSSEX UK 01243 572769 BARKERARTLINE@AOL.COM Posts: 80 | From: CHICHESTER WEST SUSSEX U.K. | Registered: Oct 2003
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I too have watched a couple of old timers outline and then fill. I have also watched old timer carpenters cut pieces of wood with a hand saw, then trim with a pocket knife, then sand to make it fit just right.
You have to remember that this was a time when less tools were available, and people took as much time as necessary to be sure the job was done right.
-------------------- Don Hulsey Strokes by DON signs Utica, KY 270-275-9552 sbdsigns@aol.com
I've always been crazy... but it's kept me from going insane. Posts: 2275 | From: Utica, KY U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 1999
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My guess is that they had a real signwriter layout the letters in full and leave a few outlined and that the person in the scene is an actor. Most maul stick users would have the maul stick up and to the right, where the left hand was down in a natural position. If you are an old tv buff, and can remember the actor that played the dentist neighbor on the Dick Van Dyke show, that looks like the signpainter in this shot. The actor name was Jerry Paris and he was a director on the Dick Van Dyke show, and both shows, Andy Griffith and the Dick Van Dyke show were produced by Sheldon Leonard. I am very old!!
[ July 03, 2006, 01:00 PM: Message edited by: Bob Nugent ]
-------------------- Bob Nugent Hotrodsonline.com Gainesville, GA 30506 hotrod@hotrodsonline.com Posts: 46 | From: Gainesville, Georgia | Registered: Mar 2003
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Todd, what episode was that in? Here's another time there is a signpainter shown in the show. Typical remarks from the peanut gallery
Barney Fife: [Andy and Barney are watching a sign painter] Ain't he got chicken spelled wrong? Andy Taylor: No, it's right. Barney Fife: You sure? Andy Taylor: Yeah, it's "i before e except after c and e before n in chicken". Barney Fife: [chuckles] Oh yeah, I always forget that rule.
-------------------- Lou Pascuzzi www.economysigns.com Fine Hand Lettering since 1973 Danbury, Ct 203-748-4580 "IOAFS" Posts: 341 | From: Danbury, Ct | Registered: Feb 2000
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Lou...I just watched that episode recently...the one you quoted...it's the third season.
The one I pictured is in the third season dvd set and the title of the particular show is "Mountain Wedding."
I just started the Fourth season dvd set....first episode is Birdman Opie (or something like that - I'd have to go check for sure)....Opie gets a new slingshot and kills a momma bird by the house....so he decides to take care of all the baby birds in the nest till they can fly away....it was pretty funny.
Barney is bragging to Opie as usual....telling him what a great shot he is...and tries looking at a mirror in the sheriffs office and shooting a trashcan behind his back....instead he shoots the glass out of a bookcase....hahahaha.
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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