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Andy Taylor is the High Sheriff of Mayberry, NC. He is a widower and the father a son named Opie. Andy lost his wife before the series opens of an undisclosed cause. Andy's Aunt Bee acts as his housekeeper.

As a lawman, Andy prefers to settle Mayberry squabbles and problems through mediation and conciliation rather than the strong arm of the law. Andy is respected by his fellow citizens and they often defer to his judgement. His hobbies include fishing and playing the guitar.

Andy has two memorable romantic relationships during the course of the series run: one with Ellie Walker, a pharmacist, and the other with Helen Crump, a schoolteacher. Andy's relationship with Ellie lasted only the first season. He dated occasionally until his romance with Helen Crump blossomed in the middle of the third season. Andy and Helen were romantically involved through the final eighth season. They were married and moved to Raleigh in the first episode of the show's spinoff series Mayberry RFD. The couple later returned as guest stars with their newborn son Andrew Samuel Taylor.

Opie Taylor is Andy's son. Opie is 6 years old when the show opens and attends grade school. He often visits his father at the courthouse on his way home from school. As a youngster, Opie enjoyed baseball and fishing with his father. As he grew into his teens, Opie worked as a delivery boy at the grocery store, a soda jerk in the drug store, and a guitarist with a rock band that played teen parties. Opie took a trip to Hollywood with his father and Aunt Bee. He planned to go to college and become a dentist.

Aunt Bee (Beatrice Taylor) is Mayberry Sheriff Andy Taylor's aunt and Opie Taylor's great aunt. When Andy's housekeeper marries in the first episode, Bee joins Andy's household.

Bee sings in the church choir, enters her pickles in the county fair, and composes an anthem with her best friend Clara Edwards celebrating the wholesome life of Mayberry. She learns to fly a plane, serves on a jury, opens a restaurant, hosts a tv cooking show, and leads a protest in Mayberry that lands her in jail. She travels to Hollywood with Andy and Opie, and to Mexico with her friends Clara and Myrtle. Bee has several beaux during the course of the series run.

Aunt Bee remained in the show for its entire eight seasons and graduated to TAGS spinoff Mayberry RFD. Although actress Frances Bavier was alive at the time of NBC's 1986 reunion movie Return to Mayberry she had retired from acting and did not participate in the movie. In one scene, Andy visits Aunt Bee's grave. Aunt Bee "died" sometime after her final appearance on Mayberry RFD in 1970.

Barney Fife is Mayberry's Deputy Sheriff and wants to do his job by the book - an approach which often brings him into conflict with Sheriff Taylor and the people of Mayberry. Barney can make abrupt decisions that he sometimes regrets. In one episode, he suspects a rookie lawman wants his job and quits his deputy position to become a vacuum cleaner salesman. Barney has several girlfriends: Miss Rosemary, Hilda May, and Bluebird Diner waitress Juanita. Barney's steady girlfriend however is Thelma Lou. They often double date with Andy and Helen. Barney left Mayberry in the fifth season to take a job in Raleigh. He returned over the last few seasons to make five guest appearances.