Estate of Andy Griffith Show Actress to be Auctioned Off

The estate of Betty Lynn, the actress best known for her role as Thelma Lou on The Andy Griffith Show, is set to be auctioned from now until Dec. 30.

The auction consists of 118 items, including furniture, fine art, collectibles, and several sets of fine china. For Mayberry fans hoping to add to their show memorabilia, the sale also includes a framed illustration of Thelma Lou with her on-screen boyfriend Barney Fife, as well a black-and-white photograph of the couple on the show. At the time of publishing, bidding had reached $628 for the illustration and $320 for the photo.

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Lynn, a Kansas City, Missouri native, died this October at the age of 95 after a short illness. At the time, she was living in Mount Airy, North Carolina, the real-life hometown of actor Andy Griffith and the community that the fictional town of Mayberry was modeled after. Up until 2019, Lynn made monthly appearances in town at the Andy Griffith Museum where she signed autographs and met with fans.

Though she played the role for five years, Lynn's Thelma Lou only appeared on 26 episodes of The Andy Griffith Show between 1961 and 1966. The show went on for two more seasons after her final episode. In 1986, Lynn rejoined the cast for the reunion television movie Return to Mayberry, where Thelma Lou and Barney Fife got married.