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Don Rickles is cast as inept peddler Newton Monroe, whom Andy tries to encourage by giving him odd jobs to do. Of course, Newton fails at all of them. Barney: Don Knotts. Goober: George Lindsey. Floyd: Howard McNear., Anticipating the imminent departure of Don Knotts from The Andy Griffith Show, the series’ producers tested a number of actors to replace Knotts as Griffith’s sidekick. One such actor was comedian Don Rickles, who played the title role in the April 12, 1965 episode “The Luck of Newton Monroe.” A spectacularly unsuccessful travelling salesman, Newton suffers from a distinct lack of self-esteem. In trying to help Newton find his proper place in life, Andy hires him to paint the Taylor house-but Newton is as inept a painter as he is a peddler. “The Luck of Newton Monroe” was written by Bill Idelson and Sam Bobrick.
