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Most of the surviving cast members of The Andy Griffith Show reprised their roles in the reunion movie.

One notable exception was Frances Bavier, who played Aunt Bee for all eight seasons as well as two seasons of Mayberry R. F. D.

Bavier had retired shortly after leaving R. F. D.

in 1970.

Her absence was explained by a scene in which Andy visits the cemetery where Aunt Bee is buried.

Bee had apparently died at some point between the end of Mayberry R. F. D.

and the events of this movie.

( Bavier could not be in the movie due to illness, and she in fact did die three year later.

) Elinor Donahue ( as Ellie Walker ) and Jack Burns ( as Warren Ferguson ) were two other cast members not to be involved in the movie.

Some of the main R. F. D.

regulars, including Sam Jones, son Mike, and Millie Swanson — all of whom were first introduced on the last season of The Andy Griffith Show itself — were also absent.

( Ken Berry, who had played Jones, was forced to decline as he was busy playing Vinton Harper on Mama's Family.

) Former series regulars Howard McNear ( as Floyd Lawson ), Hope Summers ( as Clara Edwards ), and Paul Hartman ( as Emmett Clark ) were all deceased.