Can anyone imagine The Andy Griffith Show without Andy Griffith? Who else could bring that grounded wisdom and warmth to Sheriff Andy Taylor? Can we imagine someone else dealing with the antics of Don Knotts‘ Barney Fife while raising young Opie?

Well, that almost happened. Griffith once admitted that he “didn’t like” the whole concept of playing a sheriff in a North Carolina town. But, thanks to his judgment of character—and his career being at a dead end—we got one of the most beloved shows in TV history.