As a kid, when I used to watch reruns of The Andy Griffith Show, one of my favorite characters was Barney Fife’s girlfriend Thelma Lou, played by Betty Lynn. Betty and Andy Griffith had a great working relationship on The Andy Griffith Show; fans loved the way that Thelma Lou and Sheriff Andy interacted, and their friendship carried over into real life. So, when Andy decided to bring Betty onto Matlock playing his secretary, Sarah, it seemed like a natural fit — but conflicts around Betty’s lack of screen time actually caused the two actors to feud for over 20 years.

At the time, Betty credited Andy with helping to develop her character on the show. In a 1986 article that appeared in the Spokane Review, she said: “Andy has written a few little scenes for me, very funny. I hope they’re kept in.”