IMHO without a doubt it would be "The Ghost And Mr. Chicken" followed closely by "The Reluctant Astronaut" both are a riot and I've always preferred his family films than his "adult only" type of movies like the one where he owns a nudie magazine--blech!
I would probably agree with The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, and add The Incredible Mr. Limpet as a close second. And No Time for Seargents is also a lot of fun.
Not to mention "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" and the Apple Dumpling Gang movies from my youth.
What's funny is that in the 60s-70s hippies loved Don Knotts, yet his humor was apolitical and very clean.
I agree with "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken." My favorite of the haunted house comedies next to "The Ghost Breakers."
He also did a number of films with Tim Conway. Probably the best of those is "The Apple Dumpling Gang," which spawned a sequel called "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again."
And while he only had a small part in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, it was a memorable one. As the nervous motorist, who picks up Phil Silvers.
Well, you all named the ones that I saw and of course there are his TV shows Andy Griffin and Threes Company.
Next to Woody Allen I would pick Don Knotts to play me in a movie as mentioned in recent post.
Tim Conway and Harvey Corman were also funny from the Carol Bernett Show.
I have a soft spot for "Limpet", though I do love "Mr. Chicken" too, especially the end when the organ starts to play by itself: "Whoa!! There was a real ghost after all!!".
"Incredible Mr. Limpet" was a book originally written during WW2, and was a shameless piece of wartime propaganda -- One thing that the book had that the film didn't was Hitler himself coming out on a rubber raft to plead the case of Naziism to the fish. The Nazis in the book were much more real/more evil and not at all cartoony. I find it amazing that someone had the idea, "Hey, this dated piece of wartime memorabilia/surrealia would make a great Don Knotts movie!!"
And some say Hollywood has no creativity . . .
peter johnson/denny crane
Coincidentally, I just bought the Don Knotts "Reluctant Hero" collection, and I'm trying to find the time to watch them. Always loved his movies as a kid. My favourite at the time had to be the Reluctant Astronaut, although it's been years since I've had a chance to see them all.
The pack I bought has The Reluctant Astronaut, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (my Mom's favourite, if I recall correctly), The Shakiest Gun in the West, and The Love God. I remember The Love God being pretty funny, with Knotts being turned into a Hugh Hefner type when he takes on some partners to save his birdwatching magazine. Looking forward to watching these with my wife, who has seen none of them. Ooops, I just remembered, we packed all the movies for moving -- doh!
Besides Knotts being funny, I always loved movies from the 60s, they had a certain look and feel to them that I liked. Perhaps it was because I grew up at a time when those movies were getting shown on TV a lot.
Actually "The Love God"is tame by today's standards.I mean the Magazine he found out that he was inadvertantly publishing would basically be the equivalent of "Maxim"or"FHM"or"Hooters"magazine!!A Litttle Trivias Question For You?In What 1958 Movie Will You Find The Future Andy Taylor;Barney Fife;Johnny Yuma the Rebel;Corporal Max Klinger and Milburn Drysdale?Answer:"No Time For Sergeants"with Andy Griffith;Don Knotts;Nick Adams;Jamie Farr and Raymond Bailey.
Speaking of Don Knotts, he just died, at age 81.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060225/ap_en_tv/obit_knotts
Amazing that he did so much good work in tv and movies; that still holds up today. I never saw The Love God? but I can't think of anything he did that would be PG-13 or worse.
I Just Heard About That!!Don Knotts Made Me Laugh In One Form or Another in My 47 Years On Earth!!Whether It Was Barney Fife or Mister Furley,Plus Movies As Varied As "No Time For Sergeants"and "The Ghost and Mr.Chicken"to "Pleasantville",Just His Bug Eyes and Shrill Voice Could Reduce The Biggest Sourpuss on Earth To Laughter!!So Long Don,We'll Miss You!!