HEADMASTER (1970) FORGOTTEN TELEVISION

HEADMASTER (1970) – Andy Griffith had left the streets of Mayberry behind him to take on a new leading role in this short-lived comedy-drama. Griffith played Andy Thompson, Headmaster of the Concord School, a top-tier private academy in California.

The star had expressed his pleasure at getting to play an urbane academic rather than a country bumpkin for once. Headmaster was shooting for the same appeal boasted by Room 222, another half-hour series that mixed high school comedy with drama.

Ready for the “with-it” and “relevant” – maybe even “groovy” – advertising blurb for Headmaster? Here it is – “At last! A series that’s really into today’s teen-age world. A co-ed prep school is where it’s at.”

Griffith’s supporting cast included Jerry Van Dyke as Coach Jerry Brownell and Claudette Nevins as Andy’s English teacher wife Margaret. LINDA RONSTADT sang the show’s theme song Only a Man.

THE EPISODES:

MAY I TURN ON? (September 18th, 1970) – Eddie Munster himself, Butch Patrick, guest starred as a student and football player who refuses to do drugs and finds himself ostracized by his peer group. Eventually, he gives in to the social pressure and indulges.

BATTLE OF THE MINI aka GUESS WHO’S NOT COMING TO DINNER (September 25th, 1970) – The entire faculty and student body are astir over new teacher Catherine McArdle (Maureen Arthur), who always wears mini-skirts (GASP!). Coach Brownell is attracted to her, but her wardrobe motivates Headmaster Thompson to revise Concord’s dress code.

VALERIE HAS AN EMOTIONAL GESTALT FOR THE TEACHER (October 2nd, 1970) – Melissa Newman guest starred as Valerie, the title student who develops a crush on one of her teachers. Wow, this daring show really IS “where it’s at!” Yeah, about as much as that “How do you do, fellow kids?” meme.

BRIDGE THAT GAP (October 9th, 1970) – When Generation Gap issues flair up at Concord, wise Headmaster Andy Thompson holds a meeting with the parents of students. However, both the kids and the parents wind up thinking Andy is betraying them and is really on the other group’s side.

ONE FOR THE GIPPER (October 16th, 1970) – After Concord loses back-to-back track meets by wide margins, relentless loser Coach Brownell announces he’s quitting. The school’s student-athletes of the past and present convince him to stay by telling him what a difference he made in their lives as a role model. 

WILL THE REAL MOTHER OF TONY LANDIS PLEASE STAND UP? (October 23rd, 1970) – RON HOWARD reunites with Andy Griffith in this episode. Ron plays Tony Landis, whose turbulent home life has caused his grades to suddenly plummet.

THE EXPERIMENT (October 30th, 1970) – Mark Hamill guest stars as Concord students convince Headmaster Thompson, his wife Margaret and Coach Brownell into participating in their experimental approach to launching a new society in the forest. 

ROMEO & JULIET AND GARY & HILLARY (November 6th, 1970) – Margaret Thompson teaches her students about Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. When her words get distorted to make it sound like she’s advocating teen premarital sex, Andy must deal with the fallout from outraged parents. Mantan Moreland of all people shows up in the supporting cast.

BACH ROCK (November 13th, 1970) – Concord’s Glee Club gets a new musical director and conflict breaks out when the club wants to mix in some rock music with their usual repertoire. The Los Angeles Lutheran High School Glee Club performed a few songs in this episode.

LET’S TRY IT MR. HILLER’S WAY (November 20th, 1970) – Jeff Corey, the “Your days is OVER” guy from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, plays math teacher Mr. Hiller. When he drives the students too hard, they stage a walkout to protest his approach.

NOBODY’S PERFECT (November 27th, 1970) – Mitch Vogel himself guest stars as Billy, a student who is so obsessed with equaling his older brother’s grades when he was at Concord that he winds up pushing himself close to a nervous breakdown.

COUNT THE WAYS I LOVE YOU (December 4th, 1970) – A student is skeptical about the family planning advice offered by Margaret Thompson because she and Headmaster Andy don’t even have children of their own. This raises a sore spot in the older couple’s marriage.

HARVARD OR BUST (December 18th, 1970) – JAMES GREGORY guest stars as a father pushing his mediocre son so hard to qualify for Harvard that he doesn’t realize he is driving the boy to want to quit school completely. 

*** Ratings and reviews were so bad for Headmaster that in midseason it was trashed and Andy Griffith’s contract was ridden out with 10 episodes of a series called The New Andy Griffith Show.

           That early 1971 effort co-starred Lee Merriwether and depicted Griffith as North Carolina small town mayor Andy Sawyer. It bombed as well, despite its attempt to recapture that Andy Taylor in Mayberry feel. 

FOR MORE FORGOTTEN TELEVISION ENTRIES CLICK HERE.