Jesse Donald Knotts, a legendary television character actor, was born on July 21, 1924, in Morgantown, West Virginia, to William Jesse Knotts and Elsie Luzetta Moore.
His first stint as an entertainer was as a ventriloquist, performing paid gigs at parties and events in Morgantown.
After graduating from high school, Knotts moved to New York City to pursue a career in show business, but he only lasted a few weeks.
He decided to attend college, enrolling at West Virginia University, but World War II intervened, and he enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 19.
As a soldier, Knotts entertained troops in the Special Services Branch, where he discovered a talent for straight comedy and abandoned ventriloquism.
After being demobilized, Knotts returned to West Virginia University, graduating with a degree in theater in 1948.
He married and moved back to New York, where his connections in the Special Services Branch helped him break into show business.
Knotts appeared on the radio, doing stand-up comedy at clubs, and eventually landed the role of "Windy Wales" on "The Bobby Benson Show".
He was a regular on the soap opera "Search for Tomorrow" from 1953 to 1955 and appeared in the Broadway play "No Time for Sergeants" alongside Andy Griffith.
Knotts' big break came when he was cast in the role of the psychiatrist in the Broadway play "No Time for Sergeants", which starred Andy Griffith.
He became well-known for his "nervous man" shtick in the "Man-on-the-Street" segments on "The Steve Allen Plymouth Show" from 1956.
Knotts' character in the segments was a very nervous man who was uptight about being interviewed on camera, and he developed this persona that he used successfully for the rest of his career.
When "The Tonight Show" moved to Hollywood in 1959 with new host Jack Paar, Knotts also moved to California as a regular.
He was soon cast in Andy Griffith's new television series "The Andy Griffith Show" in the role of "Deputy Barney Fife", which he played from 1960 to 1965.
Knotts was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor five times from 1961 to 1967, winning each time.
He cut back his appearances on "The Andy Griffith Show" to concentrate on making movies after signing a five-year contract with Universal Pictures.
Knotts appeared in several films, including "The Incredible Mr. Limpet" in 1964, "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" in 1966, and "How to Frame a Figg" in 1971.
His popularity began to wane towards the end of the decade, and his contract with Universal was not renewed.
Knotts returned to television as the star of his own variety show, but it was quickly canceled.
During the 1970s, Knotts had a spotty career, appearing in regional theater and making guest appearances on other television series.
He eventually made some slapstick movies with Tim Conway for the Walt Disney Company and tasted real success again.
Knotts was cast as would-be-swinger landlord "Ralph Furley" on the popular sitcom "Three's Company" from 1976 to 1984.
Since the show was canceled, he appeared as "Barney Fife" for a 1986 reunion of "The Andy Griffith Show" and in television guest spots, including a recurring gig as the pesky neighbor "Les Calhoun" on Griffith's "Matlock" series until 1992.
Knotts remained busy for the next ten years touring with plays and doing voice-over work for cartoons.
He provided the voice of "Mayor Turkey Lurkey" in Disney's animated film "Chicken Little" in 2005, which turned out to be one of his final films.
Knotts died at the age of 81 on February 24, 2006.
