Mark your calendars! Morgantown magazine and the City of Morgantown are celebrating the 100th birthday of native son Don Knotts and the Metropolitan Theatre July 20–24!
Grab your popcorn and join us for a hilarious marathon of films featuring the legendary Don Knotts, where laughter is the star of the show. We’ll also have special guest speakers and performances, including award-winning author of Andy and Me and Don Knotts’ brother-in-law, Daniel de Visé; entertainer and Don Knotts’ nephew Bill Knotts; and illusionist and Don Knotts’ cousin Josh Knotts.
In honor of the Metropolitan Theatre’s 100th anniversary celebration, all Don Knotts movies are just $1! Tickets can be purchased at the door of the Metropolitan Theatre.
The Incredible Mr. Limpet
Saturday, July 20
10 a.m.
Sunday, July 21
1 p.m.
Monday, July 22
1 p.m.
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
Saturday, July 20
1 p.m.
Sunday, July 21
7 p.m.
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo
Monday, July 22
10 a.m.
The apple dumpling gang
Sunday, July 21
10 a.m.
$10
Daniel de Visé, award-winning writer and journalist and Don Knotts’ brother-in-law. He will discuss his book Andy & Don, focusing on the illustrious career of Don Knotts, punctuated with entertaining video clips. A Q&A will follow his talk. His second book, Andy & Don (Simon & Schuster, 2015), began as a journalistic exploration into the storied career of his late brother-in-law. Andy & Don is now in its 13th paperback printing.
Photo © 2021 Glen Craig
$10
Bill Knotts, nephew of the legendary Don Knotts, will guide us on a captivating trip back in time to the idyllic town of Mayberry! In this entertaining and nostalgic journey down memory lane, Bill will regale you with family anecdotes and stories about family history, Don’s early career, and his time on The Andy Griffith Show.
$15
Extreme Illusions & Escapes is a family-friendly Las Vegas-style illusion show consisting of large-scale, modern illusions and edge-of-your-seat, dangerous escapes mixed with audience participation. Josh graduated from West Virginia University, and, in 2016, he earned the prestigious Merlin Award. Certainly not your everyday “magic” act—forget all you know and prepare to be amazed by Extreme Illusions & Escapes.
Don Knotts lived in Morgantown from the time he was born in 1924 until he moved to New York City in 1948, with the exception of his World War II service in the Army, 1943–1945. He visited many times later in life to see family and friends and to be celebrated by his proud hometown.
A good place to start for the complete driving tour is the home in Westover where Knotts’ family lived when he was born, site A. A walking tour of only the downtown sites could start at Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, site E—the pay parking lot in the block of North High Street above Willey Street is convenient—or, for less challenging terrain, park anywhere downtown to visit sites F through J.
Points of interest outside the tour map
Beverly Hills Memorial Gardens, 1290 Fairmont Road, 3.3 miles from downtown Morgantown. Knotts’ father, William Jesse Knotts; mother, Elsie Luzetta Moore Knotts; and eldest and third brothers, Ralph Louis and William Earl Knotts, are buried here, as well as other relatives.
Knottsville, West Virginia, 30 miles from Morgantown. This is no longer an incorporated town, but there’s a Knottsville Methodist Church, a Knottsville Road, and a Knottsvile Cemetery. Don Knotts’ great-great-great-great-grandfather James Absalom Knotts II, 1746–1835, a Revolutionary War soldier, is buried there. Former First Baptist Church at 1206 Byron Street in Wheeling, West Virginia, 80 miles from Morgantown. Don Knotts and his first wife, Kathryn “Kay” Metz, were married here in 1947. Ms. Metz’s father served as pastor at the church.
NOTE: The privately owned properties on this map appear here through the gracious consent of the property owners. Please respect their privacy.
