There is really nothing to explain here, as the punchline is sitting there right up front: The 1969 Dodge Adventurer pickup truck is Barney Fife tough. For folks who don’t recall—and it pains me that many folks do not recall–for nine seasons, Don Knotts played nervous and twitchy Deputy Barney Fife on the incredibly popular Andy Griffith Show.
1969 Dodge Adventurer
Don Knotts
The character proved popular with the audience, and was an excellent foil to Andy Griffith’s wise and folksy Sheriff Andy Taylor. Knotts was with the show from 1960 to 1968, moving on after that to star in a series of Disney films, including the memorable Incredible Mr. Limpet.
Knotts had an even longer relationship with the Chrysler Corporation, starring in print ads and commercials between 1960 and 1971.
The ad here is especially amusing because Knots’ characters were never known for bravery or toughness, yet here he is extolling the heavy-duty engineering of a pickup truck. With the zeitgeist past, we can only assume that the audience was in on the gag. Note the similar vibe of the Dodge van commercial below.
Dodge Adventurer
The 1969 Dodge Adventurer was an interesting truck. Long before Americans had fully embraced pickups as daily drivers, or as luxury vehicles, Dodge was promoting its top-trim-level pickup as just that. And in 1969, air conditioning in a pickup truck was almost scandalously indulgent.
For 1970, Knots would endorse “The Dude,” a Dodge pickup trim level featuring an expressive decal package and addition trim bits. Pickups with the The Dude package are pretty rare, so if you come across one, snap a pic and let us know.
Oh, and regarding the Adventurer ad: Don Knotts had a twin brother? Who knew?
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Dodge Adventurer Pictures
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