Ellie for Council

Ellie for Council
Season 1 > • < Episode 10 >
Air Date	December 12, 1960
Cast	Andy Griffith as Sheriff Andy Taylor Don Knotts as Deputy Barney Fife Ron Howard as Opie Taylor Frances Bavier as Aunt Bee Taylor Elinor Donahue as Ellie Walker Hal Smith as Otis Campbell Dorothy Neumann as Rita Campbell Florence MacMichael as Hilda Mae Frank Ferguson as Sam Lindsey Mary Treen as Clara Lindsey
Director(s)	Bob Sweeney
Writer(s)	Jack Elinson Charles Stewart
Previous	A Feud Is a Feud
Next	The Christmas Story
Summary	It's a battle of the sexes when Ellie Walker decides to become the very first woman to run for a seat on the Mayberry City Council - and the town's horrifying menfolk decide to sabotage her newfound political career.
Sequential Episode	10

Summary

It's a battle of the sexes when Ellie Walker decides to become the very first woman to run for a seat on the Mayberry City Council - and the town's horrifying menfolk decide to sabotage her newfound political career.

Plot

Ellie for Town Council

After learning that the Mayberry Town Council is comprised entirely of men and that no woman has been on the council or ever been considered, Ellie decides to throw her hat in the ring. This is much to the astonishment of every man in town, especially Andy. Despite their best efforts, Ellie gets on the ballot and has a decent chance of winning the election. The men then come with a scheme to force their wives to give up their support of Ellie. The women quickly fire back with a plan of their own, which results in a full blo-n battle of the sexes. When it becomes clear that things are getting out of hand, Ellie withdraws her candidacy. When Opie boldly announces that the men showed the women who're really boss, Andy realizes the problems with his anti-female attitude and sets out to make amends. In the epilogue of this episode, it is revealed by Andy that Ellie won her election.

Notes/Trivia

Hilda, One of Barney's Early Girlfriends

• First appearance of Barney's girlfriend Hilda Mae in the series.

• This episode was filmed 60 years ago (as of 2020), yet it remains an example of the fight for equality. This was rare on a television show in 1960.
• Otis Campbell's wife, Rita, appears for the first time in this episode.
• The election results are never said, but it appears Ellie won since she appears on the council on later episodes. The song Andy sings at the end says she won.
• In this episode, Otis is jailed for assault — the only time for an offense other than drunkenness. During a fight with Rita, Otis tries to hit her with a leg of lamb, misses, and hits his mother-in-law in the mouth.

Goofs

• There is a continuity error from scene to scene in this episode. After Andy talks to the rally, there is a shot of Barney is confused, but the scene then cuts to one of Barney cheering with Hilda Mae.

Music

• The Fishin' Hole

Quotes

Barney: "What man would vote for a woman?"
Sam: "The Same Weak-Kneed, Chicken Liver, Yellow-Streak Turn-coat that would sign a Petition!"
Barney: "I'm just waiting for you to go too far"

Andy: "There's one for the books, being kissed by a councilman".

Gallery

Otis and his wife Rita at Ellie's election.

"We want Ellie!"

Andy: "It's ok, turncoat."

Andy: "She [Hilda Mae] called you creampuff?!"

Barney and Hilda Mae