I had hoped to publish this article yesterday (Thursday is the day new articles are typically published) but I wasn’t able to finish it in time. My interest in The Headmaster stems from its theme song, which I’ve always been fond of. Here’s the summary:
Andy Griffith, who starred in one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1960s, returned to television in a new sitcom in the fall of 1970. This time, rather than a rural sheriff, his character was the headmaster of a prestigious private school. It was the season of relevancy and thus The Headmaster featured stories supposedly relevant to teenagers: there were episodes that involved drugs, miniskirts and rebellion. Although early Nielsen ratings were decent, the series soon sank. Reviews were sharply critical of the series, which was replaced in mid-season 1971 by The New Andy Griffith Show, which itself was canceled as part of the CBS rural purge. Griffith was able to make a career resurgence in the mid-1980s with Matlock, proving that viewers had forgive him for The Headmaster.
There are two things I’d like to point out. First, some sources state there were 13 episodes of The Headmaster. Television listings in The New York Times indicate there were actually 14 episodes. Second, according to The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present, the theme song was written by Gordon and Williams. Online sources say the music was written by either Patrick or Dick Williams (could they be one and the same?) and the lyrics by Kelly Gordon, but I haven’t found a definitive source.
If you have any comments about The Headmaster, please leave them at the article itself.
