‘Opie the Birdman’ episode airs on ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ 50 years ago this hour (1963)


Video: 'Andy.Griffith-S04E01-Opie the Birdman' (Sep. 30, 1963)

(Monday, September 29, 1963, 9:30 p.m. EDT) — Opie accidentally kills a mother bird with his new slingshot and takes it upon himself to raise the orphaned baby birds on tonight’s episode of the CBS-TV sitcom series The Andy Griffith Show.

In 1997, the episode was ranked #24 on TV Guide‘s 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.