Don Knotts (1924-2006) was an American actor and comedian. Knotts was best known as Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show, a 1960s sitcom for which he earned five Emmy® Awards. After the success on television, Knotts became one of the least likely leading man in movies. He starred in 5 Universal movies from 1966 to 1971. His IMDb page shows 87 from 1951 to 2011. This page ranks 25 Don Knotts movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television shows, bit parts and his movies not released in North America theaters are not included in the rankings. 
Don Knotts Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.
Don Knotts Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.
- Sort Don Knotts movies by co-stars of his movies.
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- Sort Don Knotts movies how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations each Don Knotts movie received and how many Oscar® wins each Don Knotts movie won.
- Sort Don Knotts movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
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I saw 11, 8 of top 13. its a mad , mad , mad , mad world is a favourite and a ten, no hidden gems. mostly vague memories of Saturday at the movies as a child, cartoons double feature, popcorn and drink all for $1.25. sorry I missed mr. hirschhorn in hot lead and cold feet.
its a mad, mad ,mad ,mad world is a classic with small incredible scenes from jimmy durante. jim baccus, shecky green, mickey rooney, sid Caesar, terry Thomas, ethyl merman, dick shawn, jonathan winters, Milton berle, phil silvers, edie adams, peter falk. a leading role for spencer tracy and cameos by the 3 stooges, William demarest, eddie Rochester Anderson, buster Keaton, zasu pitts, carl reiner, morey Amsterdam, jack benny and dozens of others. I saw this as a 7 year old at a downtown theatre wearing coat and tie with my family including my grandfather from Kentucky who passed away 5 years later. I still love it though the schtick ( especially shawn and Caesar) has not aged well it still has plenty of laughs and most of the great comedians of its time. ask Bob Roy about terry Thomas’ take on bussoms.
Don was never on the Oracle of Bacon Top 1000 Center of the Hollywood Universe list. These are the actors on the 2016 list he appeared in a film with;
33 FRANK WELKER Cannonball Run II (1984)
33 FRANK WELKER Cats Don’t Dance (1997)
33 FRANK WELKER How to Frame a Figg (1971)
33 FRANK WELKER Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night (1987)
67 JAMES HONG No Deposit, No Return (1976)
91 JAMES EARL JONES Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night (1987)
96 BURT REYNOLDS Cannonball Run II (1984)
177 WILLIAM H. MACY Pleasantville (1998)
199 JOHN RHYS-DAVIES Cats Don’t Dance (1997)
245 MICKEY ROONEY It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
284 CAROL KANE Big Bully (1996)
313 GEORGE KENNEDY Cats Don’t Dance (1997)
326 TOM ARNOLD Big Bully (1996)
339 WALLACE SHAWN Chicken Little (2005)
365 JEFFREY TAMBOR Big Bully (1996)
398 PATRICK STEWART Chicken Little (2005)
399 LUKE BURNYEAT PLEASANTVILLE (1998)
401 JEFF DANIELS Pleasantville (1998)
402 CHEECH MARIN Cannonball Run II (1984)
455 SHIRLEY MACLAINE Cannonball Run II (1984)
482 EDWARD ASNER Gus (1976)
482 EDWARD ASNER Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night (1987)
511 JOAN CUSACK CHICKEN LITTLE (2005)
548 HENRY SILVA Cannonball Run II (1984)
557 FRED WILLARD CHICKEN LITTLE (2005)
598 ANNE LOCKHART CHICKEN LITTLE (2005)
610 HAL HOLBROOK Cats Don’t Dance (1997)
622 RALPH MORATZ It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
622 RALPH MORATZ NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS (1958)
684 PETER FALK It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
720 HARRY SHEARER Chicken Little (2005)
734 GRACE ZABRISKIE The Private Eyes (1980)
762 JACK WARDEN Wake Me When It’s Over (1960)
790 PATRICK WARBURTON CHICKEN LITTLE (2005)
793 ALEX ROCCO Cannonball Run II (1984)
808 BRANSCOMBE RICHMOND Cannonball Run II (1984)
809 ROBERT MITCHUM The Last Time I Saw Archie (1961)
832 JACKIE CHAN Cannonball Run II (1984)
855 LESLIE NIELSEN The Reluctant Astronaut (1967)
912 ARTHUR TOVEY The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979)
912 ARTHUR TOVEY The Love God? (1969)
912 ARTHUR TOVEY The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968)
919 PAT MORITA The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968)
920 HANK AZARIA CHICKEN LITTLE (1998)
978 JOAN ALLEN PLEASANTVILLE (1998)
983 JAMES KEANE Pleasantville (1998)
986 J.T. WALSH Pleasantville (1998)
999 REESE WITHERSPOON Pleasantville (1998)
The following actors were on the 2000 list but have since fallen off, all worked with Don;
88 PETER FALK It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
102 DAVID NIVEN No Deposit, No Return (1976)
108 DUB TAYLOR Cannonball Run II (1984)
108 DUB TAYLOR No Time for Sergeants (1958)
108 DUB TAYLOR The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968)
146 MIKE MAZURKI It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
149 TELLY SAVALAS Cannonball Run II (1984)
153 JAMES GARNER Move Over, Darling (1963)
209 DOM DELUISE Cannonball Run II (1984)
221 JOHN CRAWFORD The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979)
222 BESS FLOWERS Move Over, Darling (1963)
222 BESS FLOWERS Wake Me When It’s Over (1960)
245 SLIM PICKENS The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975)
287 RICHARD FARNSWORTH The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975)
296 KENNETH TOBEY Gus (1976)
404 JACK ELAM Cannonball Run II (1984)
404 JACK ELAM Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978)
404 JACK ELAM The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979)
406 EDMOND O’BRIEN The Love God? (1969)
472 TERRY-THOMAS It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
473 RENE AUBERJONOIS Cats Don’t Dance (1997)
483 MURRAY HAMILTON No Time for Sergeants (1958)
528 HAROLD GOULD Gus (1976)
530 NORMAN FELL It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
532 JIM BACKUS It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
560 RICHARD KIEL Cannonball Run II (1984)
560 RICHARD KIEL Gus (1976)
562 PAUL BRYAR The Reluctant Astronaut (1967)
562 PAUL BRYAR The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968)
571 CHARLES LANE It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
571 CHARLES LANE The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)
611 DON ‘RED’ BARRY Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978)
611 DON ‘RED’ BARRY The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968)
617 PAUL FREES The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964)
648 HARRY MORGAN The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975)
648 HARRY MORGAN The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979)
654 ROY KINNEAR Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977)
663 MILTON BERLE It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
690 PARLEY BAER Wake Me When It’s Over (1960)
707 DARREN MCGAVIN Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978)
707 DARREN MCGAVIN No Deposit, No Return (1976)
732 ARTHUR O’CONNELL The Reluctant Astronaut (1967)
740 GEORGE CHANDLER The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979)
740 GEORGE CHANDLER The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)
742 RICARDO MONTALBAN Cannonball Run II (1984)
743 WILLIAM WINDOM Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night (1987)
746 HERB VIGRAN The Reluctant Astronaut (1967)
783 JAMES FLAVIN It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
800 MARTHA HYER The Last Time I Saw Archie (1961)
816 CARLETON YOUNG Wake Me When It’s Over (1960)
832 DON BRODIE Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978)
858 MICHAEL V. GAZZO Cannonball Run II (1984)
859 MYRON HEALEY The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968)
874 DEAN JONES Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977)
877 JERRY LEWIS It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
882 DEAN MARTIN Cannonball Run II (1984)
914 DOUG MCCLURE Cannonball Run II (1984)
919 LARRY HAGMAN No Time for Sergeants (1958)
928 KENNETH MARS The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979)
930 BING RUSSELL The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975)
939 CHARLES MARTIN SMITH No Deposit, No Return (1976)
992 NICK DIMITRI The Reluctant Astronaut (1967)
994 ELLEN CORBY The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)
Don only worked with 7 Oscar winners;
DAVID NIVEN No Deposit, No Return (1976)
EDMOND O’BRIEN The Love God? (1969)
GEORGE KENNEDY Cats Don’t Dance (1997)
LIZA MINNELLI Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night (1987)
REESE WITHERSPOON Pleasantville (1998)
SHIRLEY MACLAINE Cannonball Run II (1984)
SPENCER TRACY It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
Hey Dan. For essentially a television actor, I think the first two lists are actually pretty impressive. Granted the thespians seem more like character and bit actors….but there are some legends sprinkled in here and there….Burt Reynolds, Robert Mitchum and Shirley MacLaine. Only 7 Oscar winning co-stars….hmmmm….I bet his Emmy winning co-star list would be a much more impressive list. As always…..your efforts are greatly appreciated.
Looking at the chart there are 5 Don Knott’s movies that I can remember seeing –
The Incredible Mr. Limpet, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Chicken Little, Cannonball Run II and Pleasantville.
Mad, Mad, Mad World was a huge box office success, especially in the US. I just don’t find it that funny, but it’s enjoyable and has a great cast of comic actors, plus Spencer Tracy! I own a remastered copy on blu-ray.
Good stuff Bruce. Vote Up!
Hey Steve. Tally count: Me 14 (probably more), Flora 7 and you 5. Cannonball Run 2 is one of the worst sequels ever made. Talk about a “cash and run” movie. As a kid I loved Cannonball Run…..and could not believe how bad part 2 was. That was part of the downfall of Burt Reynolds.
As for It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad World….I agree the humor is lacking…but playing identify the star is fun….and it is one of Spencer Tracy’s last movies.
The Incredible Mr. Limpet has actually garnered a following over the years. I have only seen it once…and that was many years ago….but I did enjoy viewing the attached trailer. Thanks as always for sharing your vast movie knowledge.
Hello,
I am so sorry, this is the first time i feel like a very bad pupil.
I never heard of him, i never saw a film or TV or even read something on a movie magazine, and on your page with some photos, i first think it was the actor of MY UNCLE CHARLIE who play the brother of Charlie;
I know by reputation the film Mad mad mad world, so it will be the only positif sentences of this comment ;
It is not so much but it is better than nothing at all
Bye
Pierre
Hey Pierre….so the glory of Don Knotts did not reach France. Actually not surprised at all…..his role that gave him fame in the States was a supporting one in a television show. That show, The Andy Griffith show also featured little Ronnie Howard….who of course would become Mr. Ron “Oscar Winning Director” Howard. So…..we will not title you with being a “bad pupil”….but will instead give you an A for checking out a page on somebody you did not know. As always…thanks for the feedback.
I have seen 7 Don Knotts movies.
The HIGHEST ranking film I have seen is It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
The highest ranking film I have NOT seen is Move Over Darling.
The LOWEST ranking film I have seen is Cannonball Run II.
Favourite movies are:
It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, World
No Time For Sergeants
Pleasantville
Hey Flora. Thanks for checking out latest page. A long time ago I did a page on his frequent co-star, Tim Conway, with the plan to do one on Knotts…..amazed how much time passed before finally getting this page completed. I have seen at least 14 of his movies. Pretty sure I have seen a few more, but have to admit I have gotten some of his Disney movies mixed up in my head….so I did not count a few of them.
Knotts was part of that massive cast for Mad World…..which essentially was a cameo role for everybody. Surprised you have not seen Move Over, Darling. That is a classic Doris Day/James Garner movie….I of course prefer the original …My Favorite Wife with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne.
WoC’s mom….MILoC (Mother-in-law of Cogerson) loves No Time For Sergeants….I feel it has not aged very well at all. Pleasantville is a wonderful movie…..love how the colors start showing up in the movies. Sorry you have seen Cannonball Run II…..that is one of the worst movies ever made. Good feedback as always.