George Lindsey echoed the feelings of many who grew up watching “The Andy Griffith Show” when he described Don Knotts as one of a kind.

“There won’t ever be another like him,” Lindsey said.

Lindsey, veteran actor of television and film who worked with Knotts on the show, spoke about the late actor during a telephone interview recently. Lindsey discussed the success of the George Lindsey/University of North Alabama Film Festival last week and commented on his years portraying Goober Pyle on the show, including a three-year stint with its followup, “Mayberry R.F.D.”

“I loved playing him,” Lindsey said. “That was a great job. I liked working with Don and Andy. I don’t know how often in a career you get to do that. Who gets to perform with people of that caliber?”

Knotts, also a veteran of many films and television shows, died Feb. 24 at age 81. He will be best remembered for his role as bumbling, lovable deputy Barney Fife.

“He was the best there was at we he did,” Lindsey said of Knotts. “There will always be a Barney Fife, in every town and police department.”

When televised Mayberry reunions were organized for several years, Lindsey had the opportunity to work again with fellow cast members, but he said he has not seen them in a while.

Lindsey appeared on The Andy Griffith Show from 1964, and then on Mayberry R.F.D. from 1968-1971, according to his biography on a UNA Web site: www2.una.edu.

Lindsey initially read for the role of Gomer Pyle, the Web sites says, but fellow Alabamian Jim Nabors was eventually chosen for that part. When Nabors was given his own show, the producers approached Lindsey about playing Goober, Gomer’s cousin.

“I will always be remembered for that,” Lindsey said.

While it may be most memorable, Lindsey has performed in dozens of other television episodes and feature films and is still acting. He also does a stand-up routine for events on request.

Lindsey’s resumé includes guest appearances on “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour,” “The Danny Thomas Special,” “Gunsmoke,” “Love American Style,” “The Rifleman,” “Twilight Zone,” and many others. Films include: “Ensign Pulver” in 1964, “Take This Job and Shove It” in 1981, “Treasure of Matecumbe” in 1976, and “Cannonball Run II.”

He also has done voice work, providing the voice of Lafayette in “The Aristocats” and Deadeye in “The Rescuers,” among others.

Lindsey most currently plays a preacher in “When I Find the Ocean,” filmed in the Shoals area and which premiered Friday night at the film festival.

“At the moment I just came back from working in Chicago,” said Lindsey who performed a stand-up act. “I do fairs, corporate functions, reunions.”

He did a similar act as a headliner in Las Vegas for 20 years, he said.

Lindsey also is kept up-to-date on Mayberry happenings by some fans of the Andy Griffith Show, including Jim Clark of The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club.

A Mayberry Days festival is held each September in Mount Airy, N.C., Griffith’s hometown on which Mayberry was based. The town boasts an Andy Griffith Museum and a statue of Andy and Opie, played by Ron Howard.

Lindsey attended the North Carolina festival once, he said.

“There were about 10,000 people there,” he said. “There are legions of fans. It’s very flattering that everybody likes us.”