Howard Sprague

Howard Sprague is a fictional character on the CBS television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, and its spin-off Mayberry R.F.D.. He was played by Jack Dodson from 1966-71. He was characterized by his milquetoast demeanor, moustache, bow ties, and a penchant for philosophy and culture. Howard was a repressed Mother's boy who lived with his overbearing and manipulative mother, played by Mabel Albertson. He appeared as the county clerk during the later color episodes of The Andy Griffith Show (and continued onto Mayberry R.F.D.). While Jack Dodson made an earlier appearance as an insurance agent named Ed Jenkins, he first appeared as Howard in the sixth season. This was not unusual. Other show regulars were first introduced with different names: Hope Summers, who played Clara Edwards, first appeared as Bertha Johnson; Goober Pyle was first called Goober Beasley; and Arlene Golonka, who played Millie Swanson, was introduced as Millie Hutchins. Character overview In the episode "The County Clerk", Howard is portrayed as socially stymied, especially when it came to dating. His mother even tries to thwart a double date he has with Andy Taylor, Helen Crump, and a nurse, by feigning heart palpitations. In the episode "The Lodge", Howard is about to join a men's social club, but his mother manipulates Goober Pyle with a sob story in an attempt to blackball his membership. Opie once said Howard threw a baseball "just like Aunt Bee".