Knotts 1st gained exposure within 1956, after existence the regular on the my favorite laundry soap opera Search for Tomorrow from 1953 to 1955, on Steve Allen's variety show. He is remembered for appearing within Allen's mock "Man in the Street" interviews, universally as a human evidently super neural just about get on camera. This fretful, high-restive characterization would help him swell throughout his career.

Knotts is better known for his role when deputy Barney Fife on the American television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, a portrayal that earned him 5 Emmy Awards. Fallowing allowing the series, Knotts starred inside a series of film comedies: The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964), The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966), The Reluctant Astronaut (1967), The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968) and The Love God? (1969).

In the 1970s, Knotts and Tim Conway starred together in the series of slapstick pic.

Knotts returned to televisiin in the late 1970s, appearing when landlord Ralph Furley on ''Three's Company, after Audra Lindley and Norman Fell left the show to star in a spinoff series ("The Ropers"). Knotts as well got the revenant role in Matlock, which starred his old friend and co-star Andy Griffith. He besides appeared by having Griffith in the 1986 made for television movie Return to Mayberry, where he once more naturally played dependable old "Barney Fife".

Within 1998, Knotts began a recent career comeback using his a portion when a mysterious TV service man within Pleasantville (1998).

Filmography
No Time for Sergeants (1958) Wake Me When It's Over (1960) The Last Time I Saw Archie (1961) It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) (Cameo) Move Over, Darling (1963) The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964) The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) The Reluctant Astronaut (1967) Rowan & Martin at the Movies (1968) (short subject) The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968) The Love God? (1969) How to Frame a Figg (1971) The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975) No Deposit, No Return (1976) Gus (1976) Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977) Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978) The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979) The Prize Fighter (1979) The Private Eyes (1981) Cannonball Run II (1984) Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night (1987) (voice) Big Bully (1996) Cats Don't Dance (1997) (voice) Pleasantville (1998) Chicken Little (2005) (voice) (currently filming)

TV work
Search for Tomorrow (cast member from 1953-1955) The Steve Allen Show (1956-1960) The Andy Griffith Show (cast member from 1960-1965) The New Steve Allen Show (1961) (canceled after Quatern months) The Don Knotts Show (1970-1971) The Man Who Came to Dinner (1972) I Love a Mystery (1973) Steve Allen's Laugh Back (1975) (canceled after a few weeks) Three's Company (cast member from 1979-1984) Return to Mayberry (1986) What a Country (cast member in 1987) Matlock (cast member from 1989-1990) Timmy's Gift: A Precious Moments Christmas (1991) (voice) Matlock: The Picture (1991) Jingle Bells (1999) (voice) Hermie: A Common Caterpillar (2003) (voice) Hermie & Friends (2004) (voice) Robot Chicken (2005) (voice) Las Vegas'' (2005)