This Morgantown native had a difficult childhood marked by family struggles and poverty. As a kid, he escaped his problems through comedy, magic, and ventriloquism. In high school, he performed with friends and became class president.

After attending West Virginia University, Knotts served in the Army during World War II, entertaining troops. After the war, he returned to WVU, finished his degree, and moved to New York City to chase his dream of acting.

Knotts got his big break working with Andy Griffith in No Time for Sergeants, which led to his classic role on The Andy Griffith Show, where he won five Emmy Awards for playing Barney Fife. He later starred in movies like The Ghost and Mr. Chicken and appeared on Three’s Company with fellow West Virginia native Joyce DeWitt.

In 2016, a statue of Don Knotts as Barney Fife is in front of Morgantown's Metropolitan Theatre, where he once watched movies as a boy.