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Come meet Wally at Wally’s Service on Main Street in Mt. Airy, NC, during Mayberry Days 2006 in September!
If you were one of the lucky guests at the Mayberry in the Midwest Bar-B-Q in New Castle, Indiana in the past few years, you were probably handed an American flag or a trivia card by “Wally, the Mayberry mechanic.” Dressed in an authentic Texaco uniform from the 1960’s, “Wally” tribute personality Mike Darden also was on hand all three years at Trump’s Texaco in Knightstown IN, in the afternoon to greet visitors to the Texaco museum.
The Mayberry mechanic originally represented all the unsung help at Wally’s garage. On several
episodes of “The Andy Griffith Show,” Gomer, Goober or Wally had people fill in at Wallys: the Norris boy, Rodney, George, and Spooky Benson, to name a few, and Mike originally represented them all. However, as all the visitors to Wally’s Service in Mt. Airy called him “Wally,” Mike adopted Wally as his tribute character.
Over the years Mike has put together the correct, authentic Texaco uniform worn when “The Andy Griffith Show” aired during the early 60’s: cap, shirt, bow tie, and accessories. As Texaco gas stations across the country succumb to the recent buyout by Shell, the big, bright Texaco star may well disappear from our county’s landscape.
“Wally” will be on hand at upcoming Mayberry events to make sure this era in our history is not forgotten – the old days of courteous service in a snappy uniform —
with a smile.
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Curt Bell, organizer of Mayberry in the Midwest in New Castle, Ind., got “Wally” to hand out American flags to guests at the Bar-B-Q and Mayberry auction. “He is a special guy,” said Curt. “I really liked his authentic suit. He looked great.”
“Wally” has also on hand for the Mayberry Days parade and to greet visiters to Wallys Service in Mt. Airy, North Carolina, the past several years and can be found on Saturday nights in the summer greeting people as “Wally” at the Bellevue Cruise-In car shows in Nashville, TN. He has been in numerous other parades including one recently with the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes! Wherever he goes, “Wally” the Mayberry mechanic provides a fun and historic touch at events.
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“Flora Malherbe” (Goober’s girlfriend in the color episodes) can usually be found helping “Wally” at Mayberry events.
You can order your own Wally t-shirts, caps and other merchandise at Wally’s Service.
Related Stories & Links:
Saturday’s Cruise-in Includes Fabulous ’50s Night
Mayberry in the Midwest Review
Mayberry in the Midwest Photos
Wally’s Service
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