Maggie Peterson Mancuso (1941–2022), Charlene on “The Andy Griffith Show”
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2 min readMaggie Peterson Mancuso was beloved for her role as Charlene Darling of the musical Darling family on “The Andy Griffith Show.”
- Died: Sunday, May 15, 2022. (Who else died on May 15?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 81, announced by her family.
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Charlene Darling
Maggie Peterson Mancuso was a singer in a group called the Ja-Da quartet that appeared on the “Perry Como Show” and the “Pat Boone Show.” She was cast as Charlene Darling on “The Andy Griffith Show,” in a popular recurring guest role. The Darlings were a musical “mountain family” that included only daughter Charlene, Denver Pyle as the patriarch, and four sons played by the acclaimed bluegrass group the Dillards. Charlene’s love life was usually the focus of her appearances on the show, one time having a crush on Andy and attempting to marry him. When the Darlings appeared on an episode, the family would play music with Andy Griffith and Charlene would usually sing a song including the popular “Salty Dog.” She also made guest appearances on “Green Acres,” “The Odd Couple,” and played a waitress on “The Bill Dana Show.” She reprised her role as Charlene on the popular 1986 TV-Movie reunion “Return to Mayberry.”
Tributes to Maggie Peterson Mancuso
Full Obituary: The News&Observer
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