Helen Crump is from Kansas where she attended college in Kansas City majoring in journalism.[3][1]: 79 Helen takes up residence in Mayberry where she is employed as an elementary schoolteacher.[4][1]: 80
Helen is first introduced in the third-season episode "Andy Discovers America".[4] Opie and his classmates dislike their new teacher, referring to her as "old lady Crump". When Andy gives Opie advice about his own experience with school, Opie interprets this as not needing to do his history schoolwork. Helen confronts Andy at the courthouse and proceeds to tell him to stay out of her domain. Andy realizes what has happened and finds a way to get the boys excited about learning history. After a dramatic turnaround in the boys' approach to their history assignments, Helen is astonished to learn that Andy played a role in the sudden change. She thanks him and the two become friends. At the end of the episode, Andy shows his attraction to Helen by offering to walk her home.[4][2]
Helen is actually a terrible cook, which initially causes Barney to think she is a poor match for Andy.[5]
In one episode, Helen directs the high school senior play.[6]
Her uncle, Edward, and her young niece, Cynthia, visit her in Mayberry.[1]: 80
Relationship with Andy Taylor
In the first episode of The Andy Griffith Show spinoff, Mayberry R.F.D., Andy and Helen marry. Other characters from The Andy Griffith Show make guest appearances in the episode.[7]
The couple move to Raleigh, North Carolina, but return to Mayberry at a later date on Mayberry R.F.D. to christen their newborn son, Andrew Samuel Taylor.[8]
In 1986, Andy and Helen appear in the reunion telemovie Return to Mayberry. The couple returns to Mayberry to see Opie and his wife become first-time parents.[9]
Appearances
The following is a list of episodes of The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D. featuring Helen.
