Don Knotts had two chidden, a son and a daughter respectively named Thomas Karen Knotts, with his first wife, Kathryn Metz.
The multitalented actor, Don Knotts became known for his uncommon sense of humor which brought laughter to every home in America for decades. He was best known for his roles on The Andy Griffith Show (1960) as Deputy Barney Fife and Three’s Company (1977) as Ralph Furley.
Beyond that, Knotts was also known for being in multiple marriages as he was one of the most popular actors during his time on television. He signed the divorce papers twice and was in his third marriage at the time of his demise in 2006. Quite a few people knew so much about Don Knotts’ children and equally the married life of the Hollywood Walk of Famer.
Although the legendary actor established a successful career as an actor and comedian, having appeared in over 86 movies and television shows for which he racked up five Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, the same success cannot be said of his married life. Here’s all you need to know about Don Knotts’ children and his married life.
Don Knotts’ Wives and Their Children
Before getting into the discussion of Don Knotts’ children, it’s important we look at the married life of the legendary actor and the women he married before his demise. Born on July 21, 1924, as Jesse Donald Knotts, in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States, the famous comic artist entered his first marriage when he was 23 years old with the actress, Kathryn Metz.
The couple tied the knot in 1947 and then moved on to expand their family with the arrival of a son named, Thomas and a daughter, Karen Knotts, both of whom have become popular as Don Knotts’ children.
Their marriage, however, hit rocks in 1964 when the pair signed the divorce papers. Don’s ex-wife, Kathryn is an actress who featured in Queen Crab (2015) as Jennifer Kane and also appeared as herself in the 2009 documentary titled, Being… Neil Armstrong.
Following the divorce, Don Knotts remained unmarried for 10 years and exchanged vows for the second time in 1974 with Lorale Czuchna. The pair stayed married for 15 years before the union was annulled in 1989. It was speculated then that Don developed a preoccupation with his health and as a result, suffered depression which was too much for Lorale to handle. The strain on their marriage eventually led to their divorce.
Don Knotts, went on to marry actress, Frances Yarborough in 2002. Frances had a role in the 1976 film, The Electric Chair, a role that remains her most recognised. Though Frances wasn’t a popular actress, Don loved her till the time of his demise in 2006.
Sadly, the TV icon passed on at the age of 81 at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center situated in Los Angeles, California on 24th February 2006, having suffered from pulmonary and respiratory complications from pneumonia, related to lung cancer.
He was buried at Westwood Memorial Park located at 1218 Glendon Avenue, Los Angeles and his gravestone impressed with portraits of some of his most famous characters.
What are His Children Doing Now?
Don Knotts’ children; Thomas and Karen Knotts have been making efforts to keep their father’s legacy alive although, only Karen’s works have been much publicised. Thomas has maintained a low profile as there is little to no information about him on the media.
Karen Knotts was born on April 2, 1954. She works as a stand-up comedian, comedic actress and playwright. She had her first TV break with the miniseries titled, One of Our Own.
She has appeared in The Good Samaritan, Exorcism, Vice Academy series, Babe Watch: Forbidden Parody, Out of This World, Eight is Enough, One Day at a Time and others. She wrote the one-woman play, Roger and Beauty which gained a Merce Awards nomination in 2009 as well as Dates from Hell the Musical.
Following the death of her father, Karen created a one-woman comedy show titled, Tied Up in Knotts, a father-daughter story that serves as a tribute to her loving father. She performed the show at Edinburgh Fringe in 2008 and has been on tour for over ten years in 32 States. The one-woman show has won critical acclaim in the United States and at Edinburgh. Don Knotts’ daughter has equally performed at the Comedy Store, Flappers and Ice House.
