Ken Berry dies: Star of Mama's Family, F-Troop and Mayberry R.F.D. was 85

Variety

Berry joined the U.S. Army shortly after high school, serving under a pre-Star Trek Leonard Nimoy, who would help get him a foothold in the entertainment industry. Berry played Captain Parmenter on Western sitcom F-Troop in the mid-60s. A guest role as widowed farmer Sam Jones on The Andy Grffith Show led to him co-starring on the spinoff Mayberry R.F.D. from 1968 to 1971. He is also known for his role as dopey, buffoonish, and accident prone Vinton Harper on Mama's Family.