Andy Griffith dead at 86
Andy Griffith dead at 86. The award winning actor, Andy Griffith was perhaps best known for his role as Sheriff on the Andy Griffith Show from 1960 to 1968. That role was actually created after he appeared on the Danny Thomas show., “Make Room for Daddy“. He later went on to find success nearly 20 years later with another long-running TV show, the legal Drama, Matllock, which had a successful run from 1986 through 1995.
Griffith actually had many talents including actor, writer, teacher, Broadway star and comedian. He reportedly slept in a drawer for his first few months of life since his parents couldn’t afford a conventional crib. Originally he had aspirations of becoming a Moravian Preacher but later changed his major to Music. A passion he likely inherited from his mother.
Barney, Andy, Aunt Bee, and Opie in “The Pickle Story” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Andy Griffith show was hugely popular at the time and starred his longtime friend and funnyman, Don Knots. Although he wasn’t credited as a writer, it is known that his input helped to shape the scripts. The Andy Griffith show morphed in to Mayberry RFD in 1967 after Griffith decided to quit the show.
He served as Executive Producer of Mayberry RFD, made guest appearances and also appeared in 3 reunion specials of the show.
The younger generation identified better with Andy Griffith portraying Matlock, the country bumpkin lawyer who was unbelievably smart and always won his cases. His fans did not get the chance to get to know him up close and personal, since he routinely refused autograph requests and ducked his fans.
Ron Howard, then a child, who starred on the Andy Griffith show as Opie became very close with Griffith. They shared a father-son type of relationship and stayed in touch though the years. Griffith still referred to Ron Howard by his childhood nickname of “Ronny”
Ron Howard, posted on his twitter account remembering the legendary Andy Griffith,
Andy Griffith His pursuit of excellence and the joy he took in creating served generations & shaped my life I’m forever gratefulRIP Andy
— Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) July 3, 2012
Rest in Peace Andy Griffith
