Andy Griffith dead at 86

[Zaac]

Bye Bye Andy Griffith

ANDY GRIFFITH
DEAD AT 86
R.I.P.

Andy Griffith, an icon of TV, has died ... this according to Andy's close friend, former UNC President Bill Friday.

Griffith, who became famous for "The Andy Griffith Show," passed away at his home in Manteo, North Carolina this morning.

Friday broke the news to WITN News in North Carolina.

In addition to starring in his show and the subsequent "Mayberry R.F.D.," Griffith was a Grammy award-winning southern gospel singer. Of course, Griffith also starred in the long-running series, "Matlock" and often made guest appearances in other shows, including "Dawson's Creek."

There's a famous statue of Andy and Opie -- played by Ron Howard -- in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Griffith was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush in 2005.

 

[Jon-Marc]

I liked him in all that he starred in, but my favorite was "Matlock", the lawyer. If only real lawyers were that good at their job and that caring about their clients.

 

[Arbo]

A class act...

 

[preachinjesus]

I never watch Andy Griffith. Didn't connect with it.

However I did go through a phase one summer where I watched Matlock all the time. The next summer I watched Chips...both in syndication.

Andy seemed like a great guy.

 

[Robert Snow]

I was saddened just now when I got home from work and saw that Andy Griffith had died. I watched his show when I was growing up and watch many of the reruns. Then later I watched Matlock. He had a Christian testimony and did sing many Christian songs.

 

[Winman]

I always related to Andy Griffith being from North Carolina myself. I liked the way he talked. :thumbs:

My Dad knew Andy Griffith in the early 50s when Andy was just starting out, singing in clubs. My Dad used to talk about that a bit.

I loved the Andy Griffith show and still watch it. What really amazed me about Andy is that he could also play a very convincing villain, such as in A Face In the Crowd where he played a country singer who hit it big, but was evil and manipulative to all his friends. He also played in a movie where he was a big game hunter who would hunt people. Almost shocking, but he could really be evil when he wanted to be.

I loved his movie No Time for Sergeants, a classic. I will miss him.

 

[Berean]

I feel as if part of America died today with the passing of Sheriff Andy Taylor. In Every episode from Mayberry we were always taught a lesson in morals and morality. May his memory live on.

 

[convicted1]

One by one, all the older "icons" are passing away. The Andy Griffith Show is down to Jim Nabors and Ron Howard as the only living members left(full time cast members), that I know of. I was saddned to hear of his passing....:tear:

 

[convicted1]

I always related to Andy Griffith being from North Carolina myself. I liked the way he talked.

My Dad knew Andy Griffith in the early 50s when Andy was just starting out, singing in clubs. My Dad used to talk about that a bit.

I loved the Andy Griffith show and still watch it. What really amazed me about Andy is that he could also play a very convincing villain, such as in A Face In the Crowd where he played a country singer who hit it big, but was evil and manipulative to all his friends. He also played in a movie where he was a big game hunter who would hunt people. Almost shocking, but he could really be evil when he wanted to be.

I loved his movie No Time for Sergeants, a classic. I will miss him.

Brother, is there any place along the east coast you haven't lived? You were born in North Carolina, graduated HS in Florida, and now live in Conn? Your parents were apparently smarter than you, because they took you to Florida, and you used your free will and went to Conn? :laugh: J/K


Maybe your parents should have sovereignly forced you to stay in Conn? :laugh: :love2:

 

[friendofyours]

The Andy Griffith Show was just a plain good old show to watch....sad...

 

[ktn4eg]

I still enjoy his "They Call it Football" comedy skit. His "No Time for Sergeants" film was a classic.

They sure don't make 'em like they usetah did!

 

[Winman]

double post

 

[Winman]

Brother, is there any place along the east coast you haven't lived? You were born in North Carolina, graduated HS in Florida, and now live in Conn? Your parents were apparently smarter than you, because they took you to Florida, and you used your free will and went to Conn? :laugh: J/K


Maybe your parents should have sovereignly forced you to stay in Conn? :laugh: :love2:

I didn't realize I had to give my bio here, but I was born in Chapel Hill, N.C. at the University of N.C. Memorial Hospital (my Mom attended UNC). It is about this time that my father knew Andy Griffith who was singing in clubs and they became friends. My family is originally from Mt. Airy just like Griffith. We later moved to Greensboro, hometown of both my parents. When I was 10 we moved to Florida. We lived in Fort Walton Beach, Panama City (where I received Jesus), Jacksonville, and Jacksonville Beach. I also lived in Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach when I left home. I met my wife in Florida, who is from Connecticut. We moved to Connecticut.

Is this so unusual? We had a thread about a year ago where folks told how many homes they had lived in. I think I lived in 23 homes altogether. There were several, especially military families who lived in as many as 40 homes. I have lived in 3 states, some folks have lived in 10 or more and many countries. I have never been outside the country, though I have seen Mexico at the border.

Now, I have visited MANY states, but only lived in 3.

 

[Alcott]

It's a sad day, alright. Within a week that's 3 personalities on television that we children of the 60's [children, not hippies] grew up with and remember. The others-- Doris Singleton, character actress on I Love Lucy, My Three Sons, and many others; and Don Grady, "Robbie" on My Three Sons.

Andy Griffith's is a well-known story; a backwoods comic who tried once, but failed, to make it in the big city, but tried again and got the part of well-meaning hick who joins the army, got a few more opportunities, then his signature role began as the sheriff/JP/editor of a tiny town Danny Thomas happens to drive through, getting a ticket. I've read he only accepted that role because he 'liked' Sheldon Leonard, who proposed the idea which, if affirmed as popular, they would sell as a new series. But after its 8-year run, he found himself in the shadow of the character he portrayed, and it was difficult to keep any success going. Meanwhile he had failed marriages, long illnesses, and had basically succombed to his lot, until the Matlock series arose and he again found success, this time playing a man essentially in line with his true persona.

Like most celebrities, some negative things have been said and written about him; that he was a 'tyrant' on the set the rest of the cast and crew feared, that he could fly into a rage in public if someone obviously recognized him and he judged they might approach him for an autograph or presume to act as if they knew him. But there is no denying he brought a lot of wholesome entertainment to America and to much of the world; and without a strong driving force from somewhere-- which the vast majority of people don't have-- this would not have been true. The ones who brought this type of wholsesome entertainment to us are dropping fast.

 

[Fred's Wife]

It's a sad day, alright. Within a week that's 3 personalities on television that we children of the 60's [children, not hippies] grew up with and remember. The others-- Doris Singleton, character actress on I Love Lucy, My Three Sons, and many others; and Don Grady, "Robbie" on My Three Sons.

Andy Griffith's is a well-known story; a backwoods comic who tried once, but failed, to make it in the big city, but tried again and got the part of well-meaning hick who joins the army, got a few more opportunities, then his signature role began as the sheriff/JP/editor of a tiny town Danny Thomas happens to drive through, getting a ticket. I've read he only accepted that role because he 'liked' Sheldon Leonard, who proposed the idea which, if affirmed as popular, they would sell as a new series. But after its 8-year run, he found himself in the shadow of the character he portrayed, and it was difficult to keep any success going. Meanwhile he had failed marriages, long illnesses, and had basically succombed to his lot, until the Matlock series arose and he again found success, this time playing a man essentially in line with his true persona.

Like most celebrities, some negative things have been said and written about him; that he was a 'tyrant' on the set the rest of the cast and crew feared, that he could fly into a rage in public if someone obviously recognized him and he judged they might approach him for an autograph or presume to act as if they knew him. But there is no denying he brought a lot of wholesome entertainment to America and to much of the world; and without a strong driving force from somewhere-- which the vast majority of people don't have-- this would not have been true. The ones who brought this type of wholsesome entertainment to us are dropping fast.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

We just finished watching the first five seasons of "The Andy Griffith Show" on DVD and have purchased the last 3 seasons. I thoroughly enjoyed watching The Andy Griffith Show when I was a teenager. I also loved the Matlock series...lots better than the old Perry Mason/Ironside programs starring Raymond Burr. Yes, those days of wholesome entertainment are slowly slipping away. Sad.

 

[Scarlett O.]

"You just beat all, Barney, you know that?!?! You just BEAT ALL!"

:laugh: :laugh:

 

[Alcott]

"You beat everthang!-- you know that?"

 

[Tom Butler]

I was saddened just now when I got home from work and saw that Andy Griffith had died. I watched his show when I was growing up and watch many of the reruns. Then later I watched Matlock. He had a Christian testimony and did sing many Christian songs.

In my days as a TV newscaster, I had an opportunity to interview Andy Griffith at the beginning of his role as Ben Matlock. He may have been hard to live with backstage, but he was one of the easiest people to interview I ever met.

One observation: people who start out as comedians or comics are usually considered lightweight actors because they're usually cast in lightweight roles. But I've found that if they ever get hold of a serious role, they nail it.

Winman mention the role in Face in the Crowd. It's a perfect example.

 

[Berean]

During the last Republican Presidental Primary when it became obvious that M Romney was going to be the candidate, yet some of the die hards were reluctant to concede this, I was reminded of the "pickle episode" and the concluding dialog. Barney;"Were just going to have to learn to like them." Andy; "Thats what we should have done in the beginning". Well you Republicans are just going to have to learn to like him.

 

[ktn4eg]

You know, some of our BB posters (trollers?) might be better off if they'd just now & then follow Deupty Barney Fife (Don Knotts) advice:

".....Take a LOCK!!" :tear: :tear: