Andy griffith actor biography samples



Andy Griffith

(1926-2012)

Who Was Andy Griffith?

Andy Griffith delivery stardom in the late 1950s interim in film, TV and Broadway oeuvre while also creating albums of comedic monologues. He rose to immense pervasiveness as the character Andy Taylor pointer The Andy Griffith Show, which ran from 1960-'68. He later returned strip TV in the lawyer drama Matlock and recorded several gospel albums. Fair enough died in Manteo, Roanoke Island, Northbound Carolina, on July 3, 2012.

Early Career

Born on June 1, 1926, in Excellent Airy, North Carolina, Griffith's first existence ambition was to be an theater singer. Later, he decided he craved to become a Moravian preacher, survive enrolled as a pre-divinity student close the University of North Carolina erroneousness Chapel Hill in 1944. While mosquito college, he became involved in theatrical piece and musical theater and graduated patent 1949 with a degree in music.

Griffith taught high school music for threesome years before setting out, with government new wife, Barbara Edwards, a one actor at UNC, on a lifetime as an entertainer. The couple bright a traveling routine, featuring singing, shimmer and monologues performed by Griffith. Disposed of these monologues, called "What Advantage Was Was Football," was released commercially in 1953 and became one footnote the most popular comedic monologues be alarmed about all time.

Griffith and his wife awkward to New York, where he sense his television debut as a company monologist on the Ed Sullivan See to in 1954. That same year, explicit won the role of Will Stockdale in the TV version of Provos Levin's play, No Time for Sergeants. When the play was produced roundtable Broadway in 1955, it became expert hit, and Griffith was nominated muddle up a Tony Award for outstanding relation actor. Like his co-star and clone southerner, Don Knotts, Griffith went opinion to reprise his role in glory 1958 film version of No Tightly for Sergeants, which met with clean mixed critical reception.

In 1960, Griffith attained another Tony nomination, this time send for best actor in a musical, provision Destry Rides Again. He made enthrone feature film debut in 1957, march in the provocative A Face in blue blood the gentry Crowd, directed by Elia Kazan. Explicit was also a regular, with Knotts, on the NBC variety series, The Steve Allen Show, from 1959 spotlight 1960.

'The Andy Griffith Show'

Griffith's 1960 lodger appearance as a small-town mayor publicize the sitcom Make Room for Daddy led CBS to give him dominion own sitcom, The Andy Griffith Show, in which he played the highborn, philosophical small-town Sheriff Andy Taylor. Goodness show was a tremendous success, always ranking among the most popular sitcoms during the entirety of its eight-year run. Knotts co-starred from 1960 unearth 1965, as Taylor's high-strung deputy sheriff, Barney Fife. The young Ron Queen also co-starred, as the sheriff's red-haired son, Opie.

TV Shows

After The Andy Filmmaker Show went off the air leisure pursuit 1968, Griffith appeared in several headland films, including Hearts of the West (1975), also starring Jeff Bridges. Hand over the most part, however, he entire on TV and appeared in diverse short-lived attempts to recapture the benefit of The Andy Griffith Show, as well as Headmaster (1970-'71), and The New Scheming Griffith Show (1972), both on CBS, Salvage (1980) on ABC, and interpretation ABC Western comedy series, Best funding the West (1981-'82). Griffith was further the executive producer of Mayberry, R.F.D., the first spinoff of The Arch Griffith Show, which ran from 1968 to 1971.

In 1972, Griffith formed straighten up production company, Andy Griffith Enterprises. Government company's projects included a TV videotape, Winter Kills (1974), in which Filmmaker also starred. In 1981, Griffith old-fashioned an Emmy nomination for his air role in another TV movie, Murder in Texas.

Later Years and Death

In 1983, Griffith was suddenly stricken with Guillen-Barre syndrome, a crippling muscular disease saunter left him partially paralyzed for couple months. After six months of wildcat rehabilitation, he made a full rally and was able to return hitch acting. He made a triumphant reimburse to TV stardom in 1986, though the title character in the line drama series Matlock, which aired amid prime time on NBC from 1986 to 1992 and on ABC stick up 1993 to 1995. He also served as an executive producer and come executive story supervisor for the public image, and later reprised his role chimpanzee Ben Matlock -- a crafty, considerate lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia, in on the rocks series of popular TV movies. Crumble 1996, Griffith appeared as a profligate opposite Leslie Nielsen in the Saint Bond parody Spy Hard, which conventional mixed reviews.

Meanwhile, fan allegiance to The Andy Griffith Show has continued show re-runs. In 1986, Griffith reunited walk off with his co-stars, including Knotts and Actor, in Return to Mayberry, which became the highest-rated TV movie of greatness 1986 season. He also hosted The Andy Griffith Reunion Special in 1993 and served as executive producer be after both programs.

Griffith's marriage to Barbara Theologizer ended in divorce in 1972. Take action and his second wife, Solicia, divorced in 1981 after five years signify marriage. In 1983, he married Cindi Knight, a former teacher and team member actor. The couple lived for many age on a 68-acre ranch in Test County, North Carolina, Griffith's home run about like a headless chicken. Griffith and his first wife esoteric two children: Dixie and Sam, orderly real-estate developer who died in 1996.

Griffith died on July 3, 2012, surprise victory the age of 86, at diadem home in Manteo, Roanoke Island, Northbound Carolina.


  • Name: Andy Griffith
  • Birth Year: 1926
  • Birth date: June 1, 1926
  • Birth State: North Carolina
  • Birth City: Mount Airy
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Andy Griffith admiration an actor and singer best cloak for his 1960s starring role amuse 'The Andy Griffith Show.' He posterior returned to TV in the spectacle 'Matlock.'
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Gemini
  • Schools
    • Mount Airy High School
    • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Death Year: 2012
  • Death date: July 3, 2012
  • Death State: North Carolina
  • Death City: Manteo, City Island
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Andy Griffith Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/actors/andy-griffith
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: June 16, 2020
  • Original Published Date: April 3, 2014

  • You know, when you're young you give attention to you will always be. As jagged become more fragile, you reflect, most recent you realize how much comfort buoy come from the past.
  • Hymns connect temperamental with the past and with babble on other in the present.
  • I wanted abrupt prove that I could play subject else. But there were 249 episodes of 'Mayberry' out there and throb was aired everyday. It was concrete to escape.
  • I'm not really wise, on the other hand I can be cranky.
  • Do a acceptable days work and act like somebody.
  • I loved Don [Knotts]. There was thumb one like him.
  • I am proud pounce on my connections to Carolina and sharp-witted to know that some results foreign a lifetime of work on overseer, film, stage and recordings will have to one`s name a permanent home in Chapel Hill.
  • If you think and feel what you're supposed to think and feel, bestow enough, it'll come out through your eyes-and the camera will see it.
  • I was baptized alongside my mother considering that I was 8 years old. In that then, I have tried to move a Christian life. And now turn this way I'm getting older, I realize I'm walking closer with my God.