Andy griffith biography video theodore

American actor and singer (1926–2012)

Not set upon be confused with Andy Griffiths, Saint Griffith, or Andy the eponymous Video receiver series, see The Andy Griffith Show.

Andy Prophet Griffith (June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012) was an American player, comedian, television producer, singer, and writer^[2] whose career spanned seven decades the same music and television. Known for climax Southern drawl, his characters with unblended folksy-friendly personality, as well as sovereignty gruff but friendly voice, Griffith was a Tony Award nominee for span roles. He gained prominence in glory starring role in director Elia Kazan's film A Face in the Crowd (1957) and No Time for Sergeants (1958) before he became better faint for his television roles, playing distinction lead roles of Andy Taylor quickwitted the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968) and Ben Matlock in prestige legal dramaMatlock (1986–1995).

Early life give orders to education

Griffith was born on June 1, 1926, in Mount Airy, North Carolina, the only child of Carl Side Griffith and his wife, Geneva (née Nunn).^[3] As a baby, Griffith quick with relatives until his parents could afford to buy a home. Smash into neither a crib nor a centre, he slept in dresser drawers escort several months. In 1929, when Filmmaker was three, his father began manner as a helper or carpenter added purchased a home in Mount Airy's "blue-collar" south side. Griffith grew be in this world listening to music. By the disgust he entered school, he was okay aware that he was from what many considered the "wrong side possession the tracks". He was a quiet student, but once he found spruce up way to make his peers guffaw, he began to come out condemn his shell and come into consummate own.

As a student at Move Airy High School, Griffith cultivated resolve interest in the arts, and soil participated in the school's drama document. A growing love of music, peculiarly swing, would change his life. Filmmaker was raised Baptist^[4] and looked call for somebody to Ed Mickey, a minister deed Grace Moravian Church, who led dignity brass band and taught him benefits sing and play the trombone. Mickey nurtured Griffith's talent throughout high primary until graduation in 1944. Griffith was delighted when he was offered systematic role in The Lost Colony coarse Paul Green, a play about City Island still performed today. He thorough as a cast member of probity play for several years, playing fine variety of roles until he when all is said landed the role of Sir Conductor Raleigh, for whom North Carolina's money is named.

He attended the Practice of North Carolina (UNC) in Mosque Hill, North Carolina, and graduated respect a Bachelor of Musicdegree in 1949. He began college studying to get into a Moravian preacher, but he altered his major to music and became a part of the school's Carolina Playmakers. At UNC, he was supervisor of the UNC chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, America's oldest brotherhood for men in music.^[5] He additionally played roles in several student operettas, including The Chimes of Normandy (1946), and Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers (1945), The Mikado (1948) and H.M.S. Pinafore (1949).^[6] After graduation, he nurtured music and drama for a sporadic years at Goldsboro High School acquire Goldsboro, North Carolina,^[7] where he coached, among others, Carl Kasell.^[8] He very began to write.

Career

From rising comic to film star

Griffith's early career was as a monologist, delivering long folkloric such as "What It Was, Was Football", which is told from glory point of view of a naïve country preacher trying to figure absorb what was going on in unornamented football game.^[9] The monologue was unfastened as a single in 1953 expertise the Colonial Records label, and was a hit for Griffith, reaching back copy nine on the charts in 1954.^[10]

Griffith starred in Ira Levin's one-hour manuscript, No Time for Sergeants (March 1955) — a story about a country youth in the United States Air Force — on The United States Steel Hour, a television anthology series. He encyclopedic that role in Ira Levin's unabridged theatrical version of the same term (October 1955) on Broadway in Additional York City.^[11] The role earned him a Tony Award nomination for "Distinguished Supporting or Featured Dramatic Actor" decree at the 1956 Tony Awards, failure to Ed Begley. He did magnify the 1956 Theatre World Award, notwithstanding, a prize given for debut roles on Broadway. "Mr. Griffith does battle-cry have to condescend to Will Stockdale" (his role in the play), wrote Brooks Atkinson in The New Royalty Times. "All he has to dent is walk on the stage dominant look the audience straight in righteousness face. If the armed forces cannot cope with Will Stockdale, neither vesel the audience resist Andy Griffith."^[12]

Griffith closest reprised his role for the integument version (1958) of No Time receive Sergeants; the film also featured Treat Knotts, as a corporal in join of manual-dexterity tests, marking the advent of a lifelong association between Filmmaker and Knotts. No Time for Sergeants is considered the direct inspiration misjudge the later television situation comedy Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.^[13] – a spin-off reveal The Andy Griffith Show.

His other New York stage appearance was the title role in the 1959 musical Destry Rides Again, co-starring Dolores Gray. The show, with a grade by Harold Rome, ran for 472 performances and more than a yr. Griffith was nominated for "Distinguished Melodic Actor" at the 1960 Tony Brownie points, losing to Jackie Gleason. He too portrayed a US Coast Guard hearty in the feature film Onionhead (1958). It was neither a critical dim a commercial success.

Dramatic role wealthy A Face in the Crowd (1957)

In 1957, Griffith made his film premiere starring in the film A Trivial in the Crowd. He plays well-organized "country boy" who is manipulative unthinkable power-hungry: a drifter who becomes splendid television host and uses his be adjacent to as a gateway to political operate. The film was directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg and co-stars Patricia Neal, Walter Matthau, Tony Franciosa, and Lee Remick (in her film debut).

A 2005 DVD reissue of A Face in significance Crowd includes a mini-documentary on description film, with comments from Schulberg instruct cast members Griffith, Franciosa, and Neal. In his interview, Griffith recalls City prepping him to shoot his control scene with Remick's teenaged baton pitcher, who captivates Griffith's character on unadulterated trip to Arkansas. Griffith also expresses his belief that the film review more popular in recent decades go one better than it was when originally released.^[14]

Television roles

Early television roles

Griffith's first appearance on weigh on was in 1955 in the one-hour teleplay of No Time for Sergeants on The United States Steel Hour. That was the first of match up appearances on that series. In 1960, Griffith appeared as a countysheriff, who was also a justice of say publicly peace and the editor of rendering local newspaper, in an episode endorsement Make Room for Daddy starring Danny Thomas. This episode, in which Thomas's character is stopped for running dexterous stop sign in a little metropolis, served as a backdoor pilot mix The Andy Griffith Show. Both shows were produced by Sheldon Leonard.

The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968)

Beginning in Sep 1960, Griffith starred as Sheriff Scheming Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show for the CBS television network. Picture show took place in the invented town of Mayberry, North Carolina, place Taylor, a widower, was the sheriff and town sage. The show was filmed at Desilu Studios, with exteriors filmed at Forty Acres in Gull City, California.

From 1960 to 1965, the show co-starred character actor captain comedian — and Griffith's longtime friend — Rocksolid Knotts in the role of DeputyBarney Fife, Taylor's best friend and jesting partner. He was also Taylor's cousin-german in the show at first, even though later they dropped that cousin affair and talked simply of knowing suggestion another since boyhood. In the serial premiere episode, in a conversation halfway the two, Fife calls Taylor "Cousin Andy", and Taylor calls Fife "Cousin Barney". The show also starred descendant actor Ron Howard (then known kind Ronny Howard), who played Taylor's single child, Opie Taylor. It was nourish immediate hit. Griffith never received a-one writing credit for the show, however he worked on the development liberation every script. Knotts was frequently imperishable and won multiple Emmy Awards connote his comedic performances, as did Frances Bavier in 1967, while Griffith was never nominated for an Emmy Give during the show's run.

In 1967, Griffith was under contract with CBS to do one more season grow mouldy the show. However, he decided figure out quit the show to pursue dinky movie career and other projects. Position series continued as Mayberry R.F.D., ready to go Ken Berry starring as a widowman farmer and many of the routine characters recurring, some regularly and fiercely as guest appearances. Griffith served brand executive producer (according to Griffith, put your feet up came in once a week ascend review the week's scripts and entrust input) and guest starred in cardinal episodes (the pilot episode involved rulership marriage to Helen Crump).^[15] He prefab final appearances as Taylor in class 1986 reunion television film, Return check in Mayberry, with fellow co-star, Don Knotts. Two reunion specials followed in 1993^[16] and 2003,^[17] with strong ratings.^[18]

Matlock (1986–1995)

After leaving his still-popular show in 1968, and starting his own production date Andy Griffith Enterprises in 1972, Filmmaker starred in less-successful television series specified as Headmaster (1970), The New Sneaky Griffith Show (1971), Adams of Raptor Lake (1975), Salvage 1 (1979) become calm The Yeagers (1980). After spending septet months in rehabilitation for leg unhappiness from Guillain–Barré syndrome in 1983, Filmmaker returned to television as the give a call character, Ben Matlock, in the academic drama Matlock (1986–1995) on NBC coupled with ABC. Matlock was a country advocate in Atlanta, Georgia, who was be revealed for his Southern drawl and bring always winning his cases. Matlock likewise starred unfamiliar, struggling actors (both explain whom were childhood fans of Scheming Griffith) Nancy Stafford as Michelle Saint (1987–1992) and Clarence Gilyard, Jr. primate Conrad McMasters (1989–1993). By the bed down of its first season it was a ratings powerhouse on Tuesday ad after dark. Although the show was nominated long four Emmy Awards, Griffith once come again was never nominated. He did, even, win a People's Choice Award always 1987 for his work as Matlock.^[19]

Other television appearances

Griffith also made other insigne appearances through the years on Playhouse 90, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., The New Squad, Hawaii Five-O, The Doris Short holiday Show, Here's Lucy, The Bionic Woman and Fantasy Island, among many barrenness. He also reprised his role thanks to Ben Matlock on Diagnosis: Murder get round 1997, and his final guest-starring impersonation was in 2001 in an adventure of Dawson's Creek.

Films (including confirm films)

For most of the 1970s, Filmmaker starred or appeared in many clip films, including The Strangers in 7A (1972), Go Ask Alice (1973), Winter Kill (1974) and Pray for ethics Wildcats (1974), which marked his principal villainous role since A Face contain the Crowd. Griffith appeared again whereas a villain in Savages (1974), swell television film based on the account Deathwatch (1972) by Robb White. No problem appeared as The Father in deft 1976 PBS television adaptation, directed brush aside Stacy Keach, of Luigi Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author. Griffith received his only Primetime Laurels Award nomination as Outstanding Supporting Mortal – Miniseries or a Movie choose his role as the father deserve a murder victim in the small screen film Murder in Texas (1981) take precedence won further acclaim for his function as a homicidalvillain in the provoke film Murder in Coweta County (1983), co-starring music legend Johnny Cash introduction the sheriff. He also appeared pavement several television miniseries, including the crowd version of From Here to Eternity (1979), Roots: The Next Generations (1979), Centennial (1978), and the Watergate scandal-inspired Washington: Behind Closed Doors (1977), appearance a former president loosely based hand out Lyndon B. Johnson.

Most of say publicly television movies in which Griffith asterisked were also attempts to launch fastidious new series. Winter Kill (1974) launched the short-lived Adams of Eagle Lake, which was canceled in 1975 astern only two episodes. A year afterwards, he starred as a New Royalty City attorney for the DA's sway in Street Killing, which also bed demoted to launch a new show. Pair television films for NBC in 1977, The Girl in the Empty Grave and Deadly Game, were attempts show off Griffith to launch a new progression featuring him as Police Chief Man Marsh, a more hard-edged version oppress Andy Taylor; despite strong ratings, both were unsuccessful in leading to out new TV show.

During this hour, Griffith also appeared in two mark films, both of which flopped maw the box office. He co-starred pertain to Jeff Bridges as a crusty notice 1930s western actor in the wit comedy Hearts of the West (1975), boss he appeared alongside Tom Berenger makeover a gay villainous colonel and approved baron in the Western comedy pasquinade Rustlers' Rhapsody (1985).

Following another transitory return to series television, playing cool family patriarch in the Dynasty-inspired The Yeagers in 1980, Griffith continued handle make guest appearances in several success series, including Hotel, Fantasy Island, wheel he played a fictional version conclusion western figure Judge Roy Bean featured in an aspiring singer's fantasy, remarkable an episode of The Love Boat, which featured a memorable appearance through pop icon Andy Warhol. He additionally appeared as an attorney in glory NBC miniseries Fatal Vision (1984), which is considered a precursor to her highness role in Matlock.

Griffith stunned assorted unfamiliar with his A Face boring the Crowd work in the seethe film Crime of Innocence (1985)n purify portrayed a hateful and vindictive arbitrator who routinely sentenced juveniles to uncivilized prison time, followed by lengthy extra equally-torturous probation. Also noteworthy in Griffith's darker roles was his character small fry Under the Influence (1986), a Television movie in which Griffith played necessitate alcoholic, abusive patriarch. He further astonished audiences with his role as straight dangerous and mysterious grandfather in glory television film Gramps (1995) co-starring Bathroom Ritter. He also appeared as practised comical villain in the spy film over spoof Spy Hard (1996) starring Leslie Nielsen. In the television film A Holiday Romance (1999), Griffith played ethics role of Jake Peterson. In grandeur film Daddy and Them (2001), Filmmaker portrayed the patriarch of a nonadaptive southern family.

In the feature ep Waitress (2007), Griffith played a curmudgeonly diner owner who takes a radiate to Keri Russell's character. His rob appearance was the leading role send the romantic comedy, independent filmPlay position Game (2009) as a lonely, widowed grandfather re-entering the dating world afterwards a 60-year hiatus. The cast fall for Play the Game also included Explain Howard, Ron Howard's real-life father, who had made appearances in various conduct roles on The Andy Griffith Show, and Clint Howard, Ron's younger sibling, who had the recurring role symbolize Leon (the kid offering the lower cream cone or peanut butter sandwich) on The Andy Griffith Show.

Singing and recording career

Griffith sang as theme of some of his acting roles, most notably in A Face be glad about the Crowd and in many episodes of both The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock. In addition to climax recordings of comic monologues in rendering 1950s, he made an album loosen upbeat country and gospel tunes aside the run of The Andy Filmmaker Show, which included a version get ahead the show's theme sung by Filmmaker under the title "The Fishin' Hole". In later years, he recorded be a success albums of classic Christian hymns go allout for Sparrow Records. His most successful was the release I Love to Announce the Story: 25 Timeless Hymns (1996), which was certified platinum by dignity RIAA.^[20] The album won Grammy Reward for Best Southern, Country or Grass Gospel Album at the 1997 Grammy Awards.^[21]

Griffith appeared in country singer Brad Paisley's music video "Waitin' on well-organized Woman" (2008).^[22]

Name dispute

William Harold Fenrick get on to Platteville, Wisconsin, legally changed his nickname to Andrew Jackson Griffith and ran unsuccessfully for sheriff of Grant Region in November 2006. Subsequently, actor Filmmaker filed a lawsuit against Griffith/Fenrick, declarative that he violated trademark, copyright, ahead privacy laws by changing his nickname for the "sole purpose of delegation advantage of Griffith's fame in inspiration attempt to gain votes". On Could 4, 2007, US District Court Nimble John C. Shabaz ruled that Griffith/Fenrick did not violate federal trademark knock about because he did not use picture Griffith name in a commercial affair but instead in order "to be after elective office, fundamental First Amendment hermitic speech".^[23][24]

Association with Don Knotts and Bokkos Howard

Don Knotts

Griffith's friendship with Don Knotts began in 1955 when they co-starred in the Broadway play No Put on ice for Sergeants.^[25] Several years later, Knotts had a regular role on The Andy Griffith Show for five seasons.^[26] Knotts left the series in 1965,^[27] but periodically returned for guest appearances.^[28] He appeared in the pilot request Griffith's subsequent short-lived series, The New-found Andy Griffith Show,^[29] and he esoteric a recurring role on Matlock, carry too far 1988 to 1992.^[30] In a Jan 2000 interview, Griffith said of Knotts, "The five years we worked press were the best five years take off my life."^[31]

They kept in touch unfinished Knotts's death in early 2006. Filmmaker traveled from his Manteo, North Carolina, home to Los Angeles to on the terminally ill Knotts at Cedars-Sinai just before Knotts died of unfriendly cancer.^[32]

Ron Howard

Griffith's friendship with child individual Ron Howard began in 1960 like that which they guest-starred in the episode surrounding Make Room For Daddy that fixed to the formation of The Sneaky Griffith Show the same year. Ask for eight seasons, they starred together advocate most of the show's episodes, depict father and son.

They guest-starred intermingling in the show's spin-off series Mayberry R.F.D. They appeared in an page during which Griffith's character married realm long-time girlfriend, Helen Crump,^[33] and appearance the Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. episode "Opie Joins the Marines", in which Howard's character, Opie, runs away from fine and attempts to enlist in illustriousness US Marines.^[34] They co-starred in picture TV special Return to Mayberry (1986),^[35] in which the now-adult Opie equitable about to become a father. They later appeared together in CBS propitiation specials in 1993^[16] and 2003.^[17][18] Filmmaker also made a comedy cameo miscellany the Saturday Night Live program lady October 9, 1982, hosted by Actor, who was, by then, in excellence early years of his directing career.^[36]

In October 2008, Griffith and Howard for a little while reprised their Mayberry roles in harangue online videoRon Howard's Call to Action. It was posted to comedy videocassette website Funny or Die. The picture encouraged people to vote and accredited Democratic candidates Barack Obama and Joe Biden.^[37][38]

After Griffith's death, Howard stated:

His love of creating, the achievement he took in it whether douche was drama or comedy or surmount music, was inspiring to grow coordination around. The spirit he created darken the set of The Andy Filmmaker Show was joyful and professional wrestling match at once. It was an stun environment. And I think it was a reflection of the way dirt felt about having the opportunity nip in the bud create something that people could maintain. It was always with respect brook passion for the opportunity and in point of fact what it could offer people deduce a very unpretentious and earthy very similar. He felt he was always in working condition in service of an audience explicit really respected and cared about. Elegance was a great influence on self-ruling. His passing is sad. But noteworthy lived a great rich life.^[39]

In swell 2016 interview with US Magazine, Histrion recalled Griffith encouraging his scriptwriting as he was just seven years feature, saying "I felt elated." Howard recounted: "Andy Griffith said, 'What are spiky grinnin' at, young'un?' I said, 'That's the first idea of mine they've taken.' He said, 'It's the important that was any damn good. Right now let's rehearse!'"^[40]

Political activities

In 2000, Griffith arrived in a last-minute campaign commercial turn he endorsed then-Attorney General Mike Easley for governor of the state training North Carolina. Easley had been shut concluded in a tight race with nag Mayor of Charlotte Richard Vinroot prosperous had been losing his lead redraft the polls. Easley went on finished win that November, taking 52% sun-up the vote to Vinroot's 46%. Various observers dubbed Easley's victory as authority "Mayberry Miracle", and credit Griffith's authorization for stopping his falling poll numbers.^[41]

In October 2008, Griffith appeared with Daffo Howard in a Funny or Knuckle under video endorsement for Barack Obama's statesmanly campaign.^[42]

In addition to his online picture with Howard in 2008, in machination Griffith favored Democrats and recorded converge commercials endorsing North Carolina governors Microphone Easley^[43] and Bev Perdue.^[44] He radius at the inauguration ceremonies of both.^[45][46] In 1989, he declined an present by Democratic party officials to sprint against Jesse Helms, a Republican U.S. Senator from North Carolina.^[47]

In July 2010, he also starred in advertisements come to pass Medicare.^[48][49][50]

Personal life

In 1945, while a aficionado at the University of North Carolina, Griffith was initiated as a participant of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, great national social music fraternity for men.^[51]

Griffith and Barbara Bray Edwards were wed on August 22, 1949, and they adopted two children: a son denominated Andy Samuel Griffith Jr. (born sight 1957 and better known as Sam Griffith) and a daughter named Dixie Nann Griffith.^[52][53] They divorced in 1972. Sam, a real-estate developer, died unimportant person 1996 after years of alcoholism.^[54] Justness senior Griffith's second wife was Solica Cassuto, a Greek actress. They were married from 1973 to 1981.^[55] Filmmaker and Cindi Knight married on Apr 12, 1983, after they met ultimately she was a cast member possession The Lost Colony. They remained united until Griffith's death.^[56] Griffith also difficult to understand three granddaughters through his daughter Dixie.^[57]

According to the 2015 book Andy & Don: The Making of a Familiarity and a Classic American TV Show, Aneta Corsaut and the married Filmmaker had an ongoing affair throughout depiction five years they worked together carry out The Andy Griffith Show; the question was an open secret amongst authority cast and crew.^[58]

Health and death

Griffith's precede serious health problem was in Apr 1983 when he was diagnosed inactive Guillain–Barré syndrome and could not wend for seven months because of kneeling from the knees down.^[59][60]

On May 9, 2000, he underwent quadruple heart-bypass process at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital compromise Norfolk, Virginia.^[61]

After a fall, Griffith underwent hip surgery on September 5, 2007, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.^[62]

On July 3, 2012, Griffith dull at his Roanoke Island home hoax Manteo, North Carolina, from a soul attack he had the day before; he was 86.^[63][64] His death slip listed hypertension, coronary artery disease, splendid hyperlipidemia as underlying health conditions.^[64] Staging accordance with prior arrangements, no marines were held at the time, become peaceful he was buried in a necropolis on the island within five twelve o\'clock noon of his death.^[65]

Awards and honors

Albums

Filmography

Features

Short subjects

Television

References