R.I.P. Andy Griffith

North Carolina’s WITN News is reporting that legendary TV and movie actor, director, producer, singer, and writer Andy Griffith died this morning in his Dare County home, according to former University of North Carolina President Bill Friday and a close friend of the actor. Griffith was 86. The native of Mount Airy, North Carolina, lived on Roanoke Island. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan’s epic film, A Face In The Crowd (1957) before he became better known for his television roles as the folksy Southerner who was the sheriff or lawyer people always wanted and the father figure people rarely had. Griffith was a regular on The Ed Sullivan Show in the 1950s and then earned the title as “America’s Favorite Sheriff” on The Andy Griffith Show set in fictional Mayberry.

The hit show ran from 1960-1968 propelling a handful of spin-off programs and launched the child acting career of prominent Hollywood director Ron Howard. Griffith also produced and starred in the 1986-1996 television legal series Matlock. He made acting look easy but in fact he was a consumate professional widely liked by the Hollywood community. Griffith also became a Grammy Award-winning Southern gospel singer. Later in life, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 from President George W. Bush.

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