Griffith, Andy (1926-2012), was an American actor, comedian, and singer known for playing friendly small-town characters. He was best known for his portrayal of Sheriff Andy Taylor on the television series “The Andy Griffith Show” (1960-1968). The show became one of the most popular series in the history of television. Griffith was also known for his television role as a country lawyer on the popular legal drama “Matlock” (1986-1995).
Andrew Samuel Griffith was born on June 1, 1926, in Mount Airy, North Carolina. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1949. Griffith began his career performing comic stories. His What it Was, Was Football (1953, as Deacon Andy Griffith) became one of the most popular comedy records of all time. In the late 1950’s, Griffith was a frequent guest on the television variety shows “The Steve Allen Show” and “Toast of the Town.”
In 1955, Griffith starred in the popular Broadway comedy No Time for Sergeants. He made his motion-picture debut in the drama A Face in the Crowd (1957). In the film, he played “Lonesome” Rhodes, a rural drifter who becomes a power-hungry media sensation.
Griffith’s other notable motion pictures included the film version of No Time for Sergeants (1958), Rustlers’ Rhapsody (1985), Waitress (2007), and Play the Game (2009). He also appeared in many other television shows and made-for-TV movies, including the crime dramas Murder in Texas (1981) and Murder in Coweta County (1983).
Griffith recorded several albums of hymns. They included I Love to Tell the Story—25 Timeless Hymns (1996) and Just As I Am: 30 Old Time Hymns (1998).
In 2005, President George W. Bush presented Griffith with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the nation’s highest civilian honors. Griffith died on July 3, 2012.
