Andy Griffith has passed away. So sad. I always thought of him like “Television’s Gregory Peck”. There was simply a niceness, a wholesomeness that came through. And here in the South, local channels still run old episodes of The Andy Griffith Show too. Trust me – I swear that every time I go into a mechanic’s garage, The Andy Griffith Show is playing in the waiting room. Not only will some of us remember him from that show, but your parents probably watched more than one episode of Matlock. Matlock was pretty good (although I prefer Murder She Wrote). Beyond those television series, Griffith had a far-ranging career in television and film, and he was gospel singer. You can see AG’s Wiki page here.
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.
Well, he had a great long life, and it sounds like he was surrounded by friends and family in the final months. You know poor Ron Howard is probably downing a few stiff drinks today – Ron and Andy were still, to this day, like father and son, and I know Ron adored Andy and still spoke to him often. Best wishes to all of Andy’s family and friends. Rest in peace, Andy.
Photos courtesy of INDB, WENN.
R.I.P. Matlock!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQtXEb7C30o&feature=em-share_video_user
Thanks Stinky for posting that link. So touching. Rest in Peace Andy.
He was a true national treasure. There is even a statue of him in Raleigh, NC.
It’s a sad day for those of us who grew up with Sheriff Andy and Matlock. Rest In Peace, Andy.
Well said…+1
Agreed, well-said.
RIP Andy, you’ll be very much missed and thoroughly deserved every accolade given.
I can’t believe all the icons that have died this year-and it’s only like half over!! I love Andy G., and I do feel he seemed like a very nice man in real life. Sad. Glad he got as long of a life as he did.
Oh no. I shouldn’t have read this in the morning… I’m gonna feel sad all day now…But I’m glad that he lived a long, happy life and provided joy to millions. May he rest in peace.
RIP. He was a class act.
RIP, Andy. I loved his show.
I feel like all of the talented people in Hollywood are gone. There’s still some, but watching an interview with Suzanne Pleshette the other night got me thinking about this. I miss all of the greats. 🙁
This makes me so sad. I grew up watching him and still enjoy Matlock reruns and movies. Im also still a huge Murder She Wrote fan too. My TV channel does not change when they air weekend marathons on the Hallmark channel. I think they’re both nostalgic for me b/c my grandmother and I used to watch them both all the time. She passed yrs ago and I guess I feel like she’s watching them with me if I have them on my TV.
RIP 🙁
This is very, very sad. My 8 year old daughter and I have been streaming The Andy Griffith Show on Netflix for several days now. She complained for about 5 seconds that the show was in black and white, and then was captivated and delighted by it. I know he lived a long, fantastic life, but this world is less wonderful for his loss. RIP Andy Griffith. You are missed.
It was magic. I watched the reruns when they used to be on TBS or one of those channels and I didn’t like the B&W at first either, but then I just got used to it because the hilarity took over.
Wait until you get to one of the episodes where “Mr. Schwump” is mentioned. The name had me laughing myself silly as a kid and it still does today.
I grew up watching his shows to. He was a true television icon. He will be thought of fondly and forever missed. R.I.P. Andy
Sniffle, sniffle, this makes me feel so sad. Almost like his dying is the loss of innocence for me or maybe my childhood.
What a great straight man of comedy, somehow not cracking up in every scene with Don Knotts.
Andy, Barney and Opie forever!
I loved this man. My fav role was when he played the evil cattle baron in Rustler’s Rhapsody. Please, see this movie.
Eternal rest grant & may the perpetual light shine upon him.
This makes me sad. I’ve always felt that Ron Howard turned out to be one of the few chid star success stories partly due to Andy’s good influence. RIP, Andy.
I am from NC, and the places where he was born-Mount Airy, NC-and passed away-Manteo, NC-are so evocative of a state that is both very much mountains and coast.
He is also a fellow alum of UNC, my beloved alma mater.
What a lovely man. I will remember the smile on his face when he received the Medal of Freedom. He will be missed by many.
Agreed. Gone are the days of watching good humorous comedy without any sexual innuendos thrown in. I’m not a prude by far but I do miss these “good ole shows”. He was a very good actor and I believe he was a good Christian. God bless him and r.i.p.
He was so wonderful in “Waitress”.
I especially loved the scene where he danced with Keri Russell.
Sad, I grew up watching Matlock with my mom. And I thought he was great in the Waitress.
“No Time for Sergeants” is my favorite movie of his. He was quite the buff guy in that one. RIP Andy.
I cried. He was such a class act. He looked just like my father.
This is sad news, every time I come home to visit my parents the Andy Griffith show is playing.
Loved Matlock! It’s how I polished my English watching this show growing up. Sad. : (
He gave us time with Barney Fife.. the Darling’s, Ernest T Bass and the amazing hometown guy hero by accident story of “P.L.O.” (Permanent Latrine Orderly) Will Stockton in No time for Sargents”.. AND OH SO MANY OTHER perfect memories..
Awwww, man. Can I go back to bed and hit “re-set” on this day? I really, REALLY liked the Andy Griffith show – it reminds me of visiting my grandparents (who are both long gone) in the summer; so did Captain Kangaroo. (Homes on the lake got whatever programming they could back in the days before cable and dish.)
And I watched Matlock (and Murder She Wrote) with my mom.
Rest in peace, Mr. Griffith. Prayers and tears to your family and friends.
There’s a channel in my area that airs the Andy Griffith Show late at night. When I’ve had a hard day, I’ll climb in bed and watch his show. It always makes me feel better. TV’s Atticus Finch. RIP, Andy.
So sad. I love Andy too. Guess I’ll watch my Andy Griffith Show DVDs tonight. RIP Andy.
RIP, Andy, and thanks for everything.
OMG! another big chunk of my childhood stripped away. R.I. P. Andy Griffith, loved Mayberry, it was a time when people were civilized and children were happy and respected as well as listened to their elders.
I will smile and remember when Andy told the, “Tony had a pony” story to the mean man wanting to arrest him.. Brought to the Air Force base in handcuffs because his farmer father has been hiding his draft notices,Will Stockdale could read wasn’t evading the draft and joined the army..
I hope Aunt Bea is waiting for him with a home made pie. R.I.P Andy.
^This^ *tears*
Rest in peace.. I grew up watching the Andy Griffith show and really admire and respect the man he is.
RIP, Andy. My sis and I was just talking about him the other day, didn’t know he was failing. Andy never let things rile or get too shook up–good lessons about life in all his shows. He will be missed, sympathy to his family, friends and to his “families” in his TV land.
Didn’t know he was a gospel singer. Thanks for that info. I loved him in Matlock and he always seemed like such a laid back, fun-loving, down to earth guy.
RIP Mr. Griffith.
I always knew him from his Mayberry show and Matlock, but in the last couple of years I saw a film called A Face in the Crowd, in which he starred. His acting in that film completely blew me away. If you haven’t seen it, I’d highly recommend it. I think the story is still relevant today and he was completely brilliant.
I was hoping someone would mention this film – it really resonates with the world of today’s “instant make a star” tabloid mentality, even though the film is over 50 years old.
If you ever get the chance to see Billy Bob Thorton’s “Daddy and Them”, do. It’s not a great film by any stretch of the imagination, but Andy plays a mean, dementia-addled coot of a trailer park patriarch. It’s almost shocking, it’s so out of the Mayberry character.
I saw that! He was shockingly outside his “norm” as that character. And he was GOOD.
R.I.P. Andy Griffith(Ben Matlock)
Why does it seem like everyone in dying lately?
How sad. I grew up watching ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ and have always loved him.
Such a class act. And so funny on his turn on Arrested Development!
I’ll drink a cocktail and watch Waitress tonight in memory of Andy. RIP
ah this is sad. rip
This gives me the sads too. First I’ve heard he passed on. I love watching the old reruns of the Andy Griffith show. RIP. 🙁
It was a comedy, yet they sometimes could teach a lesson. One that I’m thinking of is the episode in which Opie kills a bird with his slingshot, but is brokehearted when it’s dead. He keeps picking it up and throwing it into the air to try to make it fly. Of course he confessed to his father and learned his lesson. It was so sweet.
FYI if anyone has not heard this. While watching a making of the show, I learned that Aunt Bea was really a nasty bitch. It says a lot that they didn’t fire her for her attitude.
Rest well, Mr. Griffith. You will be sorely missed.
Loved him in everything I saw him in… tv and movies. Outstanding actor and class act.
R.I.P. Andy
Andy Griffith left a legacy of integrity that we should all aspire to have. I will personally miss him. To all Andy Griffith fans, he has a memorial page on Evertalk within Facebook. You can postin his guestbook and pay your respects to him. Here’s the link:
https://apps.facebook.com/evertalk/index/memorial/andygriffith825
I am grateful for the fact that he shared his talents with us all. Thanks for the heads up on the Evertalk page Christina.
RIP and thanks for all the wonderful television!
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