Andy Samuel Griffith (June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012) was an American actor, comedian, television producer, singer and writer. He starred in the 1957 movie A Face in the Crowd. He also starred in the 1958 movie No Time for Sergeants. His television series are The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock.

Early life

Griffith was born on June 1, 1926 in Mount Airy, North Carolina, the only child of Carl Lee Griffith and his wife, Geneva (née Nunn). He studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was the father of two children. He was married three times.

Andy Griffith

Lawsuit

Griffith once sued a man named William Fenrick after Fenrick legally changed his name to Andy Griffith because Fenrick ran for town sheriff. The use of his name angered Griffith, but soon afterwards the lawsuit was dropped. Fenrick lost the election.

Andy Griffith

Health and death

In 1986, Griffith suffered from Guillain–Barré syndrome and could not walk for 7 months. Griffith received the Presidential Medal of Freedom on November 9, 2005. Griffith died on July 3, 2012 of a heart attack in Manteo, North Carolina, aged 86.

Andy Griffith

Movies

A Face in the Crowd (1957) No Time for Sergeants (1958) Onionhead (1958) The Second Time Around (1961) Angel in My Pocket (1969) Hearts of the West (1975) Rustlers' Rhapsody (1985) Gramps (1995) Spy Hard (1996) Daddy and Them (2001) The Very First Noel (2006) (voice) Waitress (2007) Christmas Is Here Again (2007) (voice) Play the Game (2008)

Television

Make Room For Daddy (1960; Andy and Opie Taylor were first introduced in season seven) The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968) The Headmaster (1970–1971) The New Andy Griffith Show (1971; cancelled after 13 episodes) The Strangers In 7A (1972) Go Ask Alice (1973) Pray for the Wildcats (1974) Winter Kill (1974) Savages (1974) Adams of Eagle Lake (1975; cancelled after two episodes) Street Killing (1976) Six Characters in Search of an Author (1976) Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976) (voice) Washington: Behind Closed Doors (1977) The Girl in the Empty Grave (1977) Deadly Game (1977) Centennial (1978; miniseries) Salvage 1 (1979; cancelled after 20 episodes) From Here to Eternity (1979; miniseries) Roots: The Next Generations (1979; miniseries) The Yeagers (1980; cancelled after two episodes) Murder in Texas (1981) For Lovers Only (1982) Murder in Coweta County (1983) The Demon Murder Case (1983) Fatal Vision (1984) (miniseries) Crime of Innocence (1985) Return to Mayberry (1986) Matlock (1986–1995) Under the Influence (1986) The Gift of Love (1994) Gramps (1995) Scattering Dad (1998) A Holiday Romance (1999)

References

Other websites

Inventory of the Andy Griffith Papers, 1949–1997, in the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Andy Griffith Discography , at MTV

American movie actors

American singer-songwriters

American stage actors

American television actors

Deaths from myocardial infarction

Democrats (United States) Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients 1926 births 2012 deaths