Andy Griffith | Who2

Home » Where Was Andy Griffith Born » Andy Griffith | Who2

Maybe your like

Andy Griffith

See photos of Andy Griffith

Facts about Andy Griffith

Andy Griffith died at 86 years oldBorn: June 1, 1926 Died: July 3, 2012 Birthplace: Mount Airy, North Carolina, United States Best known as: Star of TV's The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock Buy from Amazon.com: Andy Griffith DVDs and streaming video Andy Griffith Biography Actor

Andy Griffith capitalized on a toothy grin and southern charm to make TV history with two successful shows: The Andy Griffith Show (1960-68) and Matlock (1986-95).

Andy Griffith got his start in the 1950s playing a country yokel, on radio and in recorded routines like “What It Was, Was Football.”

He parlayed that hayseed persona into a similar role in No Time for Sergeants, a hit as a TV movie (1955), a Broadway show (1955) and feature film (1958).

Two years later he began his run on The Andy Griffith Show, a gentle comedy that cast Griffith as a warm-hearted small-town sheriff in the southern town of Mayberry. The show co-starred Ron Howard as Griffith’s freckled son Opie, and Don Knotts as Sheriff Andy’s comical deputy Barney Fife.

The show ran until 1968 and continued its popularity in decades of reruns. After several misfires during the 1970s, Griffith scored again with Matlock, in which he played a country-crafty trial lawyer (the show was such a hit with senior citizens that it became a running punch line for comedians).

Despite Andy Griffith’s extreme popularity, he was never nominated for an Emmy Award for either Matlock or The Andy Griffith Show (though he was nominated in for his supporting role in the 1981 TV movie Murder in Texas).

Extra credit

The Andy Griffith Show also starred Francis Bavier as Aunt Bee and Jim Nabors as cheerful half-wit Gomer Pyle, who was spun off into the show Gomer Pyle, USMC.… After The Andy Griffith Show ended in 1968, some of the supporting characters stepped into a sequel, Mayberry, R.F.D., which ran from 1968-71… Andy Griffith’s hometown of Mount Airy, North Carolina, promotes itself as the real-life inspiration for his show… Andy Griffith attended the University of North Carolina… He was no relation to actress Melanie Griffith.

Related Stories

  • Famous Deaths of 2012: Ranking the Mosts, Leasts and Oddests
  • Andy Griffith Has Already Been Buried
  • Notes on Andy Griffith and Mount Airy
  • Marilyn Monroe and Andy Griffith are Birthday Twins
  • Chang and Eng Bunker, Happy 200th Birthday!
More

Related Biographies

  • Barney Fife
  • Don Knotts
  • Melanie Griffith
  • Ron Howard

Something in Common with Andy Griffith

  • Actors born in North Carolina (10)

Lists

  • Celebrities Who Died in 2012

3 Good Links

  • The Andy Griffith ShowPhotos, a short precis, and then many good links to the show
  • Andy Griffith FilmographyA full list of his long and active career
  • The Unofficial Matlock Fan SitePhotos, episodes, and a few other collected goodies

Share this:

Recent Posts

  • Black History Month: Barack Obama is #1 February 10, 2026
  • Catherine O’Hara is Dead at 71 January 30, 2026
  • Billy Strayhorn Would Be Only 110 Today November 29, 2025

More...

Explore: Bios by Occupation

Actor Writer Singer Filmmaker Political Figure TV Personality Comedian Model Activist Songwriter Poet Business Personality Royalty Artist Rock Musician Political Leader Composer Religious Figure U.S. Senator Inventor Philosopher Browse all jobs » Who2 does not collect any personal information. We do allow cookies to help our advertising partners give you a better ad experience.OK

Tag » Where Was Andy Griffith Born