Andy Griffith
Author: Trudy Stroup
For all of the television shows that allowed us to escape into fantasy lands filled with genies, witches, and tropical islands, there were a few shows that gave us a look at what idyllic life could be all about. One show stood above the rest in my opinion. At six feet tall, with an air of confidence, a wide toothy grin, long lanky legs and a simple outlook on life, Andy Griffith was easily likable; a man that could be counted on…and a man that everyone felt an easy connection to, even if it was on the other side of the television screen. He represented a simpler life where problems were solved in half an hour and a trip to the fishing hole and a guitar on the front porch at night was the perfect end to a perfect week.
Andy Samuel Griffith was born on June 1st, 1926, in Mount Airy, North Carolina, to Carl Lee and Geneva Nunn Griffith. The family was so poor that they didn't have a home so Andy slept in a dresser drawer at a relative’s house. Carl looked for work from sunup until sundown for more than three years. Finally, in 1929, Carl found work as a carpenter and began to help with expenses in the multi-family home; putting aside every penny he could for a home of their own. He found that home in the "blue collar" section of town. The houses were small and in disrepair, but the home was their own.
There was no way to hide the fact that Andy was growing up on the wrong side of town. Although he was very smart, Andy was a shy child and prone to illness. He found friends by making them laugh and not mentioning his home life. Geneva introduced him to music at a young age and fostered his desire to be an opera singer. As he grew, his desire to sing was fulfilled by singing in the church choir in the Moravian Protestant Church; one of the oldest denominations of the Christian faith in the world. The pastor of the church, Ed Mickey, became a mentor and Andy soon set his sights on becoming a pastor himself. In 1944, he enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a major in pre-divinity and a minor in music. The following year, he joined the Sinfonia National Social Music Fraternity for Men, Phi Mu Alpha. While at college, Andy met his first wife, Barbara Edwards. They were married shortly after graduation in 1949 and Andy left college with his Bachelor’s degree for music in hand. They moved to Goldsboro where Andy taught high school music for three years. After that, the duo struck out to make a career in entertainment. They developed a traveling show of music, dance, and comedy monologues and the popularity of one of Andy’s monologues soon gained the attention of Ed Sullivan in 1954. “What It Was, Was Football” brought Andy the opportunity to take his act to television and gained him the notoriety to bring him his first acting job offer; a television production of the stage play "No Time For Sergeants", where he took on the role of Will Stockade. In 1955, the play went to Broadway and Andy went with it. There, he met lifelong friend, Don Knotts. The two had an instant connection. Their comedic timing came naturally and their stage presence was dynamic. Andy was nominated for a Tony that year for Outstanding Supporting Actor, but lost to Ed Begly. In 1957, when the screen play was developed for "No Time For Sergeants", Andy and Don reprised their roles once again. The film hit the big screen in 1958 and was met with overwhelming popularity. A "No Time For Sergeants" comic book ran for several years after the movie aired. The comic book was not the only project to be inspired by the play. An American comedy series titled "Gomer Pyle, USMC" was based on the character Will Stockade; a man who was annoying to other people, but with no idea how he affected others.
It was about this time that Steve Allen was looking for comedic actors to appear in skits with him on his television show "The Steve Allen Show". One of those skits was about a folksy small town sheriff and his deputy. That skit was the forerunner for "The Andy Griffith Show". That same year, 1960, Andy starred in "Destry Rides Again" for which he earned his second Tony nomination…this time for Best Actor in a musical. Once again, he lost the award, only this time to Jackie Gleeson.
The Andy Griffith Show was set in the fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina and was based on the small town of Mount Airy, N.C., Andy's hometown. The town celebrates Mayberry Day every year and is proudly known as Mayberry RFD. In fact, you can't visit Mt. Airy and miss the fact that they are Mayberry. It's quite a charming town.
Even though Andy was never credited, he was actively involved with writing the script for each and every episode. If you read my article on Don Knotts, you may remember that Andy was to be the comedian and Don the straight man, but Andy decided that Don would make a better comedian and Andy took the straight man’s role. When asked how he felt about changing roles, Andy says, "The straight man has the best part…he gets to be in the show and see it, too." The show enjoyed success from 1960 until 1968. During the show’s eight year run, there were a total of nine Emmy nominations for both the show and the actors: three nominations for Outstanding Achievement in the field of Comedy, one for Outstanding Supporting Actress for Frances Bavier, the actress who played Aunt Bee on the show, and five for Outstanding Supporting Actor for Don Knotts, who played Deputy Barney Fife. The show never won an award and Andy was never nominated.
Andy decided to focus on other aspects of his career. He had made recordings off and on throughout the years and he wanted to continue with his recordings and explore other acting projects. As for his attempt to broaden his career as an actor, Andy says, “I wanted to prove that I could play something else, but there were 249 episodes out there of 'Mayberry', and the show aired every day. It was hard to escape.” He had five failed series pilots from 1970 to 1979…even one titled "The New Andy Griffith Show". He continued to make guest appearances in made-for-TV movies and reprised his role as Sheriff for "Return to Mayberry". He popped up in our favorite TV shows such as "Fantasy Island" and "The Love Boat". He was even on "Saturday Night Live", where he played the ghost of Andy Taylor.
Then, in 1983, he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. This is an auto-immune disease that causes the body to attack its own nervous system, causing tingling in the fingers and toes, and most often resulting in temporary paralysis that can become permanent if left untreated. After treatment and rehabilitation, most victims of this disease resume a normal life with little to no residual side effects. However, some people experience pain and tingling sensations for the rest of their lives. There is no cure, but the symptoms can be managed successfully. Andy experienced paralysis in his legs and spent 7 months in rehabilitation, ending his recovery journey in 1986.
1986 was a good year for Andy. Not only was he back on his feet after a three year bout with Guillain-Barre Syndrom, but he was also busy filming the pilot for a new series that was making studio executives take notice. The series was picked up by NBC and aired in the fall lineup on Tuesday evenings. "Matlock" was just different enough to gain a wide audience, but it was familiar enough to let the audience feel right at home from the very first episode. After only one season, "Matlock" took the People’s Choice Award and dominated the ratings for its time slot. The hot dog eating lawyer was a sage and diligent crime solver worth every penny of his $100,000 price tag. Andy’s lifelong pal, Don Knotts, soon joined the cast as the cranky old neighbor and the pair enjoyed a new type of relationship; one that differed from what had been displayed in other collaborations, but was special nonetheless. Over the course of the eight year run, the show earned four Emmy Awards. Andy was again overlooked. I like to think that Andy considered the success and awards for his sitcoms as his own personal successes.
There were two things that remained ever-present in Andy's life: his music and his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Andy says, "I was baptized alongside my mother when I was 8 years old. Since then, I have tried to walk a Christian life. Now that I'm getting older, I realize that I'm walking even closer with my God." He incorporated God into all aspects of his life…not just his personal life, but his professional career as an actor and musician as well. Andy recorded an album of classic Christian hymns in 1996. "I Love to Tell the Story: 25 Timeless Hymns" won a Grammy for "Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album" in the 1997 Grammy Awards. I find it fitting that he was awarded for doing something so dear to his heart and integral to his life.
Throughout his career on the big screen and in television, Andy continued to make appearances where we least expected to see him…from “The Doris Day Show” to “The Bionic Woman to Dawson's Creek”. He was adept at drama as well as comedy, and even played the villain. He was everyone's father, grandfather, hero, and protector. In his last appearance in the romantic-comedy "Play the Game" (2009), he was a widower finding love after 60 years of marriage; proving once again that he could stretch his acting wings. Not long after this appearance Andy's health started to decline and over the next three years, his public appearances dwindled. Then, on July 3rd of 2012, Andy succumbed to his illnesses and passed away due to a heart attack. His third wife, Cindi Knight, and daughter, Dixie, were by his side as he passed from life into the arms of his beloved Savior. His family had him quietly interred less than five hours after his death in the family plot on Roanoke Island, North Carolina, hoping to avoid any public interference.
Andy's professional life was not the only part of his life where he experienced disappointment and heartache. His personal life saw quite a few upsets as well. He saw the end of two marriages and the death of his son Andy Samuel "Sam" Griffith Jr. in 1996 due to alcoholism. Throughout all of life's trials and tragedies, from his sickly childhood to the death of his son, Andy was first and foremost a Christian, never wavering in his faith and devotion to God.
Rest in peace Andy…you will be missed.
© 2015-2017 Trudy Stroup. All rights reserved.
Author: Trudy Stroup
For all of the television shows that allowed us to escape into fantasy lands filled with genies, witches, and tropical islands, there were a few shows that gave us a look at what idyllic life could be all about. One show stood above the rest in my opinion. At six feet tall, with an air of confidence, a wide toothy grin, long lanky legs and a simple outlook on life, Andy Griffith was easily likable; a man that could be counted on…and a man that everyone felt an easy connection to, even if it was on the other side of the television screen. He represented a simpler life where problems were solved in half an hour and a trip to the fishing hole and a guitar on the front porch at night was the perfect end to a perfect week.
Andy Samuel Griffith was born on June 1st, 1926, in Mount Airy, North Carolina, to Carl Lee and Geneva Nunn Griffith. The family was so poor that they didn't have a home so Andy slept in a dresser drawer at a relative’s house. Carl looked for work from sunup until sundown for more than three years. Finally, in 1929, Carl found work as a carpenter and began to help with expenses in the multi-family home; putting aside every penny he could for a home of their own. He found that home in the "blue collar" section of town. The houses were small and in disrepair, but the home was their own.
There was no way to hide the fact that Andy was growing up on the wrong side of town. Although he was very smart, Andy was a shy child and prone to illness. He found friends by making them laugh and not mentioning his home life. Geneva introduced him to music at a young age and fostered his desire to be an opera singer. As he grew, his desire to sing was fulfilled by singing in the church choir in the Moravian Protestant Church; one of the oldest denominations of the Christian faith in the world. The pastor of the church, Ed Mickey, became a mentor and Andy soon set his sights on becoming a pastor himself. In 1944, he enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a major in pre-divinity and a minor in music. The following year, he joined the Sinfonia National Social Music Fraternity for Men, Phi Mu Alpha. While at college, Andy met his first wife, Barbara Edwards. They were married shortly after graduation in 1949 and Andy left college with his Bachelor’s degree for music in hand. They moved to Goldsboro where Andy taught high school music for three years. After that, the duo struck out to make a career in entertainment. They developed a traveling show of music, dance, and comedy monologues and the popularity of one of Andy’s monologues soon gained the attention of Ed Sullivan in 1954. “What It Was, Was Football” brought Andy the opportunity to take his act to television and gained him the notoriety to bring him his first acting job offer; a television production of the stage play "No Time For Sergeants", where he took on the role of Will Stockade. In 1955, the play went to Broadway and Andy went with it. There, he met lifelong friend, Don Knotts. The two had an instant connection. Their comedic timing came naturally and their stage presence was dynamic. Andy was nominated for a Tony that year for Outstanding Supporting Actor, but lost to Ed Begly. In 1957, when the screen play was developed for "No Time For Sergeants", Andy and Don reprised their roles once again. The film hit the big screen in 1958 and was met with overwhelming popularity. A "No Time For Sergeants" comic book ran for several years after the movie aired. The comic book was not the only project to be inspired by the play. An American comedy series titled "Gomer Pyle, USMC" was based on the character Will Stockade; a man who was annoying to other people, but with no idea how he affected others.
It was about this time that Steve Allen was looking for comedic actors to appear in skits with him on his television show "The Steve Allen Show". One of those skits was about a folksy small town sheriff and his deputy. That skit was the forerunner for "The Andy Griffith Show". That same year, 1960, Andy starred in "Destry Rides Again" for which he earned his second Tony nomination…this time for Best Actor in a musical. Once again, he lost the award, only this time to Jackie Gleeson.
The Andy Griffith Show was set in the fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina and was based on the small town of Mount Airy, N.C., Andy's hometown. The town celebrates Mayberry Day every year and is proudly known as Mayberry RFD. In fact, you can't visit Mt. Airy and miss the fact that they are Mayberry. It's quite a charming town.
Even though Andy was never credited, he was actively involved with writing the script for each and every episode. If you read my article on Don Knotts, you may remember that Andy was to be the comedian and Don the straight man, but Andy decided that Don would make a better comedian and Andy took the straight man’s role. When asked how he felt about changing roles, Andy says, "The straight man has the best part…he gets to be in the show and see it, too." The show enjoyed success from 1960 until 1968. During the show’s eight year run, there were a total of nine Emmy nominations for both the show and the actors: three nominations for Outstanding Achievement in the field of Comedy, one for Outstanding Supporting Actress for Frances Bavier, the actress who played Aunt Bee on the show, and five for Outstanding Supporting Actor for Don Knotts, who played Deputy Barney Fife. The show never won an award and Andy was never nominated.
Andy decided to focus on other aspects of his career. He had made recordings off and on throughout the years and he wanted to continue with his recordings and explore other acting projects. As for his attempt to broaden his career as an actor, Andy says, “I wanted to prove that I could play something else, but there were 249 episodes out there of 'Mayberry', and the show aired every day. It was hard to escape.” He had five failed series pilots from 1970 to 1979…even one titled "The New Andy Griffith Show". He continued to make guest appearances in made-for-TV movies and reprised his role as Sheriff for "Return to Mayberry". He popped up in our favorite TV shows such as "Fantasy Island" and "The Love Boat". He was even on "Saturday Night Live", where he played the ghost of Andy Taylor.
Then, in 1983, he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. This is an auto-immune disease that causes the body to attack its own nervous system, causing tingling in the fingers and toes, and most often resulting in temporary paralysis that can become permanent if left untreated. After treatment and rehabilitation, most victims of this disease resume a normal life with little to no residual side effects. However, some people experience pain and tingling sensations for the rest of their lives. There is no cure, but the symptoms can be managed successfully. Andy experienced paralysis in his legs and spent 7 months in rehabilitation, ending his recovery journey in 1986.
1986 was a good year for Andy. Not only was he back on his feet after a three year bout with Guillain-Barre Syndrom, but he was also busy filming the pilot for a new series that was making studio executives take notice. The series was picked up by NBC and aired in the fall lineup on Tuesday evenings. "Matlock" was just different enough to gain a wide audience, but it was familiar enough to let the audience feel right at home from the very first episode. After only one season, "Matlock" took the People’s Choice Award and dominated the ratings for its time slot. The hot dog eating lawyer was a sage and diligent crime solver worth every penny of his $100,000 price tag. Andy’s lifelong pal, Don Knotts, soon joined the cast as the cranky old neighbor and the pair enjoyed a new type of relationship; one that differed from what had been displayed in other collaborations, but was special nonetheless. Over the course of the eight year run, the show earned four Emmy Awards. Andy was again overlooked. I like to think that Andy considered the success and awards for his sitcoms as his own personal successes.
There were two things that remained ever-present in Andy's life: his music and his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Andy says, "I was baptized alongside my mother when I was 8 years old. Since then, I have tried to walk a Christian life. Now that I'm getting older, I realize that I'm walking even closer with my God." He incorporated God into all aspects of his life…not just his personal life, but his professional career as an actor and musician as well. Andy recorded an album of classic Christian hymns in 1996. "I Love to Tell the Story: 25 Timeless Hymns" won a Grammy for "Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album" in the 1997 Grammy Awards. I find it fitting that he was awarded for doing something so dear to his heart and integral to his life.
Throughout his career on the big screen and in television, Andy continued to make appearances where we least expected to see him…from “The Doris Day Show” to “The Bionic Woman to Dawson's Creek”. He was adept at drama as well as comedy, and even played the villain. He was everyone's father, grandfather, hero, and protector. In his last appearance in the romantic-comedy "Play the Game" (2009), he was a widower finding love after 60 years of marriage; proving once again that he could stretch his acting wings. Not long after this appearance Andy's health started to decline and over the next three years, his public appearances dwindled. Then, on July 3rd of 2012, Andy succumbed to his illnesses and passed away due to a heart attack. His third wife, Cindi Knight, and daughter, Dixie, were by his side as he passed from life into the arms of his beloved Savior. His family had him quietly interred less than five hours after his death in the family plot on Roanoke Island, North Carolina, hoping to avoid any public interference.
Andy's professional life was not the only part of his life where he experienced disappointment and heartache. His personal life saw quite a few upsets as well. He saw the end of two marriages and the death of his son Andy Samuel "Sam" Griffith Jr. in 1996 due to alcoholism. Throughout all of life's trials and tragedies, from his sickly childhood to the death of his son, Andy was first and foremost a Christian, never wavering in his faith and devotion to God.
Rest in peace Andy…you will be missed.
© 2015-2017 Trudy Stroup. All rights reserved.