BREAKING NEWS: Friend Says Andy Griffith Has Died
Source: WITN 7 (NBC)
Former UNC President Bill Friday says Andy Griffith died this morning in Dare County. Friday, who is a close friend of the actor, confirmed that to WITN News.
Friday tells us the 86-year-old actor died at his Dare County home around 7:00 a.m. this morning.
Griffith attended UNC Chapel Hill where he earned a degree in Music. According to IMDb.com, Griffith was a regular on the Ed Sullivan show in the 1950's.
His legacy role, which earned him the title of "America's Favorite Sheriff"on "The Andy Griffith" show, set in fictional Mayberry, put North Carolina on the map in the entertainment industry. The show ran from 1960-1968, propelling a handful of spin-off programs. Griffith also produced and starred in the television series "Matlock."
Read more: http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/SHERIFF__EMS_Called_To_Andy_Griffiths_Home_161201175.html
I know nothing about his politics but I grew up watching his shows. Some may consider this entertainment news, but to me the Andy Griffith show represented a few core values about justice, compassion, and community, which we would do well to remember in this day and age.
antigone382
(3,682 posts)He and Ron Howard were in an online video endorsing people to vote for Barack Obama in the last election cycle.
And an additional note that even if I had disagreed with him politically, I would still have valued him as an entertainer and a contributor to the ethical world of my childhood.
Martin Eden
(12,805 posts)Mine too. I'm 3 years younger than Ron Howard and grew up watching the Andy Griffith Show -- a "sitcom" that will endure long after the good man who passed away this morning.
Great Caesars Ghost
(532 posts)he accepted the medal of freedom from George W. Bush. He should've passed on it and then accept the medal from Obama.
antigone382
(3,682 posts)If you want to live openly as a liberal in the south, you have to always be gracious to your opponents, and demonstrate that you see the people around you as human beings regardless of political persuasion, otherwise the same will not be done to you.
I say this as a liberal Southerner who loves the people and place where I live.
GoneOffShore
(17,309 posts)antigone382
(3,682 posts)I loved almost everything about the politics, culture, and scenery of the place. I wish that the place I live had a similar outlook. However, I was disconcerted by the ability to define political conservatives as "those people." I just am so used to interacting with people who hold divergent political views on a person to person level; in fact people of different political persuasions just have to get past it because we depend on each other here. We've visited each other in the hospital, cried at the same funerals, and lent each other money to get family members out of jail. I understand that the policies my friends support often undermine their own livelihoods and futures, and if there's one thing I'd like to do it's bring awareness, in a non-condescending way, of that very fact. However, I don't have the luxury of drawing sharp distinction between myself and them, or curbing my perception of their humanity.
CottonBear
(21,596 posts)who now lives in GA and who was raised in TN.
We are gracious, polite and well mannered. It's just the way we are.
I too, love where I live and the people I live with. my family came over in the mid-1700's and settled in the mountains of Western NC.
PavePusher
(15,374 posts)Great Caesars Ghost
(532 posts)JI7
(89,182 posts)no_hypocrisy
(45,785 posts)HERVEPA
(6,107 posts)permatex
(1,299 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)The Blue Flower
(5,420 posts)Best movie about cultural America ever made. He was an incredible talent and human being.
EFerrari
(163,986 posts)A sad loss.
Frank Cannon
(7,570 posts)A Face in the Crowd is probably the most prophetic movie ever.
Mira
(22,378 posts)here in the Piedmont of NC this is a big story. After all, Mayberry USA (Mount Airy) is only a good half hour from here.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)TrollBuster9090
(5,953 posts)Auggie
(31,068 posts)I always enjoy his work.
tularetom
(23,664 posts)Often wish that life was as good and people as honorable as portrayed in the fictional Mayberry. Nothing is as American as nostalgia for small town life, but it no longer exists. Griffith managed to convey the nostalgia without being preachy or maudlin about it.
The Andy Griffith show was well written and produced with an excellent cast and entertaining story lines, and it is as enjoyable to watch today as it was 50 years ago.
RIP Andy Griffith.
antigone382
(3,682 posts)In what they think of as the backwaters of American society, the places so poor Wal Mart isn't even interested in setting up shop...I live in such a place, and for all its shortcomings I love it dearly.
turtlerescue1
(1,013 posts)AND I too love it. Our primary source of revenues come from being a tourist town, a resort town on a huge lake and hwy 7 dead ends at the campground, one road in and the same one out. Drive 25+ miles to a "big city" for real shopping. Whopping(2010 census) 780 population, and many of those are part-timers.
Life is poor, but the fishing is great. The crime is low. Critter numbers are high, and we've learned the next hill from me has not only the young black bear, but seems to also be a brown one as well. Haven't heard the bobcat in several weeks, phew. BUT late last night, a skunk was sure upset by something, and his "fear" came in the windows.
Loved Andy Griffith. Keeping life from being complex and complicated is no easy task. Like Keillor's Lake Woebegone, has a special concept most of us have forgotten.
We will miss Mr. Griffith, gentle easy going ways.
Rest well Andy!
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)known for a famous film made from a famous book
and it STILL is very Mayberry-ish.
I adore life here.
Have lived in many towns and many cities in the USA, but this place is perfection.
Woody Woodpecker
(562 posts)That's how I knew him growing up.. not Sheriff at Mayberry...
And now the old folks will have to reminisce on their Matlock hours on TV...
kysrsoze
(6,010 posts)[link:|
That was Grandpa Simpson's favorite show.
R.I.P., Andy.
TlalocW
(15,359 posts)But I do have some recordings of him off the Dr. Demento Show from when he was, not so much a comedian, but a teller of funny stories. His most famous one is where he's telling a story in the character of a backwoods rube who had just returned from setting up for a tent revival and stumbling upon a college football game which he had never seen before.
"I looked down there and I seen five or six convicts a running up and down and a-blowing whistles!"
You can hear it on YouTube. There might even be a version of it that includes the artwork from when MAD Magazine put his routine down in one of their comics.
TlalocW
klook
(12,134 posts)Hilarious stuff.
His retelling of "Romeo and Juliet" was a scream. "Romeo seen this gret big pea vine a-hangin' down from Juliet's winder, and he clumb up it!"
"She says, 'Whurfore art thou, Romeo?' And he pops up 'n' says, 'I'm rat cheer!'"
Sorry he's gone. Andy was a great actor and a good man.
Maeve
(42,225 posts)He understood story as well as acting...and he understood people. RIP, Andy.
Richard D
(8,693 posts)I got to spend some time with Andy. He was always so very kind and considerate.
Friendly and funny.
Simply a very nice human being.
Rest in great Peace.
meegbear
(25,438 posts)I put on TvLand and I thought they would go black ala 9/11 and cease programming, but they're still on the air. The bastards.
47of74
(18,470 posts)Robbins
(5,066 posts)From the promedicare ads he did recently I knew time was getting to him.
The Andy Griffith show was at It's best when he was straight man to Don Knotts.
We lost a good democrat.He supported democrats In NC.He donated to John Kerry In 2004 and appeared with Ron Howard In ad for Obama In 2008.Intresting tibit democrats In NC wanted him to run for senate In 1984 against Jesse Helms.He refused.
kdmorris
(5,649 posts)He was an incredibly good actor. This is such sad news
mtnester
(8,885 posts)Vidar
(18,335 posts)salvorhardin
(9,995 posts)This was my favorite, albeit tragically short-lived, Andy Griffith TV show. What a fantastic concept and produced by Star Trek's Harve Bennett, it just never reached escape velocity. IIRC correctly, the series paralleled the actual Apollo program in that they only went to the moon once, and then the rest of the shows took place on Earth.
progressoid
(49,827 posts)We were talking about all the stuff in orbit around the earth and that show came up in conversation.
salvorhardin
(9,995 posts)I don't think the idea has ever been replicated except perhaps the anime series PlanetES which has a more futuristic take on space salvage operations.
sdfernando
(4,897 posts)I had totally forgotten about this show! Thanks for reminding me. I'll have see if I can scrounge it up somewhere.
Irishonly
(3,344 posts)The news of his passing was the first thing I saw when I turned the computer on this morning. I am so sad. I loved him as a child. His show taught my generation values and ethics.
Little Star
(17,055 posts)patrice
(47,992 posts)antigone382
(3,682 posts)But even were he not, it would not take away from his contributions to American television and culture. My perception of the worth and talent of performers and other creative people does not hinge on their political persuasion. People are more than their politics.
patrice
(47,992 posts)stood up under scrutiny.
So much that I liked when I was young no longer works for me.
Not true of the Andy Griffith Show. I still watch it and it holds up quite well.
HERVEPA
(6,107 posts)And he supported Democrats consistently.
patrice
(47,992 posts)too long and our occupy was overwhelmed by "Libertarians", so I guess I have just developed this knee-jerk reaction, trying not to be accused of what THEY DO TO EVERYTHING themselves, but will mitigate AGAINST you if you do the same thing from a different perspective.
..................................
Andy Griffith is/was A GOOD DEMOCRAT!
Uncle Joe
(58,112 posts)Thanks for the thread, antigone.
antigone382
(3,682 posts)Sorry to be the bearer of unfortunate tidings, but I'd say his was a life well and fully lived.
Lint Head
(15,064 posts)ieoeja
(9,748 posts)Had a stupid photoshop with Andy and "Opie" insulting Liberals. So I pointed out to him that he was defaming Andy as he was a proud Liberal.
In certain parts of this country, thanks to the DLC/etc, claiming to be a Liberal would get pretty much the same reaction as claiming to be a Nazi or claiming to be a Klansman in the civilized parts of this country. That I (and Andy) would outright admit being a proud Liberal completely freaked this guy out. He apparently thought all Liberals kept this dirty secret hidden.
I kept the conversation brief. People who view their political opponents as sexual deviants who believe that all White people should be stripped of everything own and thrown into concentration camps aren't really worth the effort.
alp227
(31,962 posts)"Griffith was a total communist and hated this country. He was a bitter resentful person as Libs usually are."
"I cannot mourn this man, he was far too committed a leftist."
"yup looks like he died before he could vote for obama again"
"Looks like 0bamacare really helped him, eh?"
antigone382
(3,682 posts)...and they manage to call that a failure of Obamacare???
LOL, I hope I suffer as much under Obamacare as he did.
Norbert
(6,030 posts)I was thinking nobody could dislike the man. I forgot, they hate almost everything, Andy Griffith is no exception. He hated this country? And yet he brought one of the greatest pieces of Americana that graced the airwaves.
I never met him and yet I feel as though I lost a very good friend today. Godspeed Andy.
Skittles
(152,967 posts)wild stares when I tell Teabagging Texans I am a PROUD LIBERAL
CBGLuthier
(12,723 posts)xmas74
(29,658 posts)That's a movie I can watch over and over again, laughing every single time.
aint_no_life_nowhere
(21,925 posts)It first played on Broadway and Andy Griffith was nominated for a Tony Award for best actor. Don Knotts also starred. He later reprised the role in the movie version, one of the funniest military service comedies ever made.
Downwinder
(12,869 posts)Harriety
(298 posts)Speed8098
(1,655 posts)The Andy Griffith Show was a weekly staple that I looked forward to. Heck, I loved that show so much, my father would punish me by making me miss it if I misbehaved.
Today is a sad day in my household, a sad day indeed.
Rest in Peace Mr. Griffith.
LibDemAlways
(15,139 posts)antigone382
(3,682 posts)MissDeeds
(7,499 posts)And so true.
Faygo Kid
(21,477 posts)Still absolutely love The Andy Griffith Show. I'm totally bummed out.
Rowdyboy
(22,057 posts)yellowcanine
(35,692 posts)sdfernando
(4,897 posts)I used to watch the Andy Griffith show when I was a kid. He always reminded me of my dad...in looks and demeanor (my dad was an army officer, so the uniform added even more to the similarity). I even used to watch Matlock, just because he was the star, and as he aged and my dad aged, they looked even more alike. They are only 1 year apart in age too.
So sad...RIP Andy, you were definitely one of the good guys!
Tom Ripley
(4,945 posts)strong physical resemblance to Griffith.
I have always loved Griffith because he has always reminded me of my father.
Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)for Obama.
WCGreen
(45,558 posts)kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)RIP, Andy! You did your nation proud.
revolution breeze
(879 posts)I feel like another part of my childhood has died.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Great shows, and a great man who contributed right up until the end. My wife would be crying now.
antigone382
(3,682 posts)barbtries
(28,703 posts)but it was a really funny show.
i think he was a democrat. recalling a commercial he did with ron howard and other Andy Griffith alumni - was it 2008?
antigone382
(3,682 posts)Also appeared in an ad supporting ACA...nice that in the last days of his life he got to see that vindicated.
Apparently at one time he was asked by NC Democrats to run against Jesse Helms, but refused. I can certainly understand that choice.
yesphan
(1,586 posts)for the great memories Ainge.
Historic NY
(37,449 posts)nolabear
(41,915 posts)Andy was everybody's cousin in those mountains. I expect they're all in deep mourning. And I'm awfully sad myself. We Southerners loved seeing ourselves on television shown with such warmth and dignity, and yeah, silliness.
Swede Atlanta
(3,596 posts)I grew up listening to that whistling song. While in retrospect it was pretty cheesy..who couldn't feel warm and fuzzy with the indomitable Sheriff Andy Griffith always the level-headed, rational one in the crowd, the animated whimsical Deputy Fife, the loving, smothering Aunt Bee and Ron Howard?
It was good wholesome entertainment rift of politics. Will we ever get back there again?
Odin2005
(53,521 posts)rateyes
(17,438 posts)MissDeeds
(7,499 posts)Rest in peace, Andy. You were a good and gentle soul, and will greatly be missed.
MissDeeds
DreamSmoker
(841 posts)listen and enjoy...
Andy always made me laugh...
mrmpa
(4,033 posts)The Danny Thomas Show? The character Sherrif Andy Taylor was seen during the Danny Thomas's trip down South. There was a one on one between Thomas & Taylor, and it was developed into the Andy Griffith Show.
antigone382
(3,682 posts)Pilotguy
(438 posts)It's interesting that so many consider a fictional TV town like Mayberry a bastion of morality. But did you ever notice or wonder why nobody in Mayberry was married? Not one. Not Andy, or Barney the deputy, or Floyd the barber, or Helen Crump the teacher, or Aunt Bee, or Thelma Lou. Not Howard Sprague, or Otis, or Goober. Nobody was married! Why was that, I wonder?
drm604
(16,230 posts)Him and what's his name, the guy with the repair shop. Both of them were married. Those are the only two I can think of.
Faygo Kid
(21,477 posts)Thelma Lou married a cad after Barney left the show, then married Barn in "Return to Mayberry."
Helen married Andy at the end of the series, setting up "Mayberry R.F.D." Floyd was described as a widower. Andy, of course, had been married to Opie's mother - I think it was mentioned once early in the series about how much he missed her. Jim Nabors and the guy who played Howard are gay in real life; in Howard's case, that actor is deceased.
Ernest T. Bass had his "Romena," but we don't know how that played out. And So far as we know, Juanita down at the diner remained single.
Ahh, love.
Crunchy Frog
(26,548 posts)I remember him and Ron Howard getting together to do an ad for Obama, so a good guy there as well.
DianaForRussFeingold
(2,552 posts)You said it so well! Oh, Geez...I admit, I'm getting teary eyed!
"February 1960 episode of the Danny Thomas Show (aka. Make Room for Daddy) that introduced Andy Griffith as Mayberry's town sheriff Andy Taylor."
cindyperry2010
(846 posts)drm604
(16,230 posts)I still watch your show at times.
yurbud
(39,405 posts)mzmolly
(50,957 posts)eom.
Adenoid_Hynkel
(14,093 posts)And he proved that its possible to be a southerner and a good, solid liberal.
I'm really going to miss him.
alp227
(31,962 posts)That channel (KICU 36) continued playing Griffith till 2009 I think. This morning the announcer at my local NPR broke the news of Griffith's death during a program break. Griffith was a true, timeless TV legend. I have never seen Matlock, though.
BigThrill
(15 posts)An all-time great.
Drunken Irishman
(34,857 posts)He did commercials for it that broadcast nationally. He was a true patriot and maybe the nicest, most genuine human being out of Hollywood.
God Bless.
raccoon
(31,092 posts)The Wizard
(12,482 posts)His life was gentle, and the elements
So mixd in him that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, This was a man!
(Julius Caesar, Act V, Sc. v, ll., 81 -83)
politicasista
(14,128 posts)Andy and Goober gone in the same year.
Parents grew up watching TAGS, Granny loved "Matlock."
Sounds like he was a proud Tar Heel Dem too.
Peaceful Journey sir.
JI7
(89,182 posts)RFKHumphreyObama
(15,164 posts)Which is what I predominantly know him from. He sounds like a great guy and he sure was a talented actor and true progressive. The world is better off for having had him in it and the worse off for having lost him. RIP Andy. You did well
Tsiyu
(18,186 posts)Sorry.
Andy was one of my heroes, and I hope there is a heaven and that he's up there pickin' and grinnin.'
Thanks for posting, and now you know what a fine Democrat he was.
Have a Happy Fourth, dear antigone382
And Happy Fourth wherever you are, Dear Andy