Andy Griffith Facts:
Andy Samuel Griffith was born June 1, 1926, in Mount Airy, North Carolina, to Carl Lee Griffith and Geneva Nunn.
Griffith was married three times. The first two marriages ended in divorce. He married Cindi Knight April 12, 1983. The couple remained married until his death July 3, 2012. He died at home at the age of 86.
Adoption Background:
Andy Griffith's first marriage to Barbara Edwards lasted from August 26, 1949 through October 16, 1972. This marriage brought them two children through adoption.
Andrew Samuel Griffith, Jr. was born in 1957, and was known as Sam Griffith. The couple also adopted a daughter, Dixie Nan. Andy Griffith lost his son Sam, a real-estate developer, who died in 1996. Sam suffered from alcoholism.
Claim to Fame:
In 1953, Griffith moved to New York City with his first wife and started a song and dance act. One of his most famous monologues, What It Was Was Football, was released commercially that same year. He became the guest monologist on the Ed Sullivan Show, in 1954. He won the role of Will Stockdale in the TV version of Levin's play, No Time for Sergeants and later was nominated for a Tony reprising his role for the Broadway production of No Time for Sergeants. He earned another Tony nomination for the musical, Destry Rides Again. In 1957, he made his feature film debut in, A Face in the Crowd.
But Griffith is best known for his portrayal of small town sheriff, Andy Taylor on the Andy Griffith show. The show ran from 1960 through 1968. In his later years he was also known for his portrayal of Southern lawyer, Ben Matlock in the series Matlock.
Andy Griffith also won a Grammy for a Gospel album in 1996, Best Southern Gospel, Country Gospel or Bluegrass Gospel Album - I Love to Tell the Story – 25 Timeless Hymns.
Griffith showed up in a country music video in 2008, for the Brad Paisley song, Waitin' on a Woman.
Fun Facts
- Andy Griffith shared a birthday with Marilyn Monroe, same day and year.
- Graduated from college in 1949 with a degree in music.
- Griffith was a democrat.
- He was best friends with Don Knotts until Knotts passed away in 2006.
- Known for playing an acoustical guitar and singing gospel or folk type music.
SOURCES:
Andy Griffith Biography
Andy Griffith Obituary on Legacy.com
imbd.com
