Griffith, Andy 1926–

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GRIFFITH, Andy 1926–

PERSONAL

Full name, Andrew Samuel Griffith; born June 1, 1926, in Mount Airy, NC; son of Carl Lee and Geneva (maiden name, Nunn) Griffith; married Barbara Edwards, 1949 (divorced, 1972); married Solica Cassuto, 1973 (divorced, 1981); married Cindi Knight (an actress), April 2, 1983; children: (first marriage) Andy Sam, Dixie Nan. Education: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., music, 1949. Avocational Interests: Swimming, skeet and trap shooting.

Addresses: Agent—William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212–2704.

Career: Actor, producer, director, singer, and writer. Andy Griffith Enterprises (a production company), founder, 1972. Taught at Goldsboro High School, Goldsboro, NC; stand–up comic at the Blue Angel nightclub in New York City, 1954, and at other clubs across the country; appeared in commercials for General Foods Products, c. 1960s, Ritz Crackers, c. 1970s, A–1 Steak Sauce, c. 1970s, Shoney's restaurants, c. late 1980s, his gospel album, 1997; and AT&T.

Awards, Honors: Theatre World Award, 1955–56, Antoinette Perry Award nomination, outstanding supporting or featured dramatic actor, 1956, both for No Time for Sergeants; best male lead in a musical, Variety, 1959, and Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best actor in a musical, 1960, for Destry Rides Again; Tarheel Award, 1961; Distinguished Salesman Award, 1962; Outstanding Television Personality Award, Advertising Club of Baltimore, 1968; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding supporting actor in a limited series or special, 1981, for Murder in Texas; People's Choice Award, male performer in a new program, 1987, for Matlock; Grammy Award, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, 1997, for I Love to Tell This Story: 25 Timeless Hymns; Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.

CREDITS

Television Appearances; Series:

Sheriff Andy Taylor, The Andy Griffith Show (also known as Andy of Mayberry), CBS, 1960–1968.

Andy Taylor, Mayberry, R.F.D., 1968–1969.

Andy Thompson, Headmaster, CBS, 1970–1971.

Andy Sawyer, The New Andy Griffith Show, CBS, 1972.

Sheriff Sam Adams, Adams of Eagle Lake, ABC, 1975.

Harry Broderick, Salvage 1, ABC, 1978.

Carroll Yeager, The Yeagers, ABC, 1980.

Benjamin A. Matlock (title role), Matlock, NBC, 1986–1992, ABC, 1993–1995.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Esker Scott Anderson, Washington: Behind Closed Doors, ABC, 1977.

Professor Lewis Venor, Centennial, NBC, 1978–1979.

CBS: On the Air, 1978.

General Barney Slater, From Here to Eternity, NBC, 1979.

Commander Robert Munroe, Roots: The Next Generation, ABC, 1979.

Ash Robinson, Murder in Texas, NBC, 1981.

Victor Worheide, Fatal Vision, NBC, 1984.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Artie Sawyer, The Strangers in 7A, CBS, 1972.

Priest, Go Ask Alice, ABC, 1973.

Sam Farragut, Pray for the Wildcats, ABC, 1974.

Horton Maddock, Savages, ABC, 1974.

The father, "Six Characters in Search of an Author," Hollywood Television Theatre, PBS, 1976.

Gus Brenner, Street Killing, ABC, 1976.

Guy Harris, The Demon Murder Case (also known as The Rhode Island Murders), NBC, 1983.

John Wallace, Murder in Coweta County (also known as Last Blood), CBS, 1983.

Judge Julius Sullivan, Crime of Innocence, NBC, 1985.

Andy Taylor, Return to Mayberry (based on The Andy Griffith Show), NBC, 1986.

Noah Talbot, Under the Influence, CBS, 1986.

Ben Matlock, Matlock: The Power Brokers, 1987.

Ben Matlock, Matlock: The Billionaire, 1987.

Ben Matlock, Matlock: The Thief, 1989.

Ben Matlock, Matlock: Nowhere to Turn, 1990.

Ben Matlock, Matlock: The Witness Killings, 1991.

Ben Matlock, Matlock: The Suspect, 1991.

Ben Matlock, Matlock: The Picture, 1991.

Ben Matlock, Matlock: The Vacation, NBC, 1992.

Charlie Matlock and Ben Matlock, Matlock: The Legacy, NBC, 1992.

Ben Matlock, Matlock: The Fortune, 1992.

Ben Matlock, Matlock: The Kidnapping, 1987.

Ben Matlock, Matlock: The Fatal Seduction, 1993.

Phil Doucet, The Gift of Love (also known as Set For Life), CBS, 1994.

Ben Matlock, Matlock: The Idol, 1994.

Jack Magruder, Gramps (also known as Lethal Intent), NBC, 1995.

Ben Matlock, Matlock: The Heist, ABC, 1995.

Ben Matlock, Matlock: The Scam, ABC, 1995.

Hiram, Scattering Dad, CBS, 1998.

Jake Peterson, A Holiday Romance (also known as A Song for the Season), CBS, 1999.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Andy Taylor, The Andy Griffith Show, CBS, 1960.

Guest, The Jud Strunk Show, ABC, 1972.

Guest, The NBC Follies, NBC, 1973.

Sheriff Sam McNeill, Winter Kill (for series Adams of Eagle Lake), ABC, 1974.

Police Chief Abel Marsh, The Girl in the Empty Grave (also known as Abel), NBC, 1977.

Police Chief Abel Marsh, Deadly Game (sequel to The Girl in the Empty Grave), ABC, 1977.

Harry Broderick, Salvage (for series Salvage 1), ABC, 1979.

Vernon Bliss, For Lovers Only, ABC, 1982.

Benjamin J. Matlock, "Diary of a Perfect Murder," Matlock, NBC, 1986.

Television Appearances; Specials:

The Andy Williams Special, NBC, 1962.

The Bob Hope Show, NBC, 1963.

Cohost, The Andy Griffith–Don Knotts–Jim Nabors Show, CBS, 1965.

Friends and Nabors, CBS, 1966.

Host, Andy Griffith's Uptown–Downtown Show, CBS, 1967.

The Don Knotts Special, CBS, 1967.

The Tennessee Ernie Ford Special, CBS, 1967.

Host, Looking Back, CBS, 1969.

Don Knotts' Nice, Clean, Decent, Wholesome Hour, CBS, 1970.

City vs. Country, ABC, 1971.

Mr. Already Married, Dinah in Search of the Ideal Man, NBC, 1973.

Mitzi and a Hundred Guys, CBS, 1975.

Celebration: The American Spirit, ABC, 1976.

Voice of storyteller, Frosty's Winter Wonderland, ABC, 1979.

The Nashville Palace, ABC, 1980.

The 14th Annual People's Choice Awards, CBS, 1988.

Tennessee Ernie Ford: Fifty Golden Years, TNN, 1990.

The All–Star Salute to Our Troops, CBS, 1991.

A Celebration of Eddy Arnold, TNN, 1992.

Host, The Andy Griffith Show Reunion, CBS, 1993.

A Phyllis George Special, TNN, 1995.

Interviewee, Ralph Emery: On the Record with Andy Griffith, TNN, 1996.

Andy Griffith: Hollywood's Homespun Hero, Arts and Entertainment, 1997.

Roddy McDowall: Hollywood's Best Friend, Arts and Entertainment, 1998.

Ron Howard: Hollywood's Favorite Son, Arts and Entertainment, 1999.

Don Knotts: Nervous Laughter, Arts and Entertainment, 2000.

Himself, Andy of Mayberry: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 2000.

Himself, Inside TV Land: The Andy Griffith Story, TV Land, 2000.

Himself, CBS at 75, CBS, 2003.

Himself and Andy Taylor, The Andy Griffith Show Reunion: Back to Mayberry, CBS, 2003.

Presenter, TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV, TV Land and Nickelodeon, 2004.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Monologist, Ed Sullivan Show, CBS, 1954.

Private Will Stockdale, "No Time for Sergeants," The U.S. Steel Hour, 1955.

Guest, Toast of the Town, 1955.

Will Stockdale & himself, The Ed Sullivan Show, 1955, 1959.

Himself, The Steve Allen Show, 1956.

Himself, The Dinah Shore Chevy Show, 1958.

Harry Emsen, "Never Know the End," The United States Steel Hour, 1958.

Himself, Club Oasis, 1958.

Kraft Music Hall, 1958.

Mystery guest, What's My Line?, 1958, 1959, 1965, 1967.

Sheriff Andy Taylor, "Danny Meets Andy Griffith," Make Room for Daddy, 1960.

The Andy Williams Show, 1962, 1964.

The Danny Kaye Show, 1964.

Sheriff Andy Taylor, "Opie Joins the Marines," Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., 1966.

Himself, The Carol Burnett Show, 1969, 1971, 1972.

Himself, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, 1969, 1970, 1971.

Himself, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, 1970, 1972, 1991.

Himself, "Episode #61," Rowan & Martin's Laugh–In, 1970.

Himself, "Episode #85," Rowan & Martin's Laugh–In, 1971.

Guest, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, CBS, 1971.

Himself, "Andy Griffith," This Is Your Life, 1971.

"Big George," The Mod Squad, 1972.

Arnold Lovejoy, "I'm a Family Crook—Don't Shoot," Hawaii Five–O, CBS, 1972.

"The Hoax," The Doris Day Show, 1973.

Andy Johnson, "Lucy and Andy Griffith," Here's Lucy, 1973.

Jack Starkey, "Angel of Mercy," The Bionic Woman, ABC, 1976.

Himself, Easy Does It ... Starring Frankie Avalon, 1976.

"The Reunion," Best of the West, 1981.

(Uncredited) Andy Taylor, Saturday Night Live, NBC, 1982.

"Legends/The Perfect Gentleman," Fantasy Island, 1982.

J. Scott "Scotty" Foreman, "Illusions," Hotel, ABC, 1985.

Larry Cooper, "Hidden Treasure/Picture from the Past/Ace's Salary," The Love Boat, ABC, 1985.

Ben Matlock, "Murder Two: Parts 1 & 2," Diagnosis Murder, CBS, 1996.

Colin Sawyer, "The Quality of Mercy," Family Law, CBS, 2001.

Mr. Brooks' friend, "A Winter's Tale," Dawson's Creek, The WB, 2001.

Himself, Larry King Live, CNN, 2003.

Also appeared as special guest star, The Sonny & Cher Show.

Television Work; Series:

(With Richard O. Linke) Executive producer, Mayberry, R.F.D., CBS, 1968–1971.

Executive producer and executive story supervisor, Matlock, NBC, 1986–1992, ABC, 1993–1995.

Television Executive Producer; Movies:

Return to Mayberry, NBC, 1986.

Matlock: The Picture, 1991.

Matlock: The Fortune, 1992.

Matlock: The Vacation, NBC, 1992.

Matlock: The Legacy, NBC, 1992.

Matlock: The Kidnapping, 1993.

Matlock: The Fatal Seduction, 1993.

Matlock: The Idol, 1994.

Matlock: The Heist, ABC, 1995.

Matlock: The Scam, ABC, 1995.

Television Executive Producer; Specials:

The Andy Griffith Show Reunion, CBS, 1993.

The Andy Griffith Show Reunion: Back to Mayberry, CBS, 2003.

Television Director; Episodic:

"The Prize Boat," Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., 1967.

Film Appearances:

(Film debut) Lonesome Rhodes, A Face in the Crowd, Warner Bros., 1957.

Al Woods, Onionhead, Warner Bros., 1958.

Pat Collins, The Second Time Around, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1961.

Himself, Rowan & Martin at the Movies, 1968.

Reverend Samuel D. Whitehead, Angel in My Pocket, Universal, 1969.

Howard Pike, Hearts of the West (also known as Hollywood Cowboy), United Artists, 1975.

Colonel Ticonderoga, Rustler's Rhapsody (also known as Esos locos cuatreros), Paramount, 1985.

General Rancor, Spy Hard (also known as Live and Let Spy), Buena Vista, 1996.

O. T. Montgomery, Daddy and Them, Miramax, 2001.

Stage Appearances:

Ko–Ko, The Mikado, University of North Carolina Players, c. 1947.

Sir Walter Raleigh, The Lost Colony (annual outdoor drama pageant), Roanoake Island, NC, c. 1947–1953.

(Broadway debut) Will Stockdale, No Time for Sergeants, Alvin Theatre, 1955.

Tom Destry, Destry Rides Again, Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1959–1960.

Radio Appearances:

Tuesday night host, Sears Mystery Theater, CBS Radio, 1979, then The Mutual Radio Theater, Mutual Radio, 1980.

RECORDINGS

Albums:

I Love to Tell the Story: 25 Timeless Hymns, 1997.

Also recorded The Christmas Guest; Just As I Am. Recorded the single "What It Was, Was Football," Capitol, 1953. Also released a comedic version of Romeo and Juliet.