At UNC, he was president of the UNC chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, America's oldest fraternity for men in music. He began college studying to be a Moravian preacher, but he changed his major to music and became a part of the school's Carolina Playmakers. He attended the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1949. He performed as a cast member of the play for several years, playing a variety of roles until he finally landed the role of Sir Walter Raleigh, for whom North Carolina's capital is named. Griffith was delighted when he was offered a role in The Lost Colony by Paul Green, a play about Roanoke Island still performed today.

Mickey nurtured Griffith's talent throughout high school until graduation in 1944. Griffith was raised Baptist and looked up to Ed Mickey, a minister at Grace Moravian Church, who led the brass band and taught him to sing and play the trombone. A growing love of music, particularly swing, would change his life. He was a shy student, but once he found a way to make his peers laugh, he began to come out of his shell and come into his own.Īs a student at Mount Airy High School, Griffith cultivated an interest in the arts, and he participated in the school's drama program. By the time he entered school, he was well aware that he was from what many considered the 'wrong side of the tracks'. In 1929, when Griffith was three, his father began working as a helper or carpenter and purchased a home in Mount Airy's ' blue-collar' south side.

With neither a crib nor a bed, he slept in dresser drawers for several months. As a baby, Griffith lived with relatives until his parents could afford to buy a home. Griffith was born on June 1, 1926, in Mount Airy, North Carolina, the only child of Carl Lee Griffith and his wife, Geneva (née Nunn). He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's film A Face in the Crowd (1957) and No Time for Sergeants (1958) before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead roles of Andy Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968) and Ben Matlock in the legal drama Matlock (1986–1995). Known for his Southern drawl, his characters with a folksy-friendly personality, as well as his gruff but friendly voice, Griffith was a Tony Award nominee for two roles. “We kicked it around for awhile and I waited several weeks and finally got the call to come in and do the show.” Don Knotts Said Writers on ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ Developed Barney Fife CharacterĪnd while Don Knotts originally suggested that Sheriff Andy Taylor have a deputy on “The Andy Griffith Show,” he credited the show’s writers with shaping the character of Barney Fife.Andy Samuel Griffith (J– July 3, 2012) was an American actor, comedian, television producer, singer and writer whose career spanned seven decades in music and television. “I went in and talked to Sheldon,” Knotts said during the interview. Knotts agreed to follow Griffith’s advice. Why don’t you go see him and sit with him?'” “He said, ‘It’s a h*** of an idea.’ He said, ‘I’ll call Sheldon Leonard. “So, I called him in New York,” Knotts added. When he watched that pilot episode about a small-town sheriff, Knotts said he thought Andy could use a deputy. Andy was still back in New York,” Knotts recalled. He thought they would be watching Danny Thomas, but it turns out what came on was “The Andy Griffith Show.” The comedic actor said he was playing Bridge with friends when one of them wanted to stop to watch television.

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