Actor and Writer Andy Griffith Dies at 86

Andy Griffith, beloved actor and comic, died Tuesday June 3 at the age of 86 at his home in Roanoke Island, North Carolina. His family released a statement saying he passed of an unnamed illness and, “has been laid to rest on his beloved Roanoake Island,” five hours after his death per his wishes.

Griffith was born in Mount Airy, NC where spent most of his childhood singing and playing the guitar. He began his career performing monologues for the “Rotary Club circuit” that established his delivery and timing (along with an over the top Southern drawl) that would later influence his onscreen television persona.

Throughout his career Griffith was an actor, director, producer, and writer who was nominated for multiple Grammy, Tony, and Emmy awards. Best known for his television work he starred in two of the most successful television shows The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968) and Matlock”(1986-1995). Though Griffith earned success through Hollywood’s standards he maintained his wholesome image saying, “Any time I try to play anything that doesn’t come natural, I’m just plain bad.”

By sticking to what came natural Griffith was just plain good. He was inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame in 1992 and won a Grammy for “I Love to Tell The Story — 25 Timeless Hymns” in 1997. In 2005 President George W. Bush honored him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, thanking him for being, “such a friendly and beloved presence in our American life.”

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