Andy Griffith

A graveside service for Leanue Harrelson, 73, will be held Aug. 20 at 11 a.m. in Pleasant Union Baptist Church Cemetery with the Rev. Larry Johnson officiating. Mr. Harrelson passed away at his residence Aug, 17, surrounded by his loving family. He was the husband of Linda Gail Harrelson and...

This report was originally broadcast September 19, 2021. That tall, amiable sheriff and his little boy, Opie, heading to a fishing hole on the outskirts of Mayberry, North Carolina, at the start of "The Andy Griffith Show," were actually strolling along a lake in Beverly Hills, California. Ron Howard, the...

Born in 1926, Andy Griffith, hails from the tiny mountain town of Mount Airy, North Carolina, which pays tribute to him and his famous show. The Andy Griffith show started in 1960 and aired for eight years, taking place in the fictional town of Mayberry based on Mount Airy. Today visitors can learn more about the actor and the show as they visit places like the Andy Griffith Museum, the Old Mayberry Jail and even Griffith’s childhood home.

For eight seasons, Americans rarely missed an episode of the Andy Griffith Show and the lovable Sheriff Andy Taylor. Ending in 1986, many might not remember that America’s beloved Andy Taylor was created thanks to an entirely different show, The Danny Thomas Show. During an episode, Danny is caught running a stop sign and is ultimately arrested for it. Full of comedic moments, the sheriff who arrested Danny was none other than Andy Griffith playing Andy Taylor. The small moment led to a defining role in television history. But while most remember Andy Griffith as a prime example of a great person, his daughter, Dixie, recently opened up about her father and the legacy he left behind.

Iconic TV actor Andy Griffith is best remembered for playing Andy Taylor, sheriff of Mayberry, on the classic TV show The Andy Griffith Show. The show turned Griffith into a household name and ran for eight popular seasons. In the show, his son was Opie Taylor, played by child star turned famed filmmaker, Ron Howard.

During his presence on television, Andy Griffith was more than a friendly face as he appeared to embody an entire generation. While his success led him to own a 70-acre estate on Roanoke Island, the actor never forgot where he came from. His daughter, Dixie Griffith, admitted nothing appealed to him more than spending the summer months in North Carolina. And while he was considered rich and famous, Dixie added, “He would go into stores barefoot — sometimes even without a shirt! He wasn’t a typical Hollywood type.”

In hindsight, it seems difficult to believe that someone as affable as Andy Griffith, the king of classic TV stars, would be disliked. But back when he was growing up in Mount Airy, N.C., a mostly blue-collar small town, his classmates bullied Griffith. Kids believed he was different, he was the rich kid. So they made fun of him.

As a major Hollywood star, Andy Griffith appeared to live a perfect life. But in reality, he struggled with family turmoil throughout most of his adulthood. And after his son died in 1996, he never fully recovered. In an interview with Closer, Andy’s daughter, Dixie Griffith, remembered the classic TV...

David Timm as Harold Hill rehearsing a scene from The Music Man. (Hobart Jones | Surry Arts Council) The Surry Arts Players will be performing Music Man directed by Tyler Matanick this weekend. There will be Friday and Saturday July 22-23 performances at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday performance at 3 p.m. at the Andy Griffith Playhouse.

25 Years Ago July 17- 23, 1997 Christa M. Wright, a junior from Columbus majoring in elementary education with a minor in music, was recognized with a Hoerner Scholarship from the Music Department at Pittsburg State University for the 1997-98 academic year. She is the daughter of Glen and Janie Wright of Columbus. Gary Stephens was elected board president of the Cherokee USD247 Board of…

MOUNT AIRY, N.C. (WGHP) – Maybe you saw the announcement Tuesday that actor Ruta Lee would be attending her first “Mayberry Days” festival later when summer turns to fall in Mount Airy, the hometown of Andy Griffith. The Andy Griffith Museum posted the news on its Facebook...

MOUNT AIRY, N.C. (WGHP) – Maybe you saw the announcement Tuesday that actor Ruta Lee would be attending her first “Mayberry Days” festival later when summer turns to fall in Mount Airy, the hometown of Andy Griffith. The Andy Griffith Museum posted the news on its Facebook page that it was bringing back another actor […]

After struggling in Hollywood for years, Kari Lizer landed a major role in Matlock. And it was all thanks to a reference by the one and only Andy Griffith. Lizer’s first appearance in the classic TV series was in a 1986 episode titled The Angel. In a guest role, she played a primadonna rockstar who ended up on trial for murder after a drunken night on the town lead to her music manager’s death.

On this day a decade ago, Andy Griffith took his final breath. It was a Tuesday. The classic TV star died at about 7 a.m. And wanting no fuss or fancy ceremony, his family buried him later that day. Still, this nation mourned the death of Andy Griffith, who charmed...

Andy Griffith found massive success with his fan-favorite classic TV sitcom series The Andy Griffith Show. However, when the series came to an end in 1968, the man who spent years portraying the Mayberry Sheriff wasn’t sure about a return to the genre. However, the success of one TV movie inspired him to make a very well-received return to network programming.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - A movie based on a much beloved television show “The Andy Griffith Show” appears this weekend in Tuscaloosa. If you grew up in the South, you probably watched the TV Show and became a fan. Now fans in West Alabama have a chance to see actors tell a new story about the folks from Mayberry Saturday at Tuscaloosa’s Bama Theater.