A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Griffith was probably best known for his role as Andy Taylor in the The Andy Griffith Show. When my sons were little boys, I didn't let them watch much TV, but I did let them watch episodes of The Andy Griffith Show.
Here's a clip from one of my favorite episodes (I have many favorites!), "Rafe Hollister Sings."
We also sang along with Andy Griffith a lot. Andy was a music major at UNC. Here Andy, Barney, and Mr. Malcolm Tucker sing "Church in the Wildwood." This clip is from "Man in a Hurry," which is one of the very best Andy Griffith Show episodes.
And here's a very short Andy Griffith Show clip featuring Andy singing "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" with the Darlings, a mountain family who would come into Mayberry from time to time. The fictitious Darling family included the bona fide musical group The Dillards. You can hear Andy's voice very clearly in this clip from "Mountain Wedding."
We also loved listening to Andy Griffith's stand-up comedy routines. Our favorites included his retelling of the stories of Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet and his most famous comedy routine: "What It Was, Was Football." If you've never heard this before, you should listen to it. I promise it'll be worth your time.
Are you an Andy Griffith fan?
Oh, I had not heard this. My dad went to the same college.
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents have a record of Andy Griffith's comedy that we have enjoyed for years. We quote lines from "What It Was Was Football" so often that I had forgotten that's where they came from.
ReplyDeleteWe lost a great man, his family shows are still a joy.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were taking a very long road trip a few years back, I picked up some inexpensive DVD's of "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Leave It To Beaver" for my kids to watch. The children were completely entertained by how "old-fashioned" everything looked ... and my husband and I were totally nostalgic for those lovely, simple times.
ReplyDeleteYes! I felt like a relative had passed away when I heard the news. I loved his role as Sheriff Taylor.
ReplyDeleteOh, I saw that Andy passed this morning. Makes me sad as he was one of the good guys! I loved dthe Andy Griffith Show. Now I'm telling my age - when I was in jr hi, the guy who had whistled the theme song came to my school and whistled the them song! :) I'll never forget that. I liked when he played Matlock too. In some of the last episodes he wasn't around much or didn't say much. I had wondered if he'd had a stroke.
ReplyDeleteI love these clips.
Have a happy 4th, sweetie,
Sheliia :)
RIP, Andy. He was a wonderful TV personality and I met him personally back in the early 1970's. xo Diana
ReplyDeleteLatenight reruns of The Andy Griffith Show are much of what got me through a month long stay in the hospital following surgery for breast cancer eight years ago. The perfect "antidepressant!" What a blessing his work was to so many!
ReplyDeleteOur family loves the Andy Griffith show, we are sorry to hear of his passing. I didn't know about his other accomplishments, love the comedy routine!
ReplyDeleteOh!! I didn't realize that he passed away! :-( I have vivid memories of watching the Andy Griffith Show with my parents and they still watch it all the time. Thanks for letting us know about the comedy albums Richella. He was definitely an incredible man!
ReplyDeleteVanessa
I grew up on Andy Griffith. My parents were huge fans and my mom was a HUGE Mayberry fan.
ReplyDeleteI am so sad today to learn of his passing, almost like a grandpa or a favorite uncle died.
He is a reminder of a safer, softer, gentler time.
I think I might try and find some old Andy Griffith reruns this weekend to watch and ask my girls to watch along with me.
we watch andy everyday at 5:30 before the news. he's just part of our household. and he stepped on my mom's toe once - my claim to fame!
ReplyDeleteI know I've told you before -I am a huge fan. We grew up watching every single night. We had most episodes memorized. Our idea of a good time as a family was to play The Andy Griffith trivia game.
ReplyDeleteMy dad loves all the Darling episodes because of the music. We also liked it when Ernest T. Bass showed up.
My favorite episode was the pickle one - the kerosene cucumbers at the fair.
Thanks for the fun tribute!! :) :)
Andy Griffith always made me think of my grandparents. They LOVED Matlock, and my grandfather (also a UNC alum) took great pride whenever Siler City was mentioned on The Andy Griffith Show...and it was a couple of times!
ReplyDeleteTrue, genuine, decent performers are few and far between these days.
Even though Andy wasn't in the public light anymore, he will be sorely missed by all of my family. My hubby was just commenting this morning how things just don't seem right somehow knowing that Andy is gone. Have you ever watched "No Time for Sargents"? If not, you must! Makes me laugh every time. Happy 4th!
ReplyDeleteIt was such sad news. He was so wonderful, and his shows were the best.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind remembrance of Andy Griffith! Oh, how I love that show. Could probably recite most of the lines from the earlier ones. I must admit I shed more than a few tears when I heard the news. He truly was like a "member" of the family. We visited Mt. Airy, NC last summer to see his hometown and I could tell Mayberry was truly modeled after it. I love the simpler times and values the show represented. I honestly believe he felt the same way. A couple of my favs - Barney's Gets a Car and Opie takes care of the baby birds.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing -
Cheryl M.
We were sad to hear of his passing too. My sister and I met him when we were growing up. We were in Wilmington and he was there at the beach filming an episode of Matlock. He was super nice.
ReplyDeleteI loved the Andy Griffith Show. John and I still watch the re-runs all of the time. He was a funny guy and a good actor!
ReplyDeleteSad to see him go.
Linda