Actor Andy Griffith, who won the hearts of 1960s TV viewers with his role as gentle Sheriff Andy Taylor in “The Andy Griffith Show,” then returned as a 1980s country lawyer in “Matlock,” died Tuesday at 86, according to WITN-TV.

The news was reported to the North Carolina television station by Bill Friday, former president of the University of North Carolina and a Griffith friend. The Charlotte Observer later reported that its sources had confirmed Griffith's death.



Dare County Sheriff Doug Doughtie had confirmed to WITN earlier that am ambulance was sent to Griffith's home.
Griffith began his entertainment career with comic monologues and moved into movies, debuting in 1957’s “A Face in the Crowd” with Patricia Neal. But it was as the widower sheriff Andy Taylor on “The Andy Griffith Show” that he really made his mark. The show, which also starred a young Ron Howard as Griffith’s son Opie, and comedian Don Knotts as bumbling Deputy Barney Fife, ran from 1960-1968. Its setting, in the fictional small-town of Mayberry, became almost as famous as any one episode.


Griffith returned to TV stardom in 1986 as Ben Matlock, a Southern lawyer. That show ran until 1995 and was seized upon by comedians as a punchline for its popularity with older Americans. In one “Simpsons” episode, a highway is renamed the Matlock Expressway so a town mayor can win the elderly vote.
Griffith is survived by wife Cindi and his daughter Dixie. Son Andrew Jr., known as Sam, died in 1996.

An American icon. RIP

One of the greats! RIP

Even though Andy is more known for his TV shows The Andy Griffith Show, and Matlock, I really liked Andy's movies- A Face in the Crowd, No Time for Sergeants, and the excellent 70's TV movies- Pray For The Wildcats, Winter Kill, Savages, The Girl In The Empty Grave, and Go Ask Alice

I loved listening to his music.

Yeah this is sad. What a cool dude.

I really thought he was something.

He really made it into our hearts didn't he! A long time ago I took a day while traveling and went to the "Mayberry" (Mt Airy) area. Strange how you could feel the TV show as almost real.

Good actors are hard to come by. I feel he was in the right role for the right time. He drew you into Mayberry. I remembered that I felt like I was there.

I think he was one of those people (like Jimmy Stewart) who was liked in any role he played. He had a gift most actors/actresses only wish they had. he was true

Kinda before my time, and I was never really a fan, but he played an important role in media, so I can respect him for that. And he made a lot of Grandfathers happy. And then there's all the jokes...

RIP