Beloved actor Andy Griffith died this morning.

[dlazarus6660]

Beloved actor Andy Griffith died this morning. I love all the shows he was in except the awful movie he did with Shatner. He did the movie to break his sterotype image. It didn't work.

R.I.P. Andy and Thank you!

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2012/07/andy-griffith-dies-at-age-86/1#.T_MT5fVRLpc

[stefanj]

Yeah, the headline on MSNBC took me aback. One of those guys who you'd think would be around forever.

But really, this is one of those "sad but not sorry" deals.

When a young performer dies, someone who might have had years of work ahead of them, it can be a tragedy.

Griffith had a long, LONG career, never acted like a jerk, did good work, entertained millions over the course of decades. His passing is sad . . . but we shouldn't be sorry. His stuff will be around forever, thanks to TV Land and the like.

Thanks Andy!

[evil ed]

He was in a short-lived series called "Salvage 1." The pilot for the series had a "rocket" made from a cement mixer and a Texaco tanker truck. :eek:

It is believed Estes produced a prototype kit based on the show. :chuckle:

Anybody have any input on this one?

[Blushingmule]

He is one of the all-time best.

Once he realized that he should be the straight guy playing off of Don Knotts, hilarity ensued :-)

Barney's Sidecar, Citizens Arrest, Convicts-at-Large, Opie the Birdman, Fun Girls, and
The Pickle Story are gems.

Also there was the comedy routine "What it Was, Was Football" and the movie No Time For Sergeants,
in which I believe he teamed up with Don Knotts (the skittish psych) for the first time.

Bob

[chrism]

We have seen many of the classic TV stars pass away this year. Not only Andy but Don Grady, Peter Breck, Harry Morgan, and Davy Jones.

Me TV is going to play a tribute to Andy Griffith--airing shows he guest starred on.

[dlazarus6660]

My mother passed on this day in 1999 from Breast Cancer. Near this time of the day. I haven't been the same since.

[dlazarus6660]

We have seen many of the classic TV stars pass away this year. Not only Andy but Don Grady, Peter Breck, Harry Morgan, and Davy Jones.

Me TV is going to play a tribute to Andy Griffith--airing shows he guest starred on.

It's funny you mentioned Davy Jones, I just watched the Brady Bunch episode where Davy is the guest star.

[Chr$]

All the references in the news to Andy Griffith and Matlock, but What about Harry the Junk Man who said "I'm gonna build a rocket ship, fly it to the moon, salvage all the junk that's up there, bring it back and sell it."

The Vulture.

That was a cool rocket that only entered the prototype stage at Estes (or Centuri) and never was released.

[chrism]

My mother passed on this day in 1999 from Breast Cancer. Near this time of the day. I haven't been the same since.


Sorry about your loss.

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

He is one of the all-time best.

Once he realized that he should be the straight guy playing off of Don Knotts, hilarity ensued :-)

Barney's Sidecar, Citizens Arrest, Convicts-at-Large, Opie the Birdman, Fun Girls, and
The Pickle Story are gems.

Also there was the comedy routine "What it Was, Was Football" and the movie No Time For Sergeants,
in which I believe he teamed up with Don Knotts (the skittish psych) for the first time.

Bob
I don't think that was Don Knotts in No Time For Sergeants. It was Myron McCormick, who was pretty much a look-alike.

[Doug Sams]

I don't think that was Don Knotts in No Time For Sergeants. It was Myron McCormick, who was pretty much a look-alike.Don Knotts was in No Time For Sergeants. His character performed the psychological exam on Andy's character. I can't recall much, but I seem to recall Andy bending a steel ring, and Knott's character getting flustered.
...
FWIW, I'm a huge fan of the Andy Griffith show, especially the b&w episodes with Don.

Doug

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

Don Knotts was in No Time For Sergeants. His character performed the psychological exam on Andy's character. I can't recall much, but I seem to recall Andy bending a steel ring, and Knott's character getting flustered.
...
FWIW, I'm a huge fan of the Andy Griffith show, especially the b&w episodes with Don.

Doug
I stand corrected. :o Forgot all about that, but now that you mention it I want to say I can see him pulling that bug-eyed strangled look. Interestingly enough, the last time I saw it was the day my first Centuri catalog arrived. We were off school, so I got elected to stay home while the guys replaced all of our first floor windows in the "new" house. The house was all opened up, so I sat around in a winter coat and gloves all day. No Time For Sergeants was the 1 o'clock movie that day, and the mail arrived just before it ended.

[Doug Sams]

I stand corrected. :o Yeah, I've already added a notch to my belt ;) (just kidding )

BTW, right at this moment, I'm enjoying episode 2 of the Andy Griffith show which is playing on TVLand :)

Doug

.

[sandman]

Yeah, I've already added a notch to my belt ;) (just kidding )

BTW, right at this moment, I'm enjoying episode 2 of the Andy Griffith show which is playing on TVLand :)

Doug

.

My wife and I watched "The Beauty Pagent" episode last night on Netflix.

NetFlix has all the episodes.

[Doug Sams]

Re: Don Knotts and Myron McCormickI didn't know Myron by name, so I looked him up. He was in fact in the movie, so Bill E's memory didn't fail him. I found this pic on the web. Myron played the sergeant to Griffith's character.

With the glasses, Knotts looks like Mr Limpet :D

Doug

http://knoji.com/images/user/notimeforsergeantsmccormick,knotts,griffith.jpg

.

[Bazookadale]

We could use more "Mayberry" and less "Jersey Shore"

[Earl]

We could use more "Mayberry" and less "Jersey Shore"


Yes, it is sad the behaviors that rate 'attention' these days compared to the behaviors that are scorned or outright attacked. Seems the two are off by about 180 at times.

It's hard to make us blush anymore, and I'm not sure that's a good thing.


Earl

[blackshire]

Beloved actor Andy Griffith died this morning. I love all the shows he was in except the awful movie he did with Shatner. He did the movie to break his sterotype image. It didn't work.

R.I.P. Andy and Thank you!

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2012/07/andy-griffith-dies-at-age-86/1#.T_MT5fVRLpcAndy Griffith played a villain (a real-life one, the murderous wealthy landowner John Wallace, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_Coweta_County ) in the 1983 made-for-television movie "Murder in Coweta County" (see: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085977/ ). He said afterward in an interview that he took on the role for the challenge as an actor, to see if he could be a convincing villain (he was--almost frighteningly so), but he also said that he didn't find it enjoyable, as he had to become evil in his mind for a time in order to portray John Wallace.

[Doug Sams]

Andy Griffith played a villain (snip) He said afterward in an interview that he took on the role for the challenge as an actor, to see if he could be a convincing villain (he was--almost frighteningly so), but he also said that he didn't find it enjoyable, as he had to become evil in his mind for a time in order to portray John Wallace.He played one at least one other time. There was a made-for-TV movie back in the 70's with Robert Reed (Pray for the Wildcats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pray_for_the_Wildcats)). It's been nearly 40 years since I've seen it, but as I recall, Griffith's character was evil here as well.

Doug

.

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

He played one at least one other time. There was a made-for-TV movie back in the 70's with Robert Reed (Pray for the Wildcats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pray_for_the_Wildcats)). It's been nearly 40 years since I've seen it, but as I recall, Griffith's character was evil here as well.

Doug

.
With MARJOE GORTNER!!!!! I remember that, but I don't remember Shat being in it. I remember Mr. Brady. I also remember being kind of uneasy with Andy being a bad guy. Amazed that I was allowed to stay up to watch it.

[blackshire]

With MARJOE GORTNER!!!!! I remember that, but I don't remember Shat being in it. I remember Mr. Brady. I also remember being kind of uneasy with Andy being a bad guy. Amazed that I was allowed to stay up to watch it.The film's synopsis sure sounds strange...no matter who might have been chosen to play the various parts. I guess Shatner took it because he was still in his post-Star Trek "dry spell" of acting jobs.

[Doug Sams]

I guess Shatner took it because he was still in his post-Star Trek "dry spell" of acting jobs.I think Griffith and Reed were in about the same boat at that time :)

Doug

.

[blackshire]

I think Griffith and Reed were in about the same boat at that time :)

Doug

.Indeed. At least Griffith had more irons in other fires--he was also active in gospel music (for which work he won at least one Grammy award) and acted in stage plays.

[tbzep]

Ya'll are forgetting that he played a bad guy in a more recent movie. He was General Rancor in Spy Hard.

http://static.tvguide.com/MediaBin/Galleries/Editorial/120701/Andy_Griffith/andy-griffith-spy-hard1.jpg

[blackshire]

Well...judging by the synopsis and the reviews of Spy Hard (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spy_Hard ), I guess he was either looking for something to do at the time or just wanted some "walking around money"... :-)

[Feyd]

He was a comedian also. Here's something I've heard on the Sirius comedy channel on occasion. It's *very* funny!

Andy Griffith - What it was, was football (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh_I6wEgRvk)

[dlazarus6660]

The film's synopsis sure sounds strange...no matter who might have been chosen to play the various parts. I guess Shatner took it because he was still in his post-Star Trek "dry spell" of acting jobs.


Yeah Shat was in it! Thats the only reason why I watched it! Star Trek fan here!
angie Dickinson also starred. Married to Andy and having an affair with Shat!

[jeffyjeep]

My favorite Andy Grifrfith movie was "Onion Head". It's a black comedy in which he played a cook on a Coast Guard gunboat during WWII. There's a really good U-Boat ramming scene towards the end.

[chrism]

We also have to remember that Andy did Ritz cracker commercials for awhile. "Good cracker!" :chuckle:

[DeanHFox]

Andy also played a gay cattle baron (the film's major bad guy) in the "Airplane!"-style sendup of old westerns called "Rustler's Rhapsody". Lots of laughs!

[blackshire]

Andy Griffith also recorded "Conversation With A Mule" (see: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvEqm5B4kYw&feature=related ), and I heartily agree with his conclusions.

"What It Was, Was Football" (see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNxLxTZHKM8 ) is the account of a country bumpkin who had never before witnessed a (American) football game--he thought the field was "a pretty little cow pasture!" (The video portion even includes drawings that illustrate the events of the story.) Also, Andy Griffith's telling of Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet" (see: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR7cNratdek ) was my introduction to this play, and I'm not sure what the bard of the Globe Theatre would have thought of that... In addition:

Brother Dave Gardner was a contemporary of Andy Griffith who also recorded folksy stories (they both had their stories released on Capitol Records "Compact Double" 33-1/3 RPM records). Here is Brother Dave Gardner's "Motorcycle Story" (see: www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1kZ7SQ2MV4 -- "...teeth, hair, and eyeballs all over the concrete!"), and his tellings of biblical stories are here: www.youtube.com/topic/7sjpEThcvOk/brother-dave-gardner . A devout man, Gardner was apparently certain that God has a healthy and expansive sense of humor (he used no vulgarities in his stories, though)... :-)

[jadebox]

He was in a short-lived series called "Salvage 1." The pilot for the series had a "rocket" made from a cement mixer and a Texaco tanker truck. :eek:

It is believed Estes produced a prototype kit based on the show. :chuckle:

Anybody have any input on this one?

Estes Vulture from "Salvage 1" (http://www.rocketreviews.com/estes---vulture.html)

Be sure to follow the link under "External Links."

-- Roger

[luke strawwalker]

Andy Griffith played a villain (a real-life one, the murderous wealthy landowner John Wallace, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_Coweta_County ) in the 1983 made-for-television movie "Murder in Coweta County" (see: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085977/ ). He said afterward in an interview that he took on the role for the challenge as an actor, to see if he could be a convincing villain (he was--almost frighteningly so), but he also said that he didn't find it enjoyable, as he had to become evil in his mind for a time in order to portray John Wallace.

One of his best roles IMHO... opposite Johnny Cash no less as the lawman who successfully nailed him!

I need to get that one on DVD...

Later! OL JR :)

[blackshire]

One of his best roles IMHO... opposite Johnny Cash no less as the lawman who successfully nailed him!

I need to get that one on DVD...

Later! OL JR :)Agreed! His co-star Don Knotts also tried his hand at playing a villain. I don't remember what movie it was (and I only saw part of it on TV), but he portrayed an absolutely soul-less (like a human Golem), pin-stripe-wearing executive, and like Andy Griffith in "Murder in Coweta County," Don Knotts portrayed his villain "hate-inducingly" well.

-- Jason

[atticus]

I don't see any mention of his breakout role.
'Lonesome' Rhodes in Elia Kazan's 1957 "A face in the crowd".
Great movie with (among others) Patricia Neal, Tony Franciosa, Walter Matthau and Lee Remick in her movie debut.
Rags to riches to disgraceful humiliation.

[tbzep]

Agreed! His co-star Don Knotts also tried his hand at playing a villain. I don't remember what movie it was (and I only saw part of it on TV), but he portrayed an absolutely soul-less (like a human Golem), pin-stripe-wearing executive, and like Andy Griffith in "Murder in Coweta County," Don Knotts portrayed his villain "hate-inducingly" well.

-- Jason
Don was a "bad guy" along with Tim Conway in The Apple Dumpling Gang. :D

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

Don was a "bad guy" along with Tim Conway in The Apple Dumpling Gang. :D
:chuckle: