"What it was, was football"

[Lord Jim]

In an age when so many Hollywood types are head cases, a real gentleman with no dark side passes from the scene:

Andy Griffith dies at 86

Beloved TV star Andy Griffith died at his home in Manteo, North Carolina, on Tuesday morning. He was 86.

Former University of North Carolina President Bill Friday confirmed the passing of his close friend to WITN News.

[Related: Andy Griffith: His life in photos]

Griffith became a household name for his portrayal of a small-town sheriff on "The Andy Griffith Show," which aired from 1960 to 1968. His character, Andy Taylor, was a widower in the fictional town of Mayberry, N.C., which was thought to be modeled after Griffith's hometown of Mount Airy, N.C. His character encountered daily drama from his sidekick Deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts) as well as his young son, Opie (Ron Howard).

The actor went on to star in another long-running TV series: "Matlock." He played Ben Matlock, a no frills criminal defense lawyer who used his smarts to get people to confess in dramatic courtroom scenes. The show aired from 1986 to 1995.

Griffith also appeared in other TV shows — including the original "Hawaii Five-O," "The Bionic Woman," "Fantasy Island," and "Dawson's Creek" — as well as films.

Outside of acting, Griffith was an accomplished gospel singer who won a Grammy Award in 1997 for his album I Love to Tell the Story — 25 Timeless Hymns.

The actor had health issues through the years. In the 1980s he was diagnosed with Guillain–Barré syndrome, a disorder of the nervous system which caused him to be paralyzed for seven months. In 2000, he underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery. In 2007, he had hip surgery after a fall.

Griffith is survived by his wife Cindi Knight, whom he married in 1983. He was married twice previously, first to Barbara Bray Edwards — the mother of his two children, Dixie Griffith and the late Sam Griffith — and then Greek actress Solica Cassuto.

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/andy-griffith-dies-at-86.html

[dales]

Poor Opie, he's now an orphan.

[BoSoxGal]

Simpler times.

RIP

[Lord Jim]

Ron Howard: What I learned from Andy Griffith

Ron Howard shares memories of Andy Griffith and professional and life lessons learned from him.

By Ron Howard, Special to the Los Angeles Times

July 3, 2012, 5:21 p.m.

Early in the second season of "The Andy Griffith Show," I ventured a suggestion for a line change to make it sound more "like the way a kid would say it."

I was just 7 years old. But my idea was accepted and I remember standing frozen, thrilled at what this moment represented to me.

Andy asked me, "What you grinnin' at, youngin'?" I said it was the first idea of mine they'd ever said yes to. Without a pause, Andy responded for all to hear: "It was the first idea that was any damn good. Now let's do the scene."

That inclusiveness that allowed a child to truly be a part of something as unique and memorable as"The Andy Griffith Show"is something I will forever be grateful for.

Andy Griffith entertained us for decades on stage, via our radios, sound systems, TVs and up there on the silver screen. Comedy, drama or music, he brought his love of performing to each creative undertaking.

He was known for ending shows by looking at the audience and saying "I appreciate it, and good night." Perhaps the greatest enduring lesson I learned from eight seasons playing Andy's son Opie on the show was that he truly understood the meaning of those words, and he meant them, and there was value in that

Respect. At every turn he demonstrated his honest respect for people and he never seemed to expect theirs in return, but wanted to earn it.

He taught me a great deal through the examples he set and the approach to our work on the set. I learned about comedic timing, paying off characters in the third act of a story line, and the equal values of both focused rehearsal and, at particular moments, of total chaotic spontaneity.

I saw him lobby against jokes that were admittedly funny but that were at the expense of and undercut the long-term reliability of a character.

I was fortunate to witness and even participate in thousands of minutely detailed creative problem-solving interactions with Andy always tirelessly engaged.

He proved hour by hour, episode by episode that creativity and neurotic angst were in fact not inexorably linked. He led by example and we demonstrated that a cast and company could play practical jokes on one another, laugh 'til they cried and still get 12 pages of the script shot every day while producing a No. 1-rated show.

And, as I look back today, knowing that Andy's vision yielded a show that still airs daily all over the country and holds an absolutely unique place in the annals of its medium, I'm reminded of another lesson taught by example.

Do all that, and don't forget to have as many laughs as you can along the way.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/ne ... 0496.story

[Econoline]

Considering the title of the thread, I can't believe you left this out, Jim:

"What it was, was football"

[loCAtek]