Biography
Prior to becoming a friendly face in many American living rooms, Griffith was a talented musician with early aspirations to be an opera singer. But instead he rose to fame as a monologist, delivering a parody of the Johnny Ray son "Please Mr. Sun" and the woodsy "What it Was, Was Football" (1953), one of the most popular recorded monologues of all time. Griffith turned to television with "No Time for Sergeants" (1955) - a role he reprised for …
Latest Tv Credits
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Career Milestones
| Struck out on a career as an entertainer; originally wanted to be a singer, but had more success with a monologue parodying popular Johnny Ray song "Please Mr. Sun" | ||
| Taught high school music in Goldsboro, NC for three years after graduating from college | ||
1953 | Recorded "What It Was Was Football," one of the most popular comedic monologues of all time | |
1954 | Made TV debut guesting on an episode of "The Ed Sullivan Show" (CBS) | |
1954 | Read Mac Hayman's novel No Time for Sergeants and later found out that the Theatre Guild was presenting it as a play on TV, which was bound for Broadway; auditioned and won the role of Will Stockdale, playing it on TV's "U.S. Steel Hour" (ABC, CBS) | |
1955 | Made Broadway debut in "No Time for Sergeants"; received Tony nomination | |
1956 | Appeared as a regular on the NBC variety series "The Steve Allen Show" | |
1957 | Made feature film debut with a leading role in Elia Kazan's "A Face in the Crowd" | |
1959 | Returned to Broadway in the lead of the musicalized "Destry Rides Again"; received Tony nomination for Actor in a Musical | |
1960 | Starred as folksy sheriff and single father Andy Taylor on the popular CBS sitcom "The Andy Griffith Show" | |
1965 | Co-hosted his first TV variety special "The Andy Griffith-Don Knotts-Jim Nabors Show" | |
1968 | First TV producing credit, as executive producer of the "The Andy Griffith Show" spin-off "Mayberry R.F.D." (CBS) | |
1969 | First TV writing credit, "Looking Back", a nostalgic look at young people growing up during the 1930s | |
1970 | Starred as elite private school headmaster Andy Thompson on the CBS comedy-drama series "Headmaster" | |
1971 | Starred as Mayor Andy Sawyer on the CBS sitcom "The New Andy Griffith Show" | |
1972 | Former production company Andy Griffith Enterprises | |
1972 | TV-movie acting debut, "The Strangers in 7A" (CBS) | |
1974 | First TV production of Andy Griffith Enterprises, the TV-movie "Winter Kill" (ABC); also starred | |
1975 | Last leading role in a feature, "Hearts of the West"; took second billing to Jeff Bridges | |
1975 | Starred as Sheriff Sam Adams on the short-lived ABC crime drama series "Adams of Eagle Lake," which was produced by Andy Griffith Enterprises | |
1977 | Acted in first TV miniseries, "Washington: Behind Closed Doors" (ABC) | |
1979 | Starred as Harry Broderick on the ABC adventure series "Salvage 1" | |
1980 | Played Carroll Yeager on the short-lived ABC drama series "The Yeagers" | |
1981 | First supporting role on a TV series, the Western comedy "Best of the West" (ABC) | |
1986 | Executive produced and reprised Andy Taylor role in the TV-movie "Return to Mayberry" (NBC), the highest rated TV-movie of its season | |
1986 | Played the title role of Benjamin L. Matlock on the courtroom drama series "Matlock" (NBC, 1986-1993; ABC, 1993-95); also co-executive produced | |
1993 | Executive produced and hosted the CBS comedy compilation special "The Andy Griffith Show Reunion," which reunited cast members and included clips from the series | |
2001 | Guest starred on The WB's hit teen drama "Dawson's Creek" | |
2001 | Landed supporting role in "Daddy and Them," starring Billy Bob Thornton, Laura Dern, and Diane Ladd | |
2007 | Appeared as 'Old Joe,' the diner owner in the indie feature "Waitress" | |
2009 | Made final film appearance in the romantic comedy "Play the Game" | |
Awards
1981 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor In a Limited Series or a Special in Murder in Texas |