Even after becoming a household name on TV, Andy Griffith kept his roots close to his heart. His daughter, Dixie Griffith, shares with Closer how her dad preferred to spend his summers barefoot in North Carolina. “He’d stroll into stores without shoes, sometimes without a shirt!” she recalls. “Andy wasn’t your typical Hollywood star; he stayed true to who he was.”
Returning to His Roots
Growing up in Mount Airy, a working-class town, Andy never imagined owning a stunning 70-acre estate on Roanoke Island in the Outer Banks. Yet, returning to North Carolina each summer reminded him of his humble beginnings. “That’s where he felt most free,” Dixie says. “We’d go boating, play volleyball, and waterski. Dad loved being the life of the party and entertaining everyone around him.”
Entertainment as Survival
For Andy, entertaining wasn’t just a passion—it was a survival skill he honed in his youth. Author Daniel de Visé, who penned Andy & Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show, explains how Andy’s well-dressed appearance made him a target for bullies in Mount Airy. “Andy’s father worked in a furniture factory, so they could afford nice clothes for him. But that set him apart from the other kids, who weren’t as clean or well-dressed,” Daniel says. Andy discovered that making people laugh could disarm bullies, a turning point that shaped his life.
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A Multitalented Performer
At Mount Airy High School, Andy took drama classes and learned to play music, a skill he would cherish throughout his life. “Music was a huge part of who he was,” Dixie reveals. “He played guitars, banjos, horns, and even the piano. He could pick up almost any instrument and make it sing.” Andy’s album I Love to Tell the Story: 25 Timeless Hymns earned him a Grammy Award in 1997.
A Man of Faith
While studying music at the University of North Carolina, Andy briefly considered becoming a preacher. Faith remained a cornerstone of his life, especially during tough times. “In every situation, no matter how difficult, God extends grace greater than the hardship,” Andy once said. This belief guided him through life’s challenges.
A Career in Show Business
In college, Andy acted with the Carolina Playmakers and began writing his own material. His Matlock co-star Nancy Stafford recalls Andy’s encouragement to write screenplays and scripts. “He knew it was a way to take creative control,” she says. Andy’s comedic monologue What It Was, Was Football, where he played a country bumpkin explaining football, became a national hit in 1953. This led to his role in the teleplay No Time for Sergeants in 1955, which he reprised in the movie.
The Rise of a TV Icon
Over the next few years, Andy dabbled in radio and films, including his memorable role as a villain in 1957’s A Face in the Crowd. After a producer saw him on Broadway in Destry Rides Again, Andy was offered his own TV series. The Andy Griffith Show premiered on October 2, 1960, as a spinoff of The Danny Thomas Show, where Andy played Sheriff Taylor arresting Danny for a traffic violation. The show about a widower raising his son Opie in Mayberry, N.C., ran for eight seasons.
A Complex Family Life
As Andy’s career soared, his personal life became more complicated. He married Barbara Edwards, a fellow performer, in 1949. They adopted two children, Sam in 1957 and Dixie a year later. “He was a great dad,” Dixie says. “He always made time to play with us.” Despite this, the marriage became strained. “They stayed together for another decade, but Andy had affairs, and they fought a lot,” Daniel explains. Both drank heavily, leading to more arguments. The marriage ended in 1972 when Sam and Dixie were teenagers.
Struggles with Loss
Years later, Andy may have reflected on the impact of the divorce on his son Sam. Sam battled legal issues and alcoholism before passing away in 1996 at the age of 38. Andy, who had paid for Sam’s rehab twice, was estranged from him at the time of his death. “My brother had troubles, but it wasn’t my dad’s fault,” Dixie says. The publicity surrounding Sam’s death kept Andy from attending the funeral. “He didn’t want the media circus,” Dixie explains. Sam’s passing deeply affected Andy, though he rarely spoke about it publicly. His faith and the love of his third wife, Cindi Knight, helped him cope.
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Legacy of Role Models
Andy wasn’t perfect, but he was proud of the characters he created. “He left behind role models that anyone could aspire to,” Nancy says. “Andy Taylor was a father, leader, friend, and neighbor. Ben Matlock was a defense attorney who fought to the end.” In his final years, Andy retired to North Carolina to spend time with Cindi and tend his garden. “Andy wasn’t a public person,” costar Jim Nabors told Closer. “He loved acting, but he didn’t enjoy the spotlight. He handled fame in his own way.”
— By Louise A. Barile
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