Andy Griffith

Actor / Comedian
Bob Hope Comedy Collection
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About
About this interview

In his two-and-a-half-hour Archive interview, Andy Griffith (1926-2012) talks about his breakout comedy debut, "What It Was, Was Football" and his first success on Broadway in "No Time for Sergeants." He recalls appearing on early television in U.S. Steel Hour, The Steve Allen Show, and Playhouse 90. He fondly remembers his long association with Sheldon Leonard, as well as the creation, production, and eight-season run of The Andy Griffith Show. He also speaks of many television movies and miniseries he appeared in, and his successful crime series Matlock. Michael Rosen conducted the interview on May 5, 1998 in Manteo, NC.

"The second episode was called 'Manhunt' and I knew by that episode that Don should be the comic and I should play straight for him. That made all the difference. Then Mayberry became a living town. We had all the comic characters that came on, and I played straight for them. So Mayberry really was the star of 'The Andy Griffith Show.'"

People Talking About ...
Andy Griffith
Highlights
Andy Griffith on the pilot for The Andy Griffith Show, which aired as an episode of The Danny Thomas Show
Andy Griffith on the legacy of The Andy Griffith Show, and on the characters of the show
Andy Griffith on a typical workweek on The Andy Griffith Show, and on working with one camera
Andy Griffith on appearing on The United States Steel Hour in "No Time for Sergeants", and on the first time he saw television
Andy Griffith on improving upon MatIock scripts
Andy Griffith on performing his early comedy act, including material about Shakespeare
Full Interview

Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on his early interest in and success with music, and on his parents; on radio and movies he enjoyed while growing up
On getting into performing; on his first time in front of an audience, and on becoming a "class clown"; on appearing in plays in Roanoke, VA

Chapter 2
On appearing in the play "Egypt Land", and on developing his comedy act; on performing his early comedy act, including material about Shakespeare; on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and on his feelings about New York City
On appearing on The United States Steel Hour in "No Time for Sergeants," and on the first time he saw television; on the production of "No Time for Sergeants" for The United States Steel Hour, and how it impacted his career

Chapter 3
On giving advice to Don Knotts; on starring in Elia Kazan's feature "A Face in the Crowd" and various other features; on appearing on various variety shows and on returning to Broadway in "Destry Rides Again"
On how The Andy Griffith Show came about with producers Danny Thomas and Sheldon Leonard, and on Don Knotts being cast as "Barney Fife"; on the pilot for The Andy Griffith Show, which aired as an episode of The Danny Thomas Show; on deciding to play straight man to Don Knotts, and on the input of producer Sheldon Leonard
On The Andy Griffith Show producer Aaron Ruben; on a typical workweek on The Andy Griffith Show, and on working with one camera; on the town of Mayberry on The Andy Griffith Show

Chapter 4
On Sheldon Leonard as producer of The Andy Griffith Show, and on the CBS rural purge of 1971; on the use of music on The Andy Griffith Show, and on where ideas for the show came from; on the morality of The Andy Griffith Show, and on Ron Howard as "Opie Taylor"
On The Andy Griffith Show spin-off Gomer Pyle - USMC, starring Jim Nabors; on the end of The Andy Griffith Show and the start of Mayberry RFD; on starring on various short-lived series and in the television movie Murder in Texas; on Return to Mayberry
On being cast on MatIock, and how television had changed since his first series; on the character of "Ben Matlock" on Matlock, and on the show moving to ABC; on his later music career

Chapter 5
On the legacy of The Andy Griffith Show, and on the characters of the show; on the then-best of television, and on the then-future of television; on various people with whom he worked in his career
Shows

Andy Griffith Show, The

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Andy Griffith on how The Andy Griffith Show came about with producers Danny Thomas and Sheldon Leonard, and on Don Knotts being cast as "Barney Fife"
Andy Griffith on the pilot for The Andy Griffith Show, which aired as an episode of The Danny Thomas Show, on deciding to play straight man to Don Knotts, and on the input of producer Sheldon Leonard
Andy Griffith on The Andy Griffith Show producer Aaron Ruben
Andy Griffith on a typical workweek on The Andy Griffith Show, and on working with one camera
Andy Griffith on the town of Mayberry on The Andy Griffith Show
Andy Griffith on Sheldon Leonard as producer of The Andy Griffith Show, and on the CBS rural purge of 1971
Andy Griffith on the use of music on The Andy Griffith Show and on where ideas for the show came from
Andy Griffith on the morality of The Andy Griffith Show and on Ron Howard as "Opie Taylor"
Andy Griffith on The Andy Griffith Show spin-off Gomer Pyle - USMC, starring Jim Nabors
Andy Griffith on the end of The Andy Griffith Show and the start of Mayberry RFD
Andy Griffith on the legacy of The Andy Griffith Show, and on the characters of the show

Danny Thomas Show, The aka Make Room for Daddy

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Andy Griffith on the pilot for The Andy Griffith Show, which aired as an episode of The Danny Thomas Show, on deciding to play straight man to Don Knotts, and on the input of producer Sheldon Leonard

Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town

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Andy Griffith on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and on his feelings about New York City

Gomer Pyle - USMC

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Andy Griffith on The Andy Griffith Show spin-off Gomer Pyle - USMC, starring Jim Nabors

Matlock

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Andy Griffith on being cast in MatIock, and how television had changed since his first series
Andy Griffith on improving upon MatIock scripts
Andy Griffith on the character of "Ben Matlock" on Matlock, and on the show moving to ABC
Andy Griffith on the end of Matlock

Murder in Texas

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Andy Griffith on starring on various short-lived series and in the television movie Murder in Texas

Return to Mayberry

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Andy Griffith on Return to Mayberry

United States Steel Hour, The

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Andy Griffith on appearing on The United States Steel Hour in "No Time for Sergeants", and on the first time he saw television
Andy Griffith on the production of "No Time for Sergeants" for The United States Steel Hour, and how it impacted his career
Topics

Television Industry

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Andy Griffith on the then-best of television, and on the then-future of the television
Professions

Actor

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Andy Griffith on getting into performing

Performers

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Andy Griffith on getting into performing
Genres

Classic Anthology Series

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Andy Griffith on appearing on The United States Steel Hour in "No Time for Sergeants"

Comedy Series

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Andy Griffith on The Andy Griffith Show (Part 1)
Andy Griffith on The Andy Griffith Show (Part 2)

Legal Dramas

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Andy Griffith on starring on Matlock

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

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Andy Griffith on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and on his feelings about New York City
People

Earle Hagen

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Andy Griffith on Earle Hagen

Ron Howard

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Andy Griffith on Ron Howard as "Opie Tayor" on The Andy Griffith Show

Elia Kazan

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Andy Griffith on starring in Elia Kazan's feature "A Face in the Crowd" and various other features

Don Knotts

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Andy Griffith on meeting Don Knotts
Andy Griffith on Don Knotts being cast as "Barney Fife" on The Andy Griffith Show

Sheldon Leonard

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Andy Griffith on how The Andy Griffith Show came about with producers Danny Thomas and Sheldon Leonard, and on Don Knotts being cast as "Barney Fife"
Andy Griffith on the pilot for The Andy Griffith Show, which aired as an episode of The Danny Thomas Show, on deciding to play straight man to Don Knotts, and on the input of producer Sheldon Leonard
Andy Griffith on Sheldon Leonard as producer of The Andy Griffith Show

Jim Nabors

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Andy Griffith on Jim Nabors

Aaron Ruben

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Andy Griffith on The Andy Griffith Show producer Aaron Ruben

Danny Thomas

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Andy Griffith on how The Andy Griffith Show came about with producers Danny Thomas and Sheldon Leonard, and on Don Knotts being cast as "Barney Fife"
Andy Griffith on Danny Thomas

All Interviews

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