An Interview With Actor Andy Griffith

PLEASE NOTE YOUTUBE -- THIS IS SOME OF MY PERSONAL INTERVEW WITH HOLLYWOOD ACTOR ANDY GRIFFTH. DO NOT REMOVE!! I'M RELEASING SOME OF MY INTERVIEW FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR OTHERS TO ENJOY!

SORRY ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE TAPE. BUT MY ORIGINAL TAPE IS CURRENTLY MISPLACED.

--This is some of my phone interview with hollywood actor andy griffith about some of his memories of hal j. smith who was otis campbell the town drunk on his CBS television show conducted in 2003.
i will be releasing some fragments of interviews with rance howard -- ron howard's father and other hollywood actors in the future.
Beginning in 1960, Griffith starred as Sheriff Andy Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show, for the CBS television network, alongside other successful 1960s family-oriented sitcoms that dealt with widowhood, such as: My Three Sons, Family Affair, Beulah, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Lucy Show, Julia, The Courtship of Eddie's Father and The Brady Bunch.

The show took place in the fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina, where Taylor, a widower, was the sheriff and town sage.

From 1960-1965, the show co-starred character actor, comedian and Griffith's longtime friend, Don Knotts. Knotts played the role of Deputy Barney Fife, Taylor's best friend and partner. He was also Andy's cousin in the show. In the series premier, in a conversation between the two, Barney calls Andy "Cousin Andy", and Andy calls Barney "Cousin Barney". The show also starred child actor, Ron Howard (then known as Ronny Howard), who played Taylor's only child, Opie.

It was an immediate hit. Although Griffith never received a writing credit for the show, he worked on the development of every script. While Knotts was frequently lauded and won multiple Emmy Awards for his comedic performances, Griffith was never nominated for an Emmy Award during the show's run.

In 1967, Griffith was under contract with CBS to do one more season of the show. However, he decided to quit the show to pursue a movie career and other projects. The series continued as Mayberry R.F.D., with Ken Berry starring as widower farmer and many of the regular characters recurring, some regularly and some as guest appearances. Griffith served as executive producer and guest starred in five episodes.[6] He made one final appearance as Andy Taylor in the 1986 reunion TV movie Return to Mayberry.

After leaving his still-popular show in 1968, Griffith starred in less-successful television series such as The Headmaster (1970), The New Andy Griffith Show (1971), Salvage 1 (1979), and The Yeagers (1980).

After spending time in rehabilitation for leg paralysis because of Guillain-Barré syndrome in 1986, Griffith returned to television as the title character Ben Matlock, in the legal drama Matlock. Matlock was a country lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia, who was known for his Southern drawl and always winning his cases, which also starred unfamiliar actors (who were both childhood heroes of Andy Griffith's), Nancy Stafford as Michelle Thomas and Clarence Gilyard as Conrad McMasters. By the end of its first season it was a ratings powerhouse on Tuesday nights. Although the show was nominated for four Emmy Awards, Griffith once again was never nominated.

During the series' sixth season, he served as writer, executive producer, and director of the show.

Griffith has also made other character appearances through the years on Playhouse 90, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., The Mod Squad, Hawaii Five-O, The Doris Day Show, Here's Lucy, The Bionic Woman, Fantasy Island, among many others. He also reprised his role as Ben Matlock on Diagnosis: Murder in 1997, and his most recent guest-starring role was in 2001 in an episode of Dawson's Creek.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• andy
• griffith
• speaks
• show
• hollywood
• actor
• hal
• j.
• smith
• personal
• phone
• interview
• by
• john
• daniel
• johnswacky
• world
• more
• than
• otis
• no
• bull
• book
• cbs
• television
• 1960's
• don
• knotts
• comedy
• campbell
• town
• drunk
• massena
• new
• york

[Dreamline45056]

johnswackyworld, as an aficianado of this show, let me say, this is awesome! Thanks so much for posting this. I would love to talk with Andy Griffith, but I would probably freeze up. Was contacting Rance Howard very difficult?

[johnswackyworld]

rance howard is quite a nice man. he has connections to my hometown. when interviewed he recalled hal smith and also another person i knew who went to hollywood. great guy. it took time for me to find him. but wonderful guy

[seouldave69]

Is bundangbear Otis reincarnated?

[johnswackyworld]

without a beard and wig he could be otis!

[Fringe111]

That was great, with all the people I met through my dad, I never met him. I loved this show

[johnswackyworld]

thanks fringe. wish this copy of the original tape was better. but my original tape is buried someplace. better than nothing!

[DonRidley]

Man oh man this is great stuff!! Like someone posted before, this should be in a museum or something. Wonderful. Thanks for posting it!!!

[emerald2058]

I just had to say Thank You, I truely enjoyed hearing the questions and answers. This country show honor Andy Griffith during his life time. He is truely a great man. Thank you for sharing. Linda

[johnswackyworld]

i was the one stuttering

[johnswackyworld]

someday..along with all my other interviews of other people. hours and hours

[BearNSO]

This belongs in the Museum of "TV and Television"!

[Paperclown]

Thanks John !