Hawkman, you just "...made our day..", Boston, and dys got sandwiched in between (Velvetta and coke, of course) with his brief reminder of Arthur Miller.
Thanks to "boat of youse".
Clint Eastwood interests all of us because of his many talents both on and off the screen. Since he call Rowdy "the idiot of the plains." Let's listen to this one, folks. Then we shall await our Raggedy to remind us of what those famous faces resemble.
Rollin', rollin', rollin'.
Rollin', rollin', rollin'.
Rollin', rollin', rollin'.
Rollin', rollin', rollin'.
Rawhide!
Hah! Hah!
Keep rollin', rollin', rollin',
Though the streams are swollen,
Keep them dogies rollin', rawhide.
Through rain and wind and weather,
Hell bent for leather,
Wishin' my gal was by my side.
All the things I'm missin',
Good vittles, love, and kissin',
Are waiting at the end of my ride.
Move 'em out, head 'em up,
Head 'em up, move 'em on.
Move 'em out, head 'em up:
Rawhide.
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in,
Ride 'em in, cut 'em out,
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in:
Rawhide!
Hah! Hah!
Movin', movin', movin',
Though they're disapprovin',
Keep them dogies movin', rawhide.
Don't try to understand 'em,
Just rope an' throw an' brand 'em.
Soon we'll be living high and wide.
My heart's calculatin',
My true love will be waitin':
Waitin' at the end of my ride.
Move 'em out, head 'em up,
Head 'em up, move 'em on.
Move 'em out, head 'em up:
Rawhide.
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in,
Ride 'em in, cut 'em out,
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in:
Rawhide!
(Rollin', rollin', rollin'.)
(Rollin', rollin', rollin'.)
Hah!
(Rollin', rollin', rollin'.)
Hah!
(Rollin', rollin', rollin'.)
Rawhide.
Hah!
Rawhide!
Hey, B.L.T.N. Good to see you with those perfect photo's, gal.
Let's see, PA, we're looking at Omar Khayyam, Walt Whitman, Don Ameche, of course. Then there is Clint out of the closet. Oops, I mean "shadows". And, Leah.
Can you believe, folks, that Don really did his own break dancing in Cocoon?
How about a bit of the Rubaiyat, then.
Look to the rose that blows about us-Lo,
Laughing, she says, into the World I blow
At once the silken Tassel of my Purse
Tear, and its Treasure on the Garden throw."
And a brief poem from Walt...
Oh, you whom I often and silently come
Where you are that I may be with you,
As I walk by your side or sit near, or
Remain in the same room with you,
Little you know the subtle electric fire
That for your sake is playing within m.
Anyway You Want Me
I'll be a strong as a mountain, Or weak as a willow tree, Anyway you want me, That's how I will be. I'll be a tame as a baby, Or wild as the raging sea, Anyway you want me, That's how I will be. In your hand my heart is clay, To take a mold as you may. I'm what you make me, you've only to take me, And in your arms I will stay. I'll be a fool or a wise man, My darling you hold the key, Yes, anyway you want me, That's how I will be, I will be.
edgar, I do suppose that there are people on the planet that will be what you want them to be. I like those lyrics, Texas.
dys, Yes, love would be more than a game if we laid our cards on the table. Thanks for that song, and it deserves a second glance.
I forgot to mention Brooke Shields, so here is one for her.
Artist: Emmanuel Carella
Song: Touching wood
Shaking off my problems on a Sunday afternoon
With a bottle of cervasa I'm watching blue lagoon
Thinking gee that Brooke Shields is such a pretty girl
Where can I find one like that to shake up all my world?
Then suddenly I saw her on a Jerry Springer show
You were fighting with two lovers while I was home alone
Oh, nothing lasts forever lets pretend we do
And Oh, I am not that clever I'm just a fool like you
I am touching wood
Running late for work now my keys have disappeared
Another parking ticket should've stayed in bed asleep
What did I do, in another life to deserve this crap?
They've handed me this modern life now they can have it back
Oh, nothing lasts forever lets pretend we do
And Oh, I am not that clever I'm just a fool like you
I am touching wood
I don't want anyone else to find me
Coz I'm walking right out the door
Coz I deserve a little more
Oh, well nothing lasts forever lets pretend we do
And Oh, I am not that clever I'm just a fool like you
I am touching wood
Oh, nothing lasts forever lets pretend we do
And Oh, I am not that clever I'm just a fool like you
I am touching wood
Oh, nothing lasts forever lets pretend we do
And Oh, I am not that clever I'm just a fool like you
I am touching wood
Hey, Eva. I think dys wrote it.
Which reminds me, folks.
I Write The Songs
Artist: Barry Manilow
I've been alive forever, and I wrote the very first song
I put the words and the melodies together
I am music and I write the songs
CHORUS
I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs
My home lies deep within you
And I've got my own place in your soul
Now, when I look out through your eyes
I'm young again, even though I'm very old
CHORUS
Oh my music makes you dance
And gives you spirit to take a chance
And I wrote some rock 'n' roll so you can move
Music fills your heart
Well, that's a real fine place to start
It's from me it's for you
It's from you, it's for me
It's a worldwide symphony
Incidentally, folks. That song is about MUSIC, not Barry
My word, how did I miss our dj and his cadillac. Smooth running engine, I guess.
Thanks, Canada, for the reminder, and here's one that's pink.
Bruce Springsteen - Pink Cadillac
You may think I'm foolish
For the foolish things I do
You may wonder how come I love you
When you get on my nerves like you do
Well baby you know you bug me
There ain't no secret 'bout that
Well come on over here and hug me
Baby I'll spill the facts
Well honey it ain't your money
'Cause baby I got plenty of that
I love you for your pink Cadillac
Crushed velvet seats
Riding in the back
Oozing down the street
Waving to the girls
Feeling out of sight
Spending all my money
On a Saturday night
Honey I just wonder what you do there in back
Of your pink Cadillac
Pink Cadillac
Well now way back in the Bible
Temptations always come along
There's always somebody tempting
Somebody into doing something they know is wrong
Well they tempt you, man, with silver
And they tempt you, sir, with gold
And they tempt you with the pleasures
That the flesh does surely hold
They say Eve tempted Adam with an apple
But man I ain't going for that
I know it was her pink Cadillac
Crushed velvet seats
Riding in the back
Oozing down the street
Waving to the girls
Feeling out of sight
Spending all my money
On a Saturday night
Honey I just wonder what it feels like in the back
Of your pink Cadillac
Now some folks say it's too big
And uses too much gas
Some folks say it's too old
And that it goes too fast
But my love is bigger than a Honda
It's bigger than a Subaru
Hey man there's only one thing
And one car that will do
Anyway we don't have to drive it
Honey we can park it out in back
And have a party in your pink Cadillac
Manfred Mann
Geronimo's Cadillac
They put Geronimo in jail down South
Where he couldn't look a gift horse in a mouth
Sergeant, Sergeant don't you feel
There's something wrong with your automobile
Warden, Warden, listen to me
Be brave and set Geronimo free
Governor, Governor, 'aint it strange
You never see a car on the Indian range
Oh boys take me back
I wanna ride in Geronimo's Cadillac
Oh boys I wanna see it for real
I wanna ride in Geronimo's automobile
Take me, take me, take me back
I wanna ride in Geronimo's [Cadillac]
Warden, Warden, don't you know
The prisoners 'aint got no place to go
It took ol'Geronimo by storm
They took the badges from his uniform
Jesus told me and I believe it's true
The redmen are in the sunset too
They stole their land and they won't give it back
And they sent Geronimo a Cadillac
Oh boys take me back
I wanna ride in Geronimo's Cadillac
Oh boys I wanna see it for real
I wanna ride in Geronimo's automobile
Take me, take me, take me back
I wanna ride in Geronimo's [Cadillac]
They put Geronimo in jail down South
Where he couldn't look a gift horse in a mouth
Sergeant, Sergeant don't you feel
There's something wrong with your automobile
Warden, Warden, listen to me
Be brave and set Geronimo free
Governor, Governor, 'aint it strange
You never see a car on the Indian range
Oh boys take me back
I wanna ride in Geronimo's Cadillac
Oh boys I wanna see it for real
I wanna ride in Geronimo's automobile
Take me, take me, take me back
I wanna ride in Geronimo's [Cadillac]
odd, edgar, I was just checking out Geronimo. Don't paratroopers yell his name when they jump. Like that song, buddy.
This one pretty well covers all the automobiles, listeners.
Cars - Drive Lyrics
Who's gonna tell you when,
It's too late,
Who's gonna tell you things,
Aren't so great.
You cant go on, thinkin',
Nothings' wrong, but bye,
Who's gonna drive you home,
tonight.?
Who's gonna pick you up,
When You fall?
Who's gonna hang it up,
When you call?
Who's gonna pay attention,
To your dreams?
And who's gonna plug their ears,
When you scream?
You can't go on, thinkin'
Nothings wrong, but bye,
(who's gonna drive you)
(who's gonna drive you)
Who's gonna drive you home, tonight?
(who's gonna drive you home)
(bye baby)
(bye baby)
(bye baby)
(bye baby)
Who's gonna hold you down,
When you shake?
Who's gonna come around,
When you break?
You can't go on, thinkin',
Nothin's wrong, but bye,
(Who's gonna drive you)
(who's gonna drive you)
Who's gonna drive you home, tonight?
(who's gonna drive you home)
Oh, you know you can't go on, thinkin',
Nothin's wrong,
(Who's gonna drive you)
(Who's gonna drive you home)
Who's gonna drive you home, tonight?
(bye baby)
(bye baby)
(bye baby)
One Piece at a Time
Johnny Cash
Well, I left Kentucky back in '49
An' went to Detroit workin' on a 'sembly line
The first year they had me puttin' wheels on cadillacs
Every day I'd watch them beauties roll by
And sometimes I'd hang my head and cry
'Cause I always wanted me one that was long and black.
One day I devised myself a plan
That should be the envy of most any man
I'd sneak it out of there in a lunchbox in my hand
Now gettin' caught meant gettin' fired
But I figured I'd have it all by the time I retired
I'd have me a car worth at least a hundred grand.
CHORUS
I'd get it one piece at a time
And it wouldn't cost me a dime
You'll know it's me when I come through your town
I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is a round.
So the very next day when I punched in
With my big lunchbox and with help from my friends
I left that day with a lunch box full of gears
Now, I never considered myself a thief
GM wouldn't miss just one little piece
Especially if I strung it out over several years.
The first day I got me a fuel pump
And the next day I got me an engine and a trunk
Then I got me a transmission and all of the chrome
The little things I could get in my big lunchbox
Like nuts, an' bolts, and all four shocks
But the big stuff we snuck out in my buddy's mobile home.
Now, up to now my plan went all right
'Til we tried to put it all together one night
And that's when we noticed that something was definitely wrong.
The transmission was a '53
And the motor turned out to be a '73
And when we tried to put in the bolts all the holes were gone.
So we drilled it out so that it would fit
And with a little bit of help with an A-daptor kit
We had that engine runnin' just like a song
Now the headlight' was another sight
We had two on the left and one on the right
But when we pulled out the switch all three of 'em come on.
The back end looked kinda funny too
But we put it together and when we got thru
Well, that's when we noticed that we only had one tail-fin
About that time my wife walked out
And I could see in her eyes that she had her doubts
But she opened the door and said "Honey, take me for a spin."
So we drove up town just to get the tags
And I headed her right on down main drag
I could hear everybody laughin' for blocks around
But up there at the court house they didn't laugh
'Cause to type it up it took the whole staff
And when they got through the title weighed sixty pounds.
CHORUS
I got it one piece at a time
And it didn't cost me a dime
You'll know it's me when I come through your town
I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is around.
(Spoken) Ugh! Yow, RED RYDER
This is the COTTON MOUTH
In the PSYCHO-BILLY CADILLAC Come on
Huh, This is the COTTON MOUTH
And negatory on the cost of this mow-chine there RED RYDER
You might say I went right up to the factory
And picked it up, it's cheaper that way
Ugh!, what model is it?
Well, It's a '49, '50, '51, '52, '53, '54, '55, '56
'57, '58' 59' automobile
It's a '60, '61, '62, '63, '64, '65, '66, '67
'68, '69, '70 automobile.
here's a classic, it's not about cars, but it's about daves
from the mind of dr seuss
Did I ever tell you that Mrs. McCave
Had twenty-three sons, and she named them all Dave?
Well, she did. And that wasn't a smart thing to do.
You see, when she wants one, and calls out "Yoo-Hoo!
Come into the house, Dave!" she doesn't get one.
All twenty-three Daves of hers come on the run!
This makes things quite difficult at the McCaves'
As you can imagine, with so many Daves.
And often she wishes that, when they were born,
She had named one of them Bodkin Van Horn.
And one of them Hoos-Foos. And one of them Snimm.
And one of them Hot-Shot. And one Sunny Jim.
And one of them Shadrack. And one of them Blinkey.
And one of them Stuffy. And one of them Stinkey.
Another one Putt-Putt. Another one Moon Face.
Another one Marvin O'Gravel Balloon Face.
And one of them Ziggy. And one Soggy Muff.
One Buffalo Bill. And one Biffalo Buff.
And one of them Sneepy. And one Weepy Weed.
And one Paris Garters. And one Harris Tweed.
And one of them Sir Michael Carmichael Zutt.
And one of them Oliver Boliver Butt.
And one of them Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate . . . .
But she didn't do it. And now it's too late.
Daves I Know
Bruce: [Spoken] Hi, I'm Bruce McCulloch. I'd like to tell you about the Daves I know.
[Singing: ]
These are the Daves I know, I know
These are the Daves I know
These are the Daves I know, I know
These are the Daves I know
David Hoffman
He works in my dad's store
He's worked here for 12 years
He'll probably work here for more
These are the Daves I know, I know
These are the Daves I know
These are the Daves I know, I know
These are the Daves I know
Dave Gort
I've known since I was six
In grade eight he broke his leg
So we got drunk and sick
These are the Daves I know, I know
These are the Daves I know
These are the Daves I know, I know
These are the Daves I know
Some of them are Davids
[Dave Gort: But most of us are Daves]
They all have their own hands
But they come from different moms
These are the Daves I know, I know
These are the Daves I know
These are the Daves I know, I know
These are the Daves I know
Dave Jadiski
Man, this cat can swing
He weighs almost 50 pounds
And he delivers my paper on time
These are the Daves I know, I know
These are the Daves I know
These are the Daves I know, I know
These are the Daves I know
Dave Capisano
I hardly know him
...
[Bruce stands around, looking vaguely uncomfortable for the rest of the measure]
These are the Daves I know, I know
These are the Daves I know
These are the Daves I know, I know
These are the Daves I know
[Next two measures sung by the Daves Bruce knows: ] We are the Daves he knows, he knows
We are the Daves he knows
We are the Daves he knows, he knows
We are the Daves he knows
Some of us them are Davids
But most of us are Daves
We all have our own hands
But we come from different moms
These are the Daves I know, I know
[Daves: We are the Daves he knows, he knows]
[All: These are the Daves]
Paperback Writer
The Beatles
Paperback writer, paperback writer
Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book
It took me years to write, will you take a look
It's based on a novel by a man named Lear
And I need a job
So I want to be a paperback writer
Paperback writer
It's a dirty story of a dirty man
And his clinging wife doesn't understand
His son is working for the Daily Mail
It's a steady job
But he wants to be a paperback writer
Paperback writer
Paperback writer, paperback writer
It's a thousand pages, give or take a few
I'll be writing more in a week or two
I could make it longer if you like the style
I can change it 'round
And I want to be a paperback writer
Paperback writer
If you really like it you can have the rights
It could make a million for you overnight
If you must return it you can send it here
But I need a break
And I want to be a paperback writer
Paperback writer
Paperback writer, paperback writer
Paperback writer, paperback writer
Paperback writer, paperback writer
Paperback writer, paperback writer
Paperback writer
Andy Griffith
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Birth name Andy Samuel Griffith
Born June 1, 1926 (1926-06-01) (age 81)
Mount Airy, North Carolina, USA
Years active 1953 - Present
Notable roles Sheriff Andy Taylor on
The Andy Griffith Show
Ben Matlock on
Matlock
Andy Samuel Griffith (born June 1, 1926) is a Tony Award-nominated and Emmy Award-nominated American actor, producer, writer, director and Grammy Award-winning southern gospel singer.[1] He gained prominence in the starring role of A Face in the Crowd, before he was better known for his starring roles, playing the title characters in the long-running 1960s sitcom, The Andy Griffith Show, for CBS and in the long-running 1980s and 1990s legal drama, Matlock, on both networks, NBC and later ABC.
Early life
Griffith, an only child, was born in Mount Airy, North Carolina to Carl Lee Griffith, a furniture worker, and Geneva Nann Nunn, a guitarist. At a very young age, Andy had to live with relatives until his parents could afford to get a home of their own. Without a crib or a bed, Andy slept in a bureau drawer for a few months. In 1929, when Andy was 3, his father took a job working as a carpenter and was finally able to purchase a home. Like his mother, Andy grew up listening to music. By the time he entered school he was well aware that he was from what many considered the 'wrong side of the tracks.' He was a shy student, but once he would found a way to make his peers laugh, he began to come into his own. As a student at Mount Airy High School, Andy cultivated an interest in the arts and he participated in the school's drama program. A growing love of music would change his life. At age 15, after watching the 1941 movie, Birth of the Blues, he decided to become a singer. Although neither he nor anyone else in his hometown knew how to play it, the first musical instrument he purchased was a used trombone. Griffith looked up Ed Mickey, a minister at Grace Moravian Church, who led the brass band and taught Andy to sing and play the trombone. Mickey nurtured Griffith's talent throughout high school until graduation in 1944. Griffith was delighted when he was offered a role in The Lost Colony, a play still performed today in the historic Outer Banks of coastal North Carolina, a part of the state he grew to love. He performed as a cast member of the play for several years, playing a variety of roles, until he finally landed the role of Sir Walter Raleigh, the namesake of North Carolina's capital.
He began college studying to be a Moravian preacher, but changed his major to music. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned a bachelor's degree in music in 1949. While at UNC, he was president of the UNC Men's Glee Club and was a member of the Alpha Rho Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, America's oldest fraternity for men in music. After graduation, he taught English at Goldsboro High School, Goldsboro, NC for a few years.
Comedian to film star
Richard Linke signed Griffith to Capitol Records, who started out in show business as something of a stand-up comedian, although a better description might be monologist. His first success was a 1953 live recording of "What It Was, Was Football," a story about a country boy at his first football game delighting in the "big orange drinks" and the boys running up and down the "cow pasture" in "the awfulest fight I have ever seen in my life" and "these purty girls a-wearin' these little-bitty short dresses and a-dancin' around." It sold more an 900,000 copies, and Griffith would commute to New York City. Later that year, he recorded "Number One Street", telling the story of a rural family travelling to Florida on U.S. Route 1.
By 1954, he was on Broadway, starring in No Time for Sergeants, a play about a country boy in the Air Force. Griffith reprised his lead role in the play for the movie version in 1958; the film also featured Don Knotts as a military psychiatrist, marking the beginning of a life-long association between Griffith and Knotts. No Time for Sergeants is also considered the direct inspiration for Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.. Also in 1958, Griffith portrayed a United States Coast Guard sailor in the movie Onionhead.
Dramatic pinnacle
In 1957, Griffith starred in A Face in the Crowd. Again, he played a "country boy", but this "country boy" was manipulative and power-hungry; a drifter who became a television host and used his show as a gateway to political power. Co-starring Patricia Neal, Walter Matthau, Tony Franciosa and Lee Remick (in her film debut), this now-classic film showcased Griffith's powerful talents as a dramatic actor and singer.
It also showed early on the power of television upon the masses. Directed by Elia Kazan, written by Budd Schulberg, ostensibly based on the alleged onstage phoniness of Will Rogers and Arthur Godfrey, the prescient film was seldom run on television until the 1990s. A 2005 DVD reissue came complete with a mini-documentary on the film with comments from Schulberg and surviving cast members, Griffith, Franciosa and Neal.
Southern character actor
Griffith first appeared as a character performer on two episodes of The United States Steel Hour'. He made other character appearances on Playhouse 90, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Mayberry R.F.D., 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 final guest-starring role was on an episode of Dawson's Creek.
TV roles
The Andy Griffith Show
Before The Andy Griffith Show, Griffith appeared as a country sheriff (who was also justice-of-the-peace and editor of the local newspaper) in an episode of The Danny Thomas Show. This episode, in which Thomas's character is stopped for speeding in the little town of Mayberry, served as a backdoor pilot for Griffith's own show. Both shows were produced by Sheldon Leonard. Griffith starred in his own series called, The Andy Griffith Show, beginning in 1960, for CBS, alongside other successful 1960s family sitcoms that dealt with widowhood, such as: My Three Sons, Family Affair, Beulah, The Beverly Hillbillies, Julia, The Courtship of Eddie's Father and The Brady Bunch. The show took place in Mayberry where Griffith's character Andy Taylor, a widower, was the Sheriff and town sage. It was an immediate hit. Though Griffith never received a writing credit for the show, he worked on the development of every script. Though co-star Knotts was frequently lauded, Griffith was never nominated for an Emmy during the show's run. In 1967, Griffith was under contract with CBS to do one more season of the show, but Griffith decided to quit the show to pursue a movie career and other projects.
Co-starring on the show was a familiar character actor, comedian and longtime friend of Griffith's from Morgantown, Don Knotts, who played the role of Taylor's cousin and partner, Deputy Barney Fife from 1960 to 1965. And also starring on The Andy Griffith Show was Ron Howard as Taylor's only son, [[Opie TaylorHoward said of the successful show, "Mayberry was less about a family or sorta moral values, and it was simply a community where people care about one another." He also said that he appreciated his well-being and respect on The Andy Griffith Show, "I was always grateful for the experience and the atmosphere that was created, because it was the best of all possible environments, particularly for a kid growing up." Ron also said about his mentor/colleague of more than 45 years: "We're rehearsing and I was suppose to say,'Pa, Pa something'; I coudn't make the line work. I said, 'Can I say something? I don't think a kid would say it this way." Andy asked me, 'so how would a kid say it?' I told him it, and he said, 'Fine, do it that way.' And I remember, kind of freezing there, and Andy said, 'What's the matter, Ronny?,' and I said, 'That's the first suggestion that anybody accepted.' He responded,'That's the first one that was any good.'" When asked after his co-star had been under contract with the network for the final season, he said, "I had no interested in that show ever ending at that stage in my life, but, I think he was looking for a change." Prior to the show's cancelation in 1968, Howard also said, "It would give a chance to absolutely go highly on top, and do something different and I respect that. Although it hit me hard when it finally ended." On one of Griffith's first unpopular TV series, The Headmaster, Howard said, "I think they were 249 Andy Griffith episodes. Well, that's a lot of seeing Andy as one character." Howard still keeps in touch with Griffith.
Other series and Matlock
After leaving his still-popular show in 1968, Griffith starred in less successful series such as The Headmaster (1970), The New Andy Griffith Show (1971), Salvage 1 (1979), and The Yeagers (1980).
After spending time in rehabilitation in 1986, Griffith came back to work in another popular TV series as the title character Ben Matlock, in Matlock. Griffith's character was a country lawyer in Atlanta, who was known for his southern drawl and always won his cases. By the end of its first season it was a ratings powerhouse on Tuesday nights. Though the show was nominated for 4 Emmys, Griffith once again was not even nominated. During the series' sixth season, he served as Writer, Executive Producer, and Director of the show. The second most-enduring Griffith show ended in 1995, and Griffith enjoyed playing a down-to-earth lawyer that everybody can depend on. Distributed by Viacom it has seen long-running success in syndication.
Also starring on Matlock, was Miss Florida winner of the Miss Universe Pageant of 1976 and future best-selling author of Christian books, Nancy Stafford, a Fort Lauderdale native who played the role of Matlock's law partner, aide and friend Michelle Thomas (beginning in 1987 to her last appearance in 1992). There was had an unquestionable on- and off-screen chemistry between Griffith & Stafford. Well-known character actor Kene Holliday played Matlock's first private investigator, Tyler Hudson. He left the show in 1989 amid tensions with the star. He was replaced by Clarence Gilyard, another veteran character actor, film star, cowboy, and Griffith's longtime fan, playing the role of Conrad McMasters from 1989 to 1993). Unlike the relationship of Griffith & Holliday, the chemistry and on- and off-screen friendship was an asset to the program. Griffith became Gilyard's acting coach and mentor. Upon Gilyard's arrival in New York City to work with the seasoned actor, he said of his idol, "I was doing a lot of stress management that day. I decided to forget about the audition script and focus on Andy the man. Having grown up with The Andy Griffith Show, adoring the father/son relationship, I just figured to be Opie (Ron Howard) for a day. Well, I blew it. I was disappointed with myself, thinking I would never work again. But I turned on the TV, in the limousine taking me back to the airport that night, and my second episode of Diff'rent Strokes happened to be on. I felt it was a good omen." In addition, Clarence also said, "There is a God in Heaven, because the character fits me like a glove. McMasters is a serious private eye with his finger on the pulse of Atlanta, though he's fun to be around and has time for girlfriends. Lots of them. I see him as a former college football player and rodeo cowboy who stumbled on a job as a deputy sheriff in North Carolina (Griffith's hometown), then worked his way up to bigger and better things." Gilyard left the show in 1993, after the show switched networks from NBC to ABC. At the same time, he was offered a co-starring role prior to shooting the pilot for Walker, Texas Ranger on CBS, where he stayed on the show for 9 consecutive seasons. Today, Gilyard is still friends with Griffith, along with Stafford.
And also joining the cast of Matlock for the series' seventh season in 1992, was longtime film and character actor, Universal series fan, future Nash Bridges star, writer and producer Daniel Roebuck, as Matlock's assistant Cliff Lewis. His appearances proved to be so popular that he was given a starring role in 1993, and stayed with the series until the very end. On the program's star, he commented: "Andy took a great deal of interest in producing, rewriting, always tweaking it. As I said on Matlock, we worked very hard and nobody worked very harder than Andy Griffith, who'd be pulling a 12 hour day, you know, when he was in his late 60s, and I don't know a lot of people my age who would do that consistently everyday. I love the time that we had together on the set; and we had a wonderful, professional relationship. The time that I spent with Andy as an actor was some of the best times I had." The final thing that Roebuck said of Griffith's career (as a singer): "He loved music so much, it was something else that Andy brought to the show, wasn't just the humor, it was the music. Anybody who watches Matlockconsistently will remember that there's music throughout the show."
Movies
He also starred in many television films such as The Strangers In 7A (1972), Winter Kill (1974) and Pray for the Wildcats (1974). In 1981 Griffith won an Emmy nomination for his role in the TV film Murder In Texas and in 1983 won further acclaim for his role as a homicidal villain in the TV film Murder In Coweta County, co-starring music legend Johnny Cash as the hero. During this period, Griffith also appeared in two big screen movies, both of which were flops at the box office. He co-starred with Jeff Bridges in the 1975 comedy Hearts of the West, and appeared alongside Tom Berenger as the villainous Colonel Ticonderoga in the 1985 movie Rustler's Rhapsody. He also had an appearance as the villain in the 1996 movie Spy Hard. Savages (1974), a made for TV movie based on the novel Deathwatch by Robb White, is an excellent though neglected thriller[citation needed] with many surprises and a literate, well-reasoned script. Griffith plays the villain. In the 1999 film A Holiday Romance, directed by Bobby Roth, Andy played the role of "Jake Peterson." A Holiday Romance is available on DVD. In 1961 he made "Second Time Around" with Debbie Reynolds.
In the 2007 movie Waitress, Griffith plays a character named "Old Joe". He briefly promoted the role when he appeared on Larry King Live in 2006, on an episode paying tribute to Don Knotts.
Griffith, revered for his wholesome image for decades, revealed a more complex side of himself in the A Face in the Crowd DVD documentary, where he recalled director Kazan prepping him to shoot his first scene with Lee Remick. Remick played a teenage baton twirler who captivates Griffith's character on a trip to Arkansas. Griffith recalls that Kazan wanted a specific facial expression from him to convey the character's emotional state, which Kazan summed up in the phrase, "Look at her like you want to f--- her!"
Singing and recording career
Griffith sang as part of some of his acting roles, most notably in A Face In The Crowd and on some episodes of The Andy Griffith Show. Within recent years, he has recorded successful albums of classic Christian hymns, for Sparrow Records. In 1999 Andy was inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame with fellow artists, Lulu Roman, Barbara Mandrell, David L Cook, Gary S. Paxton, Jimmy Snow, Loretta Lynn and Jodi Miller. [2]
Griffith was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush on 9 November 2005.
The C.F. Martin Guitar company offers an Andy Griffith signature model.
Trademarks
Griffith's trademarks are driving 2 separate Ford automobiles: (Galaxie on The Andy Griffith Show, and Crown Victoria on Matlock), his southern drawl, and for wearing his gray suit (on Matlock).
Name dispute
William Harold Fenrick of Platteville, Wisconsin legally changed his name to Andrew Jackson Griffith and ran for sheriff of Grant County in November, 2006 (he lost). Subsequently, actor Griffith filed a lawsuit against Griffith/Fenrick, asserting that he violated trademark, copyright and privacy laws by changing his name for the "sole purpose of taking advantage of Griffith's notoriety in an attempt to gain votes." However, on May 4, 2007, U.S. District Judge John Shabaz ruled Griffith/Fenrick did not violate federal trademark law because he did not use the Griffith name in a commercial transaction, but instead "to seek elective office, fundamental First Amendment protected speech."
Friendship with other actors
Griffith's relationship with comedian Don Knotts began in 1955, when they both co-starred together in the Broadway play and film, No Time for Sergeants, and its 1958 sequel. A couple of years later, Knotts would co-star with Griffith on The Andy Griffith Show, for five years, playing Griffith's cousin on the series. After leaving the show, Knotts and Griffith kept in touch with one another until Knotts' death in early 2006. Knotts also had a recurring role on Matlock. It is reported that Griffith traveled from his Manteo, North Carolina home to Los Angeles to visit a terminally ill Don Knotts in the hospital as Knotts succumbed to complications of lung cancer.
Griffith's longtime friendship with Ron Howard began in 1960, when the child actor guest-starred alongside him on an episode of Make Room For Daddy which led to the success of Griffith's The Andy Griffith Show, that same year. For 8 seasons, Griffith & Howard shared a unique father-son relationship on the set. When the show ended, Howard had also guest-starred alongside Griffith on its spin-off show, Mayberry R.F.D., where his character's father marries long-time girlfriend Helen Crump.
Personal life
Griffith was married to Barbara Bray Edwards for 23 years (1949-1972), with whom he adopted two children, Andy (now deceased) and Dixie. After his divorce from Edwards, he married Solica Cassuto (1973 - 1981). Griffith married his current wife, Cindi Knight, on April 2, 1983.
Griffith has three adopted children. A son, Andrew Samuel Griffith, Jr. (aka "Sam Griffith"), a real-estate developer (b. 1957 - d. January 17, 1996), and two daughters: Dixie and Nan.
Health
Griffith's first health problem started in April 1983, when he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, and couldn't walk for 7 months. Throughout his battle, he spent his time in a rehabilitation center, fighting for his life, to stop being paralyzed from the knees down.
On May 9, 2000, just one month before his 74th birthday, Griffith underwent quadruple heart bypass surgery at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia.
After a fall, Griffith underwent hip surgery on September 5, 2006, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.
Griffith in popular culture
In Episode 2x01 and 2x02 of the TV-sitcom Married... with Children, the fictional town of Dumpwater has only one celebrity, a man who met Andy Griffith.
To this day, Mount Airy, North Carolina, Griffith's home town, annually celebrates The Andy Griffith Show. In the town, Floyd's Barber Shop is still open and visitors can eat a meal in the Snappy Lunch Diner, a place Griffith often visited growing up and even mentioned once on The Andy Griffith Show.
Griffith may have been an inspiration for the Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Huckleberry Hound, introduced in 1958, although voice actor Daws Butler had employed the same generic "Southern drawl" for other cartoon characters starting in the 1940s. Griffith was spoofed in a surreal sketch on the Canadian comedy series SCTV. The sketch conflated his Andy Taylor character with the persona of TV talk show host Merv Griffin. In SCTV's version of Mayberry, the sheriff (Rick Moranis) and Floyd the barber (Eugene Levy impersonating Howard McNear's character from the show) both exclaimed, "Ooh!" in unison.
