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RIP Andy Griffith (1926-2012)

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D

Dishwalla

Banned
bort said:
RIP

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http://www.hark.com/clips/pwmyhftrrt-maaaaaaaaaalock
 
A

adamsappel

Member
It's odd to me that people have their fond memories of him from Matlock and not the Andy Griffith Show. He's done a couple of heel turns and it's really neat to see him play a villain, but he'll always be Sheriff Andy Taylor. RIP.
 
Rhomega Beta

Rhomega Beta

Member
I've watched The Andy Griffith Show since I was a child. However, I've never seen an episode of Matlock. I didn't even know he was in it. RIP, I'm sure my mom's crying.
 
M

Mermandala

Member
On a lighter note -- since Andy was all about the laughing -- now I have a "terrible" radio jockey rap from the late 80s on deep brain repeat.
Rick Rumble - The Mayberry Rap "Andy, Andy! dinners on the table come home!"

Which is making me remember every damn word from a truly "terrible" white rap from the same time period... Aykroyd and Hanks - City of Crime from Dragnet.
"We just like to dance in our GOAT SKIN PANTS around this ancient ruin."
 
M

mattiewheels

And then the LORD David Bowie saith to his Son, Jonny Depp: 'Go, and spread my image amongst the cosmos. For every living thing is in anguish and only the LIGHT shall give them reprieve.'
Like others have said, everyone should watch A Face In The Crowd, it's one of my favorite movies, and it shows Andy Griffith's amazing ability and presence. He's intimidating in this, it is NOT like anything he's known for, a very dark comedy, I guess.
 
L

LegendofJoe

Member
I grew up in a small town in North Carolina like Mayberry and just about everyone I knew loved the show. My Dad did some philanthropic work with him a few times and had nothing but great things to say about him. He really and truly loved North Carolina, and everyone else who loves the state loved him for it. Heck my Mom still watches the show enough to name her two dogs after Andy and Barney. Andy is a massive 150 pound long haired Saint Bernard and Barney Fife is a little 20 pound Shih Tzu, lol.
 
I

Ingueferroque

Banned
mattiewheels said:
Like others have said, everyone should watch A Face In The Crowd, it's one of my favorite movies, and it shows Andy Griffith's amazing ability and presence. He's intimidating in this, it is NOT like anything he's known for, a very dark comedy, I guess.
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Will try to catch this, thanks!
 
A

Agent Unknown

Member
Andy_Griffith.jpg


andy_griffith__1229470303_7414_jpeg_300x1000_q85.jpg


This is very sad news. Goodbye, Mr. Griffith, you will be missed. :(

Since I was 13 years old and my mom bought a bunch of the VHS tapes, the Andy Griffith Show has been my favorite series, tied closely with MST3K. And it's the only sitcom I rank equally in lasting quality with Seinfeld. I highly recommend the DVD sets, last I checked they're also available for streaming on Netflix.

6a013485f1243f970c0133f5bd1894970b-800wi


The Andy Griffith Show was NOT lame, stupid, country-bumpkin fare like Green Acres, it was an amazingly well written show and way ahead of its time in characterization and comedic timing. Andy and Opie had a truly warm and genuine father-son dynamic that is still unparalleled to this day. And speaking of Opie, how many sitcoms can boast having a former child actor stay extremely STABLE and become a critically acclaimed director?

Andy and Barney made for not just one of the greatest comedy duos of all time, they're the greatest cop-buddy duo of all time! They would play HILARIOUS pranks on each other but they NEVER betrayed each other. Their dates(and epic fights) with Helen and Thelma Lou, their unfortunate run ins with the trashy "Fun Girls" (leading to even MORE epic fights with Helen and Thelma Lou), their great conversations in the police station (right up there in enjoyability with any dialogue from Monk's Diner between Jerry and George), action packed manhunts where they'd be after some hardened criminal, I could go on, you never knew what was going to happen in any given episode. The show had it all: comedy, action, family moments.

And it could be BITING. Watch the episode "Barney and the Sidecar" where Barney buys an old WWI motorcycle sidecar at an Army Surplus auction and uses it to patrol and harass everybody in town. After driving everyone nuts, at one point Aunt Bea says "You know, I once saw this old war picture where the Nazis would drive around in motorcycles, and these guerillas would string razor wire across the roads and when they came driving by *skkkkkTTt!*(off with their heads-motion)" Andy: "Aunt Bea! We don't want to kill him! Maybe hurt him a little, but not kill him!" LOL

120703023701-andy-griffith-12-horizontal-gallery.jpg


The show could be really serious too. How about Opie the Birdman? Or the suprisingly tense and dark episode "High Noon in Mayberry" where Andy nervously waits for the arrival of an ex convict he shot in the leg years ago who may or may not be out to kill him in revenge.

Then you had great supporting characters like Otis the town drunk, the hilariously insane Ernest T Bass (played by Howard Morris who wrote for and directed many episodes of the show and also did a lot of work with Sid Caesar and Mel Brooks, not to mention a ton of animation VA work), Gomer, Goober (sadly George Lindsey just passed away in May), Floyd the Barber, and so many others.

GREATEST SITCOM EVER. Sure after Barney left in season five it started to tank in quality but overall it's still much better than most sitcoms on TV these days. Time for an avatar change.


mattiewheels said:
Like others have said, everyone should watch A Face In The Crowd, it's one of my favorite movies, and it shows Andy Griffith's amazing ability and presence. He's intimidating in this, it is NOT like anything he's known for, a very dark comedy, I guess.
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This.
 
N

Nokagi

Unconfirmed Member
Ah sad to hear this. I remember always grabbing some cheese and crackers to eat while watching Matlock as a kid, loved that damn show.
 
A

Agent Unknown

Member
LegendofJoe said:
If GAF had a like button I'd be spamming it right now.
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Thanks! :)

Also regarding A Face in the Crowd, an interesting piece of trivia is that Lonesome Rhodes was loosely based on the dual personality of formerly beloved American radio icon Arthur Godfrey who projected a "folksy/friendly" on air persona but was a raging jerk in real life. An interesting post from an IMDB user sums it up nicely, very enlightening:

A timeless story,as evidenced by all the allegories to recent personalities here ( Howard Stern, Clinton, etc...)...HOWEVER..the film is based (loosely) on a personality of the mid-50s: one Arthur Godfrey..yes, the IL' Redhead himself. Skillfully wrapped in the cliché of 'country boy makes good' story, the Godfrey story was hot news in 1957,and there weren't too many people back then who missed its allusions For those who do not know: Arthur Godfrey was one of THE hottest things in the country in the early to mid 1950's: he literally had about two or three different TV shows on the schedule, plus a radio show that was among the most popular in the day. Godfrey was JUST like this movie in this respect: on the air, he was America's home-spun hero..telling folksy stories....crooning in an off tone baritone, and presenting pure, CLEAN entertainment. OFF the air,however the legend that is Arthur Godfrey to this day is one of THE biggest control freaks in show biz history..to the point of controlling the lives of all of his 'family'..unfortunately that turned out to be downfall...One Julius LaRosa had been a singer that Godfrey had 'discovered' in the US Navy Band...after he was discharged LaRosa became a singer on Godfrey's nighttime TV show "Arthur Godfrey and Friends",where he became an instant star among the bobby sox set. In time, LaRosa started a recording career,and started to have VERY successful records..then suddenly, in 1953, Godfrey suddenly fired LaRosa from his show for the mysterious reason of him having 'no humilty' ...it has been assumed since then that Godfrey was extremely jealous of Larosa's success...Anyways, this exposed the 'real' Godfrey to the public.,and while it didn't happen as quickly or as totally as Lonesome Rhodes' career,Godfrey's career as a superstar was effectively over after that..he eventually was reduced to hosting game shows and such. Writer Schulberg obviously also puts in his 2 cents on fame...politics..the show business...and early television here, but as I said,there wasn't NO ONE in those days who didn't know it was about Godfrey....
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D

DGRE

Banned
I got chills during the end of A Face In The Crowd on my first viewing. I never would've dreamed such a dark movie would've been made so long ago, nor that Andy Griffith would play such an amazingly complex character. It's required viewing for anyone that claims to like movies.

Also, the poster/dvd art is amazing:
2569707_com_afaceinthe.jpg
 
L

lazybones18

Banned
July 18 Primetime Schedule on Turner Classic Movies

8 p.m. - A Face in the Crowd (1957) - with Patricia Neal, Anthony Franciosa, Walter Matthau and Lee Remick. Directed by Elia Kazan.

10:15 p.m. - No Time for Sergeants (1958) - with Myron McCormick, Nick Adams, Murray Hamilton and Don Knotts. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy.

12:30 a.m. - Hearts of the West (1975) - with Jeff Bridges, Donald Pleasance, Blythe Danner, Alan Arkin, Richard B. Shull, Herb Edelman, Alex Rocco and Marie Windsor. Directed by Howard Zieff.

2:15 a.m. - Onionhead (1958) - with Felicia Farr, Walter Matthau, Erin O'Brien, Joe Mantell, Ray Danton, James Gregory and Joey Bishop. Directed by Norman Taurog.
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http://www.tcm.com/this-month/movie...members-Actor-Andy-Griffith-Wednesday-July-18
 
L

Loxley

Member
Definitely a great American TV icon. He always reminded me of my grandpa (they bare a striking resemblance to each other).

RIP :(
 
M

mattiewheels

And then the LORD David Bowie saith to his Son, Jonny Depp: 'Go, and spread my image amongst the cosmos. For every living thing is in anguish and only the LIGHT shall give them reprieve.'
DGRE said:
I got chills during the end of A Face In The Crowd on my first viewing. I never would've dreamed such a dark movie would've been made so long ago, nor that Andy Griffith would play such an amazingly complex character. It's required viewing for anyone that claims to like movies.

Also, the poster/dvd art is amazing:
2569707_com_afaceinthe.jpg
Click to expand...
Yeah man! It feels like a precursor to a lot of dark comedies like Network, Dr Strangelove, Bigger Than Life...these extreme, satirical statements. Griffith was AMAZING in this movie, it's shameful that he got so typecast later on, even if he was still doing great work.

Scratch that, Bigger Than Life came out a year earlier in '56...wow.
 
T

ThisWreckage

Banned
I know several people that swear up and down that this guy is one of the biggest dicks they've ever met. He ended up trying to sue one of these people because the guy owned a car that loosely resembled the car used in the Andy Griffith show and he had it on display. It went to court and Andy lost.
 
D

DimmuBurgerKing

Member
ThisWreckage said:
I know several people that swear up and down that this guy is one of the biggest dicks they've ever met. He ended up trying to sue one of these people because the guy owned a car that loosely resembled the car used in the Andy Griffith show and he had it on display. It went to court and Andy lost.
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Mr. Griffith was one of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. But I've been a real dick to certain people I've deemed deserving of such treatment. Always remember that there's another side to every story.

On a significantly lighter note, my mom had a cockatiel who was known to burst into whistling the Andy Griffth Show theme. That is, when it wasn't doing its extremely annoying whippoorwill noise ad nauseum. -_-
 
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