This week Johnny Brento’s JuJu celebrates the life of one of North Carolina’s favored sons, the great Andy Griffith. Mr. Griffith was a well known (at least to anyone with access to a TV for the last 59 years) actor, television producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. Born in Mount Airy, North Carolina June 1, 1926, coincidentally, the same day as Marilyn Monroe.
Andy Griffith from his Namesake Role on the Andy Griffith Show
Andy started his entertainment career as a long form monologist. To this day I really find these bits pretty funny. Anyone with a fondness for bluegrass would also note Andy’s music talents both as a singer and guitar player. In fact, it was only after entering college to be a preacher, upon asking a teacher if one could be a preacher and major in music, and being told “No” that he decided to switch his major to music. Music of course went onto be a huge part of his most famous role and it contributed strongly to his monologue skits as well. Being a North Carolina boy myself, they skits are especially funny to me. Below you can check out a few of my favorites on Youtube.
He went on to create The Andy Griffith Show. Talk about prolific. Who was raised in the south and didn’t feel like Mayberry was in some way similar to their town? The shows 8 year run was only the beginning. In fact, it’s still enjoying reruns to this day. Andy portrayed the quintessential single father doing the best he could to raise his son up in the right way. If you ever want to get a concentrated shot of everything that is good and fine about small town life in North Carolina is like, well that’s the Andy Griffith show. The South gets plenty of bad wrap for our prejudices and hangups and rightfully so, but it’s not all clan meetings and burning crosses. The Andy Griffith Show did deal with some serious subject matter but always resolving with the lighter side of thing. It’s focus was clearly on the positive aspects of simple country life.
Andy with his TV Son, Opie Cunningham.
It’s well known that Andy lived his life by Christian principles. It’d be hard to argue that he didn’t enjoy a long & blessed life. Rest in peace, Andy. MVP Salutes you!
