What was Andy Griffith’s net worth and Salary?
Andy Griffith, the American actor and singer, had a net worth of $25 million at the time of his death. He passed away in July 2012 at the age of 86.
Griffith is most famous for his roles in two iconic television shows, “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Matlock.” His net worth, adjusted for inflation, is now worth around $66 million in today’s dollars.
Early Life and Education
Andy Samuel Griffith was born on June 1, 1926 in Mount Airy, North Carolina to Carl Lee Griffith and Geneva Griffith. As a child, Griffith lived with relatives until his parents could afford to buy a house. Despite his humble beginnings, Griffith developed a deep appreciation for music that would carry on throughout his life.
Griffith attended Mount Airy High School where he participated in the drama program and earned a role in “The Lost Colony”, a play about Roanoke Island. He went on to study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a pre-divinity student and involved himself in drama and musical theater. Griffith graduated in 1949 with a degree in music.
After teaching high school music for three years, Griffith decided to pursue a career in entertainment.
Early Career and Tony Award Nomination
After making a name for himself recording, Griffith starred in Ira Levin’s one-hour teleplay, “No Time for Sergeants”, a role which was expanded in Ira Levin’s full-length theatrical version on Broadway. This particular role earned Griffith a 1956 Tony Award nomination for “Distinguished Supporting or Featured Dramatic Actor” — which he ended up losing to Ed Begley.
Recognition for Acting Work
Griffith gained further recognition for his role in the 1957 critically acclaimed “A Face in the Crowd”, and, later, his work on the situation comedy “The Andy Griffith Show”, in which he starred as Sheriff Andy Taylor alongside a young Ron Howard. For a lion’s share of the ’70s, Griffith would be cast in roles for TV films which included “Go Ask Alice”, “The Strangers in 7A”, “Winter Kill”, and what would be his very first role as a villain in “Pray for the Wildcats”.
Production Company and Later Work
Griffith famously left “The Andy Griffith Show” in 1968 while the show itself was still wildly popular. At this time Griffith started his own production company, which he called Andy Griffith Enterprises, in 1972. However, Griffith’s initial alternative TV offerings were considerably less-successful shows like “Headmaster”, “The New Andy Griffith Show”, and “The Yeagers”, among others. Griffith would also go on to co-star with famous names like Jeff Bridges in the feature-length comedy “Hearts of the West”, and also appeared alongside Tom Berenger in “Western comedy spoof Rustlers’ Rhapsody”.
Return to Television and Last Leading Role
After an unexpected condition that resulted in temporary leg paralysis, Griffith made a triumphant return to the small screen in “Matlock”, as the titular character, Ben Matlock. Matlock ran successfully from 1986 to 1995 — on both NBC and ABC. In Matlock, Griffith played a country lawyer who worked in Atlanta, Georgia, a character made popular for his Southern drawl and his flawless case record. By the end of its initial season, Matlock was already a ratings hit airing on the Tuesday night timeslot. Griffith won a People’s Choice Award in 1987 for his enduring work and acting chops on Matlock. Later, Griffith appeared in the feature film “Waitress” alongside Keri Russell. His last appearance in a leading role would be in the romantic comedy “Play the Game”.
Andy Griffith’s Political Affiliations
Andy Griffith declined an opportunity to run against Jesse Helms for the U.S. senate in North Carolina. He was known for favoring Democratic candidates and endorsed North Carolina Governors Mike Easley and Bev Perdue in television commercials. Griffith spoke at their inauguration ceremonies. In 2008, he joined Ron Howard in endorsing Barack Obama’s presidential campaign for Funny Or Die. Griffith also appeared in advertisements about Medicare in 2010.
Andy Griffith’s Personal Life
Andy Griffith married Barbara Bray Edwards in 1949 and they adopted two children; a son named Andy Samuel Griffith Jr. and a daughter named Dixie Nann Griffith. The couple divorced in 1972. Griffith’s second marriage was to Greek actress Solica Cassuto from 1973 to 1981. In 1983, Griffith married Cindi Knight whom he met while filming “Murder in Coweta County”.
Griffith passed away from a heart attack in 2012 at the age of 86. He remained in Manteo, Roanoke Island, North Carolina until his final days and was buried in his family cemetery on Roanoke Island.
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