Few aspects of television have impacted family culture as much as characters Andy Taylor, Barney Fife, Opie, and their idyllic American town of Mayberry.
I loved the show and still watch the reruns – every time I see an episode I’m struck by what a wonderful actor Andy Griffith was. His portrayal of the small-town sheriff Andy Taylor was really something special.
But it was far from certain that Griffith would become a legendary actor … his early life was marked by uncertainty and poverty.
Andrew Griffith was born on June 1 in Mount Airy, North Carolina. The city, located on the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, would probably be considered by many as an American idyll.
And yet Andy’s start to life was anything but a fairy tale. When he was born, his parents had no home and his family were forced to live with friends. His mom and dad were extremely poor and Andy was forced to stay with relatives until his father could afford to buy a house.
When he was just three, his father got a job as a carpenter and could finally afford to buy a home in Mount Airy’s working district.
Andy himself was fascinated by music early on, and listened a lot to records and radio. But he was also a shy boy, hardly helped when he realized that he was born ”on the wrong side of the tracks”.
As he got older, his classmates realized that Andy was a special person with a unique ability to make his fellow humans laugh. When he himself started to appreciate it, Andy grew in confidence and slowly came out of his shell.
“I was being laughed at. I hated it, so I made an adjustment to control the situation. All comics learn that,” Andy said later on in life.
The turning point
The turning point came when Andy and one of his friends were to sing in a local school program, in third grade. It transpired that his friend backed out at the last minute, so Andy was left alone on stage when the curtains were drawn.
After a split-second of nervousness, Andy started singing “Put on Your Old Gray Bonnet” and the audience went wild. Since that day, Andy knew he was destined to be on stage performing.
In high school, Andy continued to explore his musical and theatrical talents, attending the school’s drama program.
Andy, raised as a Baptist, loved swing, and had a great idol in a local pastor who played in a brass band. The pastor, Ed Mickey, was a supportive person who made sure that Andy was given an outlet for his talents.
In the mid-1950s, Andy got his first breakthrough, as a monologist. He delivered long stories such as his homespun comedy bit “What It Was, Was Football”. The story was told from the point of view of a naive pastor who watched a game of football.When the monologue was released as a single, it climbed the charts and Andy’s path to celebrity status lay open. After a few minor TV roles, he landed a part in the series that would largely characterize Andy’s life: The Andy Griffith Show.
