Andy Griffith

"'If you think and feel what you're supposed to think and feel, hard enough, it'll come out through your eyes-and the camera will see it'" (Griffith). These are some influential words of the famous actor and entertainer, Andy Griffith. Andy Griffith, born June 1, 1926, in Mount Airy, North Carolina, grew up in a home where he was greatly influenced by music. He first wanted to be an opera singer, but after attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1944, he fell in love with acting and singing. He graduated with a degree in music in 1949. He started small, as he and his first wife, Barbara Edwards, performed locally in Goldsboro, North Carolina. He began to work as an entertainer, and made his first hit with a monologue called, "What it Was, Was Football." It was comedic recording played on local radios that explained what a country preacher would think of football the first time he experienced it. The station caught the attention of Richard O. Linke, the president of Capitol Records who signed Griffith to the record company and managed him throughout his entire career. Many television and stage roles followed Griffith, each getting bigger and better than the last. By 1960, Andy guest-starred in The Danny Thomas Show, and played the sheriff, Andy Taylor, of the small town Mayberry. They later developed a sitcom around the character, giving Andy his first show that made him go down in history. He took 50 percent ownership of the show, so he had a large input into the scripts that influenced many lives. Each episode of The Andy Griffith Show contained an important moral or lesson that made it unique, which was what many people enjoyed about it. He left the show at the height of its popularity, starring in several other movies and then taking one of the characters he played in them and making it into another top-rated TV show, Matlock, where he played a defense lawyer in a courtroom drama. After that, he was featured in several other films in addition to being a gospel singer, and then he was added in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2000 he had a heart attack, and in 2012 at 86 years old, Griffith passed away in Roanoke Island in his home (Griffith). Griffith lived a full life, filled with determination to become a great actor. Andy Griffith is a hero because he possessed character traits such as determination and having high morals, all of which affected his tremendous acting expertise. He was determined throughout his whole life to become the best possible actor he could be, and he did. People not only loved him for being a great actor, but for being an inspirational actor. He was an inspiration to many lives because he displayed high morals that people looked up to, and people loved him for being himself. He was also adored for being just an all around good person. Andy Griffith has left his mark on many hearts as a hero because of his determination, incredible acting skills, and having high morals and standards.

Andy Griffith portrayed immense determination throughout his life. Griffith showed his determination even from the very beginning: "Born on June 1, 1926, in Mount Airy, North Carolina, Andy Griffith's first career ambition was to be an opera singer. Later, he decided he wanted to become a Moravian preacher, and enrolled as a pre-divinity student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1944. While in college, he became involved in drama and musical theater, and graduated in 1949 with a degree in music"(Griffith). Griffith was very determined during his life to follow his dreams, and it all started when he way just a little boy. Griffith never gave up, and was determined to keep his dream alive. Eventually, he started his first big hit, a monologue called "What it Was, Was Football." The comedic station uplifted the hearts of many homes and families, putting smiles on many faces. His determination never failed him, as he always wanted to become a comedian and entertainer. Griffith also showed his incredible determination when he was old, when The Biography Channel Website explained how "In 1983, Griffith was suddenly stricken with Guillen-Barre syndrome, a crippling muscular disease that left him partially paralyzed for three months. After six months of private rehabilitation, he made a full recovery and was able to return to acting. He made a triumphant return to TV stardom in 1986, as the title character in the courtroom drama series Matlock, which aired during prime time on NBC from 1986 to 1992 and on ABC from 1993 to 1995. He also served as an executive producer and an executive story supervisor for the show, and later reprised his role as Ben Matlock -- a crafty, good-natured lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia, in a series of popular TV movies" (Griffith). Griffith was very ill, and even though he was old and the road to recovery was long and difficult, his determination to recover lasted throughout it. If he hadn't pushed through, he never would have made his mark on America with yet again another hit TV show. Matlock was very different from his first top rated show, The Andy Griffith Show. But Andy, being such an incredible actor and as determined as he was, was able to play a dramatically different character very well. Throughout his trials and his entire life, Andy Griffith never stopped being determined in following his dreams and achieving his goals.

Secondly, Andy Griffith was famous for being an incredible actor and entertainer that changed Americans lives. He worked hard throughout his lifetime to become one of the world's most beloved actors, but he had to start small and work his way to the top. The Biography Channel Website explains his success "In 1972, Griffith formed a production company, Andy Griffith Enterprises. His company's projects included a TV movie, Winter Kills (1974), in which Griffith also starred. In 1981, Griffith received an Emmy nomination for his supporting role in another TV movie, Murder in Texas" (Griffith). Griffith had to work hard to receive an Emmy nomination, and he didn't get it for any reason. He was featured in countless numbers of shows and movies, and starred in many as well. He played each character like he himself was the character, and embodied himself into becoming them. That is what made him a fantastic actor that many people grew to love. Griffith not only won an Emmy nomination, but two Tony Awards as well. Andy Griffith played a starring role in "No Time for Sergeants. When the play was produced on Broadway in 1955, it became a hit, and Griffith was nominated for a Tony Award for outstanding supporting actor. In 1960, Griffith earned another Tony nomination, this time for best actor in a musical, for Destry Rides Again" (Griffith). Griffith won his Tony Awards at the early stages in his career. Tony Awards are given out to those who are outstanding actors and actresses. Griffith worked hard and was dedicated to accomplishing his dreams, and with his hard work and dedication he was nominated for two Tony Awards in No Time for Sergeants and Destry Rides Again. He was such an incredible actor starting from such an early age, and the Tony Awards prove just that. But Andy is best retained through his number one show, The Andy Griffith Show. During the NBC Nightly News, Taibbi, a host, states how "it's as Andy of Mayberry that he is best remembered, a character so admirable and enduring, it won him the Presidential Medal of Freedom"(Newscast). He played a character that people just simply looked up to and admired. While playing the character Sheriff Andy Taylor, acting came easy to him because he was just naturally good-natured, like the character. People loved him for just being himself, and having someone so simple and loveable to look up to made a difference in many people's lives, and will continue to through the workings of the enjoyable show. From being himself and playing a character so effortlessly, he won the Presidential Medal of Freedom, something that an amazing actor like himself earned. He worked hard to obtain the awards, but it wasn't work to him, as every day he was living his dream that he had since he was just a young boy.

Lastly, Andy Griffith was not only a great actor and dedicated to his dream, but had high morals throughout his journey. Griffith presented himself as a character people considered a hero, and as Fann said in an interview, "What impressed Fann first about the series? 'The friendships between the characters and the compassion Andy has for everyone,' Fann said. 'There are a lot of values in that, even 50 years later'"(Campbell). Griffith lives on through his hit TV show, the first major break in his lifetime. He played such a heart-warming character that many came to love so well, and exhibited so many morals that we could all be reminded of every now and then. Andy didn't love everyone because he had to to play the character, but he did because he genuinely cared about everyone. He loved people for who they were, and didn't expect anyone to change. Griffith helped remind the world of morals to live by through the works of The Andy Griffith Show, as Fann stated in an interview, "'Andy Griffith insisted that each show have a moral,' Fann said. 'And religion is portrayed the way it fits into the life of people of faith: just as part of everyday affairs and conversation'"(Campbell). He took part in writing each of the scripts, and urged them to make sure each one of the 249 episodes presented families and friends with a purpose and message to go about their days with in their hearts. Religion also was represented in the show, and many people liked that as well because it showed who Andy Griffith really was. Who was he? He was just an all around good person that has influenced our lives forever. One of the best and most honorable things about Griffith was how he treated and saw people. Ron Howard, who played Griffith's son in The Andy Griffith Show, said "'He loved people. He loved their foibles, their quirks, and he celebrated that on the show, and he appreciated it about people in life'"(Newsmakers). Most people aren't as humble and loving as Andy. People now see others as needing to better themselves and change who they are to meet the standards of the world. Griffith loved everyone for who they were, and expressed that through the show. Griffith never stopped doing what he thought was right, and was able to tie that into doing what he loved.

Andy Griffith has left his imprint on many people's hearts as a hero because of his determination, incredible acting abilities, and having high standards and morals that influenced many lives. He was consistently determined in everything he did, and he did his best in all of his acting jobs. He never failed to be himself though, as his high morals stayed with him and made him into an iconic figure. Griffith didn't let Hollywood or any of his work change who he was, which is something that people look up to, and what makes Griffith a true hero. He taught America the simple, beautiful morals and life lessons through the work of a television, which not many other actors and actresses can say the same of themselves. He left his impression on many families and hearts, including mine. Generations grew up watching him, uniting families and friends together, and learning the lessons he had to offer them. Now generations will grow up reliving his best moments through the television. His lessons and legacy will live on through his treasured and cherished show, The Andy Griffith Show, and that, is why Andy Griffith is a hero.