[Borderstone]

All I can say,first of all,is that it's no small irony
that he should pass away only weeks after George Lindsay
and only 3 days shy of a month after having reached the age of 86.

I started watching "The Andy Griffith Show" in re-runs 35 years ago in 1977. The show (and Mayberry RFD) had been off CBS for quite some time. His "Andy Taylor" is one of many TV fathers a lot of us wish we could have had.

Fair but firm but also,at the same time,easy going and funny. A pretty good description of Griffith himself,although he was as "aw shucks: as Andy
was at first and certainly wouldb't tolerate some of the crazy characters on the show,should there be ones like that in real life.

The most recent show I caught was in color & is the one where New deputy Warren & Goober follow him & Helen up to the lake,beecause Warren has had a prediction of danger.
Just 2 nights ago,I was up late and saw that Matlock was on.the scene I (ironically) saw was Ben being ushered out of the courtroom in contempt.

I also liked Griffith's comedy recordings from the 1950s "What It Was,Was Football" and a recording that was actuually a national #26 hit in April of 1955 "Make Yourself Comfortable". I even have the album it's from & (at one time) owned a cassette of his routines.

His passing makes me very sad but also very glad that last year,I finally his 2 best known movies "No Time For Saergent's" and "A Face In The Crowd". If you've never seen them,please do so,neither role is anything like "Andy Taylor".

So,I thank Andy for the shows that made me laugh with Don Knotts (and even without),as well as the other characters.....
but also the shows that made us think about the simple human things of love & respect of people and showing us that a family is not just a dad,a mom and a bunch of kids & a dog.

I'm sure many wish we could always apply the simple values demonstrated and shown in Griffth's portrayal of the sheriff that (rarely) carried a gun. That feeling continued,I feel,in the 1986 reunion "Return To Mayberry".


Rest In Peace Andy,you're works will never be forgotten.