The Influential Life and Career of '60s Sitcom Legend Andy Griffith

This article appeared in urbanaunty.com and has been published here with permission.

Andy Griffith is one of those versatile personalities in the industry, who earned a lot of popularity and respect in real-life.

Born in Poverty

Andy Griffith was an only child. His parents were poor, and he had to live with his relatives until his parents were able to afford a house. Even baby Griffith was forced to sleep in a dresser drawer, as his parents were not able to afford a cot.

The Future Star

When Griffith was three years old, his father started to work as a carpenter and gradually managed to buy a family home in an industrial neighborhood. Young Griffith grew up listening to various kinds of music. In school, he was the shyest and most introverted boy in his class.

Griffith gradually started to come out of his shell, and found some entertaining way to make his classmates laugh. This behavioral change led Griffith to get participate in school plays. Landing him several roles, the future star was in the making!

The Musical Man

Griffith was a musical man all along. He learned to play the trombone, while still at school. His love of music led him to attend the University of North Carolina to study music.

Griffith earned his Bachelor of Music degree in 1949. While in university, he performed in many plays, honing his acting skills. After graduation, Griffith joined a high school in North Carolina as a music teacher. He taught music and drama there for several years.

Changing the Path

After years of teaching, Griffith and his then-wife, Barbara Edwards, decided to make a change in their lives. Barbara was an actress at the time. She and Griffith finally decided to break free and try their luck in the entertainment industry.

The creative pair formed a routine that allowed them to travel around. They combined singing and dancing, as well as monologues read by Griffith himself. Leaving the comfortable life behind to start something passionate is quite challenging, but Griffith reaped his reward soon!