Andy Griffith Dead at 86

From Yahoo! TV:

Beloved TV icon Andy Griffith died at his Manteo, North Carolina, home on Tuesday morning. He was 86.

Former UNC President Bill Friday confirmed the passing of his close friend to WITN News.

Griffith became a household name for his portrayal of a small-town sheriff on "The Andy Griffith Show," which aired from 1960-1968. His character, Andy Taylor, was a widower in the fictional town of Mayberry, N.C., which was thought to be modeled after Griffith's hometown of Mt. Airy, N.C. His character encountered daily drama from his sidekick deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts) as well as his young son Opie (Ron Howard).

The actor went on to star on another long-running TV series: "Matlock." He played Ben Matlock, a no frills criminal defense lawyer who used his smarts to get people to confess in dramatic courtroom scenes. The show aired from 1986 to 1995.

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