Andy Griffith: A Life in Pictures

Andy Griffith in ‘Onionhead’
1958: Griffith played the title character, Alvin 'Onionhead' Woods, in director's Norman Taurog's film, Onionhead. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Andy Griffith with Ron Howard on ‘The Andy Griffith Show’
1962: Griffith, as Andy Taylor, with his TV son, Opie, who was played by Ron Howard (credited then as Ronny Howard).
Andy Griffith with Don Knotts on ‘The Andy Griffith Show’
1965: Griffith, after a first season in which he played a blissfully ignorant southerner, decided to play the straight man to Don Knotts' Deputy Barney Fife. The decision helped Knotts win multiple Emmys.
Andy Griffith with Jeff Bridges in ‘Hearts of the West’
1975: After leaving The Andy Griffith Show in 1967, he embarked on a film career. Here Griffith plays opposite a young Jeff Bridges in Hearts of the West.
Andy Griffith in His Iconic TV Role, Matlock
1992: Eventually, Griffith returned to television, primarily as a wily lawyer in the hit Matlock.
Andy Griffith as a Guest on ‘The Mod Squad’
1972: Griffith made a guest appearance on The Mod Squad in 1972, in an episode called "Big George."
Andy Griffith in ‘Matlock’
1994: An upclose look at Griffith in his later TV star days, when he was still starring in Matlock. The show ran from 1986-1995, totaling 181 episodes.
Andy Griffith Receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom
2005: While he was a prominent Democrat, Griffith received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Republican President George W. Bush.
Andy Griffith
Griffith in his later years.
Andy Griffith’s Musical Career
Griffith was a serious musician; he majored in music at the University of North Carolina, and was a well-known southern gospel singer, winning a Grammy in 1997.