Andy Griffith- Nice Guy or Not ?

[Mark Giardina]

I was listening to Rush Limbaugh the other day (ok no snide comments please) and Rush had a caller who mentioned seeing Andy Griffith several years ago in Los Angeles.

After the caller had his say Rush spent a few minutes talking about Griffith and he mentioned that Griffith is not a very likeable person in real life.

I've read certain articles that seem to back up Limbaugh's claims. For example, and it has been discussed on this board before, when his series "The Andy Griffith Show" made it's debut in 1960, former "Father Knows Best" co-star Eleanor Donahue was a featured member of the cast. She was not asked to return in 1961 and her character, Ellie Walker, disappeared without explanation.

Fast forward to the Matlock series and one will notice that there were a number of supporting actors who came and went on that show. Now was it because they wanted to move on to other jobs, or were they forced to leave by Griffith?

Anyone else ever heard of, or read about what Andy Griffith is like in real life?

 

[jwk1979]

I had always heard that the character he played in Elia Kazan's "A Face In The Crowd", Lonesome Rhodes, was the REAL ANDY GRIFFITH. In the movie, he was a Warm, Caring, Loveable Person who came across like he was one of your neighbors and a real down home type, all while in front of the camera. But the minute the cameras were off, he became very ANGRY, ABUSIVE, MEAN-SPIRITED EGOMANIAC that talked about how STUPID the very people that put him on top were. I have heard from several sources that the reason Andy Griffith gave such a GREAT PERFORMANCE in that movie was because he was just playing himself.

 

[The Voice of Reason]

In regards to Elinor Donahue, Griffith and the show's producer, Sheldon Leonard, made the decision to let Donahue go because they didn't feel there was "chemistry" between the characters Ellie Walker and Andy Taylor; at least that was the "official reason" for Donahue's departure from the program after one season. Donahue has never gone public with her side of the story.

Griffth did have a close friendship with both Ron Howard and especially Don Knotts. As for the rest of the cast of the Griffth show, no one has forth with anything negative to say about Andy; at least while he's still alive.

As mentioned by another poster on here, there was a revolving door when it came to regulars on Matlock. Some of those actors said Griffith was difficult to work with, while others have refused comment.

I guess after what I heard from someone who worked with Red Skelton, nothing surprises me about the real nature of entertainers anymore. For years I thought Red Skelton was this kind-hearted soul. In real life, according to my friend who worked at CBS, Skelton was a real A-hole to both his wives and especially his staff. Foul-mouth and loved to show dirty movies to visitors to his home.

 

[jwk1979]

Griffth did have a close friendship with both Ron Howard and especially Don Knotts. As for the rest of the cast of the Griffth show, no one has forth with anything negative to say about Andy; at least while he's still alive.

With the exception of Ron Howard (Opie), Jim Nabors (Gomer), George Lindsey (Goober), Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou), the Dillards (the Darlings) and a few others, the rest of the cast are pretty must deceased.

 

[Mark Giardina]

I had always heard that the character he played in Elia Kazan's "A Face In The Crowd", Lonesome Rhodes, was the REAL ANDY GRIFFITH. In the movie, he was a Warm, Caring, Loveable Person who came across like he was one of your neighbors and a real down home type, all while in front of the camera. But the minute the cameras were off, he became very ANGRY, ABUSIVE, MEAN-SPIRITED EGOMANIAC that talked about how STUPID the very people that put him on top were. I have heard from several sources that the reason Andy Griffith gave such a GREAT PERFORMANCE in that movie was because he was just playing himself.

Not that I expect every actor to be peaches and cream off camera, but it would be nice if these people understood the reason they can afford those expensive cars, clothes, and homes, is because us "common folk" paid good money to see them at the movie theatres or watched their TV shows.

While entertainers have the right to their privacy, it wouldn't kill them to be nice to someone who might want to come up and say a few kind words to them, ask for an autograph, or have a picture taken.

The late Don Knotts was so beloved because he would take the time to chat with people and not treat anyone like he was doing them a favor.

As for the comment on Red Skelton. WOW! That was a big surprise to me. He always came across TV as this God-fearing, sweet and kind soul that would give you the shirt off his back.

 

[Ultimajock]

I was listening to Rush Limbaugh the other day (ok no snide comments please) and Rush had a caller who mentioned seeing Andy Griffith several years ago in Los Angeles.

After the caller had his say Rush spent a few minutes talking about Griffith and he mentioned that Griffith is not a very likeable person in real life.

...you actually think Limbaugh is going to say anything nice and respectful about a lifelong and proud Democrat like Griffith?!!?...

 

[landtuna]

As for the comment on Red Skelton. WOW! That was a big surprise to me. He always came across TV as this God-fearing, sweet and kind soul that would give you the shirt off his back.

I can't believe it either. I remember reading stories about him writing a love poem to his wife every morning before breakfast. And it is difficult to believe that someone who was perhaps the world's greatest clown and was an accomplished artist (painting) would have such a dark side.

Skelton was one of those people that I never heard a word of scandal about although I'm sure he had an ego and could be forceful in his business dealings. I would expect nothing less of any successful show person.

 

[Ultimajock]

As for the comment on Red Skelton. WOW! That was a big surprise to me. He always came across TV as this God-fearing, sweet and kind soul that would give you the shirt off his back.

I can't believe it either. I remember reading stories about him writing a love poem to his wife every morning before breakfast. And it is difficult to believe that someone who was perhaps the world's greatest clown and was an accomplished artist (painting) would have such a dark side.

Skelton was one of those people that I never heard a word of scandal about although I'm sure he had an ego and could be forceful in his business dealings. I would expect nothing less of any successful show person.

...Arthur Marx (Groucho's son) wrote a poison-pen book about Skelton in the '80s, shortly after Red died. It made me wonder if Groucho and Red had a behind-the-scenes feud that never went public, hence Arthur's shenanigans...

 

[The Voice of Reason]

As for the comment on Red Skelton. WOW! That was a big surprise to me. He always came across TV as this God-fearing, sweet and kind soul that would give you the shirt off his back.

I can't believe it either. I remember reading stories about him writing a love poem to his wife every morning before breakfast. And it is difficult to believe that someone who was perhaps the world's greatest clown and was an accomplished artist (painting) would have such a dark side.

Skelton was one of those people that I never heard a word of scandal about although I'm sure he had an ego and could be forceful in his business dealings. I would expect nothing less of any successful show person.

All I'm saying is that my co-worker was employed at CBS in Hollywood for many years and knew a lot of things about the stars. When he told me stories about Red Skelton you could have knocked me over with a feather. If someone else had told me what my co-worker did, I wouldn't have believed it either. But this guy wasn't the type to make things up.

As for Arthur Marx's comments on Skelton, I never read his book so I have no idea what he wrote. However his Father, Groucho, heaped high praises on Skelton in a book that he wrote; comparing Skelton to Charlie Chaplin.

 

[bpatrick]

I have read or heard people say that the episode where Opie
is flunking arithmetic and Andy makes him study to the point
where he actually does worse is the true Andy, not to mention
the harbinger of the color episodes.

Andy also did not come to Frances Bavier's funeral, even though
he was filming "Matlock" only about 150 miles away. But then again,
Ms. Bavier was no Aunt Bee in real life.

 

[landtuna]

Andy also did not come to Frances Bavier's funeral, even though
he was filming "Matlock" only about 150 miles away. But then again,
Ms. Bavier was no Aunt Bee in real life.

Good point. I think as viewers we tend to think the actors portrayal of their characters reflects their true persona and that because they work with other actors they will necessarily become friends.

I'm reminded of the well known dislike that Vivian Vance and William Frawley had for each other despite working together all those years on "I Love Lucy". I doubt any of that was publicly known until well after the show was off first run.

 

[Bob1370]

Limbaugh is the last guy you want to trust about something like this--he has a personal animus against Griffith because of diametrically opposite political values (Griffith appeared in Ron Howard's pro-Obama video) and has, to be kind and understate the matter, a less-than-perfect record when it comes to accuracy.

What may be most indicative about the kind of person he is, is how so many of the people he's worked with over the years have remained close and in touch.

 

[Bob1370]

"As for the comment on Red Skelton. WOW! That was a big surprise to me. He always came across TV as this God-fearing, sweet and kind soul that would give you the shirt off his back."

The truth always lies somewhere between the extremes.

Consensus seems to be that ol' Red had both a very kind and generous side to him, and a salty, naughty side that showed up not only in his off-air, off-camera unguarded moments but quite often in the weekly dress rehearsals which were a final run-through for the show before the on-air performance (both in its live days and later when it was taped). Those were notorious and actually very hot tickets among Hollywood insiders, because they were both hilarious and totally blue. Johnny Carson (who was among Red's long term, devoted friends) is the guy who revealed that publicly...

 

[Hal Erickson]

Andy Griffith was not a terribly pleasant individual. This was well known to everyone with whom I attended classes in the theater department of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill(his Alma Mater) back in the 1970s. He was particularly grumpy whenever he showed up as a guest lecturer at the summer outdoor drama "Lost Colony" at Manteo NC, in which he once starred. People who worked on the show knew about his behavior, were warned about it, and accepted it. To say that Griffith was not at all like his TV image has nothing to do with politics. He even admitted he was hard to get along with during filming of "Matlock", and some of his real-life surly behavior (including his distrust of people whom he felt were taking advantage of him) was written into the scripts.

Red Skelton was hell on wheels with his writing staff, but most of the actors who guested on the show, and the "regular" supporting players, liked him. Even Barbara Morrison, who always played fat ladies on the show and bore the brunt of some pretty insensitive humor in the sketches, had nice things to say about Red, noting that though the jokes at her expense were cruel on camera, he was always the gentleman towards her in real life. Most of his coworkers weren't offended by his foul mouth, so long as he was being funny while being dirty. What always bothered me was his false piety and prudery when criticizing other comedians who "worked dirty."

The person whom I've heard was an unmitigated monster was Danny Kaye, who lacked the saving grace of being funny when he was spouting obscenities. One authoritative source told me that his wife Sylvia Fine was just as bad.

 

[Stanislav]

I guess after what I heard from someone who worked with Red Skelton, nothing surprises me about the real nature of entertainers anymore. For years I thought Red Skelton was this kind-hearted soul. In real life, according to my friend who worked at CBS, Skelton was a real A-hole to both his wives and especially his staff. Foul-mouth and loved to show dirty movies to visitors to his home.

And even, according to one acquaintance, once aimed his projector out the window and projected stag flicks onto a garage door across the street. He thought that was hilarious.

Yes, Red was one of the biggest hypocrites in show business: humble, God-fearing and kind in the public eye; while off-camera, a massive egoist, a lover of filthy jokes, and a martinet who treated his writers and staff like crap. His dress rehearsals at CBS (no public audience, just network personnel present) were like a night at the raunchiest nightclub in town, as Red would constantly ad-lib blue material into the sketches.

 

[Silkie]

Good point. I think as viewers we tend to think the actors portrayal of their characters reflects their true persona and that because they work with other actors they will necessarily become friends.

They're all nice men.

 

[bpatrick]

Limbaugh is the last guy you want to trust about something like this--he has a personal animus against Griffith because of diametrically opposite political values (Griffith appeared in Ron Howard's pro-Obama video) and has, to be kind and understate the matter, a less-than-perfect record when it comes to accuracy.

What may be most indicative about the kind of person he is, is how so many of the people he's worked with over the years have remained close and in touch.

In 2008 Andy appeared in a series of commercials endorsing Bev Perdue, the Democratic candidate for governor of North Carolina (she was elected).

A note about comedians like Red Skelton enjoying an off-color joke: I'm sure most comedians (especially of his generation) did,
but their vaudeville training taught them never to do such material in front of a live audience. Even Groucho, whose reputation for being off-color is, to me, somewhat exaggerated, drew the line when he walked out on "Hair" and turned down tickets to
"Oh, Calcutta!".

 

[jwk1979]

Andy also did not come to Frances Bavier's funeral, even though
he was filming "Matlock" only about 150 miles away. But then again,
Ms. Bavier was no Aunt Bee in real life.

From what I've heard from several sources, the reason Andy Griffith did not attend Frances Bavier's funeral was due to the fact that he tried on several occasions to see her when he was in the area but SHE REFUSED to see him and wouldn't even answer the door when ever he attempted to see her.

 

[Silkie]

Andy also did not come to Frances Bavier's funeral, even though
he was filming "Matlock" only about 150 miles away. But then again,
Ms. Bavier was no Aunt Bee in real life.

From what I've heard from several sources, the reason Andy Griffith did not attend Frances Bavier's funeral was due to the fact that he tried on several occasions to see her when he was in the area but SHE REFUSED to see him and wouldn't even answer the door when ever he attempted to see her.

So you're saying they aren't all nice men? And to think that the nice lady at the brothel said they're all nice men.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

There is a website called "Archive of American Television" which has taped interviews of many people from TV history that have been recorded in the past ten or eleven years. One of the best from those on that website that I have seen is the one with Andy Griffith. He comes across friendly, informative and relaxed. Many of the questions asked could probably be answered by the average TV viewer (especially one who has watched television for any length of time), much less the personality himself, but Griffith remains easy-going and takes time to answer each question. One wonders how many times he has been asked those same things over the years. One thing that really caught my attention was Griffith stating that he has continued to watch re-runs of "The Andy Griffith Show" when they air on TV. How many others have replied that they have never watched the show(s) they have appeared in, etc. That admission, alone, was refreshing to hear.