We're very sorry to hear of the passing today of television and film icon Andy Griffith at age 86 at his home in North Carolina. Best known for his roles as Sheriff Andy Taylor in "The Andy Griffith Show" and Ben Matlock in "Matlock," Griffith was also a Grammy-award winning Gospel singer and starred in a number of acclaimed films, including "A Face in the Crowd." He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. Griffith was also an unabashed Democrat who supported President Obama and North Carolina Democrats.
To us, he represented in real life the traits of the characters he portrayed in his best known TV roles: honesty, kindness, tolerance, resourcefulness and intelligence. People like him are all too rare. He will be greatly missed.
