the-andy-griffith-show-father-briefly-appeared-on-show

‘The Andy Griffith Show’: Griffith’s Father Briefly Appeared on Show

One of the most famous fathers in the history of television is Sheriff Andy Taylor. As fans are already aware, he was the main character on the popular sitcom, “The Andy Griffith Show.” You can just hear him imparting his words of wisdom to his son, Opie.

And, it was the famous television star Andy Griffith who brought Sheriff Taylor to life.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a man who portrayed a father many people would love to have as their dad was inspired by a man who was also a very good father. In fact, Griffith was so proud of his father that he let him act as an extra in an episode of “The Andy Griffith Show.”

According to MeTV.com, Griffith’s father once appeared as an extra on the popular show. Griffith’s father – Carl Griffith – can be seen walking out of a store in the background of a scene. Carl appears in the season two episode titled, “The Farmer Takes a Wife.”

Carl appears around the 18-minute mark of the episode.

Interestingly, another classic sitcom star also appeared in this episode of “The Andy Griffith Show.”

That star was Alan Hale Jr. of “Gilligan’s Island” fame. Hale was the man who brought the “Skipper” on “Gilligan’s Island” to life. He also played the character, Jeff, on this season two episode of “The Andy Griffith Show.” It is in this episode that Andy and Jeff go into a story to buy Jeff’s character a suit. That character is known as “Big Jeff Pruitt.”

Actor’s Father Appeared as an Extra in a Season Two Episode of ‘The Andy Griffith Show’

As Andy and Jeff are approaching the store, a man exits. This man isn’t just another extra on “The Andy Griffith Show.” This extra was actually Andy Griffith’s father Carl Griffith.

According to the famous television star, he was very fond of his father and mother. “I had wonderful parents,” Andy Griffith once said.

Griffith’s childhood wasn’t the easiest. However, his family helped him along the way. “We didn’t have money, and I wasn’t athletic and I wasn’t a good student, so I was kind of nobody,” Griffith once said.

However, Andy’s father helped him along in the world. And, unsurprisingly, the future television star was hired to work in the same North Carolina furniture factory as his father.

It was at this factory that Griffith saw his father create art in the form of furniture. Griffith described what his father created as “beautiful dining room furniture.”

Andy Griffith was proud of what his father did for a living and the level he reached during his career.

“When he finally quit, he was foreman of that room,” Andy Griffith said of his father.

Later on, the future star of “The Andy Griffith Show,” was hired to sweep a high school in his area when he was only 14 years old. His pay at the time was $6 per month. That seems like an incredibly low sum in this day and age; however, the funds from this job helped Andy Griffith purchase a trombone.

Another factor that helped the future star of “The Andy Griffith Show” rise to fame was the music training he received at his church. Thanks to this experience, Griffith learned to sing.