TryGOLD- Free

ANDY GRIFFITH His Amazing Untold Story
Closer US|July 25, 2022
HARDSHIP, HEARTBREAK AND UNSHAKABLE FAITH SHAPED THE LIFE OF THE BELOVED TV ICON
- LOUISE A. BARILE
ANDY GRIFFITH His Amazing Untold Story

Even after he became a huge TV star, Andy Griffith liked to spend his summers in North Carolina without shoes. "He would go into stores barefoot sometimes even without a shirt!" his daughter, Dixie Griffith, tells Closer. "He wasn't a typical Hollywood type."

Growing up in blue-collar Mount Airy, Andy would never have dared dream of a home as beautiful as his 70-acre estate on Roanoke Island in the Outer Banks, but returning to his native state every summer still helped him recall his roots. "That's where he felt free," Dixie says. "We would go on boat trips, play volleyball and go waterskiing. He loved to entertain and was pretty much the life of the party."

Entertaining started off as a survival skill that Andy, an only child, learned in his youth. "His father was a foreman in a furniture factory, so his parents could dress Andy well. That worked against him because a lot of the kids from the poor side of Mount Airy were not clean or well dressed, and Andy got bullied a lot as a kid," says Daniel de Visé, author of Andy & Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show. Andy hit a major turning point in his life when he discovered that he could deflect bullies' anger by making them laugh.

He took drama at Mount Airy High School and learned to play music - a talent that Andy would hone throughout his life. "He was very, very into music. He had guitars, banjos, horns, and a piano," Dixie reveals. "He could play pretty much any instrument." Andy's album I Love to Tell the Story: 25 Timeless Hymns even won a Grammy Award in 1997.

A REMARKABLE RISE

This story is from the July 25, 2022 edition of Closer US.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July 25, 2022 edition of Closer US.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM CLOSER USView All
Hugh Jackman & Sutton Foster What They Sacrificed for LOVE
Closer US

Hugh Jackman & Sutton Foster What They Sacrificed for LOVE

THE MUSIC MAN CO-STARS HAVE ENDURED PAINFUL CHANGES IN THEIR LIVES TO BE TOGETHER

time-read
4 mins  |
February 03, 2025
The WHITNEY HOUSTON Only I Knew
Closer US

The WHITNEY HOUSTON Only I Knew

THE LATE SINGER'S REAL-LIFE BODYGUARD SHARES THE STORY OF THEIR WARM AND PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP

time-read
2 mins  |
February 03, 2025
BROOKE SHIELDS AT 59 I'm Calling THE SHOTS
Closer US

BROOKE SHIELDS AT 59 I'm Calling THE SHOTS

THE ACTRESS AND FORMER MODEL SHARES HER THOUGHTS ABOUT AGING IN A NEW BOOK

time-read
1 min  |
February 03, 2025
5 FOODS THAT EASE JOINT PAIN
Closer US

5 FOODS THAT EASE JOINT PAIN

YOUR DIET PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN REDUCING ARTHRITIS ACHES AND INFLAMMATION

time-read
1 min  |
February 03, 2025
STARS LEND A HAND
Closer US

STARS LEND A HAND

As the wildfires continue to devastate Los Angeles, celebrities are stepping up to support their beloved communities.

time-read
1 min  |
February 03, 2025
Positivity IS POWER
Closer US

Positivity IS POWER

The talk show host opens up about his latest projects • and how he remains so vibrant despite MS

time-read
4 mins  |
February 03, 2025
WHO KILLED Thelma Todd?
Closer US

WHO KILLED Thelma Todd?

THE FILM COMEDIENNE TURNED RESTAURATEUR DIED AT AGE 29 UNDER SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES

time-read
2 mins  |
February 03, 2025
LAUGHTER Makes the World Go Round
Closer US

LAUGHTER Makes the World Go Round

The Newhart alum is earning laughs on Night Court and Palm Rovale

time-read
4 mins  |
January 27, 2025
WHAT I LEARNED at 60
Closer US

WHAT I LEARNED at 60

THE OSCAR-WINNING ACTRESS RECENTLY FELT A HUGE SHIFT IN HER WORLDVIEW

time-read
1 min  |
January 27, 2025
EFFORTLESSLY TASTY DINNER WINNERS
Closer US

EFFORTLESSLY TASTY DINNER WINNERS

Make supper a special occasion every night of the week with these easy and mouthwatering meals

time-read
2 mins  |
January 27, 2025

We use cookies to provide and improve our services. By using our site, you consent to cookies. Learn more