By Gavin Boyle
Ron Howard revealed that he had been a TV star for years before he actually saw himself on THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW because all the projects he worked on aired after his bedtime.
“At the point that I did this show, I don’t think I’d ever seen myself on TV, because my bedtime was before the shows went on,” Howard said speaking about when he was 5 years old and had already been featured on shows like THE TWILIGHT ZONE and DENNIS THE MENACE.
As THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW began to rise in popularity, though, his parents made an exception to allow him to see his role as Opie.
Related: Why THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW Will Always Be a Treasure
“I began to be allowed to stay up and watch THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, which I think came on at 8:30 or something like that,” Howard recalled. “It wasn’t until much later that I began to understand the impact the show had on audiences.”
THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW remains one of the most beloved and treasured shows from all of television history. Much of the reason it holds up 65 years later is because the characters were written to be lifelike and have strengths and weaknesses rather than just being caricatures like many contemporary shows today.
“[The show was] the kind of comedy I like, where one minute you’re laughing and the next minute there’s a tear in your eye or a little catch in your throat,” explained Betty Lynn, who played Barney’s long-term girlfriend.
Andy Griffith also had a strong Christian faith ,which helped make the show free from questionable content and accessible to audiences of all ages. Griffith’s faith was also imperative later in his life when he struggled with Gullain-Barré syndrome, an extremely painful nerve disorder.
“As I fought my way back from Guillain-Barré, I never stopped thanking God for the help he had provided me through Dr. Rosengarten, but especially through Cindi,” Griffith wrote in a 1996 article. “Guillain-Barré has left me with permanent pain in both feet, but like an unwelcome guest, it isn’t so bad when I stop paying attention to it.”
“Challenges and pain will continue all my life, I know, but with Cindi at my side to remind me to accept God’s grace, I’ll go forward and continue to work with love and happiness,” he added.
As THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW continues to enjoy an amazing legacy, it is fun to look back on how the show impacted those who worked on it.
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