Coordinates	28°36′36″N77°13′48″N
Name	Don Knotts
Birth date	July 21, 1924
Birth name	Jesse Donald Knotts
Birth place	Morgantown, West Virginia, U.S.
Death date	February 24, 2006
Death place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Death cause	Lung Cancer
Nationality	American
Education	Morgantown High School
Spouse	Kathryn Metz (1947-1967) divorce,Loralee Czuchna (1974-1983) divorce,Frances Yarborough (2002-2006) (his death)
Children	From MetzThomas Knotts,Karen Knotts
Occupation	Actor, comidian
Years active	1953–2006 }}

Jesse Donald "Don" Knotts (July 21, 1924 – February 24, 2006) was an American comedic actor best known for his portrayal of Barney Fife on the 1960s television sitcom ''The Andy Griffith Show'', a role which earned him five Emmy Awards. He also played landlord Ralph Furley on the 1970s television sitcom ''Three's Company''.

In 1996 TV Guide ranked him number 27 on it's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time list.

Early life

Knotts was born in Morgantown, West Virginia, a son of William Jesse Knotts and his wife, the former Elsie L. Moore. Knotts's paternal ancestors had emigrated from England to America in the 17th century, originally settling in Queen Anne's County, Maryland. Knotts's father was a farmer, but suffered a nervous breakdown and lost his land. Afflicted with both schizophrenia and alcoholism, he died when Knotts was 13 years old. Knotts and his three brothers were then raised by their mother, who ran a boarding house in Morgantown. Knott's mother Elsie L. Moore-Knotts died in 1969, at age 84. Son William Earl Knotts (1910-1941) preceded her in death in 1941, at age 31. They are buried in the family plot at Beverly Hills Memorial Park, in Morgantown, West Virginia. Knotts is a sixth cousin of Ron Howard, a co-star on the Andy Griffith Show. An urban legend claims that Knotts served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, serving as a drill instructor at Parris Island. In reality, Knotts enlisted in the United States Army after graduating from Morgantown High School and spent most of his service entertaining troops.

Career

Early roles

Knotts began his career performing in many venues, including a ventriloquist act with a dummy named Danny "Hooch" Matador. In a ''TV Guide'' interview in the 1970s, Knotts spoke about how, when he was in the Army, he was getting tired of playing straight man for a hunk of wood. One day, while aboard a troop ship where he was entertaining, he was docked on a beach and decided to end the partnership with his dummy "Danny". He then proceeded to leave him on the beach, later reporting that he was "Missing In Action". From that day forward, he worked as a single.

Knotts got his first major break on television in the soap opera ''Search for Tomorrow'' where he appeared from 1953 to 1955. He came to fame in 1956 on Steve Allen's variety show, as part of Allen's repertory company, most notably in Allen's mock "Man in the Street" interviews, always as an extremely nervous man. The laughs grew when Knotts stated his occupation—always one that wouldn’t be appropriate for such a shaky person, such as a surgeon or explosives expert.

In 1958, Knotts appeared in the movie ''No Time for Sergeants'' alongside Andy Griffith. The movie, based on the play and book of the same name, began a professional and personal relationship between Knotts and Griffith that would last for decades.

''The Andy Griffith Show''

In 1960, when Griffith was offered the opportunity to headline in his own sitcom, ''The Andy Griffith Show'' (1960–1968), Knotts took the role of Barney Fife, the deputy—and originally cousin—of Sheriff Andy Taylor (portrayed by Griffith). Knotts’s portrayal of the deputy on the popular show would earn him five Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Comedy, winning each of the five seasons he played the character.

A summary of the show from the website of the Museum of Broadcast Communications describes Deputy Barney Fife:

Self-important, romantic, and nearly always wrong, Barney dreamed of the day he could use the one bullet Andy had issued to him. While Barney was forever frustrated that Mayberry was too small for the delusional ideas he had of himself, viewers got the sense that he couldn't have survived anywhere else. Don Knotts played the comic and pathetic sides of the character with equal aplomb and was given five Emmy Awards for doing so.

When the show first aired, Andy Griffith was intended to be the comedic lead with Don Knotts as his "foil," or straight man, almost similar to their roles in ''No Time for Sergeants.'' But, it was quickly found that the show was funnier the other way around. As Griffith maintained in several interviews, "By the second episode, I knew that Don should be funny, and I should play straight." The years during which the two worked on the show cemented Griffith's lifelong admiration for Don Knotts and their lifelong friendship.

Believing earlier remarks made by Griffith, that ''The Andy Griffith Show'' would soon be ending after five seasons, Knotts began to look for other work, and signed a five film contract with Universal Studios. He was caught off guard when Griffith announced he would be continuing with the show after all, but Knotts’ hands were tied (in his autobiography, Knotts admitted that he had not yet signed a contract when Griffith made his decision, but had made up his mind believing that he would not get this chance again). Knotts left the series in 1965. Within the series, it was announced that Deputy Fife had finally made the "big time," and had joined the Raleigh, North Carolina police force.

Post-Mayberry films

Knotts went on to star in a series of film comedies which drew on his high-strung persona from the TV series: he had a cameo appearance in ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' (1963), and starred in ''The Incredible Mr. Limpet'' (1964), ''The Ghost and Mr. Chicken'' (1966), ''The Reluctant Astronaut'' (1967), ''The Shakiest Gun in the West'' (1968), ''The Love God?'' (1969) and ''How to Frame a Figg'' (1971). Knotts would, however, return to the role of Barney Fife several times in the 1960s: he made five more guest appearances on ''The Andy Griffith Show'' (gaining him another two Emmys), and later appeared once more on the spin-off ''Mayberry RFD'', where he was present as best man for the marriage of Andy Taylor and his longtime love, Helen Crump.

After making ''How to Frame a Figg'', Knotts’s 5-film contract with Universal came to an end. He continued to work steadily, though he did not appear as a regular on any successful television series until his appearance on ''Three's Company'' in 1979. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Knotts served as the spokesman for Dodge trucks and was featured prominently in a series of print ads and dealer brochures. On television, he went on to host an odd-variety show/sitcom hybrid on NBC, ''The Don Knotts Show'', which aired Tuesdays during the fall of 1970, but the series was low-rated and short-lived. He also made frequent guest appearances on other shows such as ''The Bill Cosby Show'' and ''Here's Lucy''. In 1970, he would also make yet another appearance as Barney Fife, in the pilot of ''The New Andy Griffith Show.'' In 1972, Knotts would voice an animated version of himself in two memorable episodes of ''The New Scooby Doo Movies''; one being "The Spooky Fog of Juneberry", in which he played a lawman who bore a remarkable resemblance to Barney Fife, and the other being "Guess Who's Knott Coming to Dinner." He also appeared as Felix Unger in a stage version of Neil Simon's ''The Odd Couple'' with Art Carney as Oscar Madison.

Beginning in 1975, Knotts was teamed with Tim Conway in a series of slapstick movies aimed at children, including the Disney film ''The Apple Dumpling Gang'', and its 1979 sequel, ''The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again''. They also did two independent films, a boxing comedy called ''The Prize Fighter'' in 1979, and a comedy/mystery movie in 1981 called ''The Private Eyes''. Knotts co-starred in several other Disney movies, including 1976's ''Gus'', 1976's ''No Deposit, No Return'', 1977's ''Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo'' and 1978's ''Hot Lead and Cold Feet''.

Return to television

In 1979, Knotts returned to series television in his second most identifiable role, the wacky, but lovable landlord Ralph Furley on ''Three's Company''. The series, which was already an established hit, added Knotts to the cast when the original landlords, a married couple played by Audra Lindley and Norman Fell, left the show to star in a short-lived spin-off series (''The Ropers''). Though the role of the outlandish, overdressed, nerdy-geeky-buffoon landlord was originally intended to be a minor recurring character, Knotts was so funny and lovable as a character who fantasized that he was an incredibly attractive lothario, that the writers greatly expanded his role. On set, Knotts easily integrated himself to the already-established cast who were, as John Ritter put it, "so scared" of Knotts because of his star status when he joined the cast. When Suzanne Somers left the show after a contract dispute in 1981, the writers started giving the material meant for Somers's Crissy to Knotts's Furley. Knotts remained on the show until it ended in 1984. The ''Three's Company'' script supervisor, Carol Summers, went on to be Knotts’s agent—often accompanying him to personal appearances.

In 1986, Don Knotts reunited with Andy Griffith in the 1986 made-for-television movie ''Return to Mayberry'', where he reprised his role as Barney Fife yet again. In 1988, he joined Griffith in another show, playing a recurring role as pesky neighbor Les Calhoun on ''Matlock'' until 1992.

After his appearances on ''Matlock'' ended in 1992, Knotts’s roles became sporadic including a cameo in the 1996 film ''Big Bully'' as the principal of the high school. In 1998, Knotts had a small but pivotal role as a mysterious TV repairman in ''Pleasantville'' with Reese Witherspoon. That year, his home town of Morgantown, West Virginia, changed the name of the street formerly known as South University Avenue (U.S. Route 119) to Don Knotts Boulevard on "Don Knotts Day". Also that day, in a nod to Don's role as Barney Fife, he was also named an honorary deputy sheriff with the Monongalia County Sheriff's Department.

Later years

Knotts was recognized in 2000 with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Though he continued to act on stage, much of his film and television work after 2000 was as voice talent. In 2002, he would appear again with Scooby-Doo in the video game ''Scooby-Doo: Night of 100 Frights'' (Knotts also sent up his appearances on that show in various promotions for Cartoon Network and in a parody on ''Robot Chicken'', where he was teamed with Phyllis Diller). In 2003, Knotts teamed up with Tim Conway again to provide voices for the direct-to-video children's series, ''Hermie & Friends'' which would continue until his death. In 2005, he was the voice of Mayor Turkey Lurkey in ''Chicken Little'' (2005), his first Disney movie since 1979.

On September 12, 2003, Knotts was in Kansas City in a stage version of ''On Golden Pond'' when he received a call from John Ritter's family telling him that his former ''Three's Company'' co-star had died of an aortic dissection that day. Knotts and his co-stars attended the funeral four days later. Knotts had appeared with Ritter one final time in a cameo on ''8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter.'' It was an episode that paid homage to their earlier TV series. Knotts was the last ''Three's Company'' star to work with Ritter.

During this period of time, macular degeneration in both eyes caused the otherwise robust Don Knotts to become virtually blind. His live appearances on television were few. In 2005, Knotts parodied his Ralph Furley character while playing a Paul Young variation in a ''Desperate Housewives'' sketch on ''The 3rd Annual TV Land Awards''. He would parody that part one final time, in his last live-action television appearance, an episode of ''That ’70s Show'', ("Stone Cold Crazy"). In the show, Don played Fez and Jackie's new landlord. Knotts's final role was in ''Air Buddies'', the 2006 direct-to-video sequel to ''Air Bud'', voicing the sheriff's deputy dog, Sniffer.

Personal life

Knotts was married three times : Kathryn Metz from 1947–1964; Loralee Czuchna from 1974–1983; and Frances Yarborough from 2002 until his death. He had a son, Thomas Knotts and daughter, actress Karen Knotts, from his first marriage.

Death

Don Knotts died on February 24, 2006, at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California from pulmonary and respiratory complications related to lung cancer. He had been undergoing treatment at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in the months before his death, but had gone home after he reportedly had been feeling better. His long-time friend, Andy Griffith, visited Knotts’s bedside just hours before his death. Knotts's wife and daughter stayed with him until he died. He was laid to rest at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

Knotts’s obituaries cited him as a major influence on other entertainers. Musician and fan J.D. Wilkes said of him: "Only a genius like Knotts could make an anxiety-ridden, passive-aggressive Napoleon character like Fife a familiar, welcome friend each week. Without his awesome contributions to television there would’ve been no other over-the-top, self-deprecating acts like Conan O’Brien or Chris Farley."

His statue stands in Morgantown, West Virginia, in a memorial park on Don Knotts Boulevard.

Filmography

Film

''No Time for Sergeants'' (1958)

''Wake Me When It's Over'' (1960)

''The Last Time I Saw Archie'' (1961)

''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' (1963) (cameo)

''Move Over, Darling'' (1963)

''The Incredible Mr. Limpet'' (1964)

''The Ghost and Mr. Chicken'' (1966)

''The Reluctant Astronaut'' (1967)

''Rowan & Martin at the Movies'' (1968)

''The Shakiest Gun in the West'' (1968)

''The Love God?'' (1969)

''How to Frame a Figg'' (1971)

''Dinah Shore: In Search of the Ideal Man'' (1973) TV

''The Apple Dumpling Gang'' (1975)

''No Deposit, No Return'' (1976)

''Gus'' (1976)

''Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo'' (1977)

''Hot Lead and Cold Feet'' (1978)

''The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again'' (1979)

''The Prize Fighter'' (1979)

''The Private Eyes'' (1981)

''Cannonball Run II'' (1984)

''Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night'' (1987)

''Comic Relief VII'' (1995) himself

''Big Bully'' (1996)

''Cats Don't Dance'' (1997)

''Pleasantville'' (1998)

''Tom Sawyer'' (2000)

''Chicken Little'' (2005)

''Air Buddies'' (2006)

Television

''Search for Tomorrow'' (1953–1955)

''The Steve Allen Show'' (1956–1960)

''The Mary Moore Show'' (4 episodes 1962–1964) himself

''McHale's Navy'' (Season 4, Episode 25) as Lt. Pratt

''The Joey Bishop Show'' (TV series) (1961–1965) (1 episode 1964)

''The Red Skelton Show'' (TV series) (5 episodes 1951–1971), (1961–1965)

''The Andy Griffith Show'' (1960–1965, 1966, 1967)

''The New Steve Allen Show'' (1961–1963)

''The Jerry Lewis Show'' (1 episode 1963) himself

''38th Academy Awards'' (1966) (TV) himself co-presenter

''The Don Knotts Special'' (1967) (TV) himself host/performer

''The Hollywood Palace'' (1 episode #7.17 1970) himself

''The Don Knotts Show'' (1970–1971)

''The Man Who Came to Dinner'' (1972)

''The New Scooby-Doo Movies'' 2 episodes (1972) himself

''The Flip Wilson Show'' (1970–74) (TV) (2 episodes 1972–1973) himself

''I Love a Mystery'' (1973)

''Here's Lucy'' (TV series) (1968–1974) (1 episode 1973)

''The Hollywood Squares 4 episodes (1974–1977)Guest appearance

''Steve Allen's Laugh Back'' (1975)

''No Deposit, No Return (1976) With Darren McGavin

''The Muppet Show'' (1977) (guest star)

''Fantasy Island'' (1978–1979)

''Three's Company'' (1979–1984)

''The Little Troll Prince'' (1985)

''George Burns Comedy Week'' (1985) himself

''Return to Mayberry'' (1986)

''Johnny Bravo'' (episode 4.13A)

''Matlock'' (1987–1995)

''What a Country'' (1987)

''Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night'' (1987)

''Newhart'' (TV series) (1982–1990) (1 episode Iron 1990)

''Timmy's Gift: A Precious Moments Christmas'' (1991)

''Andy Griffith Show Reunion'' (1993) (TV) himself

''Burke's Law 1 episode 1994

''Cats Don't Dance (1997) (Voice)....T.W.Turtle

''Step by Step'' (TV series) (1991–1998) (1 episode 1993)

''E! True Hollywood Story'' (1 episode 1998)

''Late Night with Conan O' Brien'' (1 episode 1999) himself

''Jingle Bells'' (1999)

''Quints'' (2000)

''Inside TV Land: The Andy Griffith Show'' (2000) himself

''Biography TV Documentary'' (1987–present) (2 episodes 2000–2002)

''Biography John Ritter:In good company (2002)

''Inside TV Land: Cops on Camera'' (2002) himself

''Hermie: A Common Caterpillar'' (2003)

''Odd Job Jack'' (2003)

''8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter'' (2003)

''Larry King Live'' (TV series) (1985–present) (1 episode 2003) himself

''The Andy Griffith Show Reunion Back to Mayberry'' (2003) (TV)

''Hermie and Friends'' (2004)

''TV Lands Top Ten'' (2004) 1 episode himself

''That '70s Show'' (2005)

''Las Vegas'' (2005)

''The 3rd Annual TV Land Awards'' (2005) (TV)

''Robot Chicken'' (cartoon series) (2005–present) (2005 cartoon) himself

''Hatching Chicken Little'' (2006) himself

''CMT: The Greatest - 20 Greatest Country Comedy Shows'' (2006) himself

References

Further reading

The Andy Griffith Show from the Museum of Broadcast Communications

External links

The Shrine to Don Knotts

Full (3-hour) Archive of American Television Interview with Don Knotts in July, 1999

Urban legend about Knotts serving as a Drill Instructor

Category:American comedians Category:American film actors Category:American soap opera actors Category:American television actors Category:American voice actors Category:American people of English descent Category:American military personnel of World War II Category:Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Category:Emmy Award winners Category:Deaths from lung cancer Category:People from Morgantown, West Virginia Category:United States Army soldiers Category:West Virginia University alumni Category:Actors from West Virginia Category:Cancer deaths in California Category:1924 births Category:2006 deaths Category:American Christians Category:American military personnel from West Virginia Category:Ventriloquists de:Don Knotts es:Don Knotts fr:Don Knotts gl:Don Knotts it:Don Knotts nl:Don Knotts ja:ドン・ノッツ pt:Don Knotts ro:Don Knotts simple:Don Knotts sh:Don Knotts fi:Don Knotts tl:Don Knotts

Coordinates	28°36′36″N77°13′48″N
name	Dean Martin
background	solo_singer
birth name	Dino Paul Crocetti
alias	Dean MartinThe King of CoolDinoDino Martini
born	June 07, 1917Steubenville, Ohio, U.S.
died	December 25, 1995Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
genre	Big band, easy listening, pop standard, country
years active	1939–1995
occupation	Musician, singer-songwriter, actor, comedian, film producer
label	Capitol, Reprise }}

Dean Martin (June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995), born Dino Paul Crocetti, was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "Mambo Italiano", "Sway", "Volare" and smash hit "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?". Nicknamed the "King of Cool", he was one of the members of the "Rat Pack" and a major star in four areas of show business: concert stage/night clubs, recordings, motion pictures, and television.

Early life

Martin was born in Steubenville, Ohio, to Italian parents, Gaetano and Angela Crocetti (née Barra). His father was from Abruzzo, Italy, and his mother was an Italian of part Neapolitan and part Sicilian ancestry. Martin was the younger of two sons. His brother was named Bill. Martin spoke only Italian until he started school. He attended Grant Elementary School in Steubenville, and took up the drums as a hobby as a teenager. He was the target of much ridicule for his broken English and ultimately dropped out of Steubenville High School in the 10th grade because he thought that he was smarter than his teachers. He delivered bootleg liquor, served as a speakeasy croupier, was a blackjack dealer, worked in a steel mill and boxed as welterweight. He grew up a neighbor to Jimmy the Greek.

At the age of 15, he was a boxer who billed himself as "Kid Crochet". His prizefighting years earned him a broken nose (later straightened), a scarred lip, and many sets of broken knuckles (a result of not being able to afford the tape used to wrap boxers' hands). Of his twelve bouts, he would later say "I won all but eleven." For a time, he roomed with Sonny King, who, like Martin, was just starting in show business and had little money. It is said that Martin and King held bare-knuckle matches in their apartment, fighting until one of them was knocked out; people paid to watch.

Eventually, Martin gave up boxing. He worked as a roulette stickman and croupier in an illegal casino behind a tobacco shop where he had started as a stock boy. At the same time, he sang with local bands. Calling himself "Dino Martini" (after the then-famous Metropolitan Opera tenor, Nino Martini), he got his first break working for the Ernie McKay Orchestra. He sang in a crooning style influenced by Harry Mills (of the Mills Brothers), among others. In the early 1940s, he started singing for bandleader Sammy Watkins, who suggested he change his name to Dean Martin.

In October 1941, Martin married Elizabeth Anne McDonald. During their marriage (ended by divorce in 1949), they had four children. Martin worked for various bands throughout the early 1940s, mostly on looks and personality until he developed his own singing style. Martin famously flopped at the Riobamba, a high class nightclub in New York, when he succeeded Frank Sinatra in 1943, but it was the setting for their meeting.

Drafted into the United States Army in 1944 during World War II, Martin served a year stationed in Akron, Ohio. He was then reclassified as 4-F (possibly because of a double hernia; Jerry Lewis referred to the surgery Martin needed for this in his autobiography) and was discharged.

By 1946, Martin was doing relatively well, but was still little more than an East Coast nightclub singer with a common style, similar to that of Bing Crosby. He drew audiences to the clubs he played, but he inspired none of the fanatic popularity enjoyed by Sinatra.

Mafia connections

A biography on Martin entitled ''Dean Martin: King of the Road'' by Michael Freedland alleged he had links to the Mafia early in his career. According to this book, Martin was given help with his singing career by the Chicago Outfit who owned saloons in the city, and later performed in shows hosted by these bosses when he was a star. The mob bosses were Tony ("Joe Batters") Accardo and Sam Giancana. Freedland suggests Martin felt little sympathy for the Mafia and did them small favors only if it was not inconvenient for him. Another book, ''The Animal in Hollywood'' by John L. Smith, depicted Martin's longtime friendship with Mafia mobsters "Handsome Johnny" Roselli and Anthony ("The Animal") Fiato. Smith suggests that Fiato did Martin many favors, such as getting back money from two swindlers who had cheated Martin's ex-wife Betty out of thousands of dollars of her alimony.

Career

Teaming with Jerry Lewis

Martin attracted the attention of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Columbia Pictures, but a Hollywood contract was not forthcoming. He met comic Jerry Lewis at the Glass Hat Club in New York, where both men were performing. Martin and Lewis formed a fast friendship which led to their participation in each other's acts and the ultimate formation of a music-comedy team.

Martin and Lewis's official debut together occurred at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 24, 1946, and they were not well received. The owner, Skinny D'Amato, warned them that if they did not come up with a better act for their second show later that night, they would be fired. Huddling together in the alley behind the club, Lewis and Martin agreed to "go for broke", to throw out the pre-scripted gags and to improvise. Martin sang and Lewis came out dressed as a busboy, dropping plates and making a shambles of both Martin's performance and the club's sense of decorum until Lewis was chased from the room as Martin pelted him with breadrolls. They did slapstick, reeled off old vaudeville jokes, and did whatever else popped into their heads at the moment. This time, the audience doubled over in laughter. This success led to a series of well-paying engagements on the Eastern seaboard, culminating in a triumphant run at New York's Copacabana. Patrons were convulsed by the act, which consisted primarily of Lewis interrupting and heckling Martin while he was trying to sing, and ultimately the two of them chasing each other around the stage and having as much fun as possible. The secret, both said, is that they essentially ignored the audience and played to one another.

The team made its TV debut on the very first broadcast of CBS-TV network's ''Toast of the Town'' (later called ''The Ed Sullivan Show'') with Ed Sullivan and Rodgers & Hammerstein appearing on this same inaugural telecast of June 20, 1948. A radio series commenced in 1949, the same year Martin and Lewis were signed by Paramount producer Hal B. Wallis as comedy relief for the movie ''My Friend Irma''.

Their agent, Abby Greshler, negotiated for them one of Hollywood's best deals: although they received only a modest $75,000 between them for their films with Wallis, Martin and Lewis were free to do one outside film a year, which they would co-produce through their own York Productions. They also had complete control of their club, record, radio and television appearances, and it was through these endeavors that they earned millions of dollars.

In ''Dean & Me'', Lewis calls Martin one of the great comic geniuses of all time. But the harsh comments from the critics, as well as frustration with the formulaic similarity of Martin and Lewis movies, which producer Hal Wallis stubbornly refused to change, led to Martin's dissatisfaction. He put less enthusiasm into the work, leading to escalating arguments with Lewis. They finally could not work together, especially after Martin told his partner he was "nothing to me but a dollar sign". The act broke up in 1956, 10 years to the day from the first official teaming.

Martin's first solo film, ''Ten Thousand Bedrooms'' (1957), was a box office failure. He was still popular as a singer, but with rock and roll surging to the fore, the era of the pop crooner was waning.

The CBS film, ''Martin and Lewis'', a made-for-TV movie about the famous comedy duo, starred Jeremy Northam as Martin, and Sean Hayes as Lewis. It depicted the years from 1946–1956.

Solo career

Never totally comfortable in films, Martin wanted to be known as a real actor. Though offered a fraction of his former salary to co-star in a war drama, ''The Young Lions'' (1957), he was ecstatic to receive the part because it would be a dramatic showcase with the two most intriguing young actors of the period and he could learn from Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift. Tony Randall already had the part, but talent agency MCA realized that with this movie, Martin would become a triple threat: they could make money from his work in night clubs, movies, and records. Martin replaced Randall and the film turned out to be the beginning of Martin's spectacular comeback. Success would continue as Martin starred alongside Frank Sinatra for the first time in a highly acclaimed Vincente Minnelli drama, ''Some Came Running'' (1958). By the mid '60s, Martin was a top movie, recording, and nightclub star, while Lewis' film career declined. Martin was acclaimed for his performance as Dude in ''Rio Bravo'' (1959), directed by Howard Hawks and also starring John Wayne and singer Ricky Nelson. He teamed up again with Wayne in ''The Sons of Katie Elder'' (1965), somewhat unconvincingly cast as brothers.

In 1960, Martin was cast in the motion picture version of the Judy Holliday hit stage play ''Bells Are Ringing''. Martin played a satiric variation of his own womanizing persona as Vegas singer "Dino" in Billy Wilder's comedy ''Kiss Me, Stupid'' (1964) with Kim Novak, and he was not above poking fun at his image in films such as the ''Matt Helm'' spy spoofs of the 1960s, in which he was a co-producer.

As a singer, Martin copied the styles of Harry Mills (of the Mills Brothers), Bing Crosby, and Perry Como until he developed his own and could hold his own in duets with Sinatra and Crosby. Like Sinatra, he could not read music, but he recorded more than 100 albums and 600 songs. His signature tune, "Everybody Loves Somebody", knocked The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" out of the number-one spot in the United States in 1964. This was followed by the similarly-styled "The Door is Still Open to My Heart", which reached number six later that year. Elvis Presley was said to have been influenced by Martin, and patterned "Love Me Tender" after his style. Martin, like Elvis, was influenced by country music. By 1965, some of Martin's albums, such as ''Dean "Tex" Martin,'' ''The Hit Sound Of Dean Martin,'' ''Welcome To My World'' and ''Gentle On My Mind'' were composed of country and western songs made famous by artists like Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and Buck Owens. Martin hosted country performers on his TV show and was named "Man Of the Year" by the Country Music Association in 1966. "Ain't That a Kick in the Head", a song Martin performed in ''Ocean's Eleven'' that never became a hit at the time, has enjoyed a spectacular revival in the media and pop culture.

For three decades, Martin was among the most popular acts in Las Vegas. Martin sang and was one of the smoothest comics in the business, benefiting from the decade of raucous comedy with Lewis. Martin's daughter, Gail, also sang in Vegas and on his TV show, co-hosting his summer replacement series on NBC. Though often thought of as a ladies' man, Martin spent a lot of time with his family; as second wife Jeanne put it, prior to the couple's divorce, "He was home every night for dinner."

The Rat Pack

As Martin's solo career grew, he and Frank Sinatra became close friends. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Martin and Sinatra, along with friends Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Sammy Davis, Jr. formed the legendary Rat Pack, so called by the public after an earlier group of social friends, the Holmby Hills Rat Pack centered on Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, of which Sinatra had been a member.

The Martin-Sinatra-Davis-Lawford-Bishop group referred to themselves as "The Summit" or "The Clan" and never as "The Rat Pack", although this has remained their identity in the popular imagination. The men made films together, formed an important part of the Hollywood social scene in those years, and were politically influential (through Lawford's marriage to Patricia Kennedy, sister of President John F. Kennedy).

The Rat Pack were legendary for their Las Vegas performances. For example, the marquee at the Sands Hotel might read DEAN MARTIN---MAYBE FRANK---MAYBE SAMMY. Las Vegas rooms were at a premium when the Rat Pack would appear, with many visitors sleeping in hotel lobbies or cars to get a chance to see the three men together. Their act (always in tuxedo) consisted of each singing individual numbers, duets and trios, along with much seemingly improvised slapstick and chatter. In the socially-charged 1960s, their jokes revolved around adult themes, such as Sinatra's infamous womanizing and Martin's legendary drinking, as well as many at the expense of Davis's race and religion. Davis famously practiced Judaism and used Yiddish phrases onstage, eliciting much merriment from both his stage-mates and his audiences. It was all good-natured male bonding, never vicious, rarely foul-mouthed, and the three had great respect for each other. The Rat Pack was largely responsible for the integration of Las Vegas. Sinatra and Martin steadfastly refused to appear anywhere that barred Davis, forcing the casinos to open their doors to African-American entertainers and patrons, and to drop restrictive covenants against Jews.

Posthumously, the Rat Pack has experienced a popular revival, inspiring the George Clooney/Brad Pitt "Ocean's" trilogy. An HBO film, ''The Rat Pack'', starred Joe Mantegna as Martin, Ray Liotta as Sinatra and Don Cheadle as Davis. It depicted their contribution to JFK's election in 1960.

The 1960s to 1980s

In 1965, Martin launched his weekly NBC comedy-variety series, ''The Dean Martin Show'', which exploited his public image as a lazy, carefree boozer. There he perfected his famous laid-back persona of the half-drunk crooner suavely hitting on beautiful women with hilarious remarks that would get anyone else slapped, and making snappy if slurred remarks about fellow celebrities during his famous roasts. During an interview he stated, and this may have been tongue-in-cheek, that he had someone record them on cassette tape so he could listen to them; this is evidenced by his comments to this effect on the British TV documentary 'Wine, Women and Song' which was aired in 1983.

The TV show was a success. Martin prided himself on memorizing whole scripts – not merely his own lines. He disliked rehearsing because he firmly believed his best performances were his first. The show's loose format prompted quick-witted improvisation from Martin and the cast. On occasion, he made remarks in Italian, some mild obscenities that brought angry mail from offended, Italian-speaking viewers. This prompted a battle between Martin and NBC censors, who insisted on more scrutiny of the show's content. The show was often in the Top Ten. Martin, deeply appreciative of the efforts of the show's producer, his friend Greg Garrison, later made a handshake deal giving Garrison, a pioneer TV producer in the 1950s, 50% ownership of the show. However, the validity of that ownership is currently the subject of a lawsuit brought by NBC Universal.

Despite Martin's reputation as a heavy drinker – a reputation perpetuated via his vanity license plates reading "DRUNKY" – he was remarkably self-disciplined. He was often the first to call it a night, and when not on tour or on a film location, liked to go home to see his wife and children. Phyllis Diller has said that Martin was indeed drinking alcohol onstage and not apple juice. She also commented that although he was not drunk, he was not really sober either, but had very strict rules when it came to performances. He borrowed the lovable-drunk shtick from Joe E. Lewis, but his convincing portrayals of heavy boozers in ''Some Came Running'' and Howard Hawks's ''Rio Bravo'' led to unsubstantiated claims of alcoholism. More often than not, Martin's idea of a good time was playing golf or watching TV, particularly westerns – not staying with Rat Pack friends Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. into the early hours of the morning.

Martin starred in and co-produced a series of four Matt Helm superspy comedy adventures. A fifth, ''The Ravagers'', was planned starring Sharon Tate and Martin in a dual role, one as a serial killer, but due to the murder of Tate and the decline of the spy genre the film was never made.

By the early 1970s, ''The Dean Martin Show'' was still earning solid ratings, and although he was no longer a Top 40 hitmaker, his record albums continued to sell steadily. His name on a marquee could guarantee casinos and nightclubs a standing-room-only crowd. He found a way to make his passion for golf profitable by offering his own signature line of golf balls. Shrewd investments had greatly increased Martin's personal wealth; at the time of his death, Martin was reportedly the single largest minority shareholder of RCA stock. Martin even managed to cure himself of his claustrophobia by reportedly locking himself in the elevator of a tall building and riding up and down for hours until he was no longer panic-stricken.

Martin retreated from show business. The final (1973–74) season of his variety show would be retooled into one of celebrity roasts, requiring less of Martin's involvement. After the show's cancellation, NBC continued to air the ''Dean Martin Celebrity Roast'' format in a series of TV specials through 1984. In those 11 years, Martin and his panel of pals successfully ridiculed and made fun of these legendary stars in this order: Ronald Reagan, Hugh Hefner, Ed McMahon, William Conrad, Kirk Douglas, Bette Davis, Barry Goldwater, Johnny Carson, Wilt Chamberlain, Hubert Humphrey, Carroll O'Connor, Monty Hall, Jack Klugman & Tony Randall, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Leo Durocher, Truman Capote, Don Rickles, Ralph Nader, Jack Benny, Redd Foxx, Bobby Riggs, George Washington, Dan Rowan & Dick Martin, Hank Aaron, Joe Namath, Bob Hope, Telly Savalas, Lucille Ball, Jackie Gleason, Sammy Davis Jr, Michael Landon, Evel Knievel, Valerie Harper, Muhammad Ali, Dean Martin, Dennis Weaver, Joe Garagiola, Danny Thomas, Angie Dickinson, Gabe Kaplan, Ted Knight, Peter Marshall, Dan Haggerty, Frank Sinatra, Jack Klugman, Jimmy Stewart, George Burns, Betty White, Suzanne Somers, Joan Collins, and Mr T. For nearly a decade, Martin had recorded as many as four albums a year for Reprise Records. That stopped in November 1974, when Martin recorded his final Reprise album - ''Once In A While,'' released in 1978. His last recording sessions were for Warner Brothers Records. An album titled ''The Nashville Sessions'' was released in 1983, from which he had a hit with "(I Think That I Just Wrote) My First Country Song", which was recorded with Conway Twitty and made a respectable showing on the country charts. A followup single "L.A. Is My Home" / "Drinking Champagne" came in 1985. The 1975 film ''Mr. Ricco'' marked Martin's final starring role, and Martin limited his live performances to Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

Martin seemed to suffer a mid-life crisis. In 1972, he filed for divorce from his second wife, Jeanne. A week later, his business partnership with the Riviera was dissolved amid reports of the casino's refusal to agree to Martin's request to perform only once a night. He was quickly snapped up by the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, and signed a three-picture deal with MGM Studios. Less than a month after his second marriage had been legally dissolved, Martin married 26-year-old Catherine Hawn on April 25, 1973. Hawn had been the receptionist at the chic Gene Shacrove hair salon in Beverly Hills. They divorced November 10, 1976. He was also briefly engaged to Gail Renshaw, Miss World-U.S.A. 1969.

Eventually, Martin reconciled with Jeanne, though they never remarried. He also made a public reconciliation with Jerry Lewis on Lewis' Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon in 1976. Frank Sinatra shocked Lewis and the world by bringing Martin out on stage. As Martin and Lewis embraced, the audience erupted in cheers and the phone banks lit up, resulting in one of the telethon's most profitable years. Lewis reported the event was one of the three most memorable of his life. Lewis brought down the house when he quipped, "So, you working?" Martin, playing drunk, replied that he was "at the Meggum" – this reference to the MGM Grand Hotel convulsed Lewis. This, along with the death of Martin's son Dean Paul Martin a few years later, helped to bring the two men together. They maintained a quiet friendship but only performed together again once, in 1989, on Martin's 72nd birthday.

Personal life

Martin was married three times. Martin's first wife, Betty McDonald, tried by all accounts to be a good wife and mother to their four children, but her efforts were ultimately undone by her alcoholism . It remains a matter of speculation whether her alcoholism led to the failure of the marriage, or whether Martin's infidelities led to Betty's alcoholism. Subsequent to their divorce, Martin gained custody of their children; Betty lived out her life in quiet obscurity in San Francisco. Their children were Stephen Craig (born June 29, 1942), Claudia Dean (March 16, 1944 - 2001 from breast cancer), Barbara Gail (born April 11, 1945) and Deana (Dina) (born August 19, 1948).

Martin's second wife was Jeanne Biegger. A stunning blonde, Jeanne could sometimes be spotted in Martin's audience while he was still married to Betty. Their marriage lasted twenty-four years (1949–1973) and produced three children. Their children were Dean Paul (November 17, 1951 - March 21, 1987; plane crash), Ricci James (born September 20, 1953) and Gina Caroline (born December 20, 1956).

Martin's third marriage, to Catherine Hawn, lasted three years. One of Martin's managers had spotted her at the reception desk of a hair salon on Rodeo Drive, then arranged a meeting. Martin adopted Hawn's daughter, Sasha, but their marriage also failed. Martin initiated divorce proceedings.

Martin's uncle was Leonard Barr, who appeared in several of his shows.

Later years and death

On December 1, 1983 while gambling at the Golden Nugget casino in Atlantic City, Martin and Sinatra intimidated the dealer and several employees into breaking New Jersey law by making the dealer deal the cards by hand instead of from a shoe. Although Sinatra and Martin were implicated as the cause of the violation, neither was fined by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. The Golden Nugget received a $25,000 fine (which Sinatra paid, stating that it was his responsibility as he and Martin were the cause of the fine) and four employees including the dealer, a supervisor and pit boss were suspended from their jobs without pay.

Martin returned to films briefly with appearances in the two star-laden yet critically panned Cannonball Run movies. He also had a minor hit single with "Since I Met You Baby" and made his first music video, which appeared on MTV. The video was created by Martin's youngest son, Ricci.

On March 21, 1987, Martin's son, Dean Paul (formerly Dino of the '60s "teeny-bopper" rock group Dino, Desi & Billy), was killed when his F-4 Phantom II jet fighter crashed while flying with the California Air National Guard. A much-touted tour with Davis and Sinatra in 1988 sputtered. On one occasion, he infuriated Sinatra when he turned to him and muttered "Frank, what the hell are we doing up here?" Martin, who always responded best to a club audience, felt lost in the huge stadiums they were performing in (at Sinatra's insistence), and he was not interested in drinking until dawn after performances. His final Vegas shows were at Bally's Hotel in 1990. There he had his final reunion with Jerry Lewis on his 72nd birthday. Martin's last two TV appearances involved tributes to his former Rat Pack members. On December 8, 1989, he joined many stars of the entertainment industry in Sammy Davis, Jr's 60th anniversary celebration, which aired only a few weeks before Davis died from throat cancer. In December 1990, he congratulated Frank Sinatra on his 75th birthday special. By early 1995, Martin had officially retired from performing.

Martin, a life-long smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer at Cedars Sinai Medical Center on 16 September 1993. He died of acute respiratory failure resulting from emphysema at his Beverly Hills home on Christmas morning 1995, at age 78. The lights of the Las Vegas Strip were dimmed in his honor.

Tributes and legacy

In 1996, Ohio Rte. 7, through Steubenville, was re-dedicated as "Dean Martin Boulevard." Road signs bearing an Al Hirschfeld caricature of Martin's likeness officially designate the stretch, along with a state historical marker, in the Gazebo Park at Route 7 and North Fourth Street.

An annual "Dean Martin Festival" celebration is held in Steubenville. Impersonators, friends and family of Martin, and various entertainers, many of Italian ancestry, appear.

In 2005, Las Vegas renamed Industrial Road as ''Dean Martin Drive.'' A similarly named street was dedicated in 2008 in Rancho Mirage, California.

Martin's family was presented a gold record in 2004 for ''Dino: The Essential Dean Martin'', his fastest-selling album ever, which also hit the iTunes Top 10. For the week ending December 23, 2006, the Dean Martin and Martina McBride duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" reached #7 on the R&R; AC chart. It also went to #36 on the R&R; Country chart - the last time Martin had a song this high in the charts was in 1965, with the song "I Will", which reached #10 on the Pop chart.

An album of duets, ''Forever Cool'', was released by Capitol/EMI in 2007. It features Martin's voice with Kevin Spacey, Shelby Lynne, Joss Stone, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Robbie Williams, McBride and others.

His footprints were immortalized at Grauman's Chinese Theater in 1964. Martin has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: One at 6519 Hollywood Boulevard, for movies; one at 1817 Vine, for recordings; and one at 6651 Hollywood Boulevard, for television.

In February 2009, Martin was honored with a posthumous Grammy award for Lifetime Achievement. Four of his surviving children, Gail, Deana, Ricci and Gina, were on hand to accept on his behalf. In 2009, Martin was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

Popular culture

A number of Dean Martin songs have constantly been featured across popular culture for decades. Hit songs such as "Ain't That a Kick in the Head", "Sway", "That's Amore", and Martin's signature song "Everybody Loves Somebody" (and many more) have been used in films (such as the Oscar-winning ''Logorama'', ''A Bronx Tale'', ''Casino'', ''Goodfellas'', and ''Return to Me''), television series (such as ''American Dad!'', ''Friends'', and ''House MD''), video games (such as ''The Godfather: The Game'', ''The Godfather II'', ''Fallout: New Vegas'', and ''Mafia II''), and even fashion shows (such as the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2008).

In film and television

In That '70s show episode, S-6/E-2 "Join Together." When the Forman's were throwing away all of their bad foods and drinks, because of Red's Heart Attack. Red's beloved beer and his meats were taken away and Red's Fresh mouth son, Eric said,"Whoa look at this, it looks like Dean Martin exploded!"

In the movie ''A Bronx Tale'', Martin's song, "Ain't That A Kick In The Head?", was featured during the scene when C was playing dice.

A Budweiser TV commercial that premiered during Super Bowl XLI featured Martin's "Ain't That A Kick In The Head?".

British actor Jeremy Northam portrayed the entertainer in a made-for-TV movie called, ''Martin and Lewis'', alongside Will & Grace's Sean Hayes as Jerry Lewis.

Martin was portrayed by Joe Mantegna in an HBO movie about Sinatra and Martin titled ''The Rat Pack''. Mantegna was nominated for both an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for the role.

In the movie ''Return to Me'', three of his recordings are featured: "Good Morning, Life," "Buona Sera" and "Return to Me".

Danny Gans portrayed Martin in the miniseries ''Sinatra''.

In the pilot episode of ''White Collar'', Peter refers to Neal as "Dino", referencing the newly-found Sy Devore suits that Neal now wears – made famous by the "Rat Pack".

In the movie ''Pulp Fiction'', Mia Wallace and Vincent Vega go out to dinner at "Jack Rabbit Slim's" – she chooses "Martin and Lewis", and a $5 milkshake shows up.

In the movie ''Moonstruck'', Martin's recording of "That's Amore" plays over both the opening and closing credits.

In a Royal Automobile Club commercial, "Memories are Made of This" is sung.

In games and gambling

Martin is the subject of "Dean Martin's Wild Party", a video slot machine found in some casinos. The game features songs sung by Martin during the bonus game and the count-up of a player's winnings.

The 2010 video game, ''Fallout: New Vegas'', features Martin's "Ain't that a Kick in the Head?" throughout the game. It can be listened to on the "New Vegas" radio channel and heard on the loud speakers when you enter the Vegas Strip. The first quest of the game is also ironically named after the same song, as the player character is inflicted with a headshot wound.

Dean Martin's music is featured on the radios in the game Mafia II and Godfather II.

In music

A compilation album called, ''Amore!'', debuted at Number One on ''Billboard magazine'''s Top Pop Catalog Albums chart in its February 21, 2009 issue.

Other

In the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2008, "Ain't That A Kick In The Head?" was the opening song from the show.

Discography

Filmography

Features: {|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #f9f9f9; |- align="center" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes |- |1946 |''Film Vodvil: Art Mooney and Orchestra'' | |Short |- |1949 |''My Friend Irma'' |Steve Laird | |- |rowspan=3|1950 |''My Friend Irma Goes West'' |Steve Laird | |- |''At War with the Army'' |1st Sgt. Vic Puccinelli | |- |''Screen Snapshots: Thirtieth Anniversary Special'' | |Short |- |1951 |''That's My Boy'' |Bill Baker | |- |rowspan=4|1952 |''Sailor Beware'' |Al Crowthers | |- |''Jumping Jacks'' |Corp. Chick Allen | |- |''Road to Bali'' |Man in Lala's dream |Cameo (uncredited) |- |''The Stooge'' |Bill Miller | |- |rowspan=3|1953 |''Scared Stiff'' |Larry Todd | |- |''The Caddy'' |Joe Anthony | |- |''Money from Home'' |Herman 'Honey Talk' Nelson | |- |rowspan=2|1954 |''Living It Up'' |Dr. Steve Harris | |- |''3 Ring Circus'' |Peter 'Pete' Nelson | |- |rowspan=2|1955 |''You're Never Too Young'' |Bob Miles | |- |''Artists and Models'' |Rick Todd | |- |rowspan=3|1956 |''Screen Snapshots: Hollywood, City of Stars'' | |Short |- |''Pardners'' |Slim Mosely Jr. / Slim Mosely Sr. | |- |''Hollywood or Bust'' |Steve Wiley | |- |1957 |''Ten Thousand Bedrooms'' |Ray Hunter | |- |rowspan=2|1958 |''The Young Lions'' |Michael Whiteacre | |- |''Some Came Running'' |Bama Dillert (professional gambler) | |- |rowspan=2|1959 |''Rio Bravo'' |Dude ('Borachón') | |- |''Career'' |Maurice 'Maury' Novak | |- |rowspan=4|1960 |''Who Was That Lady?'' |Michael Haney |Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy |- |''Bells Are Ringing'' |Jeffrey Moss | |- |''Ocean's Eleven'' |Sam Harmon | |- |''Pepe'' | |Cameo |- |rowspan=2|1961 |''All in a Night's Work'' |Tony Ryder | |- |''Ada'' |Bo Gillis | |- |rowspan=4|1962 |''Something's Got to Give'' |Nicholas 'Nick' Arden |(unfinished) |- |''Sergeants 3'' |Sgt. Chip Deal | |- |''The Road to Hong Kong'' |The 'Grape' on plutonium |Cameo (uncredited) |- |''Who's Got the Action?'' |Steve Flood | |- |rowspan=5|1963 |''38-24-36'' |Self | |- |''Come Blow Your Horn'' |The Bum |(uncredited) |- |''Toys in the Attic'' |Julian Berniers | |- |''4 for Texas'' |Joe Jarrett | |- |''Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?'' |Jason Steel | |- |rowspan=3|1964 |''What a Way to Go!'' |Leonard 'Lennie' Crawley | |- |''Robin and the 7 Hoods'' |Little John | |- |''Kiss Me, Stupid'' |Dino | |- |rowspan=2|1965 |''The Sons of Katie Elder'' |Tom Elder | |- |''Marriage on the Rocks'' |Ernie Brewer | |- |rowspan=3|1966 |''The Silencers'' |Matt Helm | |- |''Texas Across the River'' |Sam Hollis | |- |''Murderers' Row'' |Matt Helm | |- |rowspan=2|1967 |''Rough Night in Jericho'' |Alex Flood | |- |''The Ambushers'' |Matt Helm | |- |rowspan=4|1968 |''How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life'' |David Sloane | |- |''Bandolero!'' |Dee Bishop | |- |''Rowan & Martin at the Movies'' | |Short |- |''5 Card Stud'' |Van Morgan | |- |1969 |''The Wrecking Crew'' |Matt Helm | |- |1970 |''Airport'' |Capt. Vernon Demerest | |- |1971 |''Something Big'' |Joe Baker | |- |1973 |''Showdown'' |Billy Massey | |- |1975 |''Mr. Ricco'' |Joe Ricco | |- |1981 |''The Cannonball Run'' |Jamie Blake | |- |rowspan=2|1984 |''Cannonball Run II'' |Jamie Blake | |- |''Terror in the Aisles'' | |archival footage |}

References

Further reading

Arthur Marx. ''Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime (Especially Himself): The story of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis'', New York, NY: Hawthorn Books, 1974, ISBN 978-0801524301

Lewis, Jerry and James Kaplan. ''Dean & Me (A Love Story)''. Doubleday, New York, 2005. ISBN 0-7679-2086-4

Tosches, Nick. ''Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams''. Delta Trade Paperbacks, New York, 1992 (1st edition). ISBN 0-385-33429-X

Smith, John L. ''The Animal in Hollywood: Anthony Fiato's Life in the Mafia''. Barricade Books, New York, 1998. ISBN 1-56980-126-6

External links

Dean Martin at The Biography Channel

Cleveland.com: Homegrown Heroes: Dean Martin Timeline

Dean Works the room at the Sands

Jerry Lewis interview for the Archive of American Television

Dean Martin biography/discography on The Interlude Era site

Radio interview with Deana Martin WSLR

Dean Martin Roasts Johnny Carson

Dean Martin Roast Frank Sinatra

Dean Martin Roasts Don Rickles

Category:1917 births Category:1995 deaths Category:Actors from Ohio Category:Actors from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Category:American baritones Category:American military personnel of World War II Category:American comedians Category:American crooners Category:American film actors Category:American jazz musicians of Italian descent Category:American people of Sicilian descent Category:Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Category:California Republicans Category:Cancer deaths in California Category:Capitol Records artists Category:Deaths from emphysema Category:Deaths from lung cancer Category:Deaths from respiratory failure Category:Musicians from Ohio Category:Musicians from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Category:Ohio Republicans Category:People from Steubenville, Ohio Category:Traditional pop music singers

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Coordinates	28°36′36″N77°13′48″N
name	Andy Griffith
birth name	Andy Samuel Griffith
birth date	June 01, 1926
birth place	Mount Airy, North Carolina, United States
nationality	American
education	Mount Airy High School
alma mater	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
party	Democrat
notable works	The Andy Griffith Show
spouse	Barbara Bray Edwards (m. 1949–72) (divorced)Solica Cassuto (m. 1975–81) (divorced)Cindi Knight (1983–present)
years active	1954–present
occupation	Actor, comedian, director, producer, singer (country, bluegrass & southern gospel), writer }}

Andy Samuel Griffith (born June 1, 1926) is an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's epic film ''A Face in the Crowd'' (1957) before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead characters in the 1960-68 situation comedy, ''The Andy Griffith Show'', and in the 1986-95 legal drama, ''Matlock''. Griffith was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by US President George W. Bush on November 9, 2005.

Early life and education

Griffith was born in Mount Airy, North Carolina, the only child of Geneva (''née'' Nunn) and Carl Lee Griffith. At a very young age, Griffith had to live with relatives until his parents could afford to get a home of their own. Without a crib or a bed, he slept in drawers for a few months. In 1929, when Griffith was three years old, his father took a job working as a carpenter and was finally able to purchase a home in Mount Airy's "blue-collar" southside.

Like his mother, Griffith grew up listening to music. His father instilled a sense of humor from old family stories. By the time he entered school he was well aware that he was from what many considered the "wrong side of the tracks". He was a shy student, but once he found a way to make his peers laugh, he began to come into his own.

As a student at Mount Airy High School, Griffith cultivated an interest in the arts, and he participated in the school's drama program. A growing love of music, particularly swing, would change his life. Griffith was raised Baptist and looked up to Ed Mickey, a minister at Grace Moravian Church, who led the brass band and taught him to sing and play the trombone. Mickey nurtured Griffith's talent throughout high school until graduation in 1944. Griffith was delighted when he was offered a role in ''The Lost Colony'', a play still performed today on historic Roanoke Island, part of the history filled Outer Banks, the barrier islands that sit along most of coastal North Carolina. He performed as a cast member of the play for several years, playing a variety of roles, until he finally landed the role of Sir Walter Raleigh, the namesake of North Carolina's capital.

He began college studying to be a Moravian preacher, but he changed his major to music and became a part of the school's Carolina Play Makers. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and graduated with a bachelor of music degree in 1949. At UNC he was president of the UNC Men's Glee Club and a member of the Alpha Rho Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, America's oldest fraternity for men in music.

After graduation, he taught English for a few years at Goldsboro High School in Goldsboro, North Carolina, where he taught, among others, Carl Kasell. He also began to write.

Career

From rising comedian to film star

Griffith's early career was as a monologist, delivering long stories such as ''What it Was, Was Football'', which is told from the point of view of a rural backwoodsman trying to figure out what was going on in a football game. Released as a single in 1953 on the Colonial label, the monologue was a hit for Griffith, reaching number nine on the charts in 1954.

Griffith starred in a one-hour teleplay version of ''No Time for Sergeants'' (March 1955)—a story about a country boy in the US Air Force—on ''The United States Steel Hour'', a television anthology series. He expanded that role in a full-length theatrical version of the same name (October 1955) on Broadway in New York City, New York. His Broadway career also included the title role in the 1957 musical, ''Destry Rides Again'', co-starring Delores Gray. The show, with a score by Harold Rome, ran for more than a year.

Griffith later reprised his role for the film version (1958) of ''No Time for Sergeants''; the film also featured Don Knotts, as a corporal in charge of manual-dexterity tests, marking the beginning of a life-long association between Griffith and Knotts. ''No Time for Sergeants'' is considered the direct inspiration for the later television situation comedy ''Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.''

He also portrayed a US Coast Guard sailor in the feature film ''Onionhead'' (1958); it was neither a critical nor a commercial success.

Dramatic role in ''A Face in the Crowd'' (1957)

In 1957 Griffith made his film début, starring in the film ''A Face in the Crowd''. Although he plays a "country boy", this country boy is manipulative and power-hungry, a drifter who becomes a television host and uses his show as a gateway to political power. Co-starring Patricia Neal, Walter Matthau, Tony Franciosa, and Lee Remick (in her film début as well), this now-classic film, directed by Elia Kazan, showcases Griffith's powerful talents. Written by Budd Schulberg, and partly based on the on-stage phoniness of both Arthur Godfrey and Will Rogers, the film demonstrated, quite early on, the power that television can have upon the masses. This prescient film was seldom run on television until the 1990s.

A 2005 DVD reissue of ''A Face in the Crowd'' includes a mini-documentary on the film, with comments from Schulberg and surviving cast members Griffith, Franciosa, and Neal. In his interview, Griffith, revered for his wholesome image for decades, reveals a more complex side of himself. He recalls Kazan prepping him to shoot his first scene with Remick's teenaged baton twirler, who captivates Griffith's character on a trip to Arkansas. Griffith also expresses his belief that the film was far more popular and respected in more recent decades than it was when originally released.

Television roles

Early television roles

Griffith's first appearance on television had been in 1955 in the one-hour teleplay of ''No Time for Sergeants'' on ''The United States Steel Hour''. That was the first of two appearances on that series.

In 1960, Griffith appeared as a county sheriff (who was also a justice of the peace and the editor of the local newspaper) in an episode of ''Make Room for Daddy'', starring Danny Thomas. This episode, in which Thomas' character is stopped for speeding in a little town, served as a backdoor pilot for ''The Andy Griffith Show''. Both shows were produced by Sheldon Leonard.

''The Andy Griffith Show'' (1960–1968)

Beginning in 1960, Griffith starred as Sheriff Andy Taylor in ''The Andy Griffith Show'' for the CBS television network alongside other successful 1960s family-oriented situation comedies that dealt with single parent families, such as: ''My Three Sons'', ''Family Affair'', ''The Beverly Hillbillies'', ''Petticoat Junction'', ''The Lucy Show'', ''Julia'', ''The Courtship of Eddie's Father'', and, a decade later, ''The Brady Bunch''.

The show took place in the fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina, where Taylor, a widower, was the sheriff and town sage. The show was filmed at Desilu Studios, with exteriors filmed at Forty Acres in Culver City, CA.

From 1960 to 1965, the show co-starred character actor and comedian—and Griffith's longtime friend—Don Knotts in the role of Deputy Barney Fife, Taylor's best friend and partner. He was also Taylor's cousin in the show. In the series première episode, in a conversation between the two, Fife calls Taylor "Cousin Andy", and Taylor calls Fife "Cousin Barney". The show also starred child actor Ron Howard (then known as Ronny Howard), who played Taylor's only child, Opie Taylor.

It was an immediate hit. Although Griffith never received a writing credit for the show, he worked on the development of every script. While Knotts was frequently lauded and won multiple Emmy Awards for his comedic performances (as did Frances Bavier in 1967), Griffith was never nominated for an Emmy Award during the show's run.

In 1967, Griffith was under contract with CBS to do one more season of the show. However, he decided to quit the show to pursue a movie career and other projects. The series continued as ''Mayberry R.F.D.'', with Ken Berry starring as a widower farmer and many of the regular characters recurring, some regularly and some as guest appearances. Griffith served as executive producer (according to Griffith, he came in once a week to review the week's scripts and give input) and guest starred in five episodes (the pilot episode involved his marriage to Helen Crump). He made one final appearance as Taylor in the 1986 reunion television film, ''Return to Mayberry'', and appeared in two reunion specials, in 1993 and 2003, respectively.

''Matlock'' (1986–1995)

After leaving his still-popular show in 1968, and starting his own production company (Andy Griffith Enterprises) in 1972, Griffith starred in less-successful television series such as ''Headmaster'' (1970), ''The New Andy Griffith Show'' (1971), ''Adams of Eagle Lake'' (1975) ''Salvage 1'' (1979), and ''The Yeagers'' (1980).

After spending time in rehabilitation for leg paralysis from Guillain–Barré syndrome in 1986, Griffith returned to television as the title character, Ben Matlock, in the legal drama ''Matlock'' (1986–1995) on NBC and ABC. Matlock was a country lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia, who was known for his Southern drawl and for always winning his cases. ''Matlock'' also starred unfamiliar actors (both of whom were childhood fans of Andy Griffith) Nancy Stafford as Michelle Thomas (1987–1992) and Clarence Gilyard Jr. as Conrad McMasters (1989–1993). By the end of its first season it was a ratings powerhouse on Tuesday nights. Although the show was nominated for four Emmy Awards, Griffith once again was never nominated. He did, however, win a People's Choice Award in 1987 for his work as ''Matlock''.

During the series' sixth season, he served as unofficial director, executive producer and writer of the show.

Other television appearances

Griffith has also made other character appearances through the years on ''Playhouse 90'', ''Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.'', ''The Mod Squad'', ''Hawaii Five-O'', ''The Doris Day Show'', ''Here's Lucy'', ''The Bionic Woman'', ''Fantasy Island'', among many others. He also reprised his role as Ben Matlock on ''Diagnosis: Murder'' in 1997, and his most recent guest-starring role was in 2001 in an episode of ''Dawson's Creek''.

Films (including television films)

For most of the 1970s, Griffith starred or appeared in many television films including ''The Strangers In 7A'' (1972), ''Go Ask Alice'' (1973), ''Winter Kill'' (1974), and ''Pray for the Wildcats'' (1974), which marked his first villainous role. Griffith appeared again as a villain in ''Savages'' (1974), a television film based on the novel ''Deathwatch'' (1972) by Robb White. Griffith received his only Primetime Emmy Award nomination as Outstanding Supporting Actor - Miniseries or a Movie for his role as the father of a murder victim in the television film ''Murder In Texas'' (1981) and won further acclaim for his role as a homicidal villain in the television film ''Murder in Coweta County'' (1983), co-starring music legend Johnny Cash as the sheriff. He also proved to be a good character actor and appeared in several television mini-series, including the television version of ''From Here to Eternity'' (1979), ''Roots: The Next Generations'' (1979), ''Centennial'' (1978), and the Watergate scandal-inspired ''Washington: Behind Closed Doors'' (1977), playing a former president loosely based on Lyndon B. Johnson.

Most of the TV movies Griffith starred in were also attempts to launch a new series. 1974's ''Winter Kill'' launched the short lived ''Adams of Eagle Lake'' which was canceled after only two episodes in 1975. A year later, he starred as a New York City attorney for the DA's office in ''Street Killing'' which also failed to launch a new series. Two television films for NBC in 1977, ''The Girl in The Empty Grave'' and ''Deadly Game'', were attempts for Griffith to launch a new series featuring him as Police Chief Abel Marsh, a more hard-edged version of Andy Taylor; despite strong ratings for both films, both were unsuccessful.

While appearing in television films and guest roles on television series over the next 10 years, Griffith also appeared in two feature films, both of which flopped at the box office. He co-starred with Jeff Bridges as a crusty old 1930s western actor in the comedy ''Hearts of the West'' (1975), and he appeared alongside Tom Berenger as a gay villainous colonel and cattle baron in the western comedy spoof ''Rustlers' Rhapsody'' (1985).

He also appeared as an attorney in the NBC mini-series ''Fatal Vision'' in 1984, which is considered a precursor to his role in ''Matlock''.

Griffith stunned many unfamiliar with his ''A Face in the Crowd'' work in the television film ''Crime of Innocence'' (1985), where he portrayed a callous judge who routinely sentenced juveniles to hard prison time. He further stunned audiences with his role as a dangerous and mysterious grandfather in 1995's ''Gramps'', co-starring the late John Ritter. He also appeared as a comical villain in the spy movie spoof ''Spy Hard'' (1996) starring Leslie Nielsen. In the television film ''A Holiday Romance'' (1999), Griffith played the role of "Jake Peterson." In the film ''Daddy and Them'' (2001), Griffith portrayed a patriarch of a dysfunctional southern family.

In the feature film ''Waitress'' (2007), Griffith played a crusty diner owner who takes a shine to Keri Russell's character. His latest appearance was the leading role in the romantic comedy, independent film ''Play The Game'' (2009) as a lonely, widowed grandfather re-entering the dating world after a 60-year hiatus. The cast of ''Play The Game'' also included Rance Howard, Ron Howard's real-life father, who made appearances in various supporting roles on ''The Andy Griffith Show,'' and Clint Howard, Ron's younger brother, who had the recurring role of ''Leon'' (the kid offering the ice cream cone or peanut butter sandwich) on TAGS.

Singing and recording career

Griffith sang as part of some of his acting roles, most notably in ''A Face In The Crowd'' and in many episodes of both ''The Andy Griffith Show'' and ''Matlock''. In addition to his recordings of comic monologues in the 1950s, he made an album of upbeat country and gospel tunes during the run of ''The Andy Griffith Show'', which included a version of the show's theme sung by Griffith under the title "The Fishin' Hole". In recent years, he has recorded successful albums of classic Christian hymns for Sparrow Records. His most successful was the 1996 release ''I Love to Tell the Story: 25 Timeless Hymns'', which was certified platinum by the RIAA.

Griffith appeared in country singer Brad Paisley's music video "Waitin' on a Woman" (2008).

Name dispute

William Harold Fenrick of Platteville, Wisconsin, legally changed his name to Andrew Jackson Griffith and ran unsuccessfully for sheriff of Grant County in November 2006. Subsequently, actor Griffith filed a lawsuit against Griffith/Fenrick, asserting that he violated trademark, copyright, and privacy laws by changing his name for the "sole purpose of taking advantage of Griffith's notoriety in an attempt to gain votes". On May 4, 2007, US District Court Judge John C. Shabaz ruled that Griffith/Fenrick did not violate federal trademark law because he did not use the Griffith name in a commercial transaction but instead strove "to seek elective office, fundamental First Amendment protected speech."

Associations

R.G. Armstrong

The longest association Griffith has had began in 1949 with a then-unknown actor, R.G. Armstrong. They met when Armstrong was one of Griffith's and his first wife's students at UNC, where Armstrong majored in drama. After graduating from college, Armstrong went on to become a versatile character actor while attending The Actors Studio in New York City.

In the 1960s, they were reunited in an episode of ''The Andy Griffith Show'', with Armstrong playing a farmer who was the father of a tomboy. In the 1980s, Armstrong made a guest appearance in a two-part episode of ''Matlock'', which was filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina (Griffith's place of residence), playing the role of a sheriff who introduces Matlock to a young, hotshot private investigator. Griffith and Armstrong keep in contact.

Don Knotts

Griffith's relationship with Knotts began in 1955, when they co-starred in the Broadway play ''No Time for Sergeants''. Several years later, Knotts had a regular role on ''The Andy Griffith Show'' for five seasons. Knotts left the series in 1965 but periodically returned for guest appearances. He appeared in the pilot for Griffith's subsequent short-lived series, ''The New Andy Griffith Show'', and he had a recurring role on ''Matlock'', from 1988 to 1992.

They kept in contact until Knotts' death in early 2006. Griffith traveled from his Manteo, North Carolina home to Los Angeles, California, to visit a terminally ill Knotts in the hospital just before Knotts died from complications of lung cancer.

Ron Howard

Griffith's friendship with Howard began in 1960, when they guest-starred in the episode of ''Make Room For Daddy'' that led to the formation of ''The Andy Griffith Show'' that same year. For eight seasons they shared a unique father-son relationship on the set. They guest-starred together in its spin-off series, ''Mayberry R.F.D.'', in an episode where Griffith's character married his long-time girlfriend. They also appeared in the episode ''Opie's Ill-Gotten Gain'', in which Howard's character, Opie, runs away from home and attempts to enlist in the US Marines. Howard and Griffith starred together in most of "The Andy Griffith Show" episodes. They costarred in the television special ''Return to Mayberry'' (1986), in which the now-adult Opie is about to become a father, and they later appeared together in CBS reunion specials in 1993 and 2003.

Griffith made a surprise appearance as the ghost of Andy Taylor when Howard hosted ''Saturday Night Live'' in 1982. Howard did not make any cameo appearances on ''Matlock'', but his mother, Jean Speegle Howard, had a small role in one episode. Howard attended the People's Choice Awards in 1987, where Griffith was honored.

Howard and Griffith keep in contact sharing news about family and personal activities. Howard and his family attended ''Waitress'' (2007), which they reportedly enjoyed. To this day, Griffith still calls Howard by his childhood nickname, "Ronny".

In October 2008, Griffith and Howard briefly reprised their Mayberry roles in an online video ''Ron Howard’s Call to Action''. It was posted to comedy video website Funny or Die. The video encouraged people to vote and endorsed Democratic Party US presidential candidate Barack Obama, and US vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden.

Personal life

Marriage and family

Griffith and Barbara Bray Edwards were married on August 22, 1949, and they adopted a son, Andrew Samuel Griffith Jr. (born in 1957 and known as Sam Griffith), a real-estate developer, and a daughter, Dixie Nan. They were divorced in 1972. Sam died in 1996 after years of alcoholism.

In 1975 Griffith and Solica Cassuto were married; they were divorced in 1981.

He and Cindi Knight were married on April 12, 1983; they had met when he was filming ''Murder in Coweta County''.

Political activities

In addition to his online video with Howard in 2008, in politics Griffith has favored Democrats and recorded television commercials endorsing North Carolina Governors Mike Easley and Bev Perdue. He spoke at the inauguration ceremonies of both. In 1984, he declined an offer by Democratic party officials to run against Jesse Helms, a US Senator from North Carolina.

In July 2010, he also starred in ads about Medicare.

Health

Griffith's first serious health problem was in April 1983, when he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome and could not walk for seven months because of paralysis from the knees down.

On May 9, 2000, he underwent quadruple heart-bypass surgery at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. After a fall, Griffith underwent hip surgery on September 5, 2007, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Albums

''Andy and Cleopatra'' on Capitol Records - T 2066, (1964)

''What it Was, Was Football'' (as Deacon Andy Griffith) on Capitol Records - EAP 1-498, (1953)

''Just for Laughs'' (1958)

''Shouts the Blues and Old Timey Songs'' (1959) (album includes a guest appearance by bluesmen Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry).

''Somebody Bigger Than You and I'' (1972)

''American Originals'' (1993)

''I Love to Tell the Story: 25 Timeless Hymns'' (1996)

''Sings Favorite Old-Time Songs'' (1997)

''Just as I Am: 30 Favorite Old Time Hymns (1998)

''Wit & Wisdom of Andy Griffith'' (1998)

''Favorite Old Time Songs'' (2000)

''Absolutely the Best'' (remastered) (2002)

''Back to Back Hits'' (2003)

''The Christmas Guest'' (2003)

''Bound for the Promised Land: The Best of Andy Griffith Hymns'' (2005)

''The Collection'' (2005)

''Pickin' and Grinnin': The Best of Andy Griffith'' (2005)

Music videos

! Year	! Video	! Director
2008	"Waitin' on a Woman"(w/ Brad Paisley)	Jim Shea/Peter Tilden

Filmography

Features

''A Face in the Crowd'' (1957)

''No Time for Sergeants'' (1958)

''Onionhead'' (1958)

''The Second Time Around'' (1961)

''Angel in My Pocket'' (1969)

''Hearts of the West'' (1975)

''Rustlers' Rhapsody'' (1985)

''Gramps'' (1995)

''Spy Hard'' (1996)

''Daddy and Them'' (2001)

''The Very First Noel'' (2006) (voice)

''Waitress'' (2007)

''Christmas Is Here Again'' (2007) (voice)

''Play the Game'' (2008)

Short subjects

''Rowan & Martin at the Movies'' (1968)

''What It Was, Was Football'' (1997)

''Waitin' on a Woman'' (music video by Brad Paisley featuring Griffith) (2008)

Television work

''The Andy Griffith Show'' (1960–1968)

''The Headmaster'' (1970–1971)

''The New Andy Griffith Show'' (1971; canceled after 13 episodes)

''The Strangers In 7A'' (1972)

''Go Ask Alice'' (1973)

''Pray for the Wildcats'' (1974)

''Winter Kill'' (1974)

''Savages'' (1974)

''Adams of Eagle Lake'' (1975; canceled after two episodes)

''Street Killing'' (1976)

''Six Characters in Search of an Author'' (1976)

''Frosty's Winter Wonderland'' (1976) (voice)

''Washington: Behind Closed Doors'' (1977)

''The Girl in the Empty Grave'' (1977)

''Deadly Game'' (1977)

''Centennial'' (1978; miniseries)

''Salvage 1'' (1979; canceled after 20 episodes)

''From Here to Eternity'' (1979; miniseries)

''Roots: The Next Generations'' (1979; miniseries)

''The Yeagers'' (1980; canceled after two episodes)

''Murder in Texas'' (1981)

''For Lovers Only'' (1982)

''Murder in Coweta County'' (1983)

''The Demon Murder Case'' (1983)

''Fatal Vision'' (1984) (miniseries)

''Crime of Innocence'' (1985)

''Return to Mayberry'' (1986)

''Matlock'' (1986–1995)

''Under the Influence'' (1986)

''The Gift of Love'' (1994)

''Gramps'' (1995)

''Scattering Dad'' (1998)

''A Holiday Romance'' (1999)

Honors

Mount Airy annually celebrates Griffith and his eponymous television series with "Mayberry Days", named after the fictional community of Mayberry in ''The Andy Griffith Show''.

A statue of the Mayberry characters, Andy and Opie, was constructed in Pullen Park in Raleigh, North Carolina, and at the Andy Griffith Playhouse in Mount Airy.

C.F. Martin & Company, guitar manufacturers, offers an Andy Griffith signature model guitar. Limited edition in 2004 of the D-18 Model with 311 units total production. Patterned after Andy's own 1956 D-18.

Griffith received a Grammy Award for Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album for ''I Love to Tell the Story — 25 Timeless Hymns'' in 1997.

In 1999 Griffith was inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame with fellow artists Lulu Roman, Barbara Mandrell, David L. Cook, Gary S. Paxton, Jimmy Snow, Loretta Lynn, and Jody Miller.

In October 2002, an stretch of US Highway 52 that passes through Mount Airy was dedicated as the Andy Griffith Parkway.

He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bush on November 9, 2005.

A few weeks earlier, he had helped preside over the reopening of UNC's Memorial Hall and donated a substantial amount of memorabilia from his career to the university.

In 2007, he was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

References

External links

Discography at CMT.com

Inventory of the Andy Griffith Papers, 1949–1997, in the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

"Judge: Wis'. 'Andy Griffith' Did Not Harm Actor", news report by ''The Associated Press'' on the May 2007 ruling in favor of William Harold Fenrick.

"What It Was, Was Football", includes links to audio of the routine and ''Mad'' magazine treatment.

Fans created replica of Sheriff Andy Taylor's Mayberry home for B&B;

Taylor home replica inn

Beckwith, Ryan Teague (December 27, 2007). "Andy Griffith", profile at ''The News & Observer''. Accessed November 12, 2009.

Andy Griffith Archive of American Television Interview

Category:1926 births Category:Living people Category:People from Mount Airy, North Carolina Category:Actors from North Carolina Category:American Christians Category:American comedians Category:American film actors Category:American performers of Christian music Category:American male singers Category:American people of Welsh descent Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American television actors Category:American television directors Category:American television producers Category:American voice actors Category:Colonial Records Category:Baptists from the United States Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Musicians from North Carolina Category:North Carolina Democrats Category:People from Dare County, North Carolina Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Category:Southern Gospel performers Category:University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni Category:Writers of the Moravian Church

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