According to Andy Griffith, he is nothing like Andy Taylor
“Don’t pay attention to it, it’s a personality,” Griffith said.

For an entire generation of television viewers, Sheriff Andy Taylor was the ultimate father figure. He is honest, straightforward and kind. Even in a position of power, Andy Taylor still behaves kindly. He treats everyone with respect, whether they are mayors or criminals.

Andy Taylor is revered as the image of authority. Many viewers from unstable families may see Taylor as their own perfect father figure. However, when portraying a near-perfect man on television, Andy Griffith was quick to point out the differences between him and his character.

Don Knotts would make Andy Griffith laugh so hard he punched a wall
For his role as Sheriff of Mayberry, Andy Griffith was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush in 2005. That same year, Griffith spoke with Beverly Keel from the online magazine American Profile. In the interview, Griffith talked about living in the shadow of Sheriff Andy Taylor.

“Don’t pay attention to it, it’s a personality,” Griffith said.

“I am not a beloved father, I am not a pure American. I’m just a 79 year old man.

“I failed a lot. My son died of a drug overdose when he was 36 years old. I was not a good father to him. So I failed in many ways. I am a person. man.” you, like many other men.”

There is no such thing as a perfect father, and by keeping his distance from his on-screen counterpart, Griffith allows us to understand him as a person. In doing so, we can also see who we are and who we want to become. The first step towards progress is taking stock.

No one can be Sheriff Andy Taylor. He is a work of fiction. But by pointing this out, Andy Griffith has at least given us something to strive towards. Mayberry doesn’t exist, but we can still do our best to treat each other with the respect that Sheriff Taylor taught us.