Andy Griffith had a long and successful career as an actor, as one of sitcom’s leading men. Griffith made quite a bit of money during his career. In fact, Griffith had a sizeable nest egg at the time of his death in 2012.
How much was Griffith worth when he died? Reportedly, Griffith had a net-worth in a tune of around $60 million in 2012, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Griffith had worked in the TV industry for decades, starting in the 1950s. It apparently pays to have a TV series literally named after you, via “The Andy Griffith Show.”
Griffith starred as Mayberry’s sheriff Andy Taylor for eight seasons of the show. The sitcom was a hit with audiences during its initial run, making it the No. 1 broadcast in the country. Additional, reruns kept the show in the public conversation for decades to come. And the royalties from such episodes probably added to Griffith’s wealth and riches.
“Ted Turner told me that the Griffith Show helped him start his network,” he said. “We didn’t know when we started it that it was going to last that long or influence so many people. We were just trying to do a good show.”
Andy Griffith Starred in ‘Matlock’
When Griffith left Mayberry after eight seasons, the actor struggled to find similar success. Griffith starred in the single-season “Headmaster” and followed up with “The New Andy Griffith Show.” That latter show would have little to do with Mayberry and Griffith’s earlier hit. Likewise, Griffith’s show ended up only lasting a season as a result, giving the actor two commercial failures.
Griffith appeared in numerous TV movies during the 1970s before he landed his other famous role. In 1986, Griffith starred as lawyer Ben Matlock in the popular TV series “Matlock.” The role was instantly popular. Griffith ended up playing as Matlock for nine seasons, well into the 1990s. Griffith eventually retired out to North Carolina, his home state, where he spent his remaining years enjoying the peace and quiet.
During his life, Griffith received several accolades. For instance, he won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Actor in a New TV Series for his role in “Matlock.” President George W. Bush also awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. Some of Griffith’s other awards include TV Land Legend Award and TV Land Single Dad of the Year Award.
