Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

If you are still in the gop, you are either an extremist yourself, or in bed with those who are.

Good lord, these people are nuts.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

She burned that motherfucker down, and I am so here for it. Thank you, Caroline Kennedy.

Trump’s cabinet: like a magic 8 ball that only gives wrong answers.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

Jesus watching the most hateful people claiming to be his followers

If ‘weird’ was the finish line, they ran through the tape and kept running.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

If you can’t control your emotions, someone else will.

Hot air and ill-informed banter

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

People identifying as christian while ignoring christ and his teachings is a strange thing indeed.

“Facilitate” is an active verb, not a weasel word.

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

At some point, the ability to learn is a factor of character, not IQ.

Not rolling over. fuck you, make me.

Stamping your little feets and demanding that they see how important you are? Not working anymore.

Relentless negativity is not a sign that you are more realistic.

Bad people in a position to do bad things will do bad things because they are bad people. End of story.

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

Never give a known liar the benefit of the doubt.

SCOTUS: It’s not “bribery” unless it comes from the Bribery region of France. Otherwise, it’s merely “sparkling malfeasance”.

You are here: Home / TV & Movies / Movies / Andy Griffith RIP

Andy Griffith RIP

by | 158 Comments

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I still haven’t seen “A Face In The Crowd” but Scholars and Rogues has convinced me to:

Andy Griffith’s character commands the screen, whether his character, “Lonesome” Rhodes, is in manipulative, lecherous, cynical, or domineering modes. Andy Griffith lecherous? Oh, yeah. Heck, he could have played Jerry Sandusky and made it believable. Watching the arc of Lonesome Rhodes’ life is a rare treat. Granted, a treat that doesn’t always taste good–kind of like the Every Flavor Beans in Harry Potter–but one of those things that you should try, at least once.

I read once that Ted Danson based his treatment of the character Sam Malone on the Andy Griffith show, surrounded by weirdos but still able to treat them all with dignity and patience.

Reader Interactions

158Comments

  3. 3.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    Unfortunately, his “A Face In The Crowd” role has been reverse-tainted by the success of the Sheriff Andy Taylor character.

  4. 4.

    David in NY

    Problem with A Face in the Crowd is the fairy-tale ending. The bad guy is beaten by luck, not the skill or virtue of the other side.

    I wondered when I saw it and other movies like it, what made people think the rich fascists were always going to lose — after all, didn’t they have all the money and power? And now they really have gotten vicious and we’ll see what happens.

  5. 5.

    kindness

    Please….Do not link my childhood Andy Griffith with Sandusky. Some things transcend vile imagery, like my childhood imagery.

  6. 6.

    Valdivia

    Face in the Crowd is a must DougJ. I saw it a few years back and thought it said so much about our society today, that it was still relevant.

    And may he RIP.

  7. 7.

    David in NY

    BTW, I bet nobody here has ever heard Andy’s breakthrough hit, a country “comedy” record (remember them) called “What It Was, Was Football.”

  9. 9.

    piratedan

    @David in NY: SORRY LADDIE, you would be wrong on that score, there are a few decrepits still haunting these threads… now kindly, get yer ass off my lawn!

  10. 10.

    Jewish Steel

    @David in NY:

    Sure, I remember that. It was well before my time but I was an enthusiastic comedy record collector when I was a kid.

  11. 11.

    BGinCHI

    Face in the Crowd is a great movie.

    Make it a double feature with Night of the Hunter.

  13. 13.

    Tom Q

    @David in NY: Don’t say “nobody”; I remember it well, along with the early Newhart and Cosby albums.

    Andy Griffith is a bit like Angela Lansbury: beloved TV star with a huge natural appeal, but prized by film buffs for one spectacular villainous performance in a dark political film that still seems relevant half a century later.

    He’s also the rare public figure who instantly makes a maddeningly catchy musical theme come to mind.

  14. 14.

    sophronia

    Anybody who wants to see “A Face in the Crowd,” Turner Classic Movies network is showing it on Thursday night. It’s part of a slate of movies programmed by guest programmer Spike Lee.

  16. 16.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Tom Q:

    Andy Griffith is a bit like Angela Lansbury: beloved TV star with a huge natural appeal, but prized by film buffs for one spectacular villainous performance in a dark political film that still seems relevant half a century later.

    They both should have won Oscars for those performances.

    Brilliant acting.

  18. 18.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    Both “Face in the Crowd” and “No Time For Sergeants” are must see films.

    I’m always impressed at how well the Andy Griffith Show holds up. Not every episode but quite a few and when compared to other sitcoms of its time, the writing was sterling.

    He was a good singer and played guitar as well. Ever hear his version of “House Of The Risin’ Sun”?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_2gdg17rtw

  21. 21.

    David in NY

    Re: What It Was, Was …

    Just testing the age demographic here. Tests on the medicare side.

  24. 24.

    urlhix

    “A Face in the Crowd” is great. And still totally relevant. You’ll never look at him the same again. Highly recommended.

  25. 25.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    Sorry to go OT on an RIP thread but methinks AG would have loved this. You have to love the Freepers bless their hearts. Discussing the ACA decision one of them writes

    To: scottfactor

    Why the heck has this ruling not been appealed yet?

    2 posted on Tuesday, July 03, 2012 7:35:04 AM by aces

    I wish we had ROTFLMAO smilies around here.

    Blockquote fail again

  26. 26.

    TaMara (BHF)

    This is my all time favorite scene from The Andy Griffith Show

    “Don’t the trees seem nice and full?”

    He was friends/co-worker with friends of mine. I regret I never got to meet him, though I was regaled with enough funny stories and tidbits that made me almost feel like I knew him. He seemed like a genuinely nice person, though maybe a bit curmudgeonly, which only seemed to endear him more to me.

  27. 27.

    AliceBlue

    “A Face in the Crowd” is a must-see; politically, it was far ahead of its time.

    I always think of Lonesome Rhodes as Will Stockdale’s evil twin. (For those who have never seen “No Time for Sergeants” Stockdale is Andy Griffith’s lovable hayseed character). My dad loved NTFS; he was in the Air Force for 35 years and said it was one of the best peace-time military movies ever made.

  29. 29.

    catclub

    @Villago Delenda Est: Either Lansbury or her agent really wanted to bury her Role in “The Manchurian Candidate” when she was doing Murder, She Wrote.
    But it was a fabulous role and performance. She looked about 27 and played the mother of a guy who was at least 45.

    Some folks don’t seem to realize that it is acting, and that the person playing the part may not be identical to the role they play.

  32. 32.

    gogol's wife

    @Valdivia:
    But you’re right in that Angela Lansbury is known for many fine film performances, not just that one. Andy Griffith is mostly known for Face in the Crowd, although No Time for Sergeants is a brilliant comic performance too.

    Love Andy. He and Opie are the best father-son team ever. Even better than Ward and the Beaver, whom I also love.

  33. 33.

    srv

    @David in NY:

    I wondered when I saw it and other movies like it, what made people think the rich fascists were always going to lose—after all, didn’t they have all the money and power? And now they really have gotten vicious and we’ll see what happens.

    Well, in Network the fascist won. In Rollerball, they waited too long.

  34. 34.

    hilts

    @sophronia: @Southern Beale:

    Another must see film also on Thursday night is Ace in the Hole starring Kirk Douglas.

    Doug,

    For a great night of cynical takes on the media watch “A Face in the Crowd”, “Ace in the Hole”, “Sweet Smell of Success”, and “Network” back to back.

  35. 35.

    Paul in KY

    His character in ‘Mayberry RFD’ was probably the ultimate dad.

    Got to think he was alot like that in real life. A giant of televsion, won’t see another like him.

  36. 36.

    Surreal American

    @David in NY:

    Problem with A Face in the Crowd is the fairy-tale ending. The bad guy is beaten by luck, not the skill or virtue of the other side.

    Actually, that’s the part of the movie that rings true to me.

    What I like is that the Walter Matthau character, the smart writer guy, does what the smart writer guys almost always do when confronting the Lonesome Rhodes types. He writes a book, with the hope and expectation people will read it and see LR for the fraud he is.

    Elia Kazan was savvy enough to realize that the medium that sustains demagogues is the medium that ultimately contributes to their undoing.

  38. 38.

    handsmile

    @BGinCHI: (#11)

    You must have been a hilarious date back in the day.

    (and I say this as someone who considers The Night of the Hunter one of the very best American movies. one created for the most part by a furriner too.)

    Come to think of it, maybe A Face in the Crowd and The Night of the Hunter is a perfect double bill for America’s Birthday, circa 2012.

    BTW, wasn’t it Duncan Black/Atrios who referred to Glenn Beck as “Lonesome Rhoades?”

    ETA: Commnet #40 answered my question. It was Olbermann.

  39. 39.

    redshirt

    I was inspired to practice and practice my whistling skills because of the theme song. I’m quite good now.

    Also, I wonder what Mayberry would be like today, if they remade the show. I suspect angry Teabaggers and a racist, corrupt sheriff.

  41. 41.

    Anonymous At Work

    A Face in the Crowd is why Olbermann always referred to Beck as “Lonesome Rhodes” Beck. Worth seeing to see play-against-type. Once Upon a Time in the West by Leone (Director’s Cut) has Henry Fonda doing something similar. That’s chops on both parts: squeaky-clean image playing some monsters and playing them well.
    A votre sainte, Griffith.

  42. 42.

    mellowjohn

    it was olbermann who came up w/ “lonesome rhodes beck.”

    p.s. another great playing against type movie is “maddog and glory” w/ deniro.

  44. 44.

    catclub

    @Paul in KY: I suspect the next generation thinks that about Bill Cosby.

    I prefer John Goodman in Roseanne. Which I feel is underrated.

    Also, Goodman is definitely a giant of the small screen. ;)

  46. 46.

    Judge Crater

    Andy also played LBJ in a made-for-tv movie decades ago. I can’t remember the title or venue, but it was a fantastic, subtle performance. The guy was a great actor.

  48. 48.

    Montysano

    Coming at it from a photographer’s perspective, A Face In The Crowd is one of the gems of the film noir genre. Patricia Neal is wonderful also, too.

  51. 51.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    @Culture of Truth:

    I’m headed over to Blockbuster right now.

    Those are still around? Every one here in central Misery went TU over a year ago.

  52. 52.

    Raven

    This is always a great place for advice so here goes. I have posted the fact that a friend has a particularly nasty kind of cancer (location) and have not gotten one reply. My reading tells me that people are uncomfortable talking about the particular location so I’m thinking maybe that’s why I get no response. Anyway she is in her second week of radiation after chemo last week. We (my bride) wanted to have a little birthday dinner for her hubby and they just called and cancelled. After reading about the impact of chemo on eating I am not surprised and I just told them not to worry at all and that we’d catch it in the future. Supporting these folks is going to be tricky and I know it but I wondered what kind of advice any of you might have?

  53. 53.

    brantl

    I always loved Andy Griffith, even the Ritz cracker commercials. You could tell that he really did like them. A genuine man and human, in all regards.

  54. 54.

    brantl

    I always loved Andy Griffith, even the Ritz cracker commercials. You could tell that he really did like them. A genuine man and human, in all regards.

  56. 56.

    LosGatosCA

    @AliceBlue:

    My mother said NTFS was her favorite Broadway performance by any actor. And she saw many in her years in Her 50 years in NY.

  59. 59.

    The Moar You Know

    I had no idea what I was in for with “Face In The Crowd”. Andy Griffith was Mayberry, right?

    That was a lesson in what a good actor is capable of. Which he was. I’ll miss him.

  60. 60.

    Randy P

    This may not be great cinema, but I’m going to put in a vote for “Waitress”, which is a cute little indie flick from a few years ago, where Griffith plays the crotchety old diner owner that everybody is scared of. It’s a natural for BJ because pie is very central to the movie.

  61. 61.

    jibeaux

    @Raven: You’re very kind to make the effort. I would suggest child care, pet care, housecleaning, lawn mowing, etc., if they’ll accept the help.

  64. 64.

    jibeaux

    @Randy P: I saw it for Nathan Fillion. It wasn’t bad. It was the last film for that director, who was horribly murdered.

  65. 65.

    urlhix

    An old roommate of mine tells a great story from when he was in high school (early 80’s) about waking up one morning, going outside to get the paper or something and there is Andy walking down his suburban Georgia street. He pointed and exclaimed “Hey! You’re Andy Griffith!” Andy looked over at him, scowled and replied “fuck you!”

  66. 66.

    JWL

    Griffith also turned in a fantastic performance as a big shot murderer in the made for TV movie ‘King of the County’ (co-starring Johnny Cash). He also nailed Lyndon Johnson in another such movie (whose name escapes me). It wasn’t a large role, but I remember it all these years later. The brilliant comedy No Time For Sergeants remains my favorite film of his. Throw in his years as the sheriff of Mayberry, and, wow, what a career. Hat’s off and farewell to a wonderful actor. RIP Andy.

  67. 67.

    ThresherK

    Just a pile-on for “Face in the Crowd”, and also Andy’s spot in Ron Howard’s “Funny or die” video for the 2008 election.

  69. 69.

    Tom Q

    @Judge Crater: It was called Washington: Behind Closed Doors, and it was mostly a thinly disguised take on Watergate, with Jason Robards playing the Nixon-like figure. Griffith did indeed play the LBJ-like character, who was president when the story began.

  73. 73.

    hells littlest angel

    @Valdivia: I believe he was referring to The Manchurian Candidate, in which Lansbury plays one of the creepiest, evilest villains of all time (really).

  74. 74.

    The Red Pen

    Congratulations on a life well-lived, Mr. Griffith.

    Hey, whatever happened to the kid that played Opie?

  75. 75.

    Culture of Truth

    whatever happened to the kid that played Opie?

    He disapeared until he came back as the narrator in Arrested Development.

  77. 77.

    28 Percent

    @Raven: I’d say, ask your friend what you can do to help, and then do that. Also, if his wife is a reader at all, go to the local Goodwill or used book store and buy up beach-reading-quality paperbacks by the pound. Avoid anything challenging, but chances are very good that she’s going to spend a lot of time exhausted and bored.

  78. 78.

    Gus

    I remember as a kid (early ’70s) watching a made for TV movie called “Savages” with Andy as a hunter who accidentally kills a person and tries to cover it up. There’s a good deal more to it than that, but at the time I only knew him as a good guy and was surprised how well he played the bad guy. I’d love to see that one again.

  79. 79.

    Violet

    “A Face in the Crowd” is one of my favorite movies. I had to watch it for a class and was just astounded. I try to get everyone to watch it. Andy Griffith is superb in it and totally unlike any other Andy Griffith thing I’ve ever seen him do.

    RIP, Andy. A class act all the way.

  80. 80.

    Napoleon

    @hilts:

    It should be noted that Ace in the Hole also was called The Big Carnival. When I was a kid it would get played on TV (you know, one of 3 channels you could get) once a year. I loved that movie.

  81. 81.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @catclub:

    Goodman is definitely a giant of the small screen. ;)

    I’ll always treasure that moment in The West Wing where all you see is walking feet, and Goodman says “Breathe regular.”

  82. 82.

    Randy P

    @SiubhanDuinne: One of my favorite moments watching O Brother, Where art Thou? is, knowing that the movie was full of Odyssey references and wondering if they were going to reference the Cyclops, suddenly there’s Goodman with an eye patch.

  84. 84.

    Gus

    Ha, I can’t believe I’m the third or fourth person to mention “Savages.” There were some great made for TV movies in that era. “Bad Ronald” “The Night Stalker,” and “Mousey” with Kirk Douglas come to mind.

  85. 85.

    Raven

    @28 Percent: Thx, they live here and have a house in the French Quarter and have spent the last 10 years going back and forth and living a very active social life.

  86. 86.

    SiubhanDuinne

    And back to Andy Griffith — I would swear I saw him in a made-for-TV movie about 20 years ago where he played (brilliantly) a man who had managed to hide his illiteracy for his entire life. I almost want to say Jane Fonda played the teacher who taught him to read and write, but I could be wrong about that part. Heck, I could be wrong about all of it. But before I tackle Google and IMDb, does this sound familiar to anyone else?

  87. 87.

    Violet

    @Raven: From what I’ve heard, people going through cancer treatment, and their significant others, don’t want to ask for help and most people say, “Let me know if I can help you/what I can do” and the folks getting the treatment never call.

    Instead of saying that sort of thing, take charge of something that you know will be helpful. You’ll get their laundry, take it to cleaners, return it to them. You’ll bring a meal on Sunday/Monday/whenever and make it something that can last more than one day/be frozen in separate meals. You’ll drive her to/from chemo so the husband can have a break. You’ll arrange lawn care/dog walking/whatever chore.

    Of course you don’t want to be controlling about it, but it sounds like these are folks you know well, they’re dealing with a very stressful situation that affects them physically and emotionally. Any practical help you can offer, plus just being there regularly for whatever they need, will be really helpful. Even better, if you have more mutual friends, you can coordinate which friends do what task and more chores will be covered.

  88. 88.

    catclub

    @brantl: “You could tell that he really did like them.”

    Sincerity is everything, if you can fake that, you’ve got it made.

  90. 90.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Randy P:

    I am horribly embarrassed and ashamed to admit I have never seen it. I will remedy that soonest.

  91. 91.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @Raven: My advice is to keep your personal business private and not drag us all into it, but I’m in the minority around here. :)

  92. 92.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Randy P:

    I am horribly embarrassed and ashamed to admit I have never seen it. I will remedy that soonest.

  93. 93.

    rlrr

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    And back to Andy Griffith—I would swear I saw him in a made-for-TV movie about 20 years ago where he played (brilliantly) a man who had managed to hide his illiteracy for his entire life.

    Don’t be silly, Andy Griffith was too old to play a young George W. Bush.

  97. 97.

    Raven

    @Violet: Yea, he is 75 and she’s 67 or so. We meet with them every morning for 20 minutes of coffee when they are here. I talked to him alone a couple of time and told him we were not just foolin around, that they were going to need help and we are ready. It is a balancing act to not overstep but still be firm. They are in for some very rough times when the radiation kicks in and I think there will be a limit to how much they want anyone around. The mutual friends thing is tricky. They chose not to tell very many people and we’re struggling a bit with that.

  98. 98.

    handsmile

    @Raven: (#51)

    Your friend’s specific illness may be of less importance than your kindness and sustained efforts to offer assistance. Her exhaustion, discomfort, and other side-effects from the cancer treatment may may her and her husband, paradoxically, less able to welcome your overtures (i.e, some people withdraw when combatting illness.)

    You would know better their particular circumstances, but like jibeaux suggested (#59), yardwork, shopping, deliveries, pet/child care (if you are close friends) might be appreciated and respectful of privacy.

    You and your wife are good people, to be sure.

  100. 100.

    waratah

    @Raven: My mother in law had colon cancer and after chemo treatments eating does not appeal to them and they lose some taste.
    We would make up some spiced up stew with lots of vegetables or some pintos with lots of jalapeno and take to them. You have a lot of Cajun recipes so you might make some of that and take to them.
    She did not want to eat the first day but knew she had to keep her strength. I hope this helps

  101. 101.

    Raven

    @handsmile: Yea, and I know everyone reacts differently. The internet descriptions of anal cancer treatment are pretty grim. However, I had a procedure that had similar extremely negative reviews and it wasn’t all that bad.

  104. 104.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Randy P:

    I am horribly ashamed and embarrassed to admit I have never seen O Brother, Where Art Thou? I will remedy that soonest.

  106. 106.

    Violet

    @Raven: It sounds like you are handling it perfectly. Just be sure you keep in touch on a very regular basis. They will both be under stress and physically challenged by this and may not be able to reach out. Knowing you are there and are thinking of them, even if just a one minute phone call, is a good way of letting them know they matter to you.

    I’d say start with the food and see what else you can do. If they don’t want the food, they can freeze it. Bring some of those cheap plastic containers for portioning and freezing. If she normally does the cooking and now she can’t, he may not know what hit him, so food would be a good start, but everything they might need to portion it and freeze it.

    You’re a good friend.

  108. 108.

    LanceThruster

    I took a tour of Franklin Canyon with the cast of the TV series Combat! (before Ric Jason committed suicide) and learned that where many of the battle scenes were filmed was also the same path down by the pond was where Opie and Andy walk with their fishing poles in the show’s intro.

    Simply loved “No Time for Sargeants”

    PLO – Permanent Latrine Orderly!

  109. 109.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Sorry about all the duplicates. Something weird is going on. Either that, or FYWP. Yeah, that’s the ticket. F.Y.W.P.

  110. 110.

    JoyceH

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    And back to Andy Griffith—I would swear I saw him in a made-for-TV movie about 20 years ago where he played (brilliantly) a man who had managed to hide his illiteracy for his entire life. I almost want to say Jane Fonda played the teacher who taught him to read and write, but I could be wrong about that part. Heck, I could be wrong about all of it. But before I tackle Google and IMDb, does this sound familiar to anyone else?

    Are you sure you’re not thinking of The Pride of Jesse Hallam? If so, that wasn’t Andy Griffith, it was Johnny Cash.

    Good movie though. Brenda Vaccaro was the tutor.

  111. 111.

    waratah

    @Raven: She kept saying that normal sick food did not taste good, so we experimented and that is when we found what appealed to her.
    She also liked chicken and dumplings when I added cayenne, white and black pepper.

  115. 115.

    eemom

    in case anyone REALLY doesn’t know what happened to Opie, aka Ron Howard. Sheesh, you young ‘uns.

    Also too, he and Andy got together to make a totally awesome teevee ad for Obama back in ’08.

  117. 117.

    Raven

    @JoyceH: That was Fonda and De Niro, Stanley and Iris. Totally unrealistic look at the problems of low literate adults.

  119. 119.

    Valdivia

    @Raven: when my mom was going through chemo and radiation, though I was with them to get through the whole ordeal, good friends offered to come and be with my mom while I went out to do errands. Or they brought dinner on days we would be in the hospital all day. As long as they know you are there, and can offer some sort of respite and distraction you are doing the work of the angels.

  121. 121.

    eemom

    @Raven:

    Cole had a hissy fit because I was mean to his little golden boy Freddie de Booboo. Then he said he was just fucking with me. WTF ever, I’ve been finding better uses for my time.

  122. 122.

    Cassidy

    @Raven: Haven’t delved into the comments a lot so didn’t see it. A friedn of mine has a tumor. We’ve offerred everything we can to help, being quitre blunt: “Can we take the kids?”, “Do you need money?”, “What can we do to help?”. They were there for us when I was out of work. They constantly said “No, we’re good, but thanks.”. One day, I get a random call, she’s in the hospital and the husband is waiting for a tow truck to come get the car. Point is, we offerred and they declined, but when they did need help, we were the first ones they thought of. I think that as long as your friends know that when that moment comes that they need help that you will be there, no questions asked, then you’ve done all the supporting you can.

  127. 127.

    Raven

    @Cassidy: Yea, a buddy of mine died a month or so back. He let me know he had pancreatic and time was short. We had a meet up scheduled with a bunch of other friends from here in the spring and he bailed. I felt awful that we didn’t get together and then, at the memorial, I learned that was the way he wanted it.

  129. 129.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    @David in NY:

    I’ve heard it. In fact, when I get home I will try to run down or reconstruct one of my favorite jokes, the one about the plow.

    My father had a great collection of comedy records, including Justin Wilson (before his cooking fame) and Brother Dave Garner.

  131. 131.

    flukebucket

    @Raven:

    I don’t think Cole ever bans anybody forever. Hell, Brick Oven Bill still pops in from time to time.

  133. 133.

    NCSteve

    Andy Griffith has always been an icon here in North Carolina generally, but, I think, throughout Appalachia. The show was always an ongoing plea for meeting the kind of banal shortcomings of human beings–cattiness, gossip, greed, venality by calling people to their better natures by unceasing, level-headed decency. A cop who who only put on a gun in the most extreme circumstances and whose deputy was essentially a charity case–a classic case of the “little badge” who nonetheless had his own core of decency that always won out in the end, if only after a bit of prodding.

    There’s a charm to the show that you either get or your don’t.

    But man oh man, Andy was always at his best playing a bad guy. On the rare occasions he got a chance to do it, he always brought a kind of gleeful complexity to the role that you’ll rarely see.

    Back in the 70s (I think), he did a made-for-tv movie called “Murder in Coweta County,” based on a true story of a murder case a small town sheriff successfully pursued against a powerful “boss” figure in an adjoining county. Johnny Cash was the sheriff and, as he always did when he ventured into acting, did a surprisingly excellent job. But Andy as the villain stole the show. A grinning psychopath who was raised without boundaries–the cheerful evil radiated off of him in waves. I never miss an opportunity to see it on the rare occasions it is shown.

  135. 135.

    Blutowski

    I always assumed the character of Sarah Palin was an homage to Lonesome Rhodes.

  136. 136.

    Blutowski

    I always assumed the character of Sarah Palin was an homage to Lonesome Rhodes.

  137. 137.

    KSH

    He was born June 1st, 1926 (my birthday was 45 years later on the same day), same day as Marilyn Monroe… so he was 86 years old. That’s a damn good run, a damn fine human being.

  138. 138.

    PurpleGirl

    Aw, man… That’s a shame. He was one of the good guys, a liberal Democrat. And he could sing, too. I liked how he did gospel music. Don’t forget his role in No Time for Sargents.

    As to his playing bad characters: well, they say still/quite waters run deep. Another of the “gentle” male actors who could be wicked was Fred McMurray.

  139. 139.

    NCSteve

    @Judge Crater: He played the LBJ-like character Esker Anders in the TV movie “Washington: Behind Closed Doors,” a novel John Erlichman wrote to pay off his Watergate legal bills called “The Company.” Jason Robards played “Richard M. Monkton.” A very thinly veiled novelization of the Watergate era with a sanitized scandal at the heart of it that was far less self-serving and dangerous to democracy than the real Watergate scandal.

    Remember feeling slightly dirty about watching it at the time because I felt like I was somehow helping Erlichman pay off his lawyers. (Damn, I was a weird kid).

  140. 140.

    Geoduck

    Griffith once said in an interview that he (pretty much) never played a villain again because while shooting the film Rhodes started to get too far inside his head.

  141. 141.

    Brian S

    I haven’t seenq A Face in the Crowd either, but he played a pretty convincing lecher as the Father in a production of Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author for WGBH in the early 70s. I don’t actually recommend the production overall–John Hurt fronted a better one for the BBC in the late 90s I believe and the rest of the cast (other than John Housman) can’t really run with Griffith–but he played the lecher to the hilt in that one.

  145. 145.

    erops

    Wasn’t Lonesome Rhodes of Face in the Crowd based on Arthur Godfery? I don’t know where I got this idea.
    His comic monologues are on Youtube And Brother Dave Gardner! I’d forgone him.

  146. 146.

    SteveinSC

    @urlhix:

    “Hey! You’re Andy Griffith!” Andy looked over at him, scowled and replied “fuck you!”

    Actors are just that, actors. The creativity comes from others. E.g. Captain Kirk is a famous space explorer and William Shatner is an idiot. The Gipper is a famous football player, and Ronald Reagan was an idiot and a fraud. Sheriff Andy Taylor is a mythical law officer,and Andy Griffith was… We had a house at Kill Devil Hills and my son worked in and around Manteo on Roanoke Island for a time. Andy Griffith in person was, shall we say, not the same as the avuncular Sheriff Taylor. I, like most people, liked the parts written by others and given to Andy G. to portray.

  149. 149.

    gelfling545

    @Raven: You’re going to have to let them (her especially) call the shots on this. A major illness changes the dynamic in relationships & someone trying to fight cancer needs to be, in the word an old friend of mine used when he was battling bladder cancer, “selfish”. The best bet is to tell them up front that you are there and will help in any way you can but that you don’t want to intrude or make assumptions so they should just ask for what they need. Understand that this could even include just being left alone for a bit to come to terms.

  150. 150.

    Cain

    RIP Andy Griffith. I really enjoyed most everything he has been in. I haven’t seen any of which he was a villain so it was nice to see all these movies that I probably should queue up to watch. Unfortunately, none of them seem to be on netflix. :( So I can’t stream them.

  151. 151.

    Bruce S

    @David in NY:

    Also “No Time For Sargeants” – Like most great comic actors, just a damned fine actor all around.

    “A Face In The Crowd” is probably the greatest American film that most people haven’t seen…classic Kazin/Schulberg

  153. 153.

    billy

    All I remember is Matlock and the Andy Griffith Hour. The scars have never healed. Seriously, he had a life and lived to the most. I wish I could say the same.

  154. 154.

    Mike in NC

    I hope the governor will announce a day/week of celebrating the life of NC’s Favorite Son. I had never heard of “A Face in the Crowd” until about a year ago, and got it on NetFlix. Superb.

  155. 155.

    HyperIon

    @SiubhanDuinne wrote :

    I am horribly ashamed and embarrassed to admit I have never seen O Brother, Where Art Thou? I will remedy that soonest.

    Good movie. But it does contain every negative stereotype about the south known to humanity.

  156. 156.

    HyperIon

    @erops: Arthur Godfery

    like anyone here remembers Arthur Godfrey.
    well, maybe TZ. but he’s very old.

  157. 157.

    Steeplejack

    @Raven:

    Supporting these folks is going to be tricky and I know it but I wondered what kind of advice any of you might have?

    Just talk to them and ask then what they need:

    “We know you’re going through a tough time, and we know that we can’t realistically understand how it is for you, but we want to support you in the best way that we can. So, please, let us know what we can do to help, even if it’s just to shut the fuck up and never mention it again. We don’t need to know the details; you don’t need to ‘share’ with us. We just want to be with you in the best way possible. Let us know how we can help.”

    Take a bottle of wine and some nice flowers when you go to have this conversation. Hugs are appropriate.

  158. 158.

    ReMarksDC

    Also a wonderful performance by Patricia Neal. I wouldn’t say that any one role would have betrayed the achievement of “Face in the Crowd”. He was always the small town hick beating the system. That he could do it light or dark– melodrama or comedy–just testifies to his skills an actor.

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