Born: June 1, 1926, Mt. Airy, North Carolina, USA
Died: July 3, 2012, Manteo, North Carolina, USA
An American actor, television producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer.
He was best known for his television roles, playing the lead characters in the 1960–1968 situation comedy The Andy Griffith Show and in the 1986–1995 legal drama Matlock.