R.I.P. TV icon Andy Griffith dies at age 86.......

Andy Griffith, who played one of the most beloved TV characters in television history, died Tuesday at age 86.

Griffith portrayed a wise, small-town sheriff in the 1960s TV classic “The Andy Griffith Show.”
Griffith’s death was reported by longtime family friend Bill Friday, the former president of the University of North Carolina. Griffith died this morning at his Roanoke Island home in Dare County, Mr. Friday confirmed..

Mr. Griffith’s role as the kindhearted sheriff of fictional Mayberry, NC earned him the title of “America’s Favorite Sheriff.”
Griffith also produced and starred in the television series “Matlock.”