Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Invest_In_Graphs on July 1, 2020 at 2:23pm

I don't,  but it sure is cool! 

Permalink Reply by Tim Henderson on July 1, 2020 at 2:48pm

Yes it is and it looks authentic prob only one that exist Of this episode signed!! 

Permalink Reply by Frank Johnson on July 2, 2020 at 9:49pm

Hi me and Scott started the Andy Griffith autograph discussions a few years back and I am always glad to see questions or comments show up. There are not many things I can say I am knowledgable on, but Andy Griffith Show actors signatures are right at the top. I have never seen this photo, let alone signed. And yes in my opinion it is 100% real. I would love to own this in my personal collection. Now if we could all band together and stop all the “bad” Andy Griffith autographs sold on ebay I would be happy. 

Permalink Reply by Tim Henderson on July 3, 2020 at 6:30am

Hey frank!! I know I would love to own this especially since I already have a forrest lewis to frame it up with but I will prob never know who has it or own it myself! Frank who is your rarest and favorite autograph in your collection? 

Permalink Reply by Frank Johnson on July 3, 2020 at 9:49pm

Tim it is my most favorite autograph I own and will ever own. It is a post it note type piece of paper signed by Howard McNear. Our loveable barber Floyd. Second would be a Christmas card that Frances Bavier sent out to one of our past Indiana senators. She wrote several pages of smaller sized paper that was inside of the card. I won that at a local estate sale in Richmond Indiana. About 10 miles away. I had to pay up for it. It was like $150. I know today it is a great price for it. But this was about 20 or so years ago. I have mostly the main characters autographs. Also actors like Burt Mustin, Hope Summers, Enid Markey, and so on. What are yours? 

Permalink Reply by Tim Henderson on July 14, 2020 at 5:07pm

Hey Frank my favorite items are my signed vintage wire photo headshot of Howard mcnear! My other favorite item is my original script signed by 27 cast and crew. I actually got Ron Howard to sign it recently and he loved it! In fact he talked to me for a while about it then asked if he could take a picture of it for his archives so that was really cool!! Frank do u have anything you want to sell? My most wanted right now is actress charity grace and Joseph hamilton to complete me having most of the Maine background characters from the show. Take care Frank great chatting with you. If you ever want immediate responses feel free to email me at tbaz10@yahoo.com  

Permalink Reply by Jason Strecker on July 4, 2020 at 9:42am

Very cool. I wonder if this was signed for a fan or for a cast member. I always enjoy learning more about Andy Griffith the man, whether good or bad. From the few bits I have seen I'm guessing pre-Matlock Andy was a bit more approachable so it makes me wonder the origin of this photo. From what I've read he seemed to relish in actors on Matlock being AGS fans but actual fans he didn't work with might have been a different issue.

Permalink Reply by Frank Johnson on July 4, 2020 at 10:11am

Jason that is interesting. I didn’t know that about the Matlock actors/actresses. If you get a chance read the book Andy & Don. It goes into their lives in great detail. In the book it portrays Andy as a womanizer and heavy drinker. He did not treat his first wife very well at all. I won’t give anything away in case you decide to read it. One thing Andy wasn’t was greeting a group if fans and signing autographs. I am sure you know the story if his longtime friend and manager Richard “Dick” Linke signing about 90% or more of Andy’s fan mail. Dick practiced but it us very easy to spot his version. He didn’t want it known that Andy wasn’t a people person.

Permalink Reply by Tim Henderson on July 14, 2020 at 5:08pm

I think it had to be signed by someone who had backstage vip access for sure!

also jason if you ever need immediate response or chat feel free to email me

tbaz10@yahoo.com  

Permalink Reply by Jason Strecker on July 4, 2020 at 12:03pm

Frank, thanks for the informative reply! I watched Matlock from the early 90s when it was on and catch every episode on reruns when I'm off work. I know Clarence Gilyard, Daniel Roebuck and I believe Nancy Stafford were fans of the 1960s show as kids and if you watch every season you can definitely tell they have the best on screen portrayals with him. Most of the other actors didn't last as long and the on screen chemistry kind of felt forced.

There is actually, as of 2016, a Richard Linke signed Andy autograph on a multi signed movie poster at the Andy museum in NC. It's one of the last items you see when you through the museum. Only a few would probably even know.

I am happy to say that I did recently read an AMAZING story about a fan encounter with Andy in the mid or late 1970s. The fan took to writing celebrities about meeting them in person (I think most prominently during that period) and had received a handwritten reply (I think by Linke) that Andy was willing to meet the fan in person while he was on tour in a play in the area. Amazingly enough the fan did get to have a brief, private meet with Andy and took a picture too! This was pre illness and Matlock of course.

Lastly, a guy at my job did have two short Andy stories. He said a friend of his knew Andy from his last home in NC. Andy allowed his friend and my co-worker to fish on Andy's property. Andy once came out asking how things were going but my friend didn't seem to be a fan. I think that was at least cordial of Andy though my co-worker did say that one other time he saw Andy was when Andy went to the local grocery store and he would butt in line and put everything on the counter with lots of money and then leave. There were definitely "two" Andy's out there. Heck, even as a long time fan it's hard to believe the 1960s AGS actor and Matlock actor are the same person.