ANDY GRIFFITH SIGNATURE STUDY

I am starting this in hopes people will add their real Andy Griffith autographs and the Linke "secretarial" ones for comparison. Since the death of Andy Griffith I have noticed a growing appreciation of the man and actor. He was much more than just "Andy Taylor" his range from comedy to drama was great. I suspect his popularity will increase partly because of TCM showing some of his dramatic and comic performances.

In this study if you scroll down the comments you will find links to Andy Griffith's four appearances as a "Mystery Guest" on the television game show What's My Line? in 1958, 1959,1965 and 1967. There are captures of his signature as he signed in below also.

With Andy Griffith autographs it is not so much the forgeries, since the value has not quite reached the level to make it worthwhile, but "secretarial" signatures that are the problem. The "secretary" generally was Richard O. Linke a producer who worked with Griffith for many years. It is hoped that people will submit genuine autographs from checks or other sources as well as any "fake" ones. The more there is for comparison the better our understanding of the nuances in his signature.

For many years the "Linke" autographs were considered real much in the same way that the "Challton Heston" signatures were. An old respected collector many years ago told me that most of the Andy Griffith autographs were suspect. At that time it was assumed a secretary was signing. Based on what my friend told me I never actually owned an Andy Griffith autograph until I bought checks on eBay a few years ago! The work that Gary Wedemeyer and Frank Johnson are doing to educate people on the subject of the "Linke" autographs is very valuable. Like most TAGS collectors they have a great passion for the subject. I would like to thank them for their efforts.

The first is the signature of a very young Andy Griffith at age 18. This comes from the World War II draft registration form that was signed by Andy Griffith. I have never seen an earlier example of his signature although no doubt some exist. The original is in the National Archives so in a way this is an Andy Griffith autograph that we all own!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on December 2, 2017 at 5:38am

Those are really great to have. I have an ALS from Frances Bavier on her personal note card just before she retired. She mentions winning the Emmy for TAGS.

Permalink Reply by Dale Stein on December 2, 2017 at 10:33am

Very nice, nice content too. Love TAGS since I was a kid in the 60s. Made my kids watch it. Have about a 1/2 dozen of Bavier's chks, a couple signed 8x10s. Andy though always worries me ( D Knotts too now) so much junk out there. 1/2 dozen of his chks too. and a few 8x10s, even a Andy COA I believe. TAGS is gold !!

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on December 2, 2017 at 11:56am

The Griffith COA's from his 1992 sale of personal items are good but it is the shaky signature of his. Any photographs of Andy in character are tricky since he really signed very few of those. He preferred to sign generic publicity photographs. Don Knotts was such a good signer it is surprising anyone would bother to forge him since he about the cheapest of the bunch. Many times you will see Andy, Helen, Barney and Thelma photographs but almost always with Richard O. Linke's Griffith signature on it almost ruining the photograph.

Permalink Reply by Dale Stein on December 2, 2017 at 2:13pm

The Andys I have are the generic that he sent out. Lots of fake Knotts on Ebay. I can think of 2 sellers in particular. He signed alot, I know, but they throw fakes out at 30.00 and people bid on them, kills me.

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on April 1, 2024 at 10:28am

The photographs do not show above so am placing them here to make it easier to see. I put her signature first.

Permalink Reply by Denis St Laurent on December 6, 2017 at 1:50pm

Did knotts and bavier use secretaries or was it forgeries?

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on April 27, 2018 at 5:39am

WARNING: Andy Griffith reprint on OLD INDEX CARD STOCK. I found on eBay an Andy Griffith autograph printed on 1950s original index card stock. The price was $5 and the seller stated it was a reprint on old index card. While this seller is being honest about it what happens when it is sold and maybe passed on a couple times? Certainly at some point someone will think it is original since the paper is old. This is another thing to be wary of. This is the listing:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Andy-Griffith-Show-Autograph-Reprint-On-19...

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on April 27, 2018 at 12:05pm

Hi Scott,

Yes, I have mentioned those here and seen them listed - the De Kelley is how I found them. Another thing to keep an eye on.

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on May 5, 2018 at 1:19pm

I had not noticed the Griffith before. The seller seems to have a large number of stars. These are being sold for $5 so I have little doubt some will sell the danger is unscrupulous people then trying to pass off them off to unsuspecting buyers. These "reprints" on old stock is clearly going to be an on going problem.

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on June 5, 2024 at 3:19pm

10 Forgeries and Secretarial Andy Griffith autographs currently on eBay. Here are 10 fake Andy Griffith autographs currently on eBay including the first two with Beckett COAs. Sadly, many people that buy these never find out they have been taken for a ride. The number of true Andy Griffith autographs are probably getting to be outnumbered by the forgeries.

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on June 8, 2024 at 7:12am

Forged Andy Griffith signature on eBay. The number of forged and secretarial Andy Griffith signatures outnumber the legitimate ones now for sale on eBay. This is another example of how someone will likely buy this unaware it is fake and not even a good fake.