We, the children of television, grew up believing in the human warmth and genuine kindness of "Sheriff Andy Taylor" of Mayberry, N.C.
His character, portrayed by former-Southern-standup-comic-turned-actor Andy Griffith, was a treasure of small-town Americana where all the Anglo-Saxon citizens were protected by the good ol' boy "sheriff without a gun" (the pilot's actual title).
Many years later in the real life Mayberry called Lumberton, North Carolina, Michael Jordan's daddy would be shot in cold blood, targeted by two young boys from Sheriff Andy's fishing hole, primarily because he was a black man driving a new Lexus.
(Author's note: Several commenters have reacted to my calling Lumberton the "real life Mayberry." I should have said "Mayberry-like." But I do know the origins of Mayberry. While fans say it was based on Mount Airy, Andy had been quoted saying he used to visit Mayberry, Virginia, as a child -- 22 miles north of Mount Airy. In a more recent interview he stated that Mayberry was invented by Artie Stander, one of the show's writers and not based on any specific place.
(As for Lumberton, it was never believed to be a contender, but it was perceived as "Mayberry-like," pleasant and safe -- which is why the violence was so disturbing. And James Jordan's killers were interracial.)
Closer to the true Andy Griffith is the 1957 Elia Kazan directed motion picture "A Face in the Crowd," written by Budd Schulberg. Both Griffith and Kazan told me different accounts while riding with me in my first agency-owned Volvo.
Kazan and Schulberg had wanted Marlon Brando, but two weeks into shooting, everyone agreed it wasn't working, and when he finally walked, Kazan was desperate enough to agree to meet Griffith at William Morris at the behest of Abe Lastfogel.
Andy says it took place at the restaurant Gallagher's in New York. Kazan was impressed by Griifth's authentic Southern charm and confidence. He couldn't, however, control his curtain chewing.
In "Face," Griffith's character evolves from dissolute jailbird to the heights of show business idolatry and politics until he's ultimately revealed for what he is. It's a very over-the-top performance by a motivated, if very green, actor.
The present North Carolina-based actor and star of the WMA packaged "Matlock" (1986-1995) has always made industry "evil lists" for enthusiastically serving as captain of mean spirit, hostility and vitriol.
WMA also packaged "Return to Mayberry," and I invested seven years attempting to sell this reunion movie with all necessary elements attached. I finally succeeded in 1986 while learning what the star was really like.
At one point, a line producer was needed and Andy entered my office, closing my door and announcing, "Go get a guy, but make sure he's not a Jew."
Andy knew I was Jewish, he had made the same "secret" directive to Fred Silverman, his "Matlock" partner, that was his point.
