Star ‘tickled silly’ about Matlock role

Press, 26 April 1988, Page 15

Star ‘tickled silly’ about Matlock role

h-! ■r ; Andy {Griffith regards defence ■ attorney Benjamin L. Matldck as the best TV role he has ever had. "A lot of heavies I have . played lateljy have been • fun, but when you add humour !to a cagey guy like Matlock.jit gives me everything.” says Griffith. The { role iof Matlock won for Griffith the 1986 People's; Choice Award for best male performance ini,a new television programme.! Before "Matlock." AndyGriffith i wa.k best known for his ro|e as Sheriff Andy Tayjlor . in the populari -comedy series “The : 1 Andy • Griffith Show.. ■' He admits that when he voluntarily ended j the show ■in 1968 afterj an eight-season . run I.he thought he was “hot stpff" ready; to move on j to feature film stardom. 'But that did not happen. Neither did attempts!- to - re-establish himself als a star succeed. !

Soon he was grateful to get a guest shot as a heavy - on "The [Mod Squad.," Says Griffith: “I fell out of fashion ./[ i the phone did not ring much." Physical maladies in recent yerirs also got: Griffiths down, literally! j An accident [at home left: him

with a badly damaged lumbar vertebra, then the potentially fatal GullainBarre syndrome paralysed Griffith’s legs up to the knees five years ago. IHe is' now cured, and the stretch of bad luck — which has also included two divorces — has left ttit 62-year-old actor from North Carolina with . a philosophical attitude toI Wards, life. ■ | "Now, I am tickled silly to be playing a colourful gpy like Ben Matlock and having producers and a hetwork think I am .back in fashion. But even if the show is successful, it does hot mean I am gonna live [ Hrippily ever after. [".What you do is, you approach everything realistically and give it' the best caring effort : you know how. and then maybe things will turn (jiilt.." !|| "Matlock” screens Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ■ One - ' ’