MILWAUKEE - Forget the small-town belief in letting bygones be bygones.


The star of "The Andy Griffith Show," who portrayed the sheriff of the fictional town of Mayberry, has sued a Wisconsin man who unsuccessfully ran for the Grant County post after legally changing his name to
Andrew Jackson Griffith.

The lawsuit, filed Nov. 3 in U.S. District Court in Madison, alleges that William Harold Fenrick, 42, violated trademark and copyright laws, as well as the privacy of actor Andy Samuel Griffith, when he used his new name to promote his candidacy for sheriff in southwestern Wisconsin.

The lawsuit says the former Fenrick changed his name for the "sole purpose of taking advantage of Griffith's notoriety in an attempt to gain votes." It asks the court to order him to go back to his original name.

The actor's lawsuit also asks Griffith to publish disclaimers and an apology in Grant County newspapers that say he has no association with the actor. It seeks unspecified damages and court fees.

"Now that the election is over, if Fenrick is willing in some fashion to clear the record, we probably could find a way to resolve it," said the actor's lawyer, Jim Cole.

Griffith argues that he did not benefit from the name change.

"During this campaign I never sold or profited even one nickel from the use of the name Andy Griffith or any item bearing the name Andy Griffith. Everything was a promotional item, and everything was given away for free," he said.

The Platteville music store co-owner said he spent $5,000 on his failed campaign and changed his name to garner publicity for the race.

Incumbent Sheriff Keith Govier, a Republican who has held the post for 10 years, won with 8,452 votes, followed by Democrat Doug Vesperman with 6,985 votes. Griffith, an independent, had 1,248 votes.

Griffith described the lawsuit as "incredibly absurd" and said he does not think people actually believe he is the actor.

"For such an American icon, it's a pretty un-American thing to do to me," said Griffith, who has about three weeks to respond to the filing.

The 80-year-old actor is best known for the 1960s show bearing his name, which remains one of the most popular series in TV history. He also played an unorthodox lawyer on "Matlock" in the 1980s and 1990s.

I just read about this at CNN.com. The fact that the guy admits he "changed his name to garner publicity for the race" seems to support the real Andy Griffith's claim. Who would do something like this? Really.

At least he didn't win the election. Some people will do anything for publicity.

Here's another article that I found about this case which goes into a little more detail. It proves what sad times we live in and how some people will do anything for money and attention.

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Duking it out for Andy Griffith
Candidate for sheriff takes on famous moniker
By THANE BURNETT---Toronto Sun

Nothing remains as innocent and tranquil as whistling on down to that old fishing hole.

The Andy Griffith Show's little Opie grew up as Ron Howard to became a Hollywood director, who then questioned the life of Jesus in The Da Vinci Code. Comic Don Knotts, who played Andy's bungling side-kick Barney Fife in the 1960's TV classic series, died earlier this year.

OLD FEUD

Actress Frances Bavier's much-loved Aunt Bee in the show apparently quarrelled with Andy Griffith, and is said to have regretted that old feud while on her own death bed in 1989.

And now Andy himself may end up in a courtroom, after another man took his good name as his own. But unlike the old revered TV show, everything here isn't black and white.

This Tuesday, a music store co-owner who legally changed his name to Andy Griffith to help in his recent run for sheriff in southwestern Wisconsin, will answer a lawsuit filed on behalf of the American icon. Court documents claim the man, formerly William Harold Fenrick, violated the trademark and copyright -- as well as the privacy -- of the original Andy Griffith.

Cutting through the legal points, Griffith's lawyer, James Cole, is out to protect the legendary name his client has polished during a stellar TV career, including playing Sheriff Andy Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show, and later, the down home southern lawyer, Matlock. Throughout his long run, from first stage appearances as a southern comic story-teller in the 1950s, Andy Griffith has nurtured an image as respectable and all-American as stars and stripes over a post office and ice cream floats with two straws.

But the man who took his name -- and who says he will fight for it -- is no longer impressed with the folksy idol.

"Andy Griffith...is an a-- hole," says the man who thought using that name would help him cut through voter apathy and get people excited about the local race for sheriff.

While he had to go out every evening to collect his red, white and blue election signs -- they were so popular with thieves, he had to plant them again every morning -- the Platteville independent came a distant third in the race.

"This is ridiculous. No one thinks I'm Andy Griffith, the actor," he argues, on the phone from his store. "Andy Griffith can't make me change my name. It's un-American."

He's never tried to look or act like the soft spoken character in The Andy Griffith Show, he says. Though there was that one local TV news clip, where he did note, during the campaign, speedtraps wouldn't have happened in Mayberry.

PUBLIC APOLOGY

Last week, the original Griffith's lawyer rejected the 42-year-old shopkeeper's proposal that he be paid to go back to ordinary William Fenrick. Lawyer Cole insists he be stripped of Andy's name, that he collects up all merchandise with it spelled out on it and that the masquerader issues a public apology for trying to ride on the coat-tails of fictional Mayberry's most famous lawman.

"You forfeit the right (to a name change) if you misuse that name," Cole argues. "That's what he's done."

He added, if his 80-year-old client -- who just had hip surgery and, from his Manteo, N.C. home, will not speak publicly about the suit -- doesn't protect his name and image, he can legally lose the right to do so.

When asked how Andy feels about taking a man -- who perhaps just wanted public office too much -- to court, Cole said the suit speaks to that.

After all, a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway -- which runs along the Virginia and North Carolina state line -- carries Andy Griffith's name. They don't just hand that honour out to anyone, the lawyer stresses.

While the Andy of Mayberry, who baby boomers grew up with and learned from, may have been inclined to take a far more personal approach -- the two Andy Griffiths haven't spoken about it man to legend -- this fight over the name won't end after a quick commercial break.

The new Andy says he hasn't made a dime from becoming a Griffith and that he hasn't soiled the actor's reputation.

He also suspects it will take some time to get to court. Cole says profit doesn't mean anything, and that they could find themselves before a judge as soon as seven months. If he loses, the younger Andy could be left without a name and saddled with court and lawyer costs -- including Cole's fee.

NO BACKING DOWN

This weekend, the great pretender was planning to go out to the few houses which might still have his lawn signs and put post-it notes on their doors, asking for them back.

But it doesn't mean he's backing down in taking on America's best loved lawmen. He was going to change his name to Wyatt Earp or John Wayne, but has grown attached to his famous moniker.

But not the character behind it.

"I relish the day ... my attorney asks Andy, 'So you think Americans are so stupid that people think it's you (who ran for sheriff)?'"

Among the list of complaints on the actor's behalf, is that the copy used the Andy Griffith-like positions of "fairness and justice" in his campaign.

The failed candidate now asks: "Was I supposed to take the opposite stance?"

He says he's keeping his cards close to his vest on what his response will be Tuesday, when he's required to answer the suit. But Mayberry never saw a moral dilemma like this.

For a moment, speaking like the real thing, Wisconsin's answer to Andy promises: "I'm just not gonna be bullied."

Besides, he then muses, perhaps Canada might be a perfect place for the new Andy Griffith to flee to if the legal heat is really turned up.

That plot must have been in a lost episode.

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Never mind the fact that Andy Griffith is a TV legend and is beloved by millions of people, including myself. The sad truth here is that what's-his-name is suing an 80 year old man who could end up losing the right to use his own name, which he's had for 8 decades. That's just not fair! And what has he ever done to deserve this kind of treatment? I hope this impostor, whatever his name is, gets a very stiff sentence, and is never heard from or seen in public again.

I am lost how is Andy Griffith going to sue Andy riffith