I never knew Andy saw his son die.

Mary Tyler Moore, Carol Burnett, Carroll O'Conner, Bill Cosby and Andy all buried a son or daughter!:(

Also Barbra Eden from I dream of Jeannie. John Travolta. Bob Mackie (he desgined Cher and Carol Burnett's clothes.

I believe his son battled alcoholism for several years, and had run-ins with the law. I remember an interview Andy gave maybe 10 years ago, not too long after his son died, stating he was not a father like Andy Taylor was. He said he had no parental skills and failed his real-life children. Kinda sad as I recall.

Also Barbra Eden from I dream of Jeannie. John Travolta. Bob Mackie (he desgined Cher and Carol Burnett's clothes.

And Paul Newman, Johnny Carson, Dean Martin, Mike Tyson, Art Linkletter and now, Sylvester Stallone.

As I recall around the same time I heard of Andy's son death Peter Falk lost a child.

I believe his son battled alcoholism for several years, and had run-ins with the law. I remember an interview Andy gave maybe 10 years ago, not too long after his son died, stating he was not a father like Andy Taylor was. He said he had no parental skills and failed his real-life children. Kinda sad as I recall.

Just goes to show what an incredible actor Andy Griffith was if this is true. Out of all the stilted and hokey television dads in the 1960s, Andy was one character I, and I'm sure a million other kids, wished our fathers could have that empathy he seemed to have with Opie.

Just goes to show you never can tell.

I look at another way. The show was great but he couldn't help his son. It is nice to have people say you act well, but to lose a son. That must be so painful that the greatness of tv series doesn't compare.

They say losing a child is the worst loss of all. So regardless of Andy's flaws (if he did indeed have any major ones) my heart goes out to any parent who went through this.

Maybe Andy Griffith and Andy Taylor were the same when he was trying to help his son. Its just that his son had too many demons to overcome. Its really sad.

Maybe Andy Griffith and Andy Taylor were the same when he was trying to help his son. Its just that his son had too many demons to overcome. Its really sad.

True, Griffith may not have been Andy Taylor, but his son was probably not like Opie so much, either