Andy Griffith Grew Christmas Trees for the Boy Scouts Every Year
In the 1970s, The Andy Griffith Show was over and while Andy Griffith continued to act here and there, mostly making guest appearances on popular shows, he spent a lot of time at his home in Manteo, North Carolina. He reportedly kept quite a low profile in town and was rarely seen out and about. He preferred to stay home with his family on their beachfront property, passing the time with hunting and fishing when he wasn’t working.
Griffith had another very wholesome hobby. Griffith and his family had lots of land and they planted Christmas trees on about 53 acres of it. Every year during the holidays, he would invite the local Boy Scouts over to pick out a free Christmas tree for their family. Some asked why he wanted to plant so many trees because it obstructed his view of the beautiful beach a bit. He said in an old newspaper story that while the trees did obstruct his view, “every good boy deserves a gorgeous tree.”
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According to the same story in The News and Observer Sun, “He didn’t sell ‘em or anything. He gave ‘em away … to the Boy Scouts. You heard of this fella. Used to play Sheriff Taylor on that TV show. Now ain’t that just like him to go and do that?” The heartwarming story proves that Griffith was perhaps a lot like Sheriff Taylor and had a soft spot for kids like Opie, especially at Christmas.
Everett Collection
Before his death in 2012, he was also known for his role in Matlock and even reprised his role as Andy Taylor in 1986’s TV movie Return to Mayberry. Now tell us, do you go out and get a live Christmas tree each year or opt for a fake one?
Watch The Andy Griffith Show on Paramount+.
Home For The Holidays
November 2021
Celebrate the holidays with your favorite classic stars!
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