TV star Andy Griffith dies at age 86

Andy Griffith, whose homespun mix of humour and wisdom made "The Andy Griffith Show" a TV favourite, has died. He was 86.

Andy Griffith, whose homespun mix of humour and wisdom made "The Andy Griffith Show" a TV favourite, has died. He was 86.

Dare County Sheriff Doug Doughtie said in statement Griffith died Tuesday at about 7am local time yesterday (9pm AEST) in North Carolina. He said the family will release further information.

His starring role as a small-town sheriff drew upon his own upbringing in Mount Airy, North Carolina. The show also starred Don Knotts and was one of the top hits of the 1960s.

Griffith later played a shrewd Southern lawyer in another successful series, "Matlock".

Before taking on television, he won wide praise in the 1950s in the Broadway comedy "No Time for Sergeants" and the dramatic film, "A Face in the Crowd".