TV icon Andy Griffith dead

Television has lost another of its most enduring personalities.

According to a close friend, Andy Griffth died in a North Carolina hospital this morning.

Griffith’s acting career spanned more than 50 years, including The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock. He was also a Grammy-winning southern gospel singer and often made guest appearances in other shows, like Dawson’s Creek.

There is a famous statue of Andy as the Sheriff of Mayberry and Opie – played by Ron Howard – in Raleigh, North Carolina. Throughout his life, he had some health scares, including quadruple heart-bypass surgery in 2000, but the exact cause of Griffith’s death is unknown.

Video: Lisa Hepfner reports: