Did Matlock have more than ... (2024)

Question: Did Matlock have more than one daughter? And who played the part? I saw at least three different actresses play it.Answer: There were two daughters, by my count, Steve, but three different actresses did indeed carry the role. When Diary of a Perfect Murder, the Matlock pilot film, first aired in early 1986, lawyer daughter Charlene Matlock was played by Lori Lethin. However, when the series launched in September on NBC, Linda Purl (Happy Days) handled the daughterly duties. In 1987 Charlene left to start her own practice in Philadelphia and Ben (Andy Griffith) replaced her with Michelle Thomas (Nancy Stafford), who was no relation. Whatever Charlene said to Ben before she left, it must have been a doozy because when Michelle moved on

Question: Did Matlock have more than one daughter? And who played the part? I saw at least three different actresses play it.

Answer: There were two daughters, by my count, Steve, but three different actresses did indeed carry the role. When Diary of a Perfect Murder, the Matlock pilot film, first aired in early 1986, lawyer daughter Charlene Matlock was played by Lori Lethin. However, when the series launched in September on NBC, Linda Purl (Happy Days) handled the daughterly duties. In 1987 Charlene left to start her own practice in Philadelphia and Ben (Andy Griffith) replaced her with Michelle Thomas (Nancy Stafford), who was no relation.

Whatever Charlene said to Ben before she left, it must have been a doozy because when Michelle moved on in 1992, he brought in daughter Leanne (Brynn Thayer), who apparently was his new favorite. She moved with the series when it jumped to ABC in January 1993 and stayed with it until its demise in September 1995.

Did Matlock have more than ... (2024)

FAQs

Did Matlock have more than one daughter? ›

Ben Matlock is a widower who had two daughters, Charlene and Leanne, who both became lawyers in their own right and who both worked alongside their father at one point or another.

How many daughters did Matlock have on his show? ›

Answer: There were two daughters, by my count, Steve, but three different actresses did indeed carry the role.

How did Billy get rich on Matlock? ›

Episode 145: The Mark When Billy Wheeler comes back to town $250,000 richer after having won the lottery, he soon falls for contractor Judy Wilson. But when she takes him for a ride, Billy is accused of her murder, and Matlock must clear his name.

Why was Linda Purl replaced on Matlock? ›

Linda Purl left the show near the end of the first season after disputes about her character and castmates. Nancy Stafford chose to leave the series after season six. She had just gotten married, filming was moving to North Carolina, and she did not wish to relocate.

What happened to Matlock's first daughter? ›

Leanne MacIntyre

MacIntyre is Matlock's daughter. After divorcing her husband, of whom her father did not much approve, she moves back to Atlanta to help him with his legal practice. She assists her father for three years before leaving for her own practice.

Did Matlock have a love interest? ›

From 1987-1994 Julie joined Andy Griffith in "Matlock," playing his love interest Assistant District Attorney, Julie March.

Did Nancy Stafford like Andy Griffith? ›

As a six-year-old girl, she was a huge fan of The Andy Griffith Show (1960). Nancy had said on an interview that when she was just a child, she bore a resemblance of Don Knotts in The Incredible Mr.

How many characters did Nancy Stafford play on Matlock? ›

Matlock (TV Series 1986–1995) - Nancy Stafford as Michelle Thomas, Caroline Nathan, Caryn Nelson - IMDb.

How many different characters did Brynn Thayer play on Matlock? ›

Brynn Thayer: Leanne McIntyre, Leanne Lewis, Roxanne Windemere.

Did Andy Griffith do anything after Matlock? ›

Griffith later starred as a genial but wily defense attorney in the popular series Matlock. Although much of his later acting was for television, he periodically appeared in films, including Daddy and Them (2001), Waitress (2007), and Play the Game (2009), his last movie.

Was Andy Griffith rich? ›

Andy Griffith was an American actor and singer who had a net worth of $25 million at the time of his death. After adjusting for inflation, that's the same as around $66 million in today's dollars.

How old was Andy Griffith when he was in Matlock? ›

And for almost two decades after it ended in 1968, finding another hit show eluded him. So he was only a few months away from turning 60 when “Matlock” premiered on NBC.

Were Andy Griffith and Warren Frost friends? ›

He also had memorable recurring roles on “Seinfeld” — playing the father of George Costanza's fiancée — and on “Matlock,” as Andy Griffith's childhood friend.

Why did Conrad leave Matlock? ›

Left his role on Matlock (1986), after its seventh season, to co-star opposite Chuck Norris in Walker, Texas Ranger (1993). As a little boy, like co-star Nancy Stafford, he was a huge fan of The Andy Griffith Show (1960).

Did Andy Griffith marry? ›

Personal life. In 1945, while a student at the University of North Carolina, Griffith was initiated as a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, a national social music fraternity for men. Griffith and Barbara Bray Edwards were married on August 22, 1949, and they adopted two children: a son named Andy Samuel Griffith Jr.

Why was Bob killed off on Matlock? ›

Lieutenant Bob Brooks, a close friend of Ben's who also serves as his contact on the Atlanta Police Department, is stabbed to death by someone seeking revenge on Matlock and attempting to see if they can pull off the perfect crime.

Why did Matlock move to North Carolina? ›

Griffith, who plays down-home defense lawyer Ben Matlock, moved the production from California to North Carolina so he could be closer to his home in Manteo.

Why did Tyler leave Matlock? ›

Holliday said in a 2012 interview with Blake Radio that when he was 11 years old he occasionally watched The Andy Griffith Show; he had recognized all the characters from his mentor's show and won the Matlock role. He was eventually fired from the series due to ongoing concerns around his substance abuse.

Why did The Andy Griffith Show end so abruptly? ›

The popular sitcom came to a close in 1968. But Mayberry would live on for another three years. The reasons for the show's cancellation boiled down less to ratings.

Who was the love interest of Andy Griffith? ›

The producers created a long-term love interest in school teacher, Helen Crump. Helen made her first appearance in the third season and remained Andy's love interest throughout the rest of the series.

Who did Andy Griffith marry in real life? ›

Did Andy Griffith's wife remarry? ›

In 1972, after 23 years of marriage, the couple divorced. A few years later, she remarried to Michael St. Clair, not long after Griffith wed his second wife, Solica Cassuto.

Did Barney Fife and Andy Griffith get along? ›

The friendship between Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife was heartwarming and hilarious. What makes it even better is that, off-screen, Andy Griffith and Don Knotts were real-life best friends.

How did Michelle leave Matlock? ›

She had a family in California that she didn't want to leave, and Griffith confirmed in an interview that there were no hard feelings when she decided not to continue on the show or make the move to Wilmington to do so. This decision ended up ending her entire acting career.

Who was the other black guy on Matlock? ›

Clarence Alfred Gilyard Jr. (December 24, 1955 – November 28, 2022) was an American university professor, actor, and author.

Who was Matlock modeled after? ›

Channel 2 Action News confirmed that Bobby Lee Cook died Friday at his home in Cloudland. He was 94. Cook was reputed to be the inspiration for Matlock's main character, Ben Matlock, which starred Andy Griffith as a brilliant Georgia attorney. The show aired for nine seasons starting in 1986.

How many characters did Daniel Roebuck play on Matlock? ›

Did you know Daniel Roebuck played three different roles on Matlock before finally getting cast as Cliff Lewis in season seven?

Why did they change Matlock's daughter? ›

In the show, he played Ben Matlock – an attorney who brought a lot of values and heart to his job. Linda Purl was cast as Ben Matlock's daughter, Charlene Matlock. However, according to the article, the show was mostly focused on the activities of its title character. This prompted Purl to make her exit from the show.

Where was Matlock filmed? ›

Matlock's stomping grounds of Atlanta were filmed in Los Angeles, because it's television. This impressive domed structure is located in the West Adams neighborhood of L.A., just blocks north of the USC campus. In 1987, after the first season of Matlock, it was added to the national register of historic places.

What happened to Andy Griffith's wife Opie's mother? ›

Andy was referred to as a widower several times in the show which confirms that, indeed, Opie's mother died. On a Mayberry RFD episode, viewers learn that Opie's former teacher and stepmother Helen gave birth to Andy Taylor, Jr, who is christened in Mayberry.

Who inherited Andy Griffith's money? ›

He was swiftly buried in the family gravesite just five hours after his demise. Before his death, Andy Griffith has accumulated a net worth of $60 million which Dixie Griffith and Cindi Knight have inherited.

Why did Griffith cry at the end? ›

His heart is pounding while Griffith was saving Casca, the Moonboy's mother, from falling rocks. It seems that something similar must have happened in Episode 364. While the Moonboy transforms back Griffith, he could register a lingering feeling of longing, which would disappear soon.

What did Andy Griffith suffer from? ›

In 1983, Griffith was stricken with Guillain-Barre syndrome, but he recovered after rehabilitation. In 1986, he produced and starred in the very successful television series Matlock (1986). The series spawned numerous television movies as well.

Why did Aunt Bee and Andy not get along? ›

Andy Griffith and Frances Bavier did not get along during the series. According to Griffith and Howard Morris, Bavier was extremely sensitive, and resented her role of Aunt Bee.

Did Andy Griffith have any friends? ›

Andy Griffith and Don Knotts were more than just sheriff and deputy on The Andy Griffith Show, the two stars also developed a strong friendship off-screen. There is no denying that the ties in Mayberry run deep, and that the cast had chemistry.

How many hours after Andy Griffith died was he buried? ›

Hours After He Died.

How old was Griffith when he died? ›

Griffith, the legendary entertainer who became a household name to millions of TV viewers on "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Matlock," died Tuesday at the age of 86.

Who played Matlock's first daughter? ›

First appearance of Brynn Thayer as Leanne McIntyre, Matlock's daughter. Fans of the show debate whether this is supposed to be a second daughter or his only daughter.

Why was Tyler replaced on Matlock? ›

Holliday said in a 2012 interview with Blake Radio that when he was 11 years old he occasionally watched The Andy Griffith Show; he had recognized all the characters from his mentor's show and won the Matlock role. He was eventually fired from the series due to ongoing concerns around his substance abuse.

Why did the character Michelle leave Matlock? ›

Stafford is best known for her role as Ben Matlock's legal partner Michelle Thomas in the legal drama Matlock, from 1987 to 1992. When the show relocated its filming from the west coast, Stafford opted to leave Matlock.

How old was Andy Griffith when he did the Matlock series? ›

And for almost two decades after it ended in 1968, finding another hit show eluded him. So he was only a few months away from turning 60 when “Matlock” premiered on NBC.

How many different characters did Daniel Roebuck play on Matlock? ›

Did you know Daniel Roebuck played three different roles on Matlock before finally getting cast as Cliff Lewis in season seven?

Did Andy Griffith and Kene Holliday get along? ›

He played this role for the show's first three seasons. Holliday had admired Andy Griffith since the 1960s. However, he and the series' lead, Andy Griffith, did not get along well with each other. Despite their differences, Holliday appeared in almost every episode for the first two seasons.

What was the net worth of Andy Griffith at the time of his death? ›

Andy Griffith was an American actor and singer who had a net worth of $25 million at the time of his death.

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