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Andy Griffith knew that Matlock was special before the first episode had even aired
It began with one man and a simple dream.
A legend doesn't simply materialize out of thin air; they are created through hard work and sheer grit. The creation of Ben Matlock wasn't the responsibility of one man; a group of people created the defense attorney that we know and love today, and it's important that they gain the recognition that they deserve for that service.
For Dean Hargrove, the Matlock truly began when a television executive saw Andy Griffith performing. Hargrove, who served as the series creator, explained the show's beginnings during an interview with The Birmingham News.
"The idea for doing Matlock originally came from Brandon Tartikoff, who saw Andy Griffith in Fatal Vision, where he played a lawyer," said Hargrove. "He talked to Fred Silverman about that and suggested that a series might be developed for Andy playing a lawyer."
Hargrove developed the series before pursuing Griffith, who was incredibly interested in the concept. The two brought the idea back to Tartikoff, who gave them the all-clear to continue moving forward with the series.
On his end, Griffith knew that the cast and crew had captured lightning in a bottle when they began working on Matlock.
"I knew we were onto something, I really did," said the actor. "Then as the scripts started coming in, I really knew we were onto a very fascinating character, at least."
Of course, Griffith was right, and the crime series was enjoyed by countless fans during its nine-season run.
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