Andy Griffith revealed that the last thing he said to George Lindsey was ''I love you''

Griffith and Lindsey had a friendship to last the ages.

CBS Television Distribution

A lot of people aren't too keen on sharing their feelings for fear of seeming weak. But the best of us know that being honest about how you feel isn't a symptom of fragility; it's a sign of strength.

It was a lesson that took Andy Griffith and George Lindsey a long time to learn, but once they had gotten older, they realized how valuable it truly was.

According to a 2012 article in the Los Angeles Times that announced the passing of Lindsey, the paper recalled a statement that Andy Griffith had made regarding his former costar on The Andy Griffith Show.

"I am happy to say that as we found ourselves in our eighties, we were not afraid to say, I love you," Griffith said. "That was the last thing George and I had to say to each other. 'I love you.'"

Viewers will remember Lindsey as the goofy Goober Pyle, cousin of Jim Nabors' Gomer Pyle. Though their time together as costars was long gone, Griffith made it clear that their admiration for one another had never disappeared.

"George Lindsey was my friend. I had great respect for his talent and his human spirit." the actor said. 

It was a respect that Lindsey clearly reciprocated. In an interview with The Times, he called Griffith "the greatest teacher I've ever had." Originally, Lindsey had some difficulty with the role, and couldn't get a firm grasp on the character of Goober. For assistance, he turned to Griffith, who was able to help him come into his own.

"He kept telling me to play myself, to let it happen to me, instead of trying to be funny," Lindsey said.

Watch The Andy Griffith Show on MeTV!

Weeknights at 8 & 8:30, Sundays at 12 & 6 PM

*available in most MeTV markets
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
Close

8 Comments

Bookman1963 6 months ago
Lindsey once said that when he asked Griffith how he should play Goober, Andy said something to the effect of "Goober is the kind of guy who would go into a restaurant and say 'boy, this is great salt!'"
JHP 6 months ago
I wonder what Ange said to HELLen then?
FrankensteinLover 6 months ago
I love these behind the scene stories, glad to hear they stayed close and kept in touch.
Sadly, Andy died only a few months after George!
JHP cperrynaples 6 months ago
too many wieners
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?