Andy Griffith, who portrayed a small-town sheriff on US 1960s sitcom The Andy Griffith Show has died, aged 86.
Bill Friday, a friend of the actor, told local broadcaster WITN that Griffith had died in North Carolina.
Dare County Sheriff Doug Doughtie said in a statement Griffith had passed away around 07:00 EST (11:00 GMT) on Tuesday.
The actor received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest US civilian award, in 2005.
Born in Mount Airy, North Carolina, he starred in the popular comedy series as Sheriff Andy Taylor from 1960-68.
The show portrayed life in the quiet North Carolina town of Mayberry, where the sheriff had little crime to contend with. It spun-off several additional shows.
Griffith continued to act, gaining a second TV hit as defence lawyer Ben Matlock in the 1980s and 1990s.
He was nominated for a Tony award in 1956 and won a Grammy for his album of gospel hymns in 1996.
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