Andy Griffith has always been known for his lovable and comedic roles on TV, but his Matlock co-star Linda Purl admits he went dark to land his first movie role in 1957.
Since The Andy Griffith Show, the actor and comedian wasn’t inherently known for dark character portrayals on screen. Purl appeared on an episode of the “Still Here Hollywood” podcast with Steve Kmetko to reveal the incredible story Griffith told her when they first met.
She starred as Griffith’s on-screen daughter in the mystery legal drama and met Griffith for the first time during a lunch arranged by their producer. While Purl was in a fit of giggles the entire time, Griffith revealed he attacked a director to land his role in 1957’s A Face in the Crowd.
A Face in the Crowd was Griffith’s first-ever big-screen leading role, one that was strikingly different from the comedic charm he became known for. Purl explains that he was in No Time for Sergeants on Broadway at the time he read the script for the 1957 film. The actor thought, “He thought, ‘”That’s my role. That’s for me.”
The movie was a satirical drama directed by Elia Kazan based on a short story. It focuses on a lonesome drifter who’s discovered by a producer and becomes a rising star and influential on national TV. At the time, Kazan had no interest in casting Griffith due to his background in comedy.
“He found out Kazan’s office and he went and he sat in the foyer with the secretary, just waiting, day after day or whenever he could,” Purl said.
According to Purl, Kazan’s secretary never allowed the actor to meet with him. On a day when the director was in his office, Griffith reportedly “barged in,” and Kazan was “impressed with the chutzpah.” The actor appeared as a “handsome young hick to break into his office,” barging in to make his case for why he was perfect for the movie role. Despite the director being “charmed,” it still wasn’t enough.
“Andy said, ‘I took him by the shirt collar. I put him up against the wall and said, ‘You don’t understand. I am that man.’ And then he then I got the part,” Purl said.
Purl adds that Griffith saw himself “plainly,” but also as someone who could be complex and take on roles beyond what fans knew him for. Even she admits that her co-star was “wonderful” in the film.
A Face in the Crowd was considered to have launched Griffith into stardom, and critics credit the film’s impact to his acting on screen. As a newcomer, he was praised for portraying his character with “explosive vigor and making the characterization entirely believable.” The film may have received mixed reviews, but a majority of praise went to the actor, and it currently has a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Related: Kevin Bacon’s Cult Classic 1980 Horror Movie is Now Streaming on Netflix – Just in Time for Halloween
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