We’d all be lucky to have a father like Andy Griffith, so it’s no surprise that some avid viewers of The Andy Griffith Show have wondered if Sheriff Andy Taylor was inspired by a real-life Andy Griffith: his father, Carl Lee Griffith.

Griffith often talked about how much of Mayberry was inspired by his experiences growing up in rural North Carolina, so it’s only natural that the theory would surface.

But according to Griffith, his connection to the show was more about rewriting than creating the characters and stories from scratch.

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"I’m a rewrite person," Griffith said. "I don’t have the skill to come up with an original story. I wish I did. But it’s a screw that was left out of my mind. But I am a good rewrite person. I know when it’s good, and I know when it’s bad. I don’t always necessarily know how to fix it, but I always work on it."

Griffith’s contributions during the rewriting process helped give Mayberry its authentic Southern flavor. Still, he was quick to point out that Sheriff Andy Taylor wasn’t simply a television version of his father.

"I used my father all the time," Griffith said. "I still do. Because I was so fond of him. Any actor who plays a part will take from anybody that he knows. Of course, I’ve used my father. But I didn’t pattern Andy Taylor after anybody."

So while Andy Taylor may have borrowed a little from Andy Griffith’s real life, the sheriff was never a carbon copy of his dad. But we’re sure the character would have made his dad proud either way.