Andy Griffith grew free trees for Boy Scouts on a 50-acre Christmas tree farm

In the Seventies, Griffith became a Santa of sorts to kids without Christmas trees.

Boy\'s Life Magazine

After The Andy Griffith Show ended in 1968, Andy Griffith attempted to do a couple new series that didn’t pan out.

By the Seventies, he’d become the sort of celebrity who made surprise guest appearances on shows, and sometimes did public appearances, but otherwise, he spent most of his time at his beachfront home in Manteo, North Carolina.

Sometimes old friends from his nearby hometown Mt. Airy would come by, and they’d ask him if he regretted leaving home to become an actor when he had shown such promise as a schoolteacher and ended up back in N.C. all the same.

He told The News and Observer Sun in 1974 that he’d shoot straight whenever anyone asked him this foolish question.

He’d respond, "I’d hate it. I don’t know what I would’ve done without show business. There’s nothing like it. To be chosen to play a part is one of the greatest joys in the world."

Around Manteo, Griffith was a public personality, but he was one of those rare celebrities who was known around town for his absence more than his presence, choosing to live a quiet life.

He’d often disappear into the woods to fish and hunt, but every now and again, he’d be spotted at the beach with his two teenaged kids. On rarest occasions, folks would see the former TV sheriff simply strolling down the street.

His favorite thing to do at the time, though, was just sit and watch the sun rise over the Roanoke Sound in his backyard.

But when he gazed at the horizon, his view was partially obscured.

He had to peer over the tops of 53 acres of Christmas trees that he planted.

Because one very visible way that Andy gave back every year to his neighbors in Manteo was at Christmastime, when he would invite Boy Scouts to his beach to pick out a free Christmas tree that he grew just to make their seasons brighter.

According to The News and Observer Sun, "He didn’t sell ‘em or anything. He gave ‘em away … to the Boy Scouts. You heard of this fella. Used to play Sheriff Taylor on that TV show. Now ain’t that just like him to go and do that?"

In the story, Griffith grins, admitting that the Christmas trees did clutter his beachfront view, but we assume that growing all those acres of trees was worth it to him, because every good boy deserves a gorgeous tree.

Need proof? Just watch Opie’s face light up under the tinseled Christmas tree in The Andy Griffith Show episode "The Christmas Story."

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46 Comments

Runeshaper 2 months ago
Andy Griffith was a such a good man and this act of kindness proves that (-:
Rita6868 27 months ago
Andy was nice on and off screen.Great story! Thanks MeTV.Every interview from cast members said Andy was a nice man.Aunt Bee even called him an apologized if she was not always nice to him.She said it was her standards and acting background that caused her reactions.Andy told her it was ok.Great show with great actors and writers.Miss you Andy!
SrLerxst 27 months ago
Then how come there was there only one Christmas episode?! Just does not make sense after this news comes out. Perhaps Ron Howard was an atheist even back then.
MikefromJersey SrLerxst 27 months ago
You don't really believe that Ronnie Howard, a little boy at the time, dictated to the
producers and CBS that there will be but one Christmas episode?
And what a beautifully realized Christmas show, I can't offhand think of a better one.
"Dobie Gillis" had 3 fun but silly Christmas episodes, they aren't a patch on the one
Andy Griffith episode, but I guess they defied the machinations of little Ronnie at
the time and snuck 3 of them on air when Ron was at Little League practice.
God only knows what Billy Mumy was up to at the time, he could wish people
into a cornfield on Twilight Zone. And don't get me started on Pugsly Addams
or Bam Bam Rubble.
Deleted 27 months ago
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MichaelFields 27 months ago
So wanting ALL people to have healthcare makes someone a lib, when EVERY advanced country has FREE healthcare for everyone, if it was not for so called "Obamacare" (Which was a version of a republican plan) my Mom would have passed away decades before she did from Cancer and NO insurance company would give her insurance because of a Pre existing condition. I think you should grow a heart and see things for the GOOD they do, not for they Damage they do like one orange guy did.
OlgaBagley 27 months ago
Orange Guy 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂. How Funny that was a good one
benbear 27 months ago
Slight correction to the story - "Sometimes old friends from his nearby hometown Mt. Airy would come by." Mt. Airy is nowhere near Manteo. Over 300 miles separate coastal Manteo from Mt. Airy.
UPTOWNGIRL 27 months ago
Nice story, as I'm sure there are many like this about Andy. But if you want to keep those sweet memories, do not read the book about Andy and Don.
OlgaBagley UPTOWNGIRL 27 months ago
What did the book say about Andy & Don
country46 27 months ago
I was a scout in 1968 had a blast without them there was not much to do on weekends
OlgaBagley country46 27 months ago
And they. STILL. not much to do on the Week-ends
Andybandit 27 months ago
That was nice of Andy to do that for the Boy Scouts.
OlgaBagley 27 months ago
I guess Andy Griffith Carry his good guy Image past Andy Taylor I have only 2 words Shama
Steve0517 27 months ago
He loved to help others ....
VanHalen Steve0517 27 months ago
Not by plugging omambocare. Lib loon.
Pacificsun 27 months ago
This is a neat story. I love it when celebrities turn out to be better than we expected. Not that AG isn't already very popular. Just a really nice thing to do!

Good research!
Runeshaper 27 months ago
That is AWESOME! Super kind of Andy to do this (-:
Runeshaper 27 months ago
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LaDolceVita 27 months ago
That is so nice that he would do this for Boy Scouts. All 3 of my sons were Boy Scouts and they enjoyed selling Christmas trees. It was a very good experience for them. Buon Natale! 🎄
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texasluva LaDolceVita 27 months ago
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Let's Do it at: Can you match these Christmas movie actors to the classic TV shows they starred in?
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texasluva LoveMETV22 27 months ago
Hello MeTV Quizzers. Your Weekend Movies are located at: Can you match these Christmas movie actors to the classic TV shows they starred in? You can collect them anytime. The movies are Big Trouble In Little China and Dante's Peak.
texasluva LaDolceVita 27 months ago
Hello MeTV Quizzers. Your Weekend Movies are located at: Can you match these Christmas movie actors to the classic TV shows they starred in? You can collect them anytime. The movies are Big Trouble In Little China and Dante's Peak.
texasluva MrsPhilHarris 27 months ago
Hello MeTV Quizzers. Your Weekend Movies are located at: Can you match these Christmas movie actors to the classic TV shows they starred in? You can collect them anytime. The movies are Big Trouble In Little China and Dante's Peak.
LoveMETV22 27 months ago
Thank You MeTV for a very nice story. It truly sounds as though Andy Griffith was a generous and charitable individual. 🎄🎅☃️❄️
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LoveMETV22 Pacificsun 27 months ago
I usually go there if it's an emoji that this page or PC doesn't have. Although a lot of them are built in on most devices.
LoveMETV22 MrsPhilHarris 27 months ago
I think your right twin. Most devices have the emojis built in.
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