Griffith and Lindsey had a friendship to last the ages.
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.
