Barbara Bray Edwards: The untold story of Andy Griffith's first wife
Barbara Bray Edwards is best remembered as Andy Griffith's first wife. The late Andy Griffith was an actor, comedian, television producer, singer, and writer best known for The Andy Griffith Show. Barbara and Griffith parted ways after being married for over two decades.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Profile summary
- Who was Andy Griffith's first wife?
- How old was Barbara Bray Edwards when she died?
- Where was Barbara Edwards from?
- Did Andy Griffith's wife ever appear on the show?
- Who was Andy Griffith?
- Barbara Bray Edwards and Andy Griffith’s relationship
- Did Andy Griffith have biological children?
- How many times was Andy Griffith married?
- What happened to Andy Griffith's real first wife?
- FAQs
Barbara Bray Edwards was an American actress. Many people remember her as the first wife of the late Andy Griffith. Besides being known as Andy's first spouse, she is remembered for her role in The Andy Griffith Show.
Profile summary
| Full name | Barbara Bray Edwards |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 17 August 1926 |
| Date of death | 23 July 1980 |
| Age at death | 53 years |
| Place of birth | Wilson, North Carolina, United States of America |
| Residence before death | Los Angeles, California, United States of America |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac sign | Leo |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Hair colour | Dark brown |
| Eye colour | Brown |
| Marital status | Divorced (at the time of death) |
| Ex-husband | Andy Griffith |
| Children | 2 |
| Father | James Spurgeon Edwards |
| Mother | Dixie Vance (Lamm) Edwards |
| Profession | Actress |
Who was Andy Griffith's first wife?
Barbara Bray Edwards was Andy Griffith's first wife. She was an actress. She and Griffith were married for about 23 years before calling the relationship quits.
How old was Barbara Bray Edwards when she died?
Barbara Edwards was 53 years old when she passed away. She was born on 17 August 1926 and died on 23 July 1980. Her Zodiac sign was Leo.
Where was Barbara Edwards from?
The late actress was born and raised in Wilson, North Carolina, United States of America. Her parents are James Spurgeon and Dixie Vance (Lamm) Edwards. Her nationality was American, and her ethnicity was White.
Source: Original
Did Andy Griffith's wife ever appear on the show?
Barbara Bray Edwards came into the limelight because of her relationship with Andy Griffith.
What many do not know is she was an actress who appeared in an episode of The Andy Griffith Show. She portrayed the character of Sharon. Andy Griffith’s first wife also appeared as herself on The Sam Levenson Show.
Who was Andy Griffith?
Andy Samuel Griffith, Barbara Bray Edwards' ex-husband, was a famous actor, comedian, television producer, southern gospel singer, and writer. He was born on 1 June 1926 in Mount Airy, North Carolina, to Carl Lee and Geneva Griffith. He was his parent's only child.
He attended Mount Airy High School in 1944 before enrolling at the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill.
He was interested in the arts and participated in the school drama programme. He was a divinity student before changing majors and earning a Bachelor of Music degree. He graduated in 1949 and taught music in high school.
He rose to prominence on television. He portrayed Andy Taylor in the comedy series The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968). He also portrayed Ben Matlock in the legal drama Matlock (1986–1995).
His hit comedy series The Andy Griffith Show made him famous. He was nominated for two Tony Awards. He died on 3 July 2012 in Manteo, North Carolina, USA after suffering a heart attack.
What happened to Andy Taylor's wife?
Andy from The Andy Griffith Show was a widower. He was the father to a son named Opie. Opie's mother died when he was a newborn baby.
Barbara Bray Edwards and Andy Griffith’s relationship
Barbara Bray and Andy Griffith met in college. They met while studying music at the University of North Carolina. After dating for some time, they got married in 1949. The couple divorced in 1972 after 23 years of marriage.
Did Andy Griffith have biological children?
Barbara Bray Edwards and Andy Griffith did not have biological children together. However, the couple adopted two kids.
The names of their adopted kids are Andy Samuel Griffith Jr. and Dixie Griffith. Andy Griffith Jr. died of alcoholism in 1996. He had liver cirrhosis as well as other health issues.
Source: Getty Images
How many times was Andy Griffith married?
The actor, comedian, singer, and television producer got married three times before his demise. After his first divorce from Barbara Bray Edwards, Andy got married two more times. Andy Griffith's second wife was Solica Cassuto.
He married Solica Cassuto in 1973 and divorced her in 1981. He married his third wife, Cindi Knight, in 1983. He did not get biological kids with his second and third wives.
What happened to Andy Griffith's real first wife?
Barbara Bray Edwards's obituary in 1980 shows that the actress died on 23 July 1980. She passed away in Los Angeles, California, United States of America, at 53. She was laid to rest in Hollywood Hills, California, United States of America, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
FAQs
- Who was Barbara Bray Edwards? She was an American actress known for her role in The Andy Griffith Show (1960). She was also known as the first wife of the late legendary Andy Samuel Griffith.
- How old was Barbara Bray Edwards at the time of her death? She was 53 years old. She was born on 17 August 1926 and died on 23 July 1980.
- Who were Barbara Bray Edwards' parents? Her parents were James Spurgeon Edwards and Dixie Vance (Lamm) Edwards.
- Where was Barbara Bray Edwards buried? She was buried at Hollywood Hills, California, USA, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
- Is Barbara Bray Edwards' ex-husband alive? No, her ex-husband died on 3 July 2012.
- Did Barbara Bray Edwards have children? She did not have her biological children, but she adopted two. Their names are the late Andy Samuel Griffith Jr. and Dixie Griffith.
- Who did Barbara Bray Edwards play on The Andy Griffith Show? She portrayed the character of Sharon on the show.
Barbara Bray Edwards is remembered for her appearance on The Andy Griffith Show as Sharon. Despite her divorce from her husband, many people remember her as Andy Griffith's first wife.
Yen.com.gh recently published Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang's biography. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang is a household name in Ghana.
She has made remarkable contributions to her country's academia and political circles. Jane gained more prominence in 2020 when she became the running mate of John Mahama, former President, in the 2020 Ghanaian general elections.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Cyprine Apindi (Lifestyle writer) Cyprine Apindi is a content creator and educator with over six years of experience. She holds a Diploma in Mass Communication and a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Kenyatta University. Cyprine joined Briefly.co.za in mid-2021, covering multiple topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. In 2023, she finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. She received the 2023 Writer of the Year Award. In 2024, she completed the Google News Initiative course. Email: cyprineapindi@gmail.com
Tatiana Thiga (Lifestyle writer) Tatiana Thiga is a content creator who joined Yen in 2022. She is an English literature graduate from Kenyatta University. She has amassed sufficient knowledge working on a variety of topics, including biographies, fashion and lifestyles, guides, and more. In 2023, Tatiana finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach her at tatianathiga@gmail.com
