At a Glance
- The Andy Griffith Show cast’s children stepped into very different lives after Mayberry.
- Andy Griffith adopted two kids: Sam became a developer and died at 38; Dixie stayed private yet now curates her dad’s legacy.
- Ron Howard and wife Cheryl raised four children-Bryce Dallas Howard is the most visible star of the next generation.
- Why it matters: Fans still cherish the sitcom; learning how its stars’ families evolved keeps the Mayberry spirit alive for new audiences.
Decades after Sheriff Taylor strolled Mayberry’s streets, the off-screen children of the show’s beloved actors have built careers, families, and, in some cases, quietly carried on their parents’ legacies.
Andy Griffith’s Family: Spotlight and Shadows
Andy and first wife Barbara Edwards adopted Sam (1957) and Dixie (1959), shuttling between California and North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
Both kids performed in the local outdoor drama The Lost Colony, earning $10 a week like their parents once did. Dixie later recalled her father’s pride: “My dad was fully supportive and delighted that we were in the show.”
Adult life diverged sharply:
- Sam worked in Los Angeles real estate but struggled with addiction and died in 1996 at age 38.
- Dixie moved to Colorado, raised three daughters, and now helps run the fan film Mayberry Man (2021) and its 2024 series continuation.
Don Knotts’ Kids: Comedy in the Blood
Knotts and first wife Kathryn Metz had Thomas and Karen. Karen became an actor-comedian, touring the one-woman show Tied Up in Knotts and writing a memoir of the same name.
She remembers long set visits but limited downtime with her father: “We didn’t see him a lot, because he worked 10, 12 hours a day… When he was home, he was always holed up in his room working on his lines.”
Ron Howard’s Four Children: Hollywood, but on Their Terms
Howard met high-school sweetheart Cheryl in the early 1970s; they wed in 1975 and raised four kids:
- Bryce Dallas Howard – Blockbuster star (Jurassic World, The Help) and mother of two.
- Paige Howard – Actress and children’s-book author; married actor Timmy Abou Nasr in 2022.
- Jocelyn & Reed – Both avoid show business; Reed is a professional golfer and father to daughter Aspen Leigh.
Other Mayberry Offspring
| Cast Member | Character | Children & Notes |
|---|
George Lindsey | Goober Pyle | Son George Jr. acted in 2024’s Mayberry Man; daughter Camden stays private. |
Howard McNear | Floyd Lawson | One son, Christopher McNear. |
Hal Smith | Otis Campbell | Son Terry Jay Smith (makeup artist, d. 1998). |
Jack Dodson | County Clerk | Daughters Amy (costume departments) and Cristina (private life). |
Key Takeaways
- The Andy Griffith Show ended in 1968, but its cast considered one another family for life.
- Second-generation careers range from blockbuster stardom to golf pros and real-estate development.
- Several children now shepherd the franchise forward through fan films and nostalgia events.
From small-town charm to modern-day Hollywood, the kids of Mayberry keep the show’s gentle spirit alive-on their own terms.
