Southern Charm

<p> Andy Griffith's exuberant charm and native Blue Ridge drawl won him a long career playing Southerners. Usually he depicted benign figures, such as the sheriff of “Mayberry R.F.D.,” but he was also memorable as the sinister country singer with political ambitions in Elia Kazan's film <em>A Face in the Crowd</em>. Griffith was a still a nimble actor through his end game role in the popular 1986-1995 TV series “Matlock.” Season Seven will be out later this month on a five-DVD set. </p> <p>Griffith put his well-honed persona to good use as Ben Matlock, the kindly Southern attorney and champion of the underdog. Always amiable and smiling, even when driving a knife through the heart of the DA's case, Matlock embodied the idea that older peoplethough slowing down physically and increasingly irritable in everyday situationsretain their skill and wisdom and can still contribute to society. A murder suspect without an alibi? No problem. Matlock will see through the web of false witnesses and misleading evidence. Season Seven found him paired off with his recently separated daughter Leanne (Brynne Thayer), his trusty African-American investigator Conrad (Clarence Gilyard, Jr.) and a new sidekick, Cliff (Daniel Roebuck), whom he rescued from a murder conviction. </p>