Sheriff Andrew Jackson "Andy" Taylor is the lead character on The Andy Griffith Show, an American sitcom which aired on CBS, (1960–1968). He also appears in the Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. episode "Opie Joins the Marines", made a cameo appearance in the USMC episode "Gomer Goes Home," five episodes of Mayberry R.F.D. (1968–1971) and the reunion television film Return to Mayberry (1986). The character made his initial appearance in an episode of The Danny Thomas Show entitled "Danny Meets Andy Griffith." In the CBS special The Andy Griffith - Don Knotts - Jim Nabors Show (1965), Andy and Barney are featured in a musical sketch about their friendship and recreate some classic moments between the characters. Andy Griffith, as Sheriff Taylor, also has a brief comedy cameo in Rowan and Martin at the Movies (1969), a PSA short subject promoting the purchase of U.S. Savings Bonds. Griffith appeared with costar Ron Howard in character as Andy and Opie Taylor in a 2008 commercial for the presidential campaign of Barack Obama. Andy Taylor appeared in all 249 episodes of The Andy Griffith Show and was played by comedian, musician, and actor Andy Griffith. Home life Andy Taylor lives in the fictional, sleepy community of Mayberry, North Carolina. Andy is a widower and father to one young son, Opie. In the backdoor pilot episode from The Danny Thomas Show, viewers learn Andy lost his wife when Opie was "the least little speck of a baby." In the first episode of the show Andy has a maid that is getting married and moving away. Work life Andy is Mayberry's Sheriff and Justice of the Peace. He has held the elected job of sheriff since approximately 1952 or ‘53. As sheriff, Andy is the chief law enforcement officer in the county, yet most of his activity is in and around the town of Mayberry, and there is no evidence of a separate city police force. Both the town and the county are named Mayberry, so Andy is the chief law enforcement officer for both. These working conditions, plus his reliance on a single deputy (and no clerk or jailer) indicate that the county is very small in both size and population; however, in the episode Mountain Wedding, Andy and Barney get up at four o'clock in the morning to get an "early start" on their trip to the Darlings' cabin, which is described as being