TV Legend, American Icon Andy Griffith Dead at 86 [VIDEO]

Perhaps it's the most famous "whistled" tune of all time. I can think of just about anyone I know and they'd be able to whistle the opening theme to The Andy Griffith Show--even if they didn't like it.

And right now, I'd imagine fans of the show or anyone who's watched television in the last 50 years, for that matter, will be, at least, whistling that theme in their heads today as news is coming out of North Carolina that the show's star, American legend Andy Griffith, has died at the age of 86.

No word, yet, on the cause of death, but it has been reported that an ambulance was called to his home early this morning. While Andy Griffith's signature role was as Sheriff Andy Taylor of the fictional town of Mayberry--a role he played from 1960 to 1968--his career began on Broadway and in films in the 1950s.

Griffith received a Tony nomination for the play No Time for Sergeants, then recreated that role for the the big screen. In 1957, he received rave reviews for his role in A Face in the Crowd, a film in which he plays an Arkansas musician and two-bit punk who's guided to superstardom by an unwitting agent, then completely loses control of that fame and how to handle it. It's a shocking performance for anyone who is only familiar with his work as Andy Taylor and on his other long-running hit series, Matlock.

Wow! Andy Griffith dead. A true TV icon.

I would imagine the fictional flags in fictional Mayberry will be flying at half-staff.

Here's my favorite Andy Griffith Show episode--although I don't have any idea what that tune is they're whistling at the beginning: