Cindi Knight is the third wife of Andy Griffith, an American comedian, actor, singer, writer, and TV producer. She was a former high school teacher from the United States, born on May 2, 1983, and is 71 years old as of 2024.
Cindi Knight is one of those who gained public recognition due to their marriage to a famous personality. Her marriage to Andy Griffith not only made her famous, but it also attracted public interest to her even after the death of her Hollywood icon husband. Read on as we have detailed everything about Cindi Knight, including her life with her late husband and what she is currently up to.
Summary of Cindi Knight’s Biography
- Full name: Cindi Knight
- Gender: Female
- Date of birth: May 2, 1983
- Cindi Knight’s Age: 71 years old
- Ethnicity: White
- Nationality: American
- Zodiac Sign: Taurus
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Marital Status: Single
- Cindi Knight’s Spouse: Late Andy Griffith
- Cindi Knight’s Parents: Bobby Knight and Muriel Knight
- Cindi Knight Height in Inches: 5 feet 2 inches
- Cindi Knight’s Height in Centimetres: 1.57 m or 157 cm
- Famous for: Being the wife of the late Hollywood icon Andy Griffith
Cindi Knight Was Born in Jacksonville, Florida
Cindi Knight was born on May 2, 1953, in Jacksonville, Florida, United States, and is 71 years old as of 2024. She was born under the Taurus birth sign, is of White ethnicity, and holds American nationality. She was raised by her parents, Bobby Knight and Muriel, who are academicians at Duval County School; thus, it is believed that her parent’s profession influenced her career.
The late Hollywood icon’s wife spent most of her life in Jacksonville. Though she has yet to reveal the name of the elementary school she attended, it is believed that she attended one in her hometown. She had her high school at Terry Park High School, Jacksonville, and also got her university degree from Jacksonville University.
When Did Cindi Knight and Andy Griffith Meet?
Cindi Knight met her late husband in 1978 during the play The Lost Colony in North Carolina. This was Cindi’s first role after she began pursuing a career in theatrical productions. Meanwhile, at that time, Andy Griffith was already famous, as he had appeared in several notable roles like The Andy Griffith Show.
Following their meeting, they became friends during the movie production and kept in touch. However, in 1980, Cindi Knight decided to move over to Los Angeles so she could fully be committed to her acting career. During this period, Cindi and Griffith were just friends, as Griffith was still married to Solica Cassuto, his second ex-wife. Being that they were just friends, he helped her out on how she could make the most of her acting career while she was still engaged in a part-time teaching job.
Cindi Knight Became Andy Griffith’s Wife In 1983
Cindi Knight and Andy Griffith got married in April 1983 at a wedding party held on his estate in North Carolina. Though there were no records of any romantic relationship between the couple before Griffith’s divorce from his second wife, they seem to have developed feelings for each other long ago. After the actor’s divorce from his second wife, Solica Cassuto, in 1981, he decided to level up the relationship between him and Cindi.
It wasn’t long after his divorce that Griffith started dating Cindi Knight. A few years later, they decided to walk down the aisle. Although this was Cindi Knight’s first marriage, it was Andy Griffith’s third marriage. His first marriage was to Barbara Bray Edwards, and it lasted from 1949 to 1972. After they went through a successful divorce process, Cindi’s late husband got into his second marriage in 1973 with Solica Cassuto.
At the time Cindi Knight and Andy Griffith got married, Cindi was just 27 years old while Griffith was 56 years old, which presented an age gap of 29 years.
Cindi Knight’s Marriage Started Having Challenges After A Month
Cindi Knight remained firm with her husband even though they had challenges at the early stages of their marriage. About a month after they exchanged vows, Andy Griffith was diagnosed with Guillian-Barre syndrome, which is a rare neurological disorder. This had a very challenging effect on Griffith, as he became paralyzed from his waist down to all other parts of his legs. This notwithstanding, Cindi was there for him till he recovered from the effects.
Their marriage also saw another challenging time in 2000, when Griffith went through a heart attack, which had him go through quadruple bypass surgery. Cindi proved her love for him can overcome all odds, as she cared for him through it. In 2007, Griffith suffered a serious injury to his hip after he mistakenly fell and was flown to Los Angeles, where he went through major surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The actor’s wife saw him through his recovery process, which is why Griffith always referred to her as the best thing that ever happened to him.
Cindi Remained Married to Griffith Until his Death in 2012
Griffith Andy’s wife went out of the trend in Hollywood marriages, as she remained married to him until his death on July 4, 2012. She was always by his side, even when he was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which gave them access to governors and other prominent personalities.
According to reports, the cause of Andy Griffith’s death was illness, but information about the exact illness was withheld from the public. Furthermore, it was also speculated that Cindi Knight and her husband had anticipated his departure, as she had made prior arrangements for his burial even before he died. Reports have it that Andy Griffith was buried just a few hours after his death on Roanoke Island, close to the coast of North Carolina.
Meanwhile, the couple did not welcome any children into their marriage, but the teacher was a stepmother to Andy Griffith’s daughter, whom he adopted with his first wife, Babara Griffith. Further details of what her relationship with her stepdaughter looked like are unavailable.
Did Cindi Knight Inherit Andy Griffith’s Estate After His Death?
Yes! Cindi Knight inherited a share of Andy Griffith’s estate, though there seems to be some unclear rumor regarding Andy Griffith’s will. Some reports alleged that two months before the death of Andy Griffith, he removed his daughter Dixie Nann from his will.
Meanwhile, some other reports have it that he handed over his estate to a trustee, who is to manage and share the proceeds from the estate between his wife, Cindi Knight, and Dixie Nann, his daughter, before his death.
However, these speculations have yet to be confirmed by any reliable source, as both Cindi and Dixie decided to keep mute about them.
Where Is Andy Griffith’s Wife Now?
Since the death of Andy Griffith, Cindi Knight has decided to stay out of the spotlight. She has remained single ever since then and has always avoided the media. Meanwhile, immediately after her university education, she kicked off her career by teaching English at Wolfson High School, still in Jacksonville.
Although she seemed comfortable with her teaching career, Cindi Knight decided to explore other aspects of her life, which led to her taking dancing classes. She was further driven to enroll in a local drama school, which is where she developed an interest in acting and made appearances in some projects like Matt Huston and Murder in Coweta County. Further details of whether she is still engaged in any of her careers are scarce.
