ben matlock character is made from what atlanta lawyer

Who is Ben Matlock?

Benjamin Leighton Matlock is a fictional character from the television series, Matlock, played by Andy Griffith. Matlock is a renowned, folksy yet cantankerous defense attorney who is worth every penny of his $100,000 fee.

Is Ben Matlock based on a true story?

While the character of Ben Matlock is completely fictional on the television show, it has been rumored that he was actually based on a real southern lawyer who made waves in the courtroom. His name was Bobby Lee Cook, and he was based in a small mountain town in Georgia, rather than Atlanta like Matlock.

What was Ben Matlock's first case on the show?

Later Ben recalled that Tate was his favorite professor and that he owed the professor a lot. ( The Professor ) Ben Matlock's first big case was defending a black cook, Cyrus Jordan (portrayed by Stan Shaw) in 1962, who was accused of murdering the sheriff in Mt. Harlan.

Who is Ben Matlock's daughter in law school?

Charlene Matlock Charlene is Ben's daughter and is also a lawyer. She assists her father at his law practice in Atlanta for a short time, appearing only in the first season of the series. Purl replaced Lori Lethin who appeared as Charlene in the pilot "Diary of a Perfect Murder".

Is Matlock a real lawyer?

The real-life lawyers 'Matlock' was loosely based on In creating the colorful role of high-priced Atlanta attorney Benjamin Matlock, the character's creators didn't have far to look to find inspiration. One template for the role, also from Atlanta, was famed attorney Bobby Lee Cook.

Is Ben Matlock and Andy Griffith the same person?

In 1986, Griffith began starring in a brand-new series called Matlock, a mystery legal drama series that featured Griffith as a popular, cantankerous attorney named Ben Matlock.

Who was the inspiration for Matlock?

Ben Matlock is reputed to have been based on Georgia lawyer Bobby Lee Cook. Cook was known for his legal skill and folksy charm.

What was Andy Griffith worth at his death?

Andy Griffith net worth: Andy Griffith was an American actor and singer who had a net worth of $60 million at the time of his death....Andy Griffith Net Worth.Net Worth:$60 MillionDate of Birth:Jun 1, 1926 - Jul 3, 2012 (86 years old)Gender:MaleHeight:6 ft (1.83 m)2 more rows

What lawyer is Matlock based on?

attorney Bobby Lee CookMatlock is reported to be based on Georgia defense attorney Bobby Lee Cook.

How old was Andy Griffith when he did Matlock?

Griffith revealed that his Matlock dialogue required more study and practice on his part. Perhaps that added to his enjoyment of the role. At the age of 60, he was still pushing himself.

Is Matlock based on Perry Mason?

It featured Griffith as the titular defense attorney, who always manages to get the right guy to confess in the courtroom. But while the structure of each episode connects the two shows, Griffith said the character of Ben Matlock was not inspired by Perry Mason, but instead, the character just naturally came to him.

Who did Bobby Lee Cook represent?

In addition to criminal proceedings, Cook also took a stand by representing labor unions at a time when many in the South viewed pro-labor organizations as “Communist sympathizers.” his integrity are essential to a successful law practice.”

Where is Mount Harlan Georgia?

The Mt. Harlan AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in San Benito County, California. It is located in the Gabilan Mountains and is part of the larger Central Coast AVA.

Who inherited Andy Griffith money?

Before his death, Andy Griffith has accumulated a net worth of $60 million which Dixie Griffith and Cindi Knight have inherited.

Who gets royalties from Andy Griffith Show?

W.W. Answer: “All actors from the show received standard residuals as negotiated by the Screen Actors Guild at the time, generally for the original broadcast and six reruns for regular cast members,” said Jim Clark, co-author of “The Andy Griffith Show Book” and “Presiding Goober Emeritus” of the show's fan club.

Why was Andy Griffith buried 4 hours after his death?

Griffith was in control of what happened after he died He asked a small group of trusted friends to bury him immediately after his death, as de Visé wrote, “before the paparazzi could storm Roanoke Island to capture his remains on film.

Who is the attorney who inspired Matlock?

One template for the role, also from Atlanta, was famed attorney Bobby Lee Cook. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution alluded to Cook’s role in inspiring Matlock, saying of him: “His clever maneuvers in court, combined with a gentlemanly charm, made him perhaps Georgia’s most famous attorney and may have inspired a classic television character.”.

Who played Matlock on Murder She Wrote?

It was also CBS’ Murder She Wrote starring veteran actor Angela Lansbury that opened a door for Matlock. NBC grabbed the chance to create a like-minded program around the former Andy Griffith Show star.

How long did Matlock run?

He’s cheap enough to shine his own shoes, and sufficiently mercenary to shake down a client for his last $100,000.”. Matlock ran on NBC from 1986 until 1992 and then was picked up by ABC, airing on that network from 1992 to 1995.

Why was Griffith grateful for his new role?

Griffith was grateful for his new role and the steady work it provided, and felt especially thankful towards Hargrove for his part in jump-starting his career. “He was enormously appreciative,” Hargrove said. “Because his career at that point was pretty moribund. This series was really bringing him back to life.”.

Who produced Andy Griffith Show?

The network’s president of entertainment Brandon Tartikoff assigned producers Hargrove and Fred Silverman the task of creating Griffith’s next big hit.

Who is the attorney in Andy and Don?

In creating the colorful role of high-priced Atlanta attorney Benjamin Matlock, the character’s creators didn’t have far to look to find inspiration.

Who plays Matlock in the Andy Griffith Show?

Actor Andy Griffith as Atlanta lawyer Benjamin Matlock | NBCU Photo Bank. ‘Matlock’ gave Griffith a new beginning on television. After The Andy Griffith Show, the actor starred in one mediocre series after another, never really finding the success he had enjoyed on his self-named series.

Who is Ben Matlock's friend?

Lewis is an attorney, but is described as Ben Matlock's friend in the season-eight episode, "The Godfather". He lies once to the people from Mt. Harlan, saying that he is a full partner with Ben, but he later confesses that Ben Matlock does not have any partners.

What did Tyler do before Matlock?

Before working for Matlock, Tyler was a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He is interested in cooking and investing in venture capital projects on the side, such as in pecans. In the episode "The Chef", he says that he entered the Junior Chamber of Commerce Chili Cook-Off, which he wins $2,000 for his chili.

What episode does Matlock appear in?

Matlock also has conspicuously finicky fashion sense (wearing nothing but grey suits) and an insatiable appetite for hot dogs (an explanation for this is featured in the Diagnosis: Murder cross-over double episode "Murder Two", which also marked the last appearance of Matlock on television).

How did Sherry Brown die in The Secret?

In "The Secret", when Matlock sends him to Chicago to talk to Sherry Brown in questioning her about the negatives he is supposed to find, he receives word that she died from jumping off the apartment building.

Who is Ben's daughter?

Charlene Matlock. Charlene is Ben's daughter and is also a lawyer. She assists her father at his law practice in Atlanta for a short time, appearing only in the first season of the series. Purl replaced Lori Lethin who appeared as Charlene in the pilot "Diary of a Perfect Murder".

Who was Conrad's friend on the game show?

In "The Game Show", while looking at the credits for the game show It's About Time, he asked his friend Marjorie Wood , a contestant coordinator, to give Conrad many tickets for the show, along with Matlock, who would meet hostess Kari Summers for the show.

Who plays Charlie Matlock?

Charlie Matlock (Andy Griffith), father of Ben Matlock, is a gas station owner; his only appearances are set in flashbacks before the series timeline began. (appears in the episodes: "The Dame", season 6; "The Legacy", parts 1 and 2, season 7; and "The Diner", season 8)

Who was the actor who played the lawyer in Matlock?

The television show itself was actually created for actor Andy Griffith. Griffith had finished filming “The Andy Griffith Show” back in 1968 and since then had starred in some smaller features for television but nothing had showed great promise. When he appeared in a program called “Fatal Vision” where he played a sarcastic lawyer, he finally caught NBC’s eye. They decided to write a show specifically for him where he would play a criminal lawyer. Thus, “Matlock” was born.

When did Matlock come out?

Matlock first aired in 1986 as a 2-hour feature on NBC, and was re-shown in Cleveland, Ohio, by an NBC affiliate in 2013. This was a year after Griffith’s death. This was done because he had been left out of the In Memoriam segment during the Oscars that year.

Why does Matlock eat hot dogs?

Well, the main reason for this was because Dr. Mark Sloan from Diagnosis: Murder had advised Matlock to invest his life savings in the eight-track tape industry.

What was Griffith known for?

Matlock was known for having a fondness for hot dogs, but Griffith himself was known for his love of peanut butter. Some stars want nice trailers and other amenities, but all Griffith asked for was that nobody would eat his peanut butter and apples. The food catering company was always expected to have peanut butter available. Apparently if Griffith went to get some and it was unavailable this would cause him a great degree of stress.

What issues did Andy Griffith have with Matlock?

He wanted his character to be much darker, and not the moral compass that Andy Taylor had been in “The Andy Griffith Show.” He wanted Matlock to have some darker qualities, and deal with some cases that were less morally compatible with the image the show wished to portray . This desired image was not necessarily a wholesome one, but the cases he was involved in were considered safe topics by the studio.

What is a Matlock spinoff?

Spinoff series. Matlock actually worked to launch two spinoff series, basically a spinoff from a spinoff. In 1986, it introduced the spinoff series “Jake and the Fatman” which revolved around a crime solving duo named J.L. “Fatman” McCabe and Jake Styles, who were played by Joe Penny and William Conrad.

What was the plot of Matlock?

The storyline was that Matlock had to defend a big Hollywood producer accused of murder. The character of ALF, who had his own wildly successful series, showed up at the end of the episode to testify against the producer. It’s still unclear if ALF was supposed to be a real alien, or a puppet on the episode.

Who is the main character in Matlock?

Benjamin Leighton "Ben" Matlock was the titular character of the television show Matlock .

How much did Matlock charge to defend?

He later went in to private practice, where he normally charged $100,000 to defend an individual. However if he was convinced the person was innocent or if the person could not pay right away or at all, Matlock would allow people to pay over time or even waive the fee.

Storyline

In this legal drama, Andy Griffith plays Ben Matlock, a criminal-defense lawyer based in Atlanta. Matlock typically identifies and confronts the perpetrator in a dramatic courtroom scene. His goal, most often, is to prove reasonable doubt of his client's guilt.

Did you know

In 1997, two years after the end of the series, Andy Griffith reprised the role of Matlock on a two part episode of Diagnosis Murder (1993). This would mark his final appearance in the role, and the only time the Matlock character was seen on CBS. In the episode, it is explained that Dr.

How old was Andy Griffith when Ben Matlock was on?

He was 94. Cook was reputed to be the inspiration for Matlock’s main character, Ben Matlock, which starred Andy Griffith as a brilliant Georgia attorney. The show aired for nine seasons starting in 1986.

Who is the main character in Matlock?

Channel 2 Action News confirmed that Bobby Lee Cook died Friday at his home in Cloudland. He was 94. Cook was reputed to be the inspiration for Matlock’s main character, Ben Matlock, ...

Who was the man who arranged the death of Sara?

Cook represented hundreds of accused murderers over the years, including Fred Tokars, who was convicted of arranging the death of his wife Sara in the 1980s and Savannah antiques dealer Jim Williams, whose case was the basis for the best-selling book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.”

Overview

Main

Benjamin Leighton "Ben" Matlock is a renowned, folksy yet cantankerous defense attorney who charges a fee of $100,000 to take a case. He is known for visiting crime scenes to discover overlooked clues, as well as his down-home style of coming up with viable, alternative theories of the crime in question (usually murder) while sitting in his office playing the banjo or polishing his shoes. Matlock also has conspicuously finicky fashion sense (wearing nothing but grey suits) an…

Recurring

Notable one-time characters

See also

External links