Andy Griffith dies, burried immediately!

Andy Griffith, who essayed the role of the sheriff of Mayberry on television in the 1960s and the folksy criminal defense attorney Ben Matlock died on Tuesday morning at his coastal home on Roanoke Island, North Carolina. The 86 year old was buried on the same day, less than five hours after he died.

Andy Griffith died at about 7 am yesterday at his home in Dare County, NC. However, the cause of death was not revealed by the family. A spokesperson told CNN that Griffith's family requested that his body be lowered into a grave on Roanoke Island around 11:30 am.

Larry F Stegall, executive director of the state's Funeral Directors Association told CNN that this is the first time in his career that somebody was buried so soon after their death.

A Tony Award nominee for two roles, Andy Griffith gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's film A Face in the Crowd (1957) before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead characters in the 1960-1968 situation comedy The Andy Griffith Show and in the 1986-1995 legal drama Matlock.