The life story of Solica Cassuto, Andy Griffith's second wife
If you are familiar with popular comedy shows from the 60s, then chances are you will know The Andy Griffith Show. Solica Cassuto rose to fame as the second wife of the show's star Andy Griffith. He was a prominent American actor, comedian, TV producer, writer, and Southern gospel singer. What is there to know about the life of the celebrity wife?
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Solica Cassuto is a Greek-American actress. She made debuts in several films and shows. She is best known for marrying the legendary actor, who passed in 2012. Although their union lasted only eight years, she is still recognised for her connection to Andy Griffith.
Profile summary
| Full name | Solica Cassuto |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 1950 |
| Age | 73 years old (as of 2023) |
| Zodiac sign | Aquarius |
| Place of birth | Greece |
| Nationality | Greek-American |
| Ethnicity | Mixed |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height in feet | 5'6" |
| Height in centimetres | 170 |
| Weight in kilograms | 60 |
| Weight in pounds | 132 |
| Body measurement in inches | 37-25-36 |
| Body measurement in centimetres | 94- 64- 91 |
| Eye colour | Hazel blue |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Marital status | Divorced |
| Ex-husband | Andy Griffith |
| Profession | Actress |
| Net worth | $1 million |
Early life
The retired actress was born in 1950 in Greece. Solica Cassuto's age in 2023 will be 73 years, though the exact date of her birth is not revealed.
Career
Andy Griffith's second wife was a notable actress in Greece in the 80s. Many sources state she was featured in highly acclaimed movies and TV shows.
On the other hand, her husband was born on 1 July 1926. He had an impressive acting and singing career that spanned over seven decades. The talented entertainer appeared in several top-notch movies like Matlock, which ran from 1986 to 1995 and A Face in the Crowd, released in 1957. He gained notoriety for his role as Sheriff Andy Taylor in the popular sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, which aired between 1960 and 1968.
Source: Getty Images
Who was Andy Griffith married to in real life?
The celebrity actor married three times in real life. But then, who was Andy Griffith's first wife? His first love and wife was the American actress and singer Barbara Bray Edward. The couple met at the College of North Carolina, where they studied music. Their love rekindled when they performed together in The Lost Colony, a symphonic drama.
Subsequently, the lovebirds tied the knot on 22 August 1949. The blissful marriage lasted for 23 years before they divorced in 1972. She died on 23 July 1980 at Beverly Hills.
After his divorce, he went further to marry Solica Cassuto. They met in the 1970s on a movie set. They married in 1973 in Andy's favourite backyard used on the set of his famous show. The union was meant to be a secret, but it caught public attention because the said backyard belonged to Bing Crosby, a prominent musician from America.
Andy described his second wife as a supportive mother to his children and a caring woman. But then, the marriage of eight years came to an end with no children in 1981. Daniel de Visé, the author of Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show, included the description of Solica as "a flower child married to Andy Griffith".
He believes their divorce was because the duo was different individuals with different unmatched characters. Regardless, they did not share reasons for their separation.
His last and third marriage before his demise was with renowned actress Cindi Knight. They met on a movie set whilst he was filming Murder in Coweta County and then married on 17 April 1983. Though she was much younger than him, she supported him in his career and health battles from 1983 till he died on 3 July 2012. He died from a heart attack at age 86.
Did Andy Griffith's wife ever appear on the show?
His first wife, Barbara Bray Edwards, appeared as Sharon, a choir member. This was in one of the episodes in season four of the comic show The Andy Griffith Show. Barbara acted in only flashbacks, and her role was set as a small acknowledgement of the days Andy Griffith and his wife met in college.
Does Andy Griffith have children?
The Southern gospel singer was a father to two children through adoption. During the period of his marriage to his first wife, Barbara Edwards, they found out they could not have children of their own and had to settle for adoption.
Source: Getty Images
Their first son was Andy Samuel Griffin Jr. He was born in 1957 and adopted the same year by his foster parents. Samuel worked as a real estate developer, but unfortunately, he was referred to as the bad egg in the family because of his bad behaviour.
He was detained for sixty days for domestic violence against his pregnant wife Reneese Denise. Sadly, he died on 17 January 1996 from liver cirrhosis and other health-related diseases caused mainly by alcohol abuse.
Dixie Nann Griffith was the second child adopted by the celebrity couple. The exact date of her birth is unknown, and she works as a volunteer for Denver Hospice.
Is Solica Cassuto still alive?
It is uncertain if she is alive or not. The celebrity ex-wife went out of public reach after her divorce in 1981, and she also stopped acting at the same time. Solica Cassuto's photos are rarely seen on the internet or any social media platform.
Net worth
According to Buzz South Africa, Solica Cassuto reportedly has an estimated net worth of $1 million. This was attained from her past career and marriage to her ex-husband Andy Griffith, whose net worth was reported at $25 million at the time of his death.
Solica Cassuto came to the limelight when she was married to her famous ex-husband from 1973 to 1981. However, their divorce shocked fans, and many are still interested in her well-being and life.
READ ALSO: Who are Jenni Rivera's husbands? Meet all her spouses and their children
As published on Briefly, Jenni Rivera started and sustained a music career in the early 1990s until she became a sensation in the United States and Mexico in 2005. As a celebrity, she was involved in several relationships.
She also married three times and had five children. Details of most of Jenni Rivera's husbands were held from the media except for the last husband, whom she was on the verge of divorcing before her untimely death in 2012.
Source: Briefly News
