Andy Griffith: A timeline of the actor's career

(CBS/AP) Actor Andy Griffith, who died Tuesday morning at the age of 86, was known by most for his portrayal of a homespun sheriff  in the 1960s TV hit "The Andy Griffith Show," but Griffith achieved a lot during his lifetime in show business, including winning a Grammy.

Pictures: Andy Griffith: 1926-2012
Read More: Andy Griffith dead at 86
Pictures: Andy Griffith remembered
Read More: Andy Griffith remembered by Ron Howard

Griffith was born in Mount Airy, N.C., and 28 years later got his first television exposure on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Below, is a look back at the actor's life.

1954

• Griffith gets his first television exposure on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

1957

• Griffith plays Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes, a local jailbird and amateur singer who becomes a homespun philosopher on national television in the movie "A Face in the Crowd." He receives critical acclaim in The New York Times and The Washington Post.

1960

• "The Andy Griffith Show" goes on the air and runs until 1968. Griffith plays a wise small-town sheriff. The show is set in the fictional town of Mayberry, N.C., loosely based on his hometown.

1986

• Griffith's television career continues as he plays the lead role as a shrewd Southern defense lawyer in "Matlock." The series lasts until 1995.

1992

• Griffith is inducted into the Academy of Television Arts Hall of Fame.

1997

• Griffith wins a Grammy Award for his gospel music album, "I Love to Tell the Story _ 25 Timeless Hymns."

2000

• Griffith suffers a heart attack and has quadruple bypass surgery.

2002

• North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley names part of U.S. Hwy 52 the "Andy Griffith Parkway."

2003

• TV network erects a statue in Raleigh, N.C., showing "The Andy Griffith Show's" famous opening sequence that features Andy Griffith and a young Ron Howard walking hand in hand.

2005

• Griffith receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the country's highest civilian awards. The White House says: "The United States honors Andy Griffith for demonstrating the finest qualities of our country and for a lifetime of memorable performances that have brought joy to millions of Americans of all ages."

2010

• Griffith endorses President Barack Obama's health care law to seniors in a paid ad by Medicare.gov.

2012

• Griffith dies at his home in Manteo, N.C., at age 86.