Statue to memorialize Sheriff Taylor and Opie

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A bronze statue of Sheriff Andy Taylor and his son, Opie, from "The Andy Griffith Show" will be installed in Raleigh's Pullen Park.\nThe statue commemorates the walk to a fishing hole that Taylor, played by Andy Griffith, and Opie, played by Ron Howard, took in the opening credits of the popular television show.\nThe Raleigh City Council agreed Tuesday that the popular park just west of downtown Raleigh is the best place for the statue, which the cable network TV Land plans to install and maintain.\nIn November, the council accepted TV Land's offer for the Andy and Opie statue. Since then, the city has worked with the New York-based network to find a location.\nThe statue will go between the carousel and the lake at the park -- a favorite spot for visitors, especially families with young children. The statue will be slightly larger than life, with Andy standing about 6 feet 9 inches tall and Opie standing about 3 feet 9 inches tall.\nIt's the third statue the network has installed to depict fictional TV characters. It placed Ralph Kramden from "The Honeymooners" in New York in 2000 and Mary Richards from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" in Minneapolis last May.\nRob Pellizzi, senior vice president of marketing and promotions for TV Land, said the network has sent invitations to 25 artists, including about 15 from North Carolina, to design the piece.