ANDY GRIFFITH at the The Presidential Medal of Freedom Award Ceremony held at The White House. Washington DC, USA - 09.11.05

The 80-year-old actor had hip surgery on 5 September (06) and has been in hospital in Los Angeles ever since, where he's being monitored for heart problems, according to US reports that have not been confirmed by his publicist.

Griffith is a high-risk patient because he has suffered from heart problems and underwent quadruple heart bypass surgery in 2000.

A source tells America's the Globe, "He's in a lot of pain right now, but he's just trying to tough it out so he can get back on his feet... He's pretty frail."

Griffith is best known for his namesake family show, which was a TV favourite in America throughout the 1960s, and spin-off MAYBERRY R.F.D.

Source: WENN