Given that "Matlock" really was all about Andy Griffith, there were a number of different supporting stars cast that backed him up over the show's nine hit seasons. The three longest-running ones were Nancy Stafford (who played Ben Matlock's legal partner Michelle), Julie Sommars (who played Matlock's friend and adversary, assistant district attorney Julie March), and Clarence Gilyard Jr. (who played private investigator Conrad McMasters).

Sommars actually retired from acting -- and public life -- after her final "Matlock" episode in 1994 (midway through the show's final season). It remains her best-remembered role after a long career of guest spots and telefilms (and one short-lived starring role in the 1969 series "The Governor & J.J.").

Stafford and Gilyard, on the other hand, have remained quite busy since: on screen and off.

You may remember that Gilyard left "Matlock" a little early, in 1993, to join the cast of a TV series starring a different kind of film star. He appeared on Chuck Norris's "Walker, Texas Ranger" until 2001.

After that, he did a few indie films here and there, but he devoted more of his time to teaching, as an associate professor of theater at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Stafford has developed a busy feature film schedule since the end of "Matlock" (prior to joining it, her work had all been on TV), most of them religious in nature (she's also married to a pastor). The Christian faith is also a big part of her second career as a motivational author and speaker -- so she became a sort of teacher as well.

Stafford and Gilyard both continue to do movies as well as teach.

Stafford appeared in five films last year alone -- "Christmas for a Dollar," "Assumed Killer," "Season of Miracles," the short film "Foreclosed" and "Superheroes Don't Need Capes," on which she also served as a producer and writer.

Gilyard recently wrapped three different indie films -- the religious drama "A Matter of Faith," the horror film "Rabbit Days" and the dystopian sci-fi picture "The Sector" -- all due out later this year.

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