Ron Howard

Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American film director and producer, as well as an actor. Howard came to prominence in the 1960s while playing Andy Griffith's TV son, Opie Taylor, on The Andy Griffith Show, and later in the 1970s as Howard Cunningham's son and Arthur Fonzarelli's best friend, Richie Cunningham, on Happy Days (a role he played from 1974 to 1980).

Before leaving Happy Days in 1980, Howard made his directing debut with the 1977 project Grand Theft Auto (after cutting a deal with Roger Corman to star in Eat My Dust with Christopher Norris). Howard went on to direct several TV movies. His big theatrical break came in 1982 with Night Shift featuring soon-to-be stars, such as Michael Keaton and Shelley Long, as well as reuniting Howard with Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler.

He has since directed a number of high-visibility films, including Splash, Parenthood, Cocoon, Willow, Backdraft, Apollo 13 (nominated for nine Academy Awards and winning two), A Beautiful Mind (for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director), Cinderella Man, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons.

Howard is the co-chairman, with Brian Grazer, of Imagine Entertainment, a major film and television production company, which has produced notable projects like Friday Night Lights, 8 Mile, Inside Deep Throat, and the television series 24 and Felicity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronny_Howard

Ronald William "Ron" Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American film director and producer, as well as an actor. Howard came to prominence in the 1960s while playing the son of sheriff Andy Taylor (played by Andy Griffith), Opie Taylor, on The Andy Griffith Show (credited as Ronny Howard), and later in the 1970s as Howard Cunningham's son and Arthur Fonzarelli's best friend (played by Tom Bosley and Henry Winkler respectively), Richie Cunningham, on Happy Days (a role he played from 1974 to 1980). Since retiring from acting, he has directed many films including Splash, Cocoon, Backdraft, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Frost/Nixon, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons.

In 2003, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.[1]

Early life

Howard was born in Duncan, Oklahoma, the son of Jean Speegle Howard, an actress, and Rance Howard, a director, writer and actor.[2] His family moved to Burbank, California, in 1958, the year before the birth of his younger brother, Clint Howard. Howard graduated from John Burroughs High School, and later attended the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts but did not graduate.[3]

Career

Early acting roles and The Andy Griffith Show

In 1959, he had his first credited film role, in The Journey, and appeared in June Allyson's CBS anthology series The DuPont Show with June Allyson in the episode "Child Lost", as well as The Twilight Zone episode "Walking Distance", about a man (Gig Young) who learns that he cannot go home again.

In 1960, Howard was cast in the role of Opie Taylor in the hit CBS television series The Andy Griffith Show, a spin-off of The Danny Thomas Show. Credited as "Ronny Howard," he portrayed the son of the local sheriff (played by Andy Griffith) in the fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina, for the entire eight seasons of the show. He also spent a lot of time with Griffith off-screen.

In the 1962 film version of The Music Man, Howard played Winthrop Paroo, the child with the lisp; the film starred Robert Preston and Shirley Jones. He also starred in the 1963 film The Courtship of Eddie's Father with Glenn Ford.

Billed as "Ronny Howard", he appeared in Little Boy Lost, a 1963 episode of the NBC medical drama The Eleventh Hour. He played the character Barry Stewart in the episode entitled "Is Mr. Martian Coming Back?". He also appeared in a 1966 episode of the NBC adventure series I Spy with Robert Culp and Bill Cosby. Howard guest-starred on the television series M*A*S*H during that show's first season as an underage American serving in the Marines. In the 1970s, Ron Howard appeared in at least one episode of The Bold Ones as a teenage tennis player with an illness.

In 1976, Howard was cast as Gillom Rogers in the movie The Shootist, starring opposite Hollywood legend John Wayne. He had hopes they would work together again; he quotes Wayne as saying, about a couple of months after filming wrapped on The Shootist, 'I found a good script, kid . . . it's you and me, or it's nobody." But it was not to be, as, in an ironic reflection of the storyline of the film, Wayne had already been diagnosed with the terminal cancer that would kill him three years later. As a token of respect, Howard narrates the opening montage of The Shootist, which shows various clips from Wayne's long film career.

American Graffiti and Happy Days

Howard played Steve Bollander in George Lucas' coming-of-age film American Graffiti in 1973. Ron was cast in an installment on the TV series "Love American Style" entitled "Happy Days" which led to him being cast as Richie Cunningham in the TV series Happy Days on which, beginning in 1974, he played the likeable "buttoned-down" boy, in contrast to Henry Winkler's "greaser" Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli. In 1977, while still starring on Happy Days, he directed his first film, a low-budget comedy/action film called Grand Theft Auto. On the Happy Days set, he developed an on- and off-screen chemistry with series' leads, Tom Bosley and Henry Winkler, as they each developed their own private lives.

His last significant on-screen role was when he reprised his famous role as Opie Taylor in the 1986 TV reunion movie Return to Mayberry reuniting him with Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, and most of the old cast.

He also appeared in two Happy Days TV reunions: 1992's The Happy Days Reunion Special, hosted by Winkler, which shared some of the show's memories from the 11 1/2 seasons that it aired on ABC, and 2005's The Happy Days 30th Anniversary Reunion, where he was reunited with most of the surviving cast. Both Howard & Winkler continued friends with Bosley until his death on October 19, 2010.

When asked in 2000 if he would ever like to return to acting, he replied "Only if I can act with Cindy Williams again", referring to the actress who played opposite him in American Graffiti.

Directing

Before leaving Happy Days in 1980, Howard made his directing debut with the 1977 project Grand Theft Auto (after cutting a deal with Roger Corman to star in Eat My Dust with Christopher Norris). Howard went on to direct several TV movies. His big theatrical break came in 1982 with Night Shift featuring soon-to-be stars, such as Michael Keaton and Shelley Long, as well as reuniting Howard with Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler.

He has since directed a number of high-visibility films, including Splash, Parenthood, Cocoon, Willow, Backdraft, Apollo 13 (nominated for nine Academy Awards and winning two), A Beautiful Mind (for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director), Cinderella Man, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons.

Howard's younger brother, Clint, has minor roles in most of his movies. He has also cast his father and mother in a number of roles. Both his wife, Cheryl Howard, and father Rance Howard appeared in Angels & Demons as a CERN scientist and as Cardinal Beck, respectively.[4]

Howard showcased the world premiere of his film Frost/Nixon at the 2008 London Film Festival in October 2008.[5]

Ron Howard was the recipient of the Austin Film Festival's 2009 Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award. Michael Keaton presented him with the Award.

Howard has signed on to direct the upcoming first film adaptation of Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, as well as the first season of the TV series.[6]

Imagine Entertainment

Howard is the co-chairman, with Brian Grazer, of Imagine Entertainment, a major film and television production company, which has produced notable projects like Friday Night Lights, 8 Mile, Inside Deep Throat, and the television series 24, Felicity and Arrested Development, which he also narrated.

Recent controversy

Howard has recently been criticized by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) for his refusal to alter one of his movies by deleting a scene in which one of the characters uses the word "gay" in its secondary, derogatory meaning, saying "Electric cars are gay. I mean, not 'homosexual' gay but 'my parents are chaperoning the dance gay.'" While Universal removed the scene from the trailer, Howard defended keeping it in the movie itself by citing freedom of speech.[7]

Personal life

On June 7, 1975, Howard wed his high-school sweetheart, Cheryl (née Alley), a writer with a degree in geriatric psychology. They have four children; daughters Bryce Dallas (b. 2 March 1981), Jocelyn Carlyle and Paige Carlyle (twins, b. 1985), and son Reed Cross (b. 1987). His daughters' middle names indicate where they were conceived, Bryce in Dallas, twins Jocelyn and Paige at the Hotel Carlyle in New York City. Son Reed Cross was named after a London street because "Volvo isn't a very good middle name", according to Howard.[8] Daughters Bryce and Paige are actresses. The family lives on a 35-acre (14 ha) estate in the exclusive gated community of Conyers Farm in Greenwich, Connecticut.[9][10][11] In February 2007, Howard became a grandfather when his daughter, Bryce, gave birth to a son, Theodore Norman Howard Gabel.

In the June 2006 issue of Vanity Fair magazine, Ron Howard was asked, "What do you consider your greatest achievement?" He replied, "Forty-eight consecutive years of steady employment in television and film, while preserving a rich family life."

Howard in popular culture

Howard appeared as himself twice in The Simpsons. In "When You Dish Upon a Star", Homer meets and befriends Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger and Howard. Later in the episode, Howard is injured when trying to jump from a truck to the RV that Homer was driving. In the end, he pitches Homer's movie idea and gets it greenlit. Another episode ("Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder") Homer and Howard are fighting each other while appearing on The Springfield Squares. Later, Howard gives Homer the inspiration to spend more time with his kids and gives him some money that Homer refuses but takes anyway. Ron yoinks the money back from Homer and then drives away.

When he hosted Saturday Night Live in the 1980s, Eddie Murphy called him "Opie Cunningham".

In the South Park episode, "Ginger Kids", Cartman asks a crowd of fellow gingers to name great Americans with red hair, the only name they can think of is "Ron Howard", and when asked to name a second, one responds "Ron Howard" again.

On a VH1 special about the 100 greatest Child Stars, many of the interviewees considered Ron Howard to be the most successful child star of all-time, considering his two major television acting roles and his directing career.[citation needed] In Season 1, Episode 3 of Stroker and Hoop on Adult Swim, Stroker and Hoop ran a detective agency whose first client needed them to make Ron Howard stop controlling his mind.

In October 2008, Howard reprised his roles as Opie Taylor and Richie Cunningham for the first time in over 20 years when he appeared in a video on funnyordie.com in which he endorsed Barack Obama and urged people to vote. The video, titled "Ron Howard’s Call to Action",[12] also features Andy Griffith and Henry Winkler. As seen in the video, Howard is seen shaving his beard and wearing wigs to recreate his younger look.

Ron Howard recently made a cameo appearance in the 2009 music video for fellow Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx's song "Blame It" along side Academy Award winner Forrest Whittaker, Academy Award nominee, Jake Gyllenhaal and Samuel L. Jackson. In the video he is shown holding a glass of champagne.

Filmography

Directorial

Films

Year Title Oscar nominations Oscar wins Notes

1969 Old Paint Short film

Deed of Daring-Do Short film

Cards, Cads, Guns, Gore and Death Short film

1977 Grand Theft Auto Also writer

1982 Night Shift

1984 Splash 1

1985 Cocoon 2 2

1986 Gung Ho Also executive producer

1988 Willow 2

1989 Parenthood 2 Also writer

1991 Backdraft 3

1992 Far and Away Also writer/producer

1994 The Paper 1

1995 Apollo 13 9 2

1996 Ransom

1999 EDtv Also producer

2000 How the Grinch Stole Christmas 3 1 Also producer

2001 A Beautiful Mind 8 4 Also producer

2003 The Missing Also producer

2005 Cinderella Man 3 Also producer

2006 The Da Vinci Code Also producer

2008 Frost/Nixon 5 Also producer

2009 Angels & Demons Also producer

2011 The Dilemma

2013 The Dark Tower

Television

Year Film Notes

1978 Cotton Candy Writer/Director

1980 Skyward Director/Executive producer

1981 Through the Magic Pyramid Director/Executive producer

1983 Littleshots Director

1987 Take Five Director/Executive producer

2003 Arrested Development Executive producer

2010 Parenthood Executive producer only

[edit] Acting

[edit] Film

Year Film Role Notes

1959 The Journey Billy Rhinelander as Ronny Howard

1961 "Five Minutes To Live" (re-released as Door-to-Door Maniac and "Five Minutes To Live") Bobby as Ronnie Howard

1962 The Music Man Winthrop Paroo as Ronny Howard

1963 The Courtship of Eddie's Father Eddie as Ronny Howard

1965 Village of the Giants Genius as Ronny Howard

1970 The Wild Country Virgil as Ronny Howard

1973 American Graffiti Steve Bolander as Ronny Howard

Happy Mother's Day, Love George Johnny

1974 The Spikes Gang Les Richter

1975 Huckleberry Finn Huckleberry Finn

1976 The First Nudie Musical Auditioning actor uncredited

Eat My Dust Hoover Niebold

The Shootist Gillom Rogers Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture

1977 Grand Theft Auto Sam Freeman

1979 More American Graffiti Steve Bolander

1982 Night Shift Annoying Sax Player/Boy Making out with Girlfriend in Front of Chuck's Apartment uncredited

1992 The Magical World of Chuck Jones Himself documentary

1998 One Vision Himself documentary

Welcome to Hollywood Himself

2000 The Independent Himself

How the Grinch Stole Christmas Whoville Townsperson uncredited

2001 Osmosis Jones Tom Colonic (voice)

A Beautiful Mind Man at Governor's Ball uncredited

2004 Tell Them Who You Are Himself documentary

2007 In the Shadow of the Moon Himself documentary

[edit] Television

Year Title Role Notes

1959 Johnny Ringo Ricky Parrot 1 episode

The Twilight Zone The Wilcox Boy Episode "Walking Distance"

1959–1960 The June Allyson Show Wim "Child Lost"

(as Ronny Howard)

Dennis the Menace Stewart 5 episodes, 1959–1960

1959–1961 The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis various roles 4 episodes

(as Ronny Howard)

General Electric Theater various roles 2 episodes

1960 Make Room for Daddy Opie Taylor "Danny Meets Andy Griffith"

Cheyenne Timmy "Counterfeit Gun"

uncredited

Pete and Gladys Tommy "The Goat Story"

1960–1968 The Andy Griffith Show Opie Taylor 209 episodes

(as Ronny Howard)

1962 Route 66 Chet "Poor Little Kangaroo Rat"

(as Ronny Howard)

The New Breed Tommy Simms "So Dark the Night"

1963 The Eleventh Hour Barry Stewart "Is Mr. Martian Coming Back?"

(as Ronny Howard)

1964 The Great Adventure Daniel Waterhouse "Plague"

(as Ronny Howard)

Dr. Kildare Jerry Prentice "A Candle in the Window"

(as Ronny Howard)

The Fugitive Gus "Cry Uncle"

1965 The Big Valley Tommy "Night of the Wolf"

(as Ronny Howard)

1966 Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Opie Taylor "Opie Joins the Marines"

(as Ronny Howard)

1966 I Spy Alan Loden "Little Boy Lost"

1967 The Monroes Timothy Prescott "Teaching the Tiger to Purr"

(as Ronny Howard)

Gentle Ben Jody Cutler "Green-Eyed Bear"

(as Ronny Howard)

A Boy Called Nuthin Richie Nuthin'´ Caldwell (as Ronny Howard)

1968 Mayberry R.F.D. Opie Taylor "Andy and Helen Get Married"

(as Ronny Howard)

The F.B.I. Jess Orkin "The Runaways"

(as Ronny Howard)

1969 Judd for the Defense Phil Beeton "Between the Dark and the Daylight"

(as Ronny Howard)

Daniel Boone Luke "A Man Before His Time"

(as Ronny Howard)

1968–1969 Lancer Various roles 2 episodes

(as Ronny Howard)

1969 Gunsmoke Jamie "Charlie Noon"

(as Ronny Howard)

Land of the Giants Jodar "Genus At Work"

(as Ronny Howard)

1970 Smoke Chris (as Ronny Howard)

The Headmaster Tony Landis "Will the Real Mother of Tony Landis Please Stand Up?"

Lassie Gary "Gary Here Comes Glory!" Part 1 & 2

(as Ronny Howard)

1971–1972 The Smith Family Bob Smith 39 episodes

1972 Love, American Style Richard 'Richie' Cunningham "Love and the Happy Days"

The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Cory Merlino "Discovery at Fourteen"

(as Ronny Howard)

1973 M*A*S*H Private Walter/ Wendell Peterson "Sometimes You Hear the Bullet"

(as Ronny Howard)

1974 The Waltons Seth Turner "The Gift"

The Migrants Lyle Barlow

Locusts Donny Fletcher

1974–1984 Happy Days Richard 'Richie' Cunningham 171 episodes

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy

1975 Huckleberry Finn Huckleberry Finn

1976 I'm a Fool Andy

1976–1979 Laverne & Shirley Richard 'Richie' Cunningham 2 episodes

1980 Act of Love Leon Cybulkowski

The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang Richard 'Richie' Cunningham (voice)

"King for a Day"

1981 Bitter Harvest Ned De Vries

Fire on the Mountain Lee Mackie

1983 When Your Lover Leaves (uncredited)

1986 Return to Mayberry Opie Taylor

1999 Frasier Stephen voice

"Good Samaritan"

2003–2006 Arrested Development Narrator (uncredited)