(1954-)

Synopsis

Ron Howard was born in Duncan, Oklahoma, on March 1, 1954. He gained national recognition as a child actor, first as Opie on The Andy Griffith Show, and then as the teenaged Richie Cunningham on Happy Days. Howard went on to a highly successful career behind the camera, directing such hit movies as Cocoon, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind and The Da Vinci Code.

Showbiz Background

Actor, director and producer Ron Howard was born on March 1, 1954 in Duncan, Oklahoma. Ronald William Howard is part of a theatrical family; his mother, Jean, was an actress and father, Rance, was an actor and director.

Howard appeared in his first movie, Frontier Woman (1956), when he was just 18 months old, and made his stage debut at the age of 2 in a production of The Seven Year Itch. The child star began making frequent television appearances, and was subsequently cast opposite Yul Brynner, Deborah Kerr and Jason Robards in 1959's The Journey. His performance earned him regular roles on the CBS series Playhouse 90, where he caught the eye of Sheldon Leonard, the producer behind The Andy Griffith Show.

On October 3, 1960, Howard first appeared as Andy Griffith's son, Opie, on The Andy Griffith Show, a role that earned him nationwide fame. Throughout this early success, his family provided a grounding influence and asserted that Howard should be able to experience his childhood. They limited Howard's work schedule, only allowing him to perform in a small number of outside productions, including The Music Man (1962) and The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963).

At his father's request, Howard maintained a public school education at John Burroughs High School and, around this time, began to dabble in amateur filmmaking with a Super 8 camera. On the sets of his various productions, Howard quizzed crews about the technical aspects of directing.

'Happy Days'

When The Andy Griffith Show ended in 1968, Howard followed with 1971's The Smith Family, starring opposite Henry Fonda. Fonda encouraged the young actor's ambition, and when Howard graduated from high school in 1972, he matriculated at the University of Southern California's film school. Howard's time there was short-lived; soon after enrolling, he landed a role in American Graffiti (1973), George Lucas's seminal teen film. The movie spawned a '50s revival craze which, in turn, led to the hit show Happy Days. The 1974 series featured Howard in its leading role, and his turn as Richie Cunningham elevated him to superstardom.

During the show's run, Howard wed high school sweetheart Cheryl Alley in 1975. He also appeared in productions on the side, including John Wayne's final film, The Shootist (1976). During this time, Howard brokered a deal with producer Roger Corman: Howard would star in Corman's Eat My Dust (1976) and, in return, Corman would help Howard direct his first major film project. The collaboration led to Grand Theft Auto (1977), which not only helped Howard earn his stripes behind the camera, but also spurred him to found his own company, Major H Productions. Three years later he inked a three-year deal with NBC, and produced and directed several programs for the network.

Directing Success

Howard's wife gave birth to their daughter, Bryce, in 1981, the first of the couple's four children. That same year, Howard met producer Brian Grazer. In 1982, the two teamed up to direct and produce Night Shift, a dark comedy starring Howard's Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler. Howard and Grazer partnered again two years later for Splash, the hit romantic comedy featuring Tom Hanks, Darryl Hannah and John Candy. The film established Howard as a big-time director, and he went on to helm 1985's Academy Award-winning Cocoon.

He and Grazer solidified their relationship in 1986 by co-founding Imagine Films Entertainment. Imagine became a Hollywood powerhouse thanks to the continued success of Howard-directed films, including Willow (1988), Parenthood (1989), Backdraft (1991), Apollo 13 (1995) and Ransom (1996).

In 1998, Howard began expanding his company's efforts to television productions with the drama Felicity. The show, about a young girl's foray into college life, became wildly popular with teens. Its success led the company to start more television series, including the 2001 action/adventure drama 24. The series, which examines 24 hours in the life of government employee Jack Bauer as he handles domestic threats, also became a hit with fans.

Blockbuster Hits

Howard produced A Beautiful Mind in 2002, which earned him Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture, as well as a Golden Globe for Best Film. The next year, he worked as the anonymous narrator and executive producer for another television show—the heady comedy Arrested Development. The show was nominated for multiple awards, and won Howard an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2004.

Howard's next feature film effort was the 2005 boxing drama Cinderella Man, which was nominated for more than 22 awards. He followed the critical success of the film with his blockbuster hit The Da Vinci Code (2006). The film grossed more than $750 million worldwide, and was nominated for a Golden Globe.

Howard received an Oscar nomination for Best Director in 2008 for Frost/Nixon, a film exploring the post-Watergate TV interviews between British talk-show host David Frost and former U.S. President Richard Nixon. He also directed 2009's Angels & Demons, the sequel to The Da Vinci Code.

The Dilemma (2011), starring Vince Vaughn, was something of a rare misstep for the director, but he returned in 2013 with the critically acclaimed racing drama Rush. Howard then took on the film adaptation of In the Heart of the Sea, which was released in 2015. Howard has several upcoming projects, including Inferno, his sequel to Angels & Demons, which is set to hit theaters in 2016. He is also working on a documentary about the legendary rock group the Beatles.

QUICK FACTS

Name: Ron Howard
Birth Year: 1954
Birth date: March 1, 1954
Birth State: Oklahoma
Birth City: Duncan
Birth Country: United States
Gender: Male
Best Known For: Ron Howard is known for his roles on the shows 'Happy Days' and 'The Andy Griffith Show,' and as the director of such acclaimed films as 'A Beautiful Mind' and 'Apollo 13.'
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