RON HOWARD

RON HOWARD

Alias Name(s): Ronny Howard, Ronnie Howard
Gender: Male
Birthplace: Duncan, Oklahoma
Birthday: 3-1-1954
Birth Name: Ronald William Howard

Ron Howard has the kind of face that refuses to age. No matter how much hair he loses, or how much facial hair he grows, he continues to exude a boyish charm. For some viewers, he will always be known as Opie Taylor, for others as Richie Cunningham, while some confused TV audience members might remember him as Opie Cunningham.

His parents were theater actors and in 1959 the Howards relocated to Hollywood. Young Ron immediately joined the family business. His first television role was on an episode of "Playhouse 90" and was followed by an appearance on "The Red Skelton Show." He also guest-starred on four episodes of "Dennis the Menace" and five episodes of "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis."

In 1960, Howard was only six years old but he was already an accomplished television veteran. He was picked to play Opie Taylor on "The Andy Griffith Show" and stayed with the series for eight years, growing up in front of the television audience. During this period, the prolific child star also found time to appear on numerous other television shows and films, including the 1962 version of "The Music Man" and the 1963 movie "The Courtship of Eddie's Father."

In 1973, Howard became a bona fide star with the success of the movie "American Graffiti." He played Steve Bollander in this George Lucas film, which helped kickstart a 1950s revival. Because of Howard's stardom and the sudden popularity of 1950s nostalgia, ABC brought "Happy Days" to the air in 1974. Howard starred as Richie Cunningham, the innocently charming boy next door.

Despite the demanding schedule on "Happy Days," Howard worked to expand his career into the realm of directing. He had experimented with short films since he was a teenager and in the mid-70s he got a chance to direct his first feature-length film. Legendary B-movie producer Roger Corman agreed to bankroll the effort on one condition. Howard had to star in a film called "Eat My Dust." Howard did so and his directorial debut, "Grand Theft Auto," was released in 1977.

In the summer of 1980, with "Happy Days" still gathering high ratings, announced that he had signed a contract with NBC; and abruptly left the series.

FACTS ABOUT RON HOWARD

Ron directed the highly acclaimed film entitled The Da Vinci Code.

In real life, Ron is the youngest of the Happy Days nerd trio: Richie, Ralph and Potsie.

Ron shares a birthday with The Dukes of Hazzard's Catherine Bach.

Ron was unaware that he had a high-paying career until he read about the Dodgers negotiating with Don Drysdale. It was then that he pondered, "That's about what I make."

Ron appears as Card #2 in DuoCard's Happy Days Collection.

Ron co-starred with John Wayne in The Shootist in 1976. It was John Wayne's last film.

Ron began making films with his Super 8 camera in 1969.

Ron was not credited for his role in Frontier Women in 1956.

In 2002, Ron delivered the Commencement Address to the USC School of Cinema-Television.

Ron's first two successful acting roles in film were in The Music Man and in American Graffiti.

Ron is of Dutch, Scottish, English, Irish, German, and Cherokee Indian descent.

Ron enjoyed a successful acting career before becoming a successful director.

Ron is a fan of the game, Cricket.

Ron received a National Medal of Arts award in 2003.

Ron and his wife have 4 children. They have a daughter named Bryce Dallas who was born in 1981. They have twin daughters, Jocelyn Carlyle and Paige Carlyle who were born in 1985, and they have a son named Reed who was born in 1987.

Ron attended high school with actress Rene Russo.

Ron's father is actor/director Rance Howard and his mother is actress Jean Speegle Howard.

Frequently, Ron casts his father and brother in supporting roles. He cast both of his parents and his daughter Bryce in his 1995 film, Apollo 13.

Ron has written the script for 4 major motion pictures, directed 28 major motion pictures, and produced 43 major motion pictures.

Ron was nominated for an Oscar for his directing work on Apollo 13 and won for A Beautiful Mind.

Three of Ron's four children are named after the placeswhere they were conceived. Bryce Dallas ws conceived in Dallas and twins Paige Carlyle and Jocelyn Carlyle were conceived at the Hotel Carlyle in New York City.

Ron is married to Cheryl Alley, his high school sweetheart on June 7, 1975.