Ron Howard Biography (1954-)

Full name, Ronald William Howard; born March 1, 1954, in Duncan, OK; son of Rance (an actor, writer, and director) and Jean (an actress; maiden name, Speegle) Howard; brother of Clint Howard (an actor, director, and writer); married Cheryl Alley (a writer), June 7, 1975; children: Bryce Dallas, Paige Carlyle and Jocelyn Carlyle (twins), Reed. Addresses: Office: Imagine FilmsEntertainment, Inc., 1925 Century Park East, Los Angeles, CA 90067.; Agent: Creative Artists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.; Contact: c/o 150 S. Rodeo Dr., #300, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Occupation: Actor, director, producer, writer
Birth Details: March 1, 1954; Duncan, Oklahoma, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Television Appearances
Series
(As Ronny Howard) Opie Taylor, The Andy Griffith Show (also knownas Andy of Mayberry), CBS, 1960-1968
Bob Smith, The Smith Family, ABC, 1971-1972
Richie Cunningham, Happy Days (also known as New Family in Town and Happy Days Again), ABC, 1974-1980
Voice of Richie Cunningham, Fonz and the Happy Days Gang (animated), ABC, 1980-1982
Richie Cunningham, The Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour, 1982-1983
Movies
Donny Fletcher, Locusts, ABC, 1974
Lyle Barlow, The Migrants, CBS, 1974
Title role, Huckleberry Finn, ABC, 1975
Leon Cybulkowski, Act of Love, NBC, 1980
Ned De Vries, Bitter Harvest, NBC, 1981
Lee Mackie, Fire on the Mountain, NBC, 1981
When Your Lover Leaves, NBC, 1983
Opie Taylor, Return to Mayberry, NBC, 1986
Specials
An Olivia Newton-John Special (also known as The Olivia Newton-John Show and A Special Olivia Newton-John), ABC, 1976
Battle of the Network Stars I, ABC, 1976
Battle of the Network Stars II, ABC, 1977
"I'm a Fool," American Short Story, PBS, 1978
Himself, NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney, 1978
Bob Hope Special: The Bob Hope Special, NBC, 1979
Willow: The Making of an Adventure (documentary), syndicated, 1988
The Happy Days Reunion, ABC, 1992
Hollywood Hotshots, Fox, 1992
A Day in the Life of Hollywood, 1992
George Lucas: Heroes, Myths and Magic, 1993
The Andy Griffith Show Reunion, 1993
Host, Hollywood on Hollywood, 1993
Himself, Homeward Bound, AMC, 1994
The Roger Corman Special, Sci-Fi Channel, 1995
The Making of Apollo 13, Sci-Fi Channel, 1995
A Day With, Fox, 1995
The 21st Annual People's Choice Awards, 1995
The 68th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1996
Star Wars: The Magic and the Mystery, Fox, 1997
Banned in America: The Stars Speak Out, MSNBC, 1997
Host and narrator, Frank Capra's American Dream, 1997
Academy of Television Arts and Sciences 13th Annual Hall of Fame (also known as ATAS Hall of Fame Awards), Showtime, 1998
CBS: The First 50 Years, CBS, 1998
Behind the Laughs: The Untold Stories of Television's Favorite Comedies (also known as Behind the Laughs: The Museum of Television and Radio and A Museum of Television and Radio Special), Fox, 1998
Himself, From Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & Magic (documentary), 1999
Himself, Intimate Portrait: Cindy Williams, Lifetime, 2001
Episodic
"Dark December," Playhouse 90, CBS, 1959
(As Ronny Howard) Stuart, "The Fishing Trip," Dennis the Menace, CBS, 1959
Stewart, "Dennis & the Signpost," Dennis the Menace, CBS, 1959
"Dennis Haunts a House," Dennis the Menace, CBS, 1959
(Uncredited) Ricky Parrot, "The Accused," Johnny Ringo, CBS, 1959
The Wilcox Boy, "Walking Distance," The Twilight Zone, CBS, 1959
"Child Lost," The June Allyson Show, CBS, 1959
"Dobie's Birthday Party," The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, CBS, 1959
"Mr. O'Malley," The General Electric Theater (also known as TheG. E. Theater), CBS, 1959
Math teacher's son, "Room at the Bottom," The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, CBS, 1960
"Danny Meets Andy Griffith," The Danny Thomas Show, CBS, 1960
"Where There's a Will," The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, CBS, 1960
"The Ghost Story," Pete and Gladys, CBS, 1960
"Take Me to Your Leader," The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, CBS, 1961
"Tippy-Top," The General Electric Theater (also known as The G.E. Theater), CBS, 1961
"So Dark the Night," The New Breed, ABC, 1962
"Poor Little Kangaroo Rat," Route 66, CBS, 1962
"Is Mr. Martin Coming Back?" The Eleventh Hour, NBC, 1963
"Plague," The Great Adventure, CBS, 1964
(As Ronny Howard) Jerry Prentice, "A Candle in the Window," Dr. Kildare, NBC, 1964
Gus, "Cry Uncle," The Fugitive, ABC, 1964
(As Ronny Howard) Tommy, "Night of the Wolf," The Big Valley, ABC,1965
(As Ronny Howard) Opie Taylor, "Opie Joins the Marines," Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., CBS, 1966
"Little Boy Lost," I Spy, NBC, 1966
(As Ronny Howard) "Teaching the Tigers to Purr," The Monroes, ABC,1967
Gentle Ben, CBS, 1967
Richie "Nuthin'" Caldwell, "A Boy Called Nuthin'," Wonderful World ofDisney, NBC, 1967
(As Ronny Howard) Opie Taylor, "Andy and Helen Get Married," Mayberry,R.F.D., CBS, 1968
(As Ronny Howard) Jess Orkin, "The Runaways," The F.B.I., ABC, 1968
(As Ronny Howard) "Jelly," Lancer, CBS, 1968
"Between the Dark and the Daylight," Judd, for the Defense, ABC, 1969
(As Ronny Howard) Jodar, "Genius at Work," Land of the Giants, ABC, 1969
(As Ronny Howard) "A Man before His Time," Daniel Boone, NBC, 1969
(As Ronny Howard) "The Measure of a Man," Lancer, CBS, 1969
(As Ronny Howard) Jamie, "Charlie Noon," Gunsmoke, CBS, 1969
Chris Fitch, "Smoke," Wonderful World of Disney, NBC, 1970
Headmaster, CBS, 1970
(As Ronny Howard) Lassie, CBS, 1970
The Dating Game, 1971
Richie Cunningham, "Love and the Happy Day" (also known as "New Family inTown"), Love, American Style, ABC, 1972
(As Ronny Howard) "The Initiation," Bonanza, NBC, 1972
(As Ronny Howard) Wendell Peterson, "Sometimes You Hear the Bullet," M*A*S*H, CBS, 1973
Seth, "The Gift," The Waltons, CBS, 1974
"Somewhere Before," Insight, syndicated, 1975
Richie Cunningham, "Excuse Me, May I Cut In?" Laverne & Shirley, ABC, 1976
Richie Cunningham, "Shotgun Wedding: Part 2," Laverne & Shirley, ABC, 1979
"The Needle's Eye," Insight, syndicated, 1981

Host, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, and SNL), NBC, 1982
Richie Cunningham, "Welcome Home: Parts 1 & 2," Happy Days (also known as New Family in Town and Happy Days Again), ABC, 1983
Richie Cunningham, "Passages: Part 2," Happy Days (also known as New Family in Town and Happy Days Again), ABC, 1984
Firstworks, The Movie Channel, 1988
"Space Travel," Understanding, The Learning Channel, 1994
"Andy Griffith: Hollywood's Homespun Hero," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
"Tom Hanks: Hollywood's Golden Boy," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
"Henry Fonda: Hollywood's Quiet Hero," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
"John Wayne," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
Voice characterization, "When You Dish upon a Star," The Simpsons(animated), Fox, 1998
Voice of Stephen, "Good Samaritan," Frasier, NBC, 1999
Voice of himself, "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder," The Simpsons (animated), Fox, 1999
Himself, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, CBS, 2000
Himself, Sen kvaell med Luuk, 2000
Voice of himself, "Gump Roast," The Simpsons (animated), Fox, 2002
Also appeared in other episodes of Cheyenne, ABC; The Danny Kaye Show, CBS; The Dennis Miller Show, HBO; The Dinah Shore Show, NBC; Five Fingers, NBC; Hennessey, CBS; The Red SkeltonShow, NBC and CBS; Inside the Actors Studio; (as Ronny Howard) asLuke, Daniel Boone; himself, The Arsenio Hall Show; himself, The Directors, Encore.
Pilots
Barnaby Baxter, Mr. O'Malley, CBS, 1959
Cory Merlino, Amanda Fallon, NBC, 1972
Anson and Lorrie, NBC, 1981
Channel 99, NBC, 1988
Television Executive Producer
Series
Maximum Security, HBO, 1985
Gung Ho (also known as Working Class Man), ABC, 1986-1987
(And director) Take Five (also known as Kooper with a "K"),CBS, 1987
Parenthood, NBC, 1990
Hiller and Diller, ABC, 1997-1998
The PJs, Fox, 1998-2000 then The WB, 2000-2001
Wonderland, ABC, 2000
The Beast, ABC, 2001
24, Fox, 2001-2002
BS*, 2002
Also executive producer, Sports Night, ABC.
Television Producer
Series
Producer, Poison, Showtime, 1988
Producer, Felicity, The WB, 1998-2002
Television Work
Movies
Director, Cotton Candy (also known as Ron Howard's Cotton Candy), NBC, 1978
Director and executive producer (with Anson Williams), Skyward (also known as Ron Howard's Skyward), NBC, 1980
Director and executive producer, Through the Magic Pyramid (also known as Tut and Tuttle), NBC, 1981
(With Henry Winkler) Executive producer, When Your Lover Leaves, NBC, 1983
(With Tony Ganz and Irv Wilson) Executive producer, Into Thin Air,CBS, 1985
Executive producer, "Splash, Too," Disney Sunday Movie, ABC, 1988
Executive producer, The Lone Star Kid, 1986
Producer, Student Affairs, 1999
Specials
Director and executive producer, "No Greater Gift," ABC Afterschool Specials, ABC, 1986
Miniseries
Producer, From the Earth to the Moon, HBO, 1998
Pilots
(With Anson Williams) Executive producer, Skyward Christmas, NBC,1981
Director and executive producer (with Williams), Little Shots, NBC, 1983
Executive producer, Smart Guys, NBC, 1988
Film Appearances
(Uncredited) Frontier Woman, Top Pictures, 1955
(As Ronny Howard) Billy Rhinelander, The Journey, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1959
(As Ronny Howard) Bobby, Five Minutes to Live (also known as Door-to-Door Maniac and Last Blood), Sutton, 1961
(As Ronny Howard) Winthrop Paroo, The Music Man, Warner Bros., 1962
(As Ronny Howard) Eddie, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1963
(As Ronny Howard) Genius, Village of the Giants, Embassy, 1965
(As Ronny Howard) Virgil, The Wild Country (also known as The Newcomers), Buena Vista, 1971
(As Ronny Howard) Steve Bolander, American Graffiti, Universal, 1973
Johnny, Happy Mothers Day ... Love, George (also known as Run,Stranger, Run), Cinema 5, 1973
Les Richter, The Spikes Gang, United Artists, 1974
(Uncredited) Actor at audition, The First Nudie Musical, Paramount, 1976
Hoover Niebold, Eat My Dust!, New World, 1976
Gillom Rogers, The Shootist, Paramount, 1976
Sam Freeman, Grand Theft Auto, New World, 1977
Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel (documentary), 1978
Steve Bolander, More American Graffiti (also known as Purple Haze), Universal, 1979
Just One Step: The Great Peace March, 1988
The Magical World of Chuck Jones (documentary), Warner Bros., 1992
One Vision, 1998
Himself, Welcome to Hollywood, Phaedra Cinema, 1998
Opie Taylor, Saturday Night Live: The Best of Eddie Murphy, Broadway Video, 1998
Himself, Film-Fest DVD: Issue 2-Cannes, 1999
Himself, The Independent, Arrow Releasing, 2000
(Uncredited) Townsperson, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (also known as Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Grinch), Universal, 1999
Himself, Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens, a Life in Animation, Warner Bros. Home Video, 2000
Voice of Tom Colonic, Osmosis Jones (animated), Warner Bros., 2001
Himself, From Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Filmmaking, Twentieth Century-Fox Home Entertainment, 2001
(Uncredited) Man at governor's ball, A Beautiful Mind, Universal,2001
Film Director
Deed of Derring-Do, 1969
Grand Theft Auto, New World, 1977
Night Shift, Warner Bros., 1982
Splash, Buena Vista, 1984
Cocoon, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1985
Gung Ho (also known as Working Class Man), Paramount, 1986
Willow, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1988
Parenthood, Universal, 1989
Backdraft, Universal, 1991
Far and Away, Universal, 1992
The Paper, Universal, 1994
Apollo 13, Universal, 1995
Ransom, Buena Vista, 1996
Ed TV (also known as Edtv), Universal, 1999
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (also known as Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Grinch), MCA/Universal, 1999
A Beautiful Mind, Universal, 2001
Also made a documentary on the making of American Graffiti.
Film Executive Producer
Leo and Loree, United Artists, 1980
Gung Ho (also known as Working Class Man), Paramount, 1986
No Man's Land, Orion, 1987
Vibes, Columbia, 1988
Clean and Sober, Warner Bros., 1988
(With Brian Grazer) Closet Land, Universal, 1991
Film Producer
The 'burbs, Universal, 1989
Far and Away, Universal, 1992
The Chamber, Universal, 1996
Inventing the Abbotts, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1997
Liar Liar, Universal, 1997
Detox, Universal, 1999
Beyond the Mat (also known as Beyond the Mat: Unrated Director's Cut), MCA/Universal, 1999
Ed TV (also known as Edtv), MCA/Universal, 1999
How to Eat Fried Worms, Nickelodeon Films/Imagine Entertainment, 1999
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (also known as Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Grinch), MCA/Universal, 2000
A Beautiful Mind, 2001
D-Tox (also known as Im Auge der Angst), MCA/Universal, 2002
Stealing Harvard, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2002
Film Work
Other
(Uncredited) Executive music producer, Apollo 13, 1995
Stage Appearances
Rickie Sherman, The Seven Year Itch, Hilltop Summer Theatre, Baltimore, MD, 1956
Ally, Hole in the Head, Bridge Bay Summer Theatre, Reading, PA, 1963
WRITINGS
Screenplays
(With Rance Howard) Grand Theft Auto, New World, 1977
Film Stories
(With Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel) Parenthood, Universal, 1989
Far and Away, Universal, 1992
Television Movies
(With Clint Howard) Cotton Candy (also known as Ron Howard's Cotton Candy), NBC, 1978

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Business Leader Profiles for Students, Gale, 1999
Encyclopedia of World Biography Supplement, Volume 19, Gale Group,1999

Periodicals

Entertainment Weekly, April 1, 1994, pp. 22-23; October 30, 1998,p. 24
Esquire, December, 1986, p. 256
Film Comment, May/June, 1984, p. 40
Newsweek, August 28, 1989, p. 56
People Weekly, March 25, 1996, p. 122
Playboy, May, 1994, pp. 53-63
Time, July 3, 1995, p. 53; September 18, 2000, p. 43
U.S. News & World Report, September 18, 2000, p. 64

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