Quick Facts
- NAME: Ronald William Howard
- OCCUPATION: Film Actor, Television Actor, Director, Producer, Television Personality
- BIRTH DATE: March 01, 1954 (Age: 57)
- EDUCATION: John Burroughs High School, University of Southern California
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Duncan, Oklahoma
- ZODIAC SIGN: Pisces
Best Known For
Ron Howard is best known for his portrayal of Richie Cunningham on the hit sitcom Happy Days from 1974-1984.
Ron Howard. (2012). Biography.com. Retrieved 11:52, Feb 07, 2012 from http://www.biography.com/people/ron-howard-9542185
Ron Howard [Internet]. 2012. http://www.biography.com/people/ron-howard-9542185, February 07
" Ron Howard." 2012. Biography.com 07 Feb 2012, 11:52 http://www.biography.com/people/ron-howard-9542185
' Ron Howard', Biography.com,(2012) http://www.biography.com/people/ron-howard-9542185 [accessed Feb 07, 2012]
" Ron Howard," Biography.com, http://www.biography.com/people/ron-howard-9542185 (accessed Feb 07, 2012).
Ron Howard [Internet]. Biography.com; 2012 [cited 2012 Feb 07]. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/ron-howard-9542185.
Ron Howard, http://www.biography.com/people/ron-howard-9542185 (last visited Feb 07, 2012).
Ron Howard, http://www.biography.com/people/ron-howard-9542185 (last visited Feb 07, 2012).
Synopsis
Ron Howard is a highly-acclaimed American actor and director. He appeared on screen for the first time when he was just 18 months old. When he was six, he was cast as Opie on The Andy Griffith Show. In his teens, he starred on Happy Days. He was always intrigued by film making, and later moved from on-screen to behind the scenes,
directing the award-winning films Frost/Nixon and A Beautiful Mind.
Showbiz Background
Actor, director, producer. 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 two 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 CBS's Playhouse 90, where he caught the eye of Sheldon Leonard, the producer behind the sitcom, 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, Howard's family provided a grounding influence and asserted that Howard should be able to experience his childhood. They limited Howard's work schedule, and only allowed him to perform in a small number of productions during the show's off-season, such as 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 it with 1971's The Smith Family, where he starred opposite Henry Fonda. Fonda encouraged Howard's ambition, and when he 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 Grafitti (1973), George Lucas' 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 to cut his chops 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,
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