Ron Howard biography

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, and produced and directed several programs for the network.

Producer

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 director, and he went on to helm 1985's Academy Award-winning Cocoon.

He and Grazer solidified their relationship in 1986, and the duo co-founded Imagine Films Entertainment. The company has been the powerhouse behind hits including the Howard-directed 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.

Howard produced A Beautiful Mind in 2002, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Director, an Academy Award for Best Picture, and 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 award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2004.

Blockbuster Hits

The next year Howard directed the 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 nod 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 president Richard Nixon. He is also the director of 2009's Angels & Demons, the sequel to The Da Vinci Code.

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