Ron Howard (director)

Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954, in Duncan, Oklahoma) is an American actor, film director and producer of Dutch, Scottish, English, Irish, German and Cherokee Indian descent.

Related Topics:
March 1 - 1954 - Duncan, Oklahoma - American - Actor - Film director - Producer - Dutch - Scottish - English - Irish - German - Cherokee

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Ron Howard first obtained recognition as the child with the lisp in the movie The Music Man with Robert Preston and Shirley Jones. His brother, Clint Howard, is a popular B-list actor. Ron's parents, Rance Howard and the late Jean F. Speegle are also actors.

Related Topics:
The Music Man - Robert Preston - Shirley Jones - Clint Howard - Rance Howard

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After The Music Man, he appeared in the role of Opie Taylor in the television series The Andy Griffith Show. There he portrayed the son of the local sheriff in the fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina. The credits referred to him as Ronny Howard.

Related Topics:
Opie Taylor - The Andy Griffith Show

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He attained film success with his role as Steve Bollander in George Lucas' teen movie American Graffiti.

Related Topics:
George Lucas - American Graffiti

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Howard also is well known for his role as Richie Cunningham in television's Happy Days where he played the likeable foil to Henry Winkler's Fonz.

Related Topics:
Richie Cunningham - Happy Days - Henry Winkler - Fonz

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In 1977, while still starring on Happy Days, he directed his first film, a low budget comedy action film called Grand Theft Auto. After leaving Happy Days in 1980, he directed several TV movies. His big theatrical directing break came in 1982 when he directed the bigger budget film Night Shift featuring soon-to-be well-known actors such as Michael Keaton and Shelley Long.

Related Topics:
1977 - Low budget - Comedy - Action film - Grand Theft Auto - Night Shift - Michael Keaton - Shelley Long

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He has since directed a number of high-visibility films, the most acclaimed of which include Splash, Cocoon, Apollo 13 (nominated for several Academy Awards), and most notably A Beautiful Mind, for which he won the Oscar for Best Director.

Related Topics:
Splash - Cocoon - Apollo 13 - Academy Award - A Beautiful Mind - Oscar

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He attended the University of Southern California's School of Cinema-Television but did not graduate.

Related Topics:
University of Southern California - School of Cinema-Television

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Most recently, Howard has returned to television as the executive producer and narrator of the critically acclaimed FOX sitcom Arrested Development. The show, despite having won five Emmy awards and near-unanimous praise from critics, has not enjoyed high ratings.

Related Topics:
Narrator - FOX - Arrested Development

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Howard wed his high-school sweetheart, Cheryl, a writer, and they have been married for more than 25 years. Their daughter Bryce Dallas Howard is an actress.

Related Topics:
Cheryl - Bryce Dallas Howard

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