Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American filmmaker and actor. Howard first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of The Twilight Zone. He gained national attention for playing young Opie Taylor, the son of Sheriff Andy Taylor (played by Andy Griffith) in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show from 1960 through 1968. During this time, he also appeared in the musical film The Music Man (1962), a critical and commercial success. He was credited as Ronny Howard in his film and television appearances from 1959 to 1973.
Howard was cast in one of the lead roles in the coming-of-age film American Graffiti (1973), which received widespread acclaim and became one of the most profitable films in history. The following year, Howard became a household name for playing Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days, a role he would play from 1974 through 1984. Howard continued appearing in films during this time, such as the western film The Shootist (1976) and the comedy film Grand Theft Auto (1977), which also marked his directorial debut.
In 1984, Howard left Happy Days to focus on directing, producing and occasionally writing variety films and television series. His films include the science-fiction/fantasy Cocoon (1985), the fantasy Willow (1988), the thriller Backdraft (1991), the historical docudrama Apollo 13 (1995), the Christmas comedy How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), the biographical drama A Beautiful Mind (2001), the biographical sports drama Cinderella Man (2005), the thriller The Da Vinci Code (2006), the historical drama Frost/Nixon (2008), Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), and the documentary Pavarotti (2019). For A Beautiful Mind, Howard won the Academy Award for Best Director and Academy Award for Best Picture. He was nominated again for the same awards for Frost/Nixon.
In 2003, Howard was awarded the National Medal of Arts. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 2013. Howard has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions in the television and motion pictures industries.
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When rancher and single mother of two Maggie Gilkeson sees her teenage daughter, Lily, kidnapped by ...
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The true story of boxer Jim Braddock who, following his retirement in the 1930s, makes a surprise co...
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A murder in Paris’ Louvre Museum and cryptic clues in some of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous painti...
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For three years after being forced from office, Nixon remained silent. But in summer 1977, the steel...
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Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is recruited by the Vatican to investigate the apparent return of...
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Leslie Iwerks' documentary takes audiences behind the scenes at ILM with in depth interviews with so...
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Screenwriter Max Landis accounts DC's 1992 multi-issue story arc "The Death and Return of Superman,"...
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Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo ...
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A CNN Documentary covering the history and impact of Christmas movies and TV....
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Recent movies
| # | Name | Character | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eden (2025) | Director / Writer | - | - |
| 2 | Music by John Williams (2024) | Self - Filmmaker | 10 | |
| 3 | Jim Henson Idea Man (2024) | Director / Writer | - | - |
| 4 | Tom Hanks: The Nomad (2023) | Self (archive footage) | 5 | |
| 5 | 'Tis the Season: The Holidays on Screen (2022) | Self | - | - |
| 6 | Thirteen Lives (2022) | Director / Writer | 7.7 | |
| 7 | Hillbilly Elegy (2020) | Director / Writer | 6.5 | |
| 8 | Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10 (2019) | Self | 9 | |
| 9 | Dads (2019) | Self | 6 | |
| 10 | Pavarotti (2019) | Director / Writer | - | - |
| 11 | Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) | Director / Writer | 6.9 | |
| 12 | Inferno (2016) | Director / Writer | 6.4 | |
| 13 | Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie (2016) | Himself | 5.4 | |
| 14 | The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016) | Director / Writer | 7.9 | |
| 15 | In the Heart of the Sea (2015) | Director / Writer | 6.6 | |
| 16 | Rush (2013) | Director / Writer | 7.9 | |
| 17 | The Arrested Development Documentary Project (2013) | Self | - | - |
| 18 | The Death and Return of Superman (2011) | Max's Son | 7 | |
| 19 | The Dilemma (2011) | Director / Writer | 5.8 | |
| 20 | Corman's World (2011) | Self - Filmmaker | - | - |
| 21 | Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible (2010) | Self | 8 | |
| 22 | Presidential Reunion (2010) | Director / Writer | 7 | |
| 23 | Angels & Demons (2009) | Director / Writer | 6.9 | |
| 24 | Frost/Nixon (2008) Oscars 2009 | Director / Writer | 6.9 | |
| 25 | The Da Vinci Code (2006) | Director / Writer | 6.8 | |
| 26 | Cinderella Man (2005) Oscars 2006 | Director / Writer | 7.4 | |
| 27 | The Missing (2003) | Director / Writer | 6.8 | |
| 28 | Osmosis Jones (2001) | Tom Colonic (voice) | 6.2 | |
| 29 | A Beautiful Mind (2001) Oscars 2002 | Director / Writer | 8.1 | |
| 30 | The Independent (2000) | Ron Howard | - | - |
| 31 | How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) Oscars 2001 | Director / Writer | 6.5 | |
| 32 | Welcome to Hollywood (2000) | Ron Howard | - | - |
| 33 | EDtv (1999) | Director / Writer | 5.6 | |
| 34 | Ransom (1996) | Director / Writer | 6.5 | |
| 35 | Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13 (1996) | Self | - | - |
| 36 | Apollo 13 (1995) | Director / Writer | 7.7 | |
| 37 | The Paper (1994) | Director / Writer | 7.6 | |
| 38 | Far and Away (1992) | Director / Writer | 6.9 | |
| 39 | Backdraft (1991) | Director / Writer | 7 | |
| 40 | Parenthood (1989) | Director / Writer | 7.2 | |
| 41 | Willow (1988) | Director / Writer | 7.3 | |
| 42 | Gung Ho (1986) | Director / Writer | 7 | |
| 43 | Cocoon (1985) | Director / Writer | 7.3 | |
| 44 | Splash (1984) | Director / Writer | 6.3 | |
| 45 | Night Shift (1982) | Director / Writer | 7 | |
| 46 | More American Graffiti (1979) | Steve Bolander | - | - |
| 47 | Cotton Candy (1978) | Director / Writer | - | - |
| 48 | The First Nudie Musical (1976) | Auditioning Actor | - | - |
| 49 | The Shootist (1976) | Gillom Rogers | 7 | |
| 50 | American Graffiti (1973) | Steve Bolander | 7.5 | |
| 51 | Cards, Cads, Guns, Gore, and Death... (1969) | Director / Writer | 3 | |
| 52 | Village of the Giants (1965) | Genius | 1 | |
| 53 | The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963) | Eddie Corbett | - | - |
| 54 | The Music Man (1962) | Winthrop Paroo | 6.7 | |
| 55 | Five Minutes to Live (1961) | Bobby Wilson | 7 | |
| 56 | The Journey (1959) | Billy Rhinelander | 4 |
