Ron Howard

Biography

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.

Known For

The Simpsons

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

Late Night with Seth Meyers

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Daily Show

The Fugitive

All Movies (88)

• Marty, Life Is Short2026 · as Self
• John Candy: I Like Me2025 · as Self - Director, Splash (archive footage)
• Enterprise or Love: The Story of Far and Away2024 · as Self
• Music by John Williams2024 · as Self - Filmmaker
• Tom Hanks: The Nomad2023 · as Self (archive footage)
• John Wayne: Cowboys & Demons2023 · as Self
• Willow: Behind the Magic2023 · as Self - Director, Willow, 1988 / Executive Producer, Willow, 2022
• 'Tis the Season: The Holidays on Screen2022 · as Self
• Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel2022 · as Self
• Fuck Coin2021 · as Self
• Roger Corman, the Pope of Pop Cinema2021 · as Self
• The Happy Days of Garry Marshall2020 · as Self
• The Twilight Zone: A 60th Anniversary Celebration2019 · as Wilcox Boy (archive footage)
• Dads2019 · as Self
• Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 102019 · as Self
• Kasdan on Kasdan2018 · as Self
• Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies2017 · as Self
• Tom Hanks: A League of His Own2016 · as Self
• Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie2016 · as Himself
• The Arrested Development Documentary Project2013 · as Self
• Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck2013 · as Self
• Radioman2012 · as Self
• Corman's World2011 · as Self - Filmmaker
• The Death and Return of Superman2011 · as Max's Son
• Classic TV Bloopers Uncensored2011 · as Richie Cunningham (archive footage)
• Sheldon Leonard's Wonderful Life2011 · as Self
• Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible2010 · as Self
• Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story2010 · as Self
• Ron Howard: 50 Years in Film2008 · as Self
• Cannes: All Access2007 · as Self
• George Lucas: Creating an Empire2005 · as Self
• Tell Them Who You Are2004 · as Self
• Making a 'Splash'2004 · as Self - Director
• Weezer: Video Capture Device - Treasures from the Vault 1991-20022004 · as Richie Cunningham ("Buddy Holly") (archive footage)
• Christopher Plummer: A Man For All Stages2002 · as Self
• Inside a Beautiful Mind2002 · as Self
• A Beautiful Mind2001 · as Man at Governor's Ball (uncredited)
• Osmosis Jones2001 · as Tom Colonic (voice)
• The Shootist: The Legend Lives On2001 · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• From Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Filmmaking2001 · as Self - Director
• The Independent2000 · as Ron Howard
• Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation2000 · as Self
• Welcome to Hollywood2000 · as Ron Howard
• From Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & Magic1999 · as Self
• Television: The First Fifty Years1999 · as Self / Opie Taylor / Ritchie Cunningham (archive footage)
• The Making of 'American Graffiti'1998 · as Self
• Frank Capra's American Dream1997 · as Self
• Henry Fonda: Hollywood's Quiet Hero1997 · as Self
• Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery1997 · as Self
• Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 131996 · as Self
• Blacklist: Hollywood on Trial1996 · as Herbert Biberman
• Hollywood on Hollywood1993 · as Host
• The Magical World of Chuck Jones1992 · as Self
• The Horror Hall of Fame II1991 · as Self
• First Works1989 · as Self
• Channel 991988
• Willow: The Making of an Adventure1988 · as Self - Director
• Return to Mayberry1986 · as Opie Taylor
• Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers1985 · as Self (archive footage)
• Night Shift1982 · as Annoying Sax Player (uncredited)
• Fire on the Mountain1981 · as Lee Mackie
• Bitter Harvest1981 · as Ned De Vries
• Act of Love1980 · as Leon Cybulkowski
• More American Graffiti1979 · as Steve Bolander
• A Walking Tour of Sesame Street1979 · as Richie Cunningham (archive footage)
• Sitcom: The Adventures of Garry Marshall1979 · as Self
• NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney1978 · as Self - Host
• Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel1978 · as Self
• Huckleberry Finn1978 · as Huckleberry Finn
• Grand Theft Auto1977 · as Sam Freeman
• I'm a Fool1977 · as Andy
• A Special: Olivia Newton-John1976
• The Shootist1976 · as Gillom Rogers
• Eat My Dust1976 · as Hoover Niebold
• The First Nudie Musical1976 · as Auditioning Actor
• Locusts1974 · as Donny Fletcher
• The Spikes Gang1974 · as Les
• The Migrants1974 · as Lyle Barlow
• Happy Mother's Day, Love George1973 · as Johnny
• American Graffiti1973 · as Steve Bolander
• The Wild Country1970 · as Virgil Tanner
• Smoke1970 · as Chris (as Ronny Howard)
• A Boy Called Nuthin’1967 · as Richie 'Nuthin'' Caldwell
• Village of the Giants1965 · as Genius
• The Courtship of Eddie's Father1963 · as Eddie Corbett
• The Music Man1962 · as Winthrop Paroo
• Five Minutes to Live1961 · as Bobby Wilson
• The Journey1959 · as Billy Rhinelander

All TV Shows (103)

• The Studio2025 · as Ron Howard
• Greatest Geek Year Ever! 19822023 · as Self
• 100 Years of Warner Bros.2023 · as Self
• LIGHT & MAGIC2022 · as Self - Academy Award Winning Filmmaker
• LIGHT & MAGIC2022 · as Self
• LIGHT & MAGIC2022 · as Self - Director, Cocoon
• LIGHT & MAGIC2022 · as Self - Director, Willow
• Only Murders in the Building2021 · as Ron Howard
• How To with John Wilson2020 · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Reunited Apart2020 · as Self
• The Kelly Clarkson Show2019 · as Self
• This Is Us2016 · as Ron Howard (uncredited)
• Chelsea2016 · as Self
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self - Guest
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015
• The Odd Couple2015 · as Stanley
• Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self - Guest
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self
• Off Camera with Sam Jones2014 · as Self
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
• The Graham Norton Show2007 · as Self
• The Colbert Report2005
• Kulturplatz2004 · as Self
• Arrested Development2003 · as Narrator
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show2003 · as Self
• Real Time with Bill Maher2003 · as Self
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self - Guest
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self
• Top Gear2002 · as Self
• Where Are They Now?1999 · as Self
• The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn1999 · as Self - Guest
• The View1997 · as Self
• The View1997 · as Self - Guest
• E! True Hollywood Story1996
• The Daily Show1996 · as Self
• MADtv1995 · as Self
• Inside the Actors Studio1994 · as Self
• Frasier1993 · as Stephen (voice)
• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno1992
• The Simpsons1989 · as Ron Howard (voice)
• The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang1980 · as Richie Cunningham
• Battle of the Network Stars1976
• The Captain and Tennille1976 · as Self - Guest
• Laverne & Shirley1976
• Donny & Marie1976 · as Self
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Host
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Contestant #2 (uncredited)
• People's Choice Awards1975 · as Self - Winner
• Dinah!1974 · as Self
• Happy Days1974 · as Richie Cunningham
• Happy Days1974
• The American Film Institute Salute to ...1973 · as Self
• M*A*S*H1972 · as Wendell
• The Waltons1972
• Great Performances1971 · as Self
• The Smith Family1971 · as Bob Smith
• The Headmaster1970
• Love, American Style1969 · as Richie Cunningham
• The Bold Ones: The New Doctors1969 · as Cory Merlino
• Lancer1968
• Mayberry R.F.D.1968 · as Opie Taylor
• Land of the Giants1968 · as Jodar
• Gentle Ben1967 · as Jerry
• Gentle Ben1967 · as Jody Cutler
• Judd, for the Defense1967
• The Monroes1966
• The F.B.I.1965 · as Jess Orkin
• I Spy1965 · as Alan Loden
• The Big Valley1965 · as Tommy
• Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.1964 · as Opie Taylor
• Daniel Boone1964 · as Luke
• The Great Adventure1963 · as Daniel Waterhouse
• The Danny Kaye Show1963 · as Self
• The Fugitive1963 · as Gus
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self - Co-Host
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self
• The New Breed1961 · as Tommy Simms
• Dr. Kildare1961 · as Jerry Prentice
• Route 661960
• The Andy Griffith Show1960 · as Opie Taylor
• Pete and Gladys1960
• Dennis the Menace1959
• Five Fingers1959
• Dennis the Menace1959 · as Stewart
• Johnny Ringo1959 · as Ricky Parrott
• The Twilight Zone1959 · as Wilcox Boy
• The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis1959
• The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis1959 · as Little Boy Eating Candy Bar
• The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis1959 · as Little Boy with Ray Gun
• The DuPont Show with June Allyson1959 · as Wim
• Bonanza1959 · as Ted Hoag
• Gunsmoke1955 · as Jamie
• The Wonderful World of Disney1954 · as Chris
• Lassie1954
• The Danny Thomas Show1953 · as Opie Taylor
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• General Electric Theater1953 · as Barnaby Baxter
• General Electric Theater1953 · as Randy
• The Red Skelton Show1951 · as Joey
• The Bob Hope Show1950 · as Self
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Presenter
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Nominee
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Accepting Award for Best Motion Picture Drama / Nominee