Ron Howard

Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter.

Biography
Howard was born in Duncan, Oklahoma in 1954, the elder son of Jean Speegle Howard, an actress, and Rance Howard, a director, writer, and actor. He has German, English, Scottish, Irish, and Dutch ancestry. His father was born with the surname "Beckenholdt" and took the stage name "Howard" in 1948 for his acting career. Rance Howard was serving three years in the United States Air Force at the time of Ron's birth. The family moved to Hollywood in 1958, the year before the birth of his younger brother Clint Howard. They rented a house on the block south of the Desilu Studios, where The Andy Griffith Show was later filmed. They lived in Hollywood for at least three years, before moving to Burbank.

Howard was tutored at Desilu Studios in his younger years but continued his schooling at Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary and David Star Jordan Junior High when not working in television, eventually graduating from John Burroughs High School. He later attended the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts but did not graduate.

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, 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, 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 and the comedy film Grand Theft Auto, 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, the fantasy Willow, the thriller Backdraft, the historical docudrama Apollo 13, the Christmas comedy How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the biographical drama A Beautiful Mind, the biographical sports drama Cinderella Man, the thriller The Da Vinci Code, the historical drama Frost/Nixon, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and the documentary Pavarotti. 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.

Howard is the co-chairman, with Brian Grazer, of Imagine Entertainment, a film and television production company. Imagine has produced several films including Friday Night Lights, 8 Mile, and Inside Deep Throat, as well as the television series 24, Felicity, and Arrested Development which Howard also narrated.

Howard married writer Cheryl Alley on June 7, 1975. They have four children: daughters Bryce Dallas Howard, twins Jocelyn Carlyle and Paige Howard, and son Reed Cross. Asteroid 12561 Howard is named after him.

Anime Films

 * From Up on Poppy Hill (2011) - Philosophy Club President