People

Ron Howard

Directing · follow into films and chains

Biography

Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American filmmaker and actor. He first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of The Twilight Zone. Howard 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.

Notable films

Where to start

Highlights from credits and KinoChain journeys.

Rush

Appears in a KinoChain journey

tick, tick... BOOM!

Appears in a KinoChain journey

The Shootist

Appears in a KinoChain journey

The Da Vinci Code

Directed

Angels & Demons

Directed

A Beautiful Mind

Directed

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Directed

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Directed

Chains

KinoChain journeys

Public chains that pass through their films — or name them as a bridge.

Browse all chains

The Rivalry Within: How Feuds Shape the Soul

From duelling magicians to warring chefs, explore how rivalry reveals our deepest fears and desires. A cinematic journey through competition, obsession, and the...

8 films

The Long Goodbye: Twilight of Heroes and Outlaws

There is a moment in Richard Lester's Robin and Marian (1976) that cuts deeper than any broadsword. Sean Connery, sporting grey in his beard and exhaustion in h...

8 films

The Path to La La Land & Its Legacy

A decade on from its 2016 debut, La La Land remains a landmark achievement in modern cinema: a dazzling, bittersweet love letter to big dreams and hard choices....

7 films

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