Ron Howard
Biography
Ron Howard is an American actor and filmmaker who started in television and film as a child and later became a director. He first gained attention as Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show from 1960 to 1968, and he appeared in the musical The Music Man (1962). As an adult he played Steve Bolander in George Lucas's American Graffiti (1973), then became widely known as Richie Cunningham on Happy Days from 1974 to 1980; his other screen roles included The Shootist (1976) and More American Graffiti (1979). After directing Grand Theft Auto (1977), he left Happy Days in 1980 to focus on behind-the-camera work, and his films as director include Splash, Cocoon, Apollo 13 (1995), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), A Beautiful Mind (2001), Frost/Nixon (2008), Rush (2013), and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). He won Academy Awards for directing and producing A Beautiful Mind and earned another directing nomination for Frost/Nixon; he also narrated Arrested Development.
72years old
Turns 73 on March 1in 140 days
- Born Duncan
- Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
- Ronald William Howard (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 22
- Career span
- 67 years1959 to 2026
Genres
- Comedy36%, 8 films
- Drama36%, 8 films
- Documentary27%, 6 films
- Action14%, 3 films
- Music14%, 3 films
First and latest
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Big break
In 1982 Howard got his big break as a director with Night Shift, a film that featured Michael Keaton, Shelley Long and Henry Winkler, his co-star from Happy Days.
A role that slipped away
On June 22, 2017, Howard officially replaced Phil Lord and Christopher Miller as director of Solo: A Star Wars Story, two days after they were let go. Filming had three and a half weeks remaining, plus five weeks of reshoots.
Early training
Howard went on to study at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts, though he never earned his degree there.
Behind the camera
With Brian Grazer, Howard serves as co-chairman of Imagine Entertainment, a company that has made movies such as 8 Mile and Friday Night Lights and TV shows including 24 and Arrested Development.
A first
In 2025 Howard earned his first acting Emmy nomination, for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, for playing a fictionalized version of himself on The Studio.
Ron Howard movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Rance Howard appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Rance Howard's page
Charles Martin Smith's page
George Lucas's page
Clint Howard's page
Patton Oswalt's page
Bo Hopkins's page
Also two films together13 more actors
- Henry WinklerDonald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie (2016) and The Arrested Development Documentary Project (2013)
- Paul BartelGrand Theft Auto (1977) and Eat My Dust (1976)
- Steven SpielbergMusic by John Williams (2024) and Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible (2010)
- Candy ClarkMore American Graffiti (1979) and American Graffiti (1973)
- Shirley JonesThe Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963) and The Music Man (1962)
- Andy GriffithDads (2019) and Return to Mayberry (1986)
- J.J. AbramsMusic by John Williams (2024) and Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible (2010)
- Cindy WilliamsMore American Graffiti (1979) and American Graffiti (1973)
- Paul Le MatMore American Graffiti (1979) and American Graffiti (1973)
- John LasseterIndustrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible (2010) and Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation (2000)
- Johnny CrawfordThe Shootist (1976) and Village of the Giants (1965)
- Mackenzie PhillipsMore American Graffiti (1979) and American Graffiti (1973)
- Lawrence KasdanMarty, Life Is Short (2026) and Music by John Williams (2024)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Ron Howard's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$197 million
6 of the 21 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 21 films: 6 worldwide figure; 7 never in cinemas; 8 figure not found.
- 6Worldwide figure
- 7Never in cinemas
- 8Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The six biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$140M71.1% of the total
- 2$15M7.6% of the total
- 3$15M7.6% of the total
- 4$14M6.9% of the total
- 5$13M6.8% of the total
- 6$20K0.0% of the total
Awards
Twelve awards and honors from 1986 to 2010, six of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 2002 | Best Director | A Beautiful Mind | Won |
| 2002 | Best Picture | A Beautiful Mind | Won |
| Emmy Awards | |||
| 2010 | Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Animated Program | Curious George | Won |
| 2008 | Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Animated Program | Curious George | Won |
| 2004 | Outstanding Comedy Series | Arrested Development | Won |
| 1998 | Outstanding Limited Miniseries | From the Earth to the Moon | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| 2003 | National Medal of Arts | Won | |
| 2001 | Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Director | A Beautiful Mind | Won |
| 2001 | Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Director | A Beautiful Mind | Won |
| 2001 | Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film | A Beautiful Mind | Won |
| 1995 | Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film | Apollo 13 | Won |
| 1986 | Saturn Award for Best Director | Cocoon | Won |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.