Ron Howard

[Deleted]

His cameo on AD tonight inspired me to start a thread. For some reason, I just like Ron Howard.

He's had a remarkable career: child star on an iconic sitcom, teen star in another iconic sitcom, film star in of the Seventies' most iconic movies, co-starred with Jimmy Stewart, Lauren Bacall and John Wayne in his last movie, then gave it all up to become a successful, Oscar winning director. He's been married for 30 years to his high-school sweetheart and just seems so...nice.

Yes, he's made some crap (The Grinch) but he's also made some good stuff, including one of my favorite movies of all time, Apollo 13, and my favorite movie as a kid, Splash. Plus he's put his weight behind some quality products, like AD, which probably would've been cancelled even earlier without his pull in Hollywood.

I also like how, ala Tom Hanks, he doesn't shy away from his sitcom past. He still does the Andy Griffith TV specials, he gives work to his old co-stars, etc. Added bonus: he had one of the funniest celeb cameos on The Simpsons, and his voice-over work shows he still has his acting chops.

Another added bonus: he did a great job in one of the most famous episodes of M*A*S*H, "Sometimes You Hear the Bullet."

[Deleted]

I saw Cocoon for the very first time the other night and while I am still not sure what was about (I only caught the last 30 minutes) it was very well done and left me feeling warm and fuzzy.

I have a tremendous respect for the guy. I am almost afraid to check this thread in a couple of days because I always find out something that I don't want to know. I hope there is nothing nefarious about Ron.

And I actually think his brother is a good actor!

[ladymadonna]

Yeah, I have always had a major crush on Opie. Not because he's hot or cute, because he's not (to me anyway), but because he just seems like such a decent, well-rounded, wonderful, sweet, kind, talented, ever-so-marry-able, guy. I love him in the same way I love the computer dude who comes to our office; so incredibly LOVEABLE.

Yes, I AM twelve. Why do you ask?

[lallybroch]

Aren't his children's middle names in honor of the place where they were conceived, i.e. Bryce Dallas Howard? That's just gross, Opie.

[Deleted]

Clint Howard is definitely a good actor. He's the best part of any Adam Sandler movie, and I loved him as the mission control operator in Apollo 13.

I loved how when he won that MTV Movie Lifetime Achievement Award he brought his family and Ron was so clearly thrilled. Then Clint said, "Ron, you're a great director, but you're an even better older brother." Awww.

Another "aww" moment for me was on the Andy Griffith reunion special last year, Andy and Don Knotts still called him "Ronny," and at the end when they were saying goodbye Andy hugged Ron and said sincerely, "I love you so much, Ronny." It was a pretty crappy special otherwise but that made me choke up. Damn you, Griffith!

[Deleted]

I adore ol' Opie Cunningham. He seems like such a decent guy. The fact that he's never shied away from doing those Andy Griffith specials says so much to me about the kind of person he is. He doesn't forget his roots. I get the impression he was "raised right". (As we say in the south).

I'm glad he's been able to achieve so much success as a director. There's something very satisfying about talented GOOD people succeeding.

Have you ever noticed that when a serial killer is caught there are a gaggle of people that come out of the wood works to express utter shock? Like "he was such a nice guy. I just can't believe HE could be capable of such a thing." Well, I think Ron Howard is one of the only celebrities that I have that kind of feeling about. Like if I ever heard he was an asshole I'd be so shocked and dismayed.
Now I'm going to leave this thread and never check it again because I'm afraid one of you is going to reveal some deep, dark nasty gossip about my Opie Cunningham.

[Coffeecakes]

I'll always like him no matter what for apparently convincing a crew member(I am not sure if it was crew or apart of the cast) to stay away from Jenna Elfman and throw away some Dianetics books she had given them. That kind of shit can make the most hateful person likable.

[Deleted]

Agreed, his parents must've been awesome. I know his mom played Tom Hanks' mom in Apollo 13, and also the elderly nudist neighbor on an episode of Roseanne. I normally hate showbiz parents, but I don't know how the Howards had two child-star sons who both turned out happy, well-adjusted successful adults. To complicate things, Ron and Clint both had hit TV shows at the same time, yet not only did neither of them turn out bad, but they've remained close as brothers and don't seem to have any rivalry. Amazing! I think their mom has passed away now, which is too bad, because that's one parenting book I'd totally buy.

According to IMDB, they had Ron attend public schools and he even stopped working for an entire school year once so he could play basketball. I think on one of those Griffith specials he also credited Andy Griffith with being a great surrogate dad on-set, always loving but also making sure Ron didn't goof off or get into trouble. And then I think Andy credited Ron's parents with being so great and always present when their son was working and treating him like a kid, not a star.

Wow, I started this thread and even I didn't know how much of a Ron Howard fan I am! It's like I'm talking myself into it.

[Mutagen]

I have nothing against him as a person, but I find most of his movies trite and/or saccharine. I'm sorry, I have to say it.

However, this...

I'll always like him no matter what for apparently convincing a crew member(I am not sure if it was crew or apart of the cast) to stay away from Jenna Elfman and throw away some Dianetics books she had given them.

Is damn cool.

[Ella]

I like the fact that even tho he's a huge hollywood director, he hasn't turned his back on television. Most stars think television is a step down. Even tho they started on tv. Ron Howard is not like that I think. He 's good people.