Ron Howard
Biography
Ronald William Howard, born March 1, 1954, in Duncan, Oklahoma, is an American filmmaker and actor. He first entered the entertainment industry as a child, appearing under the name Ronny Howard. His early television work included a guest spot on The Twilight Zone and a long‑running role as young Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show from 1960 to 1968. Howard also acted in the successful musical film The Music Man (1962). He continued acting into his teens, receiving credit as Ronny Howard through 1973, and appeared in the coming‑of‑age film American Graffiti (1973).
Career overview
Howard’s career began in front of the camera, where he built a reputation as a reliable child performer. After gaining national visibility as Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show and appearing in notable productions such as The Music Man and American Graffiti, he continued to work in television and film throughout his youth. By the early 1970s he was still credited as Ronny Howard, marking the end of his primary acting period. Following his extensive experience as an actor, Howard shifted his professional focus toward directing, establishing himself as a filmmaker. Since moving behind the camera, Howard has been identified primarily for his work as a director. Official records list him with 329 directing credits, reflecting a prolific output across both television series and feature films. His reputation as a filmmaker is reinforced by the breadth of projects he has overseen, ranging from episodic television to large‑scale productions. The transition from child actor to seasoned director illustrates a career that spans multiple decades within the American entertainment industry, anchored by his early roots in Oklahoma and his continued presence in Hollywood’s creative community.
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Career timeline
Full filmography
- Marty, Life Is Short (2026) as Self
- Marty, Life Is Short (2026) Executive Producer
- Whalefall (2026) Producer
- Summer of '94 (2026) Executive Producer
- Kyle Larson vs. The Double (2026) Executive Producer
- Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing (2026) Executive Producer
- Avedon (2026) Director
- Avedon (2026) Producer
- The Studio (2025) as Ron Howard
- Eden (2025) Producer
- Eden (2025) Director
- Eden (2025) Story
- John Candy: I Like Me (2025) as Self - Director, Splash (archive footage)
- The Gringo Hunters (2025) Executive Producer
- David Blaine Do Not Attempt (2025) Executive Producer
- Harlem Ice (2025) Executive Producer
- Pets (2025) Executive Producer
- Earnhardt (2025) Producer
- Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series (2025) Executive Producer
- Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything (2025) Executive Producer
- Big Dreams: The Little League World Series 2024 (2025) Executive Producer
- Choir (2024) Executive Producer
- Jim Henson Idea Man (2024) Director
- Jim Henson Idea Man (2024) Producer
- The Lost Children (2024) Executive Producer
- Churchill at War (2024) Executive Producer
- The Dynasty: New England Patriots (2024) Executive Producer
- I'm Not a Monster: The Lois Riess Murders (2024) Executive Producer
- Music by John Williams (2024) as Self - Filmmaker
- Music by John Williams (2024) Producer
- The Truth About Jim (2024) Executive Producer
- Frida (2024) Executive Producer
- Enterprise or Love: The Story of Far and Away (2024) as Self
- Bossy Bear (2023) Executive Producer
- Tetris (2023) Executive Producer
- 100 Years of Warner Bros. (2023) as Self
- Taiwan Crime Stories (2023) Executive Producer
- The Beanie Bubble (2023) Producer
- The Super Models (2023) Executive Producer
- Murf the Surf: Jewels, Jesus, and Mayhem in the USA (2023) Executive Producer
- Judy Blume Forever (2023) Executive Producer
- The Slumber Party (2023) Executive Producer
- Tom Hanks: The Nomad (2023) as Self (archive footage)
- Willow: Behind the Magic (2023) as Self - Director, Willow, 1988 / Executive Producer, Willow, 2022
- Greatest Geek Year Ever! 1982 (2023) as Self
- Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with Dave Letterman (2023) Executive Producer
- Carlos (2023) Executive Producer
- John Wayne: Cowboys & Demons (2023) as Self
- Willow (2022) Executive Producer
- LIGHT & MAGIC (2022) as Self - Academy Award Winning Filmmaker
- LIGHT & MAGIC (2022) as Self
- LIGHT & MAGIC (2022) as Self - Director, Cocoon
- LIGHT & MAGIC (2022) as Self - Director, Willow
- LIGHT & MAGIC (2022) Executive Producer
- Under the Banner of Heaven (2022) Executive Producer
- Thirteen Lives (2022) Director
- Thirteen Lives (2022) Producer
- The Tiny Chef Show (2022) Executive Producer
- Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields (2022) Executive Producer
- Wedding Season (2022) Executive Producer
- We Feed People (2022) Director
- We Feed People (2022) Producer
- Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet (2022) Executive Producer
- Lucy and Desi (2022) Executive Producer
- The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari (2022) Executive Producer
- Downfall: The Case Against Boeing (2022) Executive Producer
- Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues (2022) Executive Producer
- Personality Crisis: One Night Only (2022) Executive Producer
- Leave No Trace (2022) Executive Producer
- Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel (2022) as Self
- 'Tis the Season: The Holidays on Screen (2022) as Self
- Only Murders in the Building (2021) as Ron Howard
- Roger Corman, the Pope of Pop Cinema (2021) as Self
- tick, tick... BOOM! (2021) Producer
- Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol (2021) Executive Producer
- Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer (2021) Executive Producer
- Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel (2021) Executive Producer
- Fuck Coin (2021) as Self
- We Are: The Brooklyn Saints (2021) Executive Producer
- Who Are You, Charlie Brown? (2021) Executive Producer
- Julia (2021) Executive Producer
- Paper & Glue (2021) Executive Producer
- Gossip (2021) Executive Producer
- The Day Sports Stood Still (2021) Executive Producer
- Reunited Apart (2020) as Self
- 68 Whiskey (2020) Executive Producer
- On Pointe (2020) Executive Producer
- Hillbilly Elegy (2020) Director
- Hillbilly Elegy (2020) Producer
- How To with John Wilson (2020) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- D. Wade: Life Unexpected (2020) Producer
- The Astronauts (2020) Executive Producer
- Curious George: Go West, Go Wild (2020) Executive Producer
- Rebuilding Paradise (2020) Director
- Rebuilding Paradise (2020) Producer
- Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band (2020) Executive Producer
- The Happy Days of Garry Marshall (2020) as Self
- The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019) as Self
- Backdraft 2 (2019) Executive Producer
- Pavarotti (2019) Director
- Pavarotti (2019) Producer
- Dads (2019) as Self
- Dads (2019) Producer
- Being Frank (2019) Producer
- The Twilight Zone: A 60th Anniversary Celebration (2019) as Wilcox Boy (archive footage)
- Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10 (2019) as Self
- Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) Director
- The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) Executive Producer
- Kasdan on Kasdan (2018) as Self
- Genius (2017) Executive Producer
- The Dark Tower (2017) Producer
- Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies (2017) as Self
- This Is Us (2016) as Ron Howard (uncredited)
- Chelsea (2016) as Self
- Inferno (2016) Director
- Inferno (2016) Producer
- Mars (2016) Creator
- The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016) Producer
- The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016) Director
- Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie (2016) as Himself
- Tom Hanks: A League of His Own (2016) as Self
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) as Self - Guest
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015)
- In the Heart of the Sea (2015) Director
- In the Heart of the Sea (2015) Producer
- The Odd Couple (2015) as Stanley
- Breakthrough (2015) Director
- Breakthrough (2015) Creator
- Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle (2015) Executive Producer
- Prophet's Prey (2015) Executive Producer
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) as Self
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self - Guest
- Off Camera with Sam Jones (2014) as Self
- The Good Lie (2014) Producer
- Rush (2013) Director
- Rush (2013) Producer
- Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest (2013) Executive Producer
- Out of the Blue (2013) Executive Producer
- Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck (2013) as Self
- Made in America (2013) Director
- Made in America (2013) Producer
- The Arrested Development Documentary Project (2013) as Self
- Radioman (2012) as Self
- Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012) Producer
- Cowboys & Aliens (2011) Producer
- The Dilemma (2011) Director
- The Dilemma (2011) Producer
- Corman's World (2011) as Self - Filmmaker
- Restless (2011) Producer
- The Death and Return of Superman (2011) as Max's Son
- Classic TV Bloopers Uncensored (2011) as Richie Cunningham (archive footage)
- Sheldon Leonard's Wonderful Life (2011) as Self
- Parenthood (2010) Producer
- Parenthood (2010) Executive Producer
- Presidential Reunion (2010) Director
- Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible (2010) as Self
- Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story (2010) as Self
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (2009) as Self - Guest
- Angels & Demons (2009) Director
- Angels & Demons (2009) Producer
- Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! (2009) Executive Producer
- Mademoiselle Chambon (2009) Thanks
- Changeling (2008) Producer
- Frost/Nixon (2008) Director
- Frost/Nixon (2008) Producer
- Ron Howard: 50 Years in Film (2008) as Self
- The Graham Norton Show (2007) as Self
- Cannes: All Access (2007) as Self
- Curious George (2006) Executive Producer
- The Da Vinci Code (2006) Producer
- The Da Vinci Code (2006) Director
- Curious George (2006) Producer
- The Colbert Report (2005)
- Inside Deep Throat (2005) Producer
- Cinderella Man (2005) Producer
- Cinderella Man (2005) Director
- George Lucas: Creating an Empire (2005) as Self
- Kulturplatz (2004) as Self
- The Alamo (2004) Producer
- Tell Them Who You Are (2004) as Self
- Making a 'Splash' (2004) as Self - Director
- Weezer: Video Capture Device - Treasures from the Vault 1991-2002 (2004) as Richie Cunningham ("Buddy Holly") (archive footage)
- Real Time with Bill Maher (2003) as Self
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self - Guest
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self
- Arrested Development (2003) as Narrator
- Arrested Development (2003) Executive Producer
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) as Self
- The Missing (2003) Director
- The Missing (2003) Producer
- Top Gear (2002) as Self
- Inside a Beautiful Mind (2002) as Self
- Christopher Plummer: A Man For All Stages (2002) as Self
- A Beautiful Mind (2001) as Man at Governor's Ball (uncredited)
- A Beautiful Mind (2001) Producer
- A Beautiful Mind (2001) Director
- Osmosis Jones (2001) as Tom Colonic (voice)
- The Beast (2001) Producer
- Silicon Follies (2001) Executive Producer
- From Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Filmmaking (2001) as Self - Director
- The Shootist: The Legend Lives On (2001) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) Director
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) Producer
- Welcome to Hollywood (2000) as Ron Howard
- Wonderland (2000) Producer
- The Independent (2000) as Ron Howard
- Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation (2000) as Self
- Where Are They Now? (1999) as Self
- The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (1999) as Self - Guest
- The PJs (1999) Executive Producer
- EDtv (1999) Producer
- EDtv (1999) Director
- From Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & Magic (1999) as Self
- Beyond the Mat (1999) Producer
- Television: The First Fifty Years (1999) as Self / Opie Taylor / Ritchie Cunningham (archive footage)
- Felicity (1998) Producer
- Felicity (1998) Executive Producer
- Sports Night (1998) Producer
- Sports Night (1998) Executive Producer
- From the Earth to the Moon (1998) Producer
- From the Earth to the Moon (1998) Creator
- The Making of 'American Graffiti' (1998) as Self
- The View (1997) as Self
- The View (1997) as Self - Guest
- Inventing the Abbotts (1997) Producer
- Hiller and Diller (1997) Producer
- Frank Capra's American Dream (1997) as Self
- Henry Fonda: Hollywood's Quiet Hero (1997) as Self
- Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery (1997) as Self
- The Daily Show (1996) as Self
- Ransom (1996) Director
- E! True Hollywood Story (1996)
- The Chamber (1996) Producer
- Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13 (1996) as Self
- Blacklist: Hollywood on Trial (1996) as Herbert Biberman
- Apollo 13 (1995) Director
- Apollo 13 (1995) Executive Music Producer
- MADtv (1995) as Self
- The Paper (1994) Director
- Inside the Actors Studio (1994) as Self
- Frasier (1993) as Stephen (voice)
- Hollywood on Hollywood (1993) as Host
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992)
- Far and Away (1992) Producer
- Far and Away (1992) Director
- Far and Away (1992) Story
- The Magical World of Chuck Jones (1992) as Self
- Backdraft (1991) Director
- The Horror Hall of Fame II (1991) as Self
- Closet Land (1991) Executive Producer
- Parenthood (1990) Producer
- The Simpsons (1989) as Ron Howard (voice)
- The 'Burbs (1989) Executive Producer
- Parenthood (1989) Director
- Parenthood (1989) Story
- First Works (1989) as Self
- Willow (1988) Director
- Clean and Sober (1988) Executive Producer
- Vibes (1988) Executive Producer
- Channel 99 (1988)
- Willow: The Making of an Adventure (1988) as Self - Director
- No Man's Land (1987) Executive Producer
- Gung Ho (1986) Director
- Gung Ho (1986) Executive Producer
- Return to Mayberry (1986) as Opie Taylor
- The Lone Star Kid (1986) Executive Producer
- Cocoon (1985) Director
- Into Thin Air (1985) Executive Producer
- No Greater Gift (1985) Executive Producer
- Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers (1985) as Self (archive footage)
- Splash (1984) Director
- When Your Lover Leaves (1983) Executive Producer
- Night Shift (1982) as Annoying Sax Player (uncredited)
- Night Shift (1982) Director
- Fire on the Mountain (1981) as Lee Mackie
- Skyward Christmas (1981) Executive Producer
- Bitter Harvest (1981) as Ned De Vries
- Through the Magic Pyramid (1981) Executive Producer
- Through the Magic Pyramid (1981) Director
- The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang (1980) as Richie Cunningham
- Act of Love (1980) as Leon Cybulkowski
- Skyward (1980) Executive Producer
- Skyward (1980) Director
- More American Graffiti (1979) as Steve Bolander
- A Walking Tour of Sesame Street (1979) as Richie Cunningham (archive footage)
- Sitcom: The Adventures of Garry Marshall (1979) as Self
- Huckleberry Finn (1978) as Huckleberry Finn
- NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney (1978) as Self - Host
- Cotton Candy (1978) Director
- Cotton Candy (1978) Writer
- Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel (1978) as Self
- Grand Theft Auto (1977) as Sam Freeman
- Grand Theft Auto (1977) Writer
- Grand Theft Auto (1977) Director
- I'm a Fool (1977) as Andy
- Laverne & Shirley (1976)
- Donny & Marie (1976) as Self
- Battle of the Network Stars (1976)
- The Captain and Tennille (1976) as Self - Guest
- The Shootist (1976) as Gillom Rogers
- The First Nudie Musical (1976) as Auditioning Actor
- Eat My Dust (1976) as Hoover Niebold
- A Special: Olivia Newton-John (1976)
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Host
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Contestant #2 (uncredited)
- People's Choice Awards (1975) as Self - Winner
- Happy Days (1974) as Richie Cunningham
- Happy Days (1974)
- Dinah! (1974) as Self
- The Spikes Gang (1974) as Les
- The Migrants (1974) as Lyle Barlow
- Locusts (1974) as Donny Fletcher
- American Graffiti (1973) as Steve Bolander
- The American Film Institute Salute to ... (1973) as Self
- Happy Mother's Day, Love George (1973) as Johnny
- M*A*S*H (1972) as Wendell
- The Waltons (1972)
- Great Performances (1971) as Self
- The Smith Family (1971) as Bob Smith
- The Headmaster (1970)
- The Wild Country (1970) as Virgil Tanner
- Smoke (1970) as Chris (as Ronny Howard)
- Love, American Style (1969) as Richie Cunningham
- The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (1969) as Cory Merlino
- Old Paint (1969) Director
- Deed of Daring-Do (1969) Director
- Cards, Cads, Guns, Gore, and Death... (1969) Director
- Land of the Giants (1968) as Jodar
- Mayberry R.F.D. (1968) as Opie Taylor
- Lancer (1968)
- Gentle Ben (1967) as Jerry
- Gentle Ben (1967) as Jody Cutler
- Judd, for the Defense (1967)
- A Boy Called Nuthin’ (1967) as Richie 'Nuthin'' Caldwell
- The Monroes (1966)
- The Big Valley (1965) as Tommy
- The F.B.I. (1965) as Jess Orkin
- I Spy (1965) as Alan Loden
- Village of the Giants (1965) as Genius
- Daniel Boone (1964) as Luke
- Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (1964) as Opie Taylor
- The Fugitive (1963) as Gus
- The Danny Kaye Show (1963) as Self
- The Great Adventure (1963) as Daniel Waterhouse
- The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963) as Eddie Corbett
- The Music Man (1962) as Winthrop Paroo
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self - Co-Host
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- Dr. Kildare (1961) as Jerry Prentice
- The New Breed (1961) as Tommy Simms