Directing · Duncan, Oklahoma, USA · Born March 1, 1954
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.
MovieMarty, Life Is Short
2026
as Self
MovieJohn Candy: I Like Me
2025
as Self - Director, Splash (archive footage)
TVThe Studio
2025
as Ron Howard
MovieEnterprise or Love: The Story of Far and Away
2024
as Self
MovieMusic by John Williams
2024
as Self - Filmmaker
TVGreatest Geek Year Ever! 1982
2023
as Self
TV100 Years of Warner Bros.
2023
as Self
MovieTom Hanks: The Nomad
2023
as Self (archive footage)
MovieJohn Wayne: Cowboys & Demons
2023
as Self
MovieWillow: Behind the Magic
2023
as Self - Director, Willow, 1988 / Executive Producer, Willow, 2022
Movie'Tis the Season: The Holidays on Screen
2022
as Self
MovieHans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel
2022
as Self
TVLIGHT & MAGIC
2022
as Self - Academy Award Winning Filmmaker
TVOnly Murders in the Building
2021
as Ron Howard
MovieFuck Coin
2021
as Self
MovieRoger Corman, the Pope of Pop Cinema
2021
as Self
TVHow To with John Wilson
2020
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieThe Happy Days of Garry Marshall
2020
as Self
TVReunited Apart
2020
as Self
MovieThe Twilight Zone: A 60th Anniversary Celebration
2019
as Wilcox Boy (archive footage)
TVThe Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
as Self
MovieDads
2019
as Self
MoviePeanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10
2019
as Self
MovieKasdan on Kasdan
2018
as Self
MovieLaddie: The Man Behind the Movies
2017
as Self
Tom Hanks: A League of His Own
2016
as Self
TVThis Is Us
2016
as Ron Howard (uncredited)
TVChelsea
2016
as Self
MovieDonald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie
2016
as Himself
TVThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
as Self - Guest
TVThe Odd Couple
2015
as Stanley
TVLate Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self - Guest
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self
TVOff Camera with Sam Jones
2014
as Self
MovieThe Arrested Development Documentary Project
2013
as Self
MovieDon't Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck
2013
as Self
MovieRadioman
2012
as Self
MovieCorman's World
2011
as Self - Filmmaker
MovieThe Death and Return of Superman
2011
as Max's Son
MovieClassic TV Bloopers Uncensored
2011
as Richie Cunningham (archive footage)
MovieSheldon Leonard's Wonderful Life
2011
as Self
MovieIndustrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible
2010
as Self
MovieJews and Baseball: An American Love Story
2010
as Self
TVWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
MovieRon Howard: 50 Years in Film
2008
as Self
MovieCannes: All Access
2007
as Self
TVThe Graham Norton Show
2007
as Self
TVThe Colbert Report
2005
MovieGeorge Lucas: Creating an Empire
2005
as Self
MovieTell Them Who You Are
2004
as Self
TVKulturplatz
2004
as Self
MovieMaking a 'Splash'
2004
as Self - Director
MovieWeezer: Video Capture Device - Treasures from the Vault 1991-2002
2004
as Richie Cunningham ("Buddy Holly") (archive footage)
TVArrested Development
2003
as Narrator
TVThe Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
as Self
TVReal Time with Bill Maher
2003
as Self
TVJimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self - Guest
MovieChristopher Plummer: A Man For All Stages
2002
as Self
TVTop Gear
2002
as Self
MovieInside a Beautiful Mind
2002
as Self
MovieA Beautiful Mind
2001
as Man at Governor's Ball (uncredited)
MovieOsmosis Jones
2001
as Tom Colonic (voice)
MovieThe Shootist: The Legend Lives On
2001
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieFrom Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Filmmaking
2001
as Self - Director
MovieThe Independent
2000
as Ron Howard
MovieChuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation
2000
as Self
MovieWelcome to Hollywood
2000
as Ron Howard
MovieFrom Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & Magic
1999
as Self
Where Are They Now?
1999
as Self
TVThe Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
1999
as Self - Guest
Television: The First Fifty Years
1999
as Self / Opie Taylor / Ritchie Cunningham (archive footage)
MovieThe Making of 'American Graffiti'
1998
as Self
TVThe View
1997
as Self
MovieFrank Capra's American Dream
1997
as Self
MovieHenry Fonda: Hollywood's Quiet Hero
1997
as Self
MovieStar Wars: The Magic & the Mystery
1997
as Self
TVE! True Hollywood Story
1996
TVThe Daily Show
1996
as Self
MovieLost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13
1996
as Self
MovieBlacklist: Hollywood on Trial
1996
as Herbert Biberman
TVMADtv
1995
as Self
TVInside the Actors Studio
1994
as Self
TVFrasier
1993
as Stephen (voice)
MovieHollywood on Hollywood
1993
as Host
MovieThe Magical World of Chuck Jones
1992
as Self
TVThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
The Horror Hall of Fame II
1991
as Self
TVThe Simpsons
1989
as Ron Howard (voice)
MovieFirst Works
1989
as Self
MovieChannel 99
1988
MovieWillow: The Making of an Adventure
1988
as Self - Director
MovieReturn to Mayberry
1986
as Opie Taylor
MovieHollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985
as Self (archive footage)
MovieNight Shift
1982
as Annoying Sax Player (uncredited)
MovieFire on the Mountain
1981
as Lee Mackie
MovieBitter Harvest
1981
as Ned De Vries
TVThe Fonz and the Happy Days Gang
1980
as Richie Cunningham
MovieAct of Love
1980
as Leon Cybulkowski
MovieMore American Graffiti
1979
as Steve Bolander
MovieA Walking Tour of Sesame Street
1979
as Richie Cunningham (archive footage)
Sitcom: The Adventures of Garry Marshall
1979
as Self
MovieNBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney
1978
as Self - Host
MovieRoger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel
1978
as Self
MovieHuckleberry Finn
1978
as Huckleberry Finn
MovieGrand Theft Auto
1977
as Sam Freeman
MovieI'm a Fool
1977
as Andy
MovieA Special: Olivia Newton-John
1976
TVBattle of the Network Stars
1976
TVThe Captain and Tennille
1976
as Self - Guest
MovieThe Shootist
1976
as Gillom Rogers
MovieEat My Dust
1976
as Hoover Niebold
TVLaverne & Shirley
1976
TVDonny & Marie
1976
as Self
MovieThe First Nudie Musical
1976
as Auditioning Actor
TVSaturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Host
TVPeople's Choice Awards
1975
as Self - Winner
TVDinah!
1974
as Self
MovieLocusts
1974
as Donny Fletcher
MovieThe Spikes Gang
1974
as Les
MovieThe Migrants
1974
as Lyle Barlow
TVHappy Days
1974
MovieHappy Mother's Day, Love George
1973
as Johnny
MovieAmerican Graffiti
1973
as Steve Bolander
TVThe American Film Institute Salute to ...
1973
as Self
TVM*A*S*H
1972
as Wendell
TVThe Waltons
1972
TVGreat Performances
1971
as Self
TVThe Smith Family
1971
as Bob Smith
MovieThe Wild Country
1970
as Virgil Tanner
TVThe Headmaster
1970
MovieSmoke
1970
as Chris (as Ronny Howard)
TVLove, American Style
1969
as Richie Cunningham
TVThe Bold Ones: The New Doctors
1969
as Cory Merlino
TVLancer
1968
TVMayberry R.F.D.
1968
as Opie Taylor
TVLand of the Giants
1968
as Jodar
MovieA Boy Called Nuthin’
1967
as Richie 'Nuthin'' Caldwell
TVGentle Ben
1967
as Jerry
TVJudd, for the Defense
1967
TVThe Monroes
1966
MovieVillage of the Giants
1965
as Genius
TVThe F.B.I.
1965
as Jess Orkin
TVI Spy
1965
as Alan Loden
TVThe Big Valley
1965
as Tommy
TVGomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
1964
as Opie Taylor
TVDaniel Boone
1964
as Luke
TVThe Great Adventure
1963
as Daniel Waterhouse
TVThe Danny Kaye Show
1963
as Self
TVThe Fugitive
1963
as Gus
MovieThe Courtship of Eddie's Father
1963
as Eddie Corbett
MovieThe Music Man
1962
as Winthrop Paroo
TVThe Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
MovieFive Minutes to Live
1961
as Bobby Wilson
TVThe New Breed
1961
as Tommy Simms
TVDr. Kildare
1961
as Jerry Prentice
TVRoute 66
1960
TVThe Andy Griffith Show
1960
as Opie Taylor
TVPete and Gladys
1960
TVDennis the Menace
1959
TVFive Fingers
1959
TVJohnny Ringo
1959
as Ricky Parrott
TVThe Twilight Zone
1959
as Wilcox Boy
TVThe Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
1959
TVThe DuPont Show with June Allyson
1959
as Wim
TVBonanza
1959
as Ted Hoag
MovieThe Journey
1959
as Billy Rhinelander
TVGunsmoke
1955
as Jamie
TVThe Wonderful World of Disney
1954
as Chris
TVLassie
1954
TVThe Danny Thomas Show
1953
as Opie Taylor
TVThe Oscars
1953
as Self
TVGeneral Electric Theater
1953
as Barnaby Baxter
TVThe Red Skelton Show
1951
as Joey
TVThe Bob Hope Show
1950
as Self
TVGolden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Presenter
