In my nearly 7 decades on this planet, there has been one constant in my life, Ron Howard. Kind of like a McDonalds at every exit on the interstate. You’re not looking for them but they are always there…and damn if you don’t stop to get some chicken nuggets and a large diet coke. The McDonalds that is, not Ron Howard but I’ll bet Ron Howard would be able to mix up a batch of chicken nuggets and they would be great. Why? Because he’s Ron Howard.
Think about it, as time has rolled by, many things have changed but Ron Howard has always been part of the American Landscape in one way or another. First as a child actor, then a teenage actor, the lead in several popular television series, starring in some of the most successful movies of all time, a director, writer, producer, narrator, documentary maker and parent to another generation of Howards on the entertainment scene. He may not be flashy, a trend setter or controversial but he’s there, part of our daily world. You may be wondering if I have an issue with Ron Howard and I don’t. His image seems to be spotless. He sounds just like the boy next door should and he’s bald and doesn’t try to hide it. How more genuine can a person be. I do have one tiny complaint with Mr. Howard. Thanks to him, this little red headed boy who grew up at the same time as he did, was always called Ope, along with rusty, carrot top, and hot head (that may have been more due to my temper than my hair color), because of my crimson locks. It seems no one called me by my real first name. I had to live in the shadow of the flaming, red haired Howard. As a result I lost my self identity and spiraled into a life without purpose and questionable decision making, liking writing a blog. It was bad enough that I was a middle child and my parents would forget my name. They would use one of those monikers to ask me a question like, “Hey Ope, why are you at our dinner table? Shouldn’t you be getting home.”
I have compiled a brief, unauthorized and factually challenged bio of Ron Howard. Don’t we all feel like we know him already because Ron Howard is like our brother. Ron was born in Oklahoma. I’m surprised he didn’t star in the movie musical, “Oklahoma,” in the 50s. Since he was born in 1954 and the movie came out in 1955, he probably turned it down. He always demands a speaking part and at the time, he couldn’t talk. His family moved to Los Angeles and in a snap, Ron became an “A Lister” on the Hollywood scene. His first credited role was in a movie called “The Journey,” followed by his star turning role on “The Andy Griffith” show. Andy’s name might have been in the title but we all know the little red headed kid stole the show. From there he did the hit films “The Music Man,” “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father,” and “American Graffiti.” He then moved back to TV with the long running “Happy Days.”
Ron knew he was going to have a successful career and wanted to make sure that he had a reliable character actor to back him up, so he insisted his mom have another child and his brother Clint was born. Name a Ron Howard film that Clint Howard has not been in. That is the kind of power a superstar like Ron Howard yields. Prove me wrong.
Ron decided to step back from the spotlight right when he was going into his sex symbol, action hero years and began to work behind the scenes. It’s obvious that Ron would rather be considered an artist than spend the time needed in the weight room to bulk up for those action roles Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis were willing to sell their souls for. He became an award winning producer, director and writer instead. As a result, people aren’t commenting on how he let himself go. Directors just look that way.
Ron was able to avoid the normal pitfalls of many child actors of his time. There are no reports of him being involved with drugs, alcohol, wild sex parties and supporting cult like political figures. Probably because he was never a part of the Mickey Mouse Club. He married his high school sweetheart and they have been together since 1975 and have four children, and not a one has written a tell-all book about him. You never know, Howard might hate coat hangers. How much more “boy next door” can he be…except for being worth millions, a large staff taking care of his every need, living in a huge mansion and flying on private jets. He might be the boy next door, if Elon Musk or Bill Gates were his neighbors. You never know.
Just this Sunday, I saw an interview with Howard and chef José Andrés talking about a documentary the filmmaker is doing on the chef’s World Central Kitchen and their work with refugees. Before that, it might have been when his blockbuster film “Apollo 13” was released, or as he was raking in award after award for “A Beautiful Mind” or when he was narrating the offbeat comedy, Arrested Development. Ron may not always be in the headlines but he’s alway there, just below the surface, like that shark from another blockbuster movie. Sorry, wrong guy, that was Spielberg. Ron’s sea creature was a mermaid in “Splash,” and instead of scaring me out of the ocean, after seeing that movie I had a strange urge to go swimming.
I guess what I’m saying is Ron Howard is a great guy. He has never been in the headlines for some of the nasty things other child stars of his era have done. He seems to be a good and loving family man who keeps plugging along with a successful career and is always in the corner of our eye, following along with our lives, kind of like a really nice stalker…that is until one of his kids gets on that tell-all book and tells us differently.
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