Ron Howard
Age: 61
Born: Duncan, Oklahoma
Best Known For: Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code

Ron Howard broke into the entertainment industry as a child actor with small roles in big shows like The Twilight Zone and Dennis the Menace. When he was just six years old, Howard landed a role that would change his life forever. For eight seasons he played Opie Taylor, the young son on The Andy Griffith Show. And as if that wasn’t enough to solidify his place in the heart of America, he went on to play Richie Cunningham on Happy Days for seven seasons. Basically, if you grew up in America anywhere between the ‘60s and the ‘80s, Ron Howard was on your TV set almost every single week.

Although he began to direct earlier, it was in the '80s when Howard began his transition from actor to director (although he does still act on occasion). Since then Howard has had a long and hugely successful career behind the camera. His latest movie is In the Heart of the Sea, a recounting of the true story that inspired Moby-Dick.

First Feature Film: Howard began cutting his teeth as a movie director while he was still acting on Happy Days. Three years before he would leave that show he directed the small-time comedy Grand Theft Auto (1977) for prolific producer Roger Corman. Corman only let Howard direct the movie in exchange for his starring in another movie, Eat My Dust (1976).

Trivia: Reportedly the video game company Rockstar Games made a deal with Roger Corman wherein they could use the title Grand Theft Auto for its game series on the condition they never make a movie of the same name. Likewise, the agreement prevented Corman from ever making a game based off his Grand Theft Auto movie.

His Breakout Film: Grand Theft Auto was a modest hit, but Howard’s career as a director really broke out in 1982 with the Michael Keaton and Henry Winkler comedy Night Shift. It was a commercial and critical success, easily securing Howard’s transition from child actor to serious Hollywood director.

Fun Fact: While Night Shift is most notable for being Michael Keaton’s first starring role, it also contains one of the earliest on-screen parts for Kevin Costner as a random frat boy at a party in the morgue.

Movies You May Not Even Realize Ron Howard Made: Ron Howard has been a staple for so long and has become so associated with big event movies like Apollo 13 and The Da Vinci Code that it’s easy to forget he also directed some real classics from the ‘80s and ‘90s. This list of occasionally forgotten gems includes:

Splash (1994)

Gung Ho (1986)

Willow (1988)

Parenthood (1989)

Backdraft (1991)

The Paper (1994)

Ransom (1996)

Edtv (1999)

Trivia

* Ron Howard is the father of Jurassic World star Bryce Dallas Howard.

* George Lucas, who directed Ron Howard in 1973’s American Graffiti, asked him to direct Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, but Howard passed on the opportunity, fearing it was too daunting of a task.

* Ron Howard is a cofounder of Imagine Entertainment, which has had a hand in many ‘80s and ‘90s classics including The ‘Burbs, Kindergarten Cop, Problem Child, My Girl, CB4, Cop and a Half, Fear, The Nutty Professor, Sgt. Bilko, Liar Liar, Mercury Rising, Inventing the Abbotts and many, many more. Basically, Ron Howard secretly owned the ‘90s.

* Imagine Entertainment also produces a lot of TV, having brought to series Arrested Development, Felicity, Sports Night, 24, From the Earth to the Moon, Friday Night Lights, Lie to Me, Parenthood, Curious George and the current megahit Empire. Basically, Ron Howard is still secretly everywhere.