Ronald William 'Ron' Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American film director, producer and former child actor. He came to prominence playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years. He is often credited as one of the greatest gingers of all-time. He appeared in the films American Graffiti in 1973 and The Shootist in 1976, the latter during his run on Happy Days. Howard made his directorial debut with the 1977 comedy Grand Theft Auto, and left Happy Days in 1980 to focus on directing. His films include the Academy Award-winning Cocoon, Apollo 13, and A Beautiful Mind. In 2003, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts. Asteroid 12561 Howard is named after him. This book is your ultimate resource for Ron Howard. Here you will find the most up-to-date information, photos, and much more. In easy to read chapters, with extensive references and links to get you to know all there is to know about his Early life, Career and Personal life right away. A quick look inside: Ron Howard, Grand Theft Auto (film), Night Shift (film), Splash (film), Cocoon (film), Gung Ho (film), Willow (film), Parenthood (film), Backdraft (film), Far and Away, The Paper, Apollo 13 (film), Ransom (1996 film), EDtv, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (film), A Beautiful Mind (film), The Missing, Cinderella Man, The Da Vinci Code (film), Frost/Nixon (film), Angels & Demons (film), The Dilemma, The PJs, Arrested Development (TV series), Parenthood (2010 TV series), The Journey (1959 film), The Music Man (1962 film), The Courtship of Eddie's Father (film), Village of the Giants, American Graffiti, The Spikes Gang, The First Nudie Musical, The Shootist, More American Graffiti, Welcome to Hollywood, The Independent (film), Osmosis Jones, In the Shadow of the Moon, The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series), Walking Distance, The DuPont Show with June Allyson, Dennis the Menace (1959 TV series), General Electric Theater, Cheyenne (1955 TV series), The Andy Griffith Show, The Eleventh Hour (1962 TV series), The Great Adventure (TV series), The Big Valley, The F.B.I. (TV series), Judd, for the Defense, Gunsmoke, The Smith Family (TV series), Love, American Style, The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, M*A*S*H (TV series), Sometimes You Hear the Bullet, Happy Days, Huckleberry Finn (1975 film), Act of Love (1980 film), The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang, Bitter Harvest (1981 film), Fire on the Mountain (film), Return to Mayberry, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Lancer (TV series).