We hear a lot about child stars gone bad (think Lindsay Lohan or Gary Coleman). It seems like many people who make it big in Hollywood early in life end up having issues with substance abuse and ending up on the wrong side of the law. But, it does not always turn out that way. Ron Howard is someone who had admirable success as a child actor, then he transitioned into a successful director, while avoiding the pitfalls that destroy the careers of so many that work in show biz. From what it says in the book, Ron's parents instilled good values in their kids that served them well. The elder Howards were from Oklahoma and both dabbled in acting.
In the book The Boys, Ron Howard and his younger brother Clint offer many fascinating anecdotes about a life in entertainment. Clint is not as well known as his brother, but both have been successful in a business that can be brutal and short lived for many. Clint has appeared in many Star Trek TV episodes, and films including Frost-Nixon, Austin Powers, The Waterboy, Tango and Cash and many others, over a 60 year acting career. Ron Howard has a net worth of $200 million while Clint has a net worth of $4 million. Ron has cast his brother Clint and his father Rance in supporting roles in his films. Also, Ron has directed his wife in eleven films.
The book talks about Ron's success as Opie Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show. Ron worked with Andy, Don Knotts, Jim Nabors and other stars on this beloved show. As a kid, Ron had an interest in the behind-the-scenes aspects of shooting the show, and developed aspirations of being a director. He directed such films as: Splash, Cocoon, Backdraft, Apollo 13, A Beatiful Mind and The DaVinci Code. He won 2 Oscars, 4 Emmys, a Golden Globe and a Grammy. He has directed nine different actors in Oscar nominated performances, including Don Ameche, Dianne Weist, Russell Crowe and Glenn Close. Ron studied filmmaking at USC, a top-notch cinema school who can count George Lucas and Steven Spielberg as alumni.
In 1976, Ron Howard was thrilled to earn a role in the film The Shootist. The stars were legends John Wayne, Lauren Bacall and Jimmy Stewart. The following year, Ron directed his first full length film, called Grand Theft Auto, with the assistance of executive producer Roger Corman. This was an action/comedy film that included a demolition derby scene where a Rolls Royce was destroyed. Many people from Happy Days wanted to help out Ron by appearing in his film. Various members of the Howard family appeared in the film too. The budget was $600,000 and it earned $6 million, so it was a big hit financially. Ron was still appearing in Happy Days, but he was becoming disillusioned with the project.
Clint Howard mentioned his use of marijuana, cocaine and alcohol, and how they affected his life. His brother Ron felt guilty that he did not stop Clint from indulging in these chemicals in the 1970s. Ron would steer clear of such substances. By the 1980s, Clint's drug use was affecting his life in a serious way and Ron had to step in to tell him that he needed to turn his life around. In 1984, Clint seeked out help and entered rehab. He needed a few tries to get straight. By 1991, Clint was on the right track. Clint lasted less than a semester at Pepperdine University. As a character actor, Clint carved out his place in Hollywood. He has over 200 TV movies to his name.
In reading the book, I learned about the connections between 2 of Ron's most popular roles in American Graffiti and Happy Days. Both were made in the 1970s and took a nostalgic look at life in the 1950s. It was fascinating to hear some of Ron's anecdotes about working on American Graffiti with George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Richard Dreyfus and others. After the success of American Graffiti, the TV networks wanted to capitalize on the popularity of nostalgia. The show Happy Days arose from a story in the anthology TV show Love American Style. Originally the show Happy Days was to star Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham but the popularity of Henry Winkler as The Fonz became evident. At one point, ABC considered changing the title of the show to Fonzie's Happy Days. Ron was offended by this suggestion, and it did not happen. Howard recounted what it was like to work with actors such as Winkler, Tom Bosley, Marion Ross, Anson Williams, Donny Most and more on stage 19 at Paramount. Henry Winkler is the godfather of Howard's children. Happy Days went head-to-head against Good Times, which featured Jimmie Walker and his catch phrase "Dyn-o-mite." Happy Days was the victor. Ron Howard recalls the appearance of the immensely talented Robin Williams as Mork from Ork. Mork and Mindy became a Happy Days spin off, along with Laverne and Shirley and Joanie Loves Chachi.
Those who want to learn more about the behind-the-scenes aspects of iconic shows like The Andy Griffith Show, Happy Days and the world of a family navigating life in Hollywood will enjoy this book.
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