"One of the great things about being a director as a life choice is that it can never be mastered. Every story is its own kind of expedition, with its own set of challenges." ~ Ron Howard
Popular child actor and director Ronald William Howard (1954-) was born on this day in Duncan, Oklahoma and made his professional debut on stage while still in diapers with his actor parents.
Before becoming one of Hollywood's most successful directors, the All-American "Ronny" Howard created two memorable television sitcom roles: Opie Taylor (1960-1968) on The Andy Griffith Show and Richie Cunningham (1974-80) on Happy Days (w/Henry Winkler).
"You reach a point where you say you're not going to do juveniles any longer," he said and made his directorial debut in Grand Theft Auto (1977). Since then he has celebrated a distinguished record of critical and box office hits which include such wonders as Splash (1984, w/Tom Hanks), Cocoon (1985), and Apollo 13 (1995, w/Tom Hanks).
"What I like most," he explained. "Are entertaining movies with a fairly wide appeal."
Actor Russell Crowe, who starred in Howard's A Beautiful Mind (2002), called him a "consummate filmmaker." Crowe's co-star Ed Harris praised Howard's "humanity and sensibility" and said, "all his films have a unity and cohesiveness."
The loveable, quintessential "nice guy" who married his high school sweetheart, Howard told an interviewer in 1986, "I went through a period where I thought I should rebel. When I gave an interview, I'd act tough and I'd be sure to swear."
How long did this new attitude last?
"About a week," Howard confessed. "It really wasn't me."
Take a chance at a change.