Ron Howard and his brother Clint Howard have much to be grateful for as two young child stars who managed to drudge through the perils of Hollywood with minimal scars.
The sons of fellow show business staples Rance and Jean Speegle Howard, both brothers managed to earn notoriety for themselves within the industry with Ron, 67, becoming a household name on “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Happy Days” while Clint, 62, would display his chops in “The Jungle Book” and alongside the punk rock group the Ramones in the 1979 film “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” among other legacy titles.
Ron told Fox News that through the production company he helms with Brian Grazer, his consistent work as a director and a sort of passing of the torch to his children, who have become filmmakers in their own respects, “there’s no one role [he’s] looking for” that would make him consider acting again.
Howard’s last big on-screen role was 1986’s TV movie “Return to Mayberry.”
The Howard brothers are pictured here on a trip to Apple Valley. Their dad’s shadow is in the foreground.
(Courtesy of the author)
However, Howard noted that if his daughter Bryce Dallas Howard “called me up and said, ‘Dad, I’m directing this film and I want you to play a part,’ that’s something I would probably move my schedule around for.”
“That would be the quickest way to do it,” he added.
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Despite the fact he isn’t actively looking for work as a performer, the Oscar winner maintained that he “was asked to do three different roles over the last couple of decades where the actors wound up being nominated in the Best Supporting category.”
Clint Howard and Ron Howard opened up to Fox News about their new memoir, ‘The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family’
(Photo by Astrid Stawiarz)
“Some interesting filmmakers have thought that it might be a good idea to try to get me in front of the camera again, which is very, very flattering,” Ron continued. “But between all that Brian [Grazer] and I are doing with Imagine Entertainment and the work that I’m doing in both scripted and documentary filmmaking now has just got me incredibly busy.”
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The Howard brothers have since turned their focus to blending filmmaking opportunities in both the scripted and non-scripted realms for others to create their own projects – and after numerous collaborations, the close-knit pair have come together to co-author their memoir, “The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family,” which commemorates their careers while sharing first-person anecdotes of their intertwining lives on and off the set.
Clint Howard is seen as a toddler on the set of ‘Star Trek: The Original Series.’
(Courtesy of the author)
Clint said one of the fondest memories he has of his life as a child star was coming face-to-face with the late Walt Disney for the first time.
“It’s surprising that a 7-year-old could be bowled over by seeing and meeting someone, but you got to remember I was a Disney baby,” he explained. “I went to Disneyland for the first time in a baby stroller. Mom took us to Disneyland religiously.”
The cover for Ron and Clint Howard’s memoir, ‘The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family.’
(Courtesy of William Morrow)
Added the “Star Trek: The Original Series” star, “So when I saw [Walt Disney] – it was like a silhouette in the engineer’s booth. I was recording my voice for ‘The Jungle Book’ and I saw Walt Disney and he kind of looked at me through the engineer’s window and then he stuck his head into the recording studio – the main recording studio at Disney – he took one step inside the recording studio, he gave me sort of a military wave and he said, ‘You’re doing a fine job, Clint,’ and he turned and walked out, and it just blew me away.”
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“I’ve been on the inside of the magic of the business for a long time,” Clint added. “And yet, he represented the anchor. His smiling face is something I will never forget.”
Fox News’ Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.
