Ron Howard Has Revealed Some Heartbreaking News About His Family….

Ron Howard’s family is definitely one of the biggest acting dynasties in Hollywood. However the former Happy Days actor has recently revealed some sad news that has changed their lives forever.

Big Break

Before Ron became a successful director, however, he began his acting career that made him successful in his own right. His big break came when he was very young. Ron was only six years old, in fact, when he first appeared as Opie Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show. His stardom rose even further, when he landed the iconic role of Richie Cunningham in Happy Days. Cunningham, is the character he is most associated with to this day.

Making A Name For Himself

What’s more, Ron also made a name for himself on the silver screen. He won coveted roles in films such as American Graffiti, The Shootist and Grand Theft Auto – the last of which he also directed. And, what’s more he would garner even more critical acclaim behind the camera. He picked up both Best Director and Best Picture Oscars for 2001’s A Beautiful Mind, and Academy Awards nominations for 2008’s Frost/Nixon. His box office hit movies as a director, meanwhile, include Cocoon, Apollo 13 and The Da Vinci Code.

In The Genes

Ron isn’t the only actor in his family. His mother Jean, gained critical acclaim for more than 30 different TV shows – such as Married… with Children, Grace Under Fire and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Her movie career only began in the mid ’70s, however – almost two decades after her son had made his big-screen debut in Frontier Woman.

Frontier Woman

Frontier Woman is also the film that gave Ron’s father Rance his first big screen acting role also. Born in 1928, the head of the Howard clan began performing with a children’s touring theater company before sharing the stage with Henry Fonda in a production of Mr. Roberts. He also appeared alongside Ron in The Andy Griffith Show and youngest son Clint in Gentle Ben.