More than six decades after it first aired, “The Andy Griffith Show” remains an American television icon, a place where freedom is brought to the sleepy town of Mayberry, where police chief Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) and his clumsy but admirable sidekick, Barney Fife (Don Knotts), keep the community in order. As a single father on screen – a rare find in the 1960s – Andy raises his young son Opie (Ron Howard) with the help of his Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier). The moments of father-son fishing or talking on the porch become symbols of simple, warm family affection.
By 2025, Ron Howard is the only surviving original cast member of “The Andy Griffith Show.” This is not surprising, since Howard – born in 1954 – was only 5 years old when he played Opie. It was while he was a child actor that Ron developed a special love for directing. In an interview, he shared that from the age of 10, he was fascinated by the behind-the-scenes of filmmaking: “A director told me that you always watch the camera and watch the rehearsals, even when you’re not in the scene. He said that maybe I’ll be a director. And I began to understand that there was a creative world other than a 30-minute sitcom where the actors are the center of the story. I wanted to be a part of that world.”
Audiences witnessed Ron Howard’s growth as an architect throughout the eight seasons of the show. After leaving Mayberry, he continued his artistic journey with the role of Richie Cunningham on “Happy Days” – another popular series of the 1970s. However, his passion for directing always burned within him. When producers tried to rename the show “Fonzie’s Happy Days” to honor his popular supporting character, Ron protested and promised to quit the role and return to school: “I’d rather go back to USC and pursue film than stay with that name.”
After remaking “Happy Days” in 1980, Howard pivoted completely to producing and directing. From “Backdraft” to “Apollo 13,” and culminating in a 2002 Oscar for Best Director for “A Beautiful Mind,” he steadily established himself as one of Hollywood’s most respected filmmakers. By 2025, at age 71, Ron Howard still had no plans to retire. At the 2023 ProMat event, he shared that age helps him stay calm and clear-headed when faced with creative pressure. “Experience makes you better in stressful situations,” he said.
Today, Howard is still honing his craft on new film and television projects. When asked if he would ever return to acting, he happily replies that it would only happen if his daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard, were to direct. “It would definitely be if she said, ‘Dad, I need you in this movie,’ or ‘You have to be in this,’” he laughs. “Then I’d be in the makeup chair.”
From Opie to Oscar-winning director, Ron Howard’s journey is a living testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and love for storytelling – things he learned all those years ago on the Mayberry set.
