What Ron Howard From The Andy Griffith Show Looks Like Now

When it comes to feelgood family shows, it's hard to beat "The Andy Griffith Show." Running for eight seasons in total, the series focused on Andy Taylor (Griffith), the widowed sheriff of Mayberry who raises his son while keeping the peace in the sleepy North Carolina town. But while Griffith was the star, the young and precocious Ron Howard stole the show. As Opie Taylor, Howard's main jobs were to look cute and learn the lessons his beloved Pa handed out. Considering Opie was well known for his striking red hair and freckles, it may be hard for fans of the series to recognize Howard today. Now in his 70s, he has lost the red locks, but still has that same lovable smile. 

Taylor Hill/Getty

The former child actor continued to work after "The Andy Griffith Show" ended in 1968, initially taking guest roles on shows like "Gunsmoke" and "Lassie" before landing his next big break. And while it's common for child actors to vanish when they grow up, Howard proved to be a talented adult too. In 1972, he played Richie Cunningham in the anthology series "Love, American Style." The segment Howard starred in, originally titled "Love and the Television Set," was subsequently used as the pilot for "Happy Days," which launched the next stage of Howard's career. "Happy Days" was a massive hit, turning Howard into a TV star and landing him a lead role in George Lucas' Academy Award nominated movie "American Graffiti." He left "Happy Days" in 1980 to focus on directing.

In 1977, Ron Howard co-wrote, directed, and starred in "Grand Theft Auto," kicking off his career behind the camera in earnest. While the movie was not well-liked by critics, it didn't deter Ron, who quickly followed it up with "Night Shift," starring Michael Keaton and Ron Howard's "Happy Days" co-star and close friend Henry Winkler. This time around, his work was met with critical acclaim, but it was Ron's next film that put him on the course to being considered a great director. "Splash" (1984), starring Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah, was a massive smash, earning an Academy Award nomination for the screenplay and a best picture nomination at the Golden Globes. Ron then went on to direct some of the most acclaimed movies of the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, including "Backdraft," "Apollo 13," and "A Beautiful Mind," which finally earned him an Oscar for best director. 

But Ron isn't the only big name in his family. The former child star's father, Rance, was also an actor who appeared in more than 300 TV shows and movies." Ron's brother, Clint Howard also started off as a child star, famously playing Balok in the classic "Star Trek" episode "The Corbomite Maneuver" and starring in "Gentle Ben." As an adult, Clint has become iconic for his appearances in "Rock 'n' Roll High School" and "Austin Powers." And two of Ron's children are also in the family business. Paige Howard is an actor who starred in "Adventureland" alongside Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, and Bryce Dallas Howard is famous for both acting and directing. Along with starring in "The Help" — a role Bryce regrets — she has directed episodes of "The Mandalorian," "The Book of Boba Fett," and "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew," as well as documentaries "Dads" and "Pets."