Ron Howard

Ron Howard

Directing

Born March 1, 1954 · Duncan, Oklahoma, USA

50 films as director · Active 1969–2026

Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American filmmaker and actor. He first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of The Tw…

Known for

The Simpsons

The Simpsons

1989

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

2009

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

2014

The Daily Show

The Daily Show

1996

Late Night with Seth Meyers

Late Night with Seth Meyers

2014

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

2015

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

2015

The Kelly Clarkson Show

The Kelly Clarkson Show

2019

Directed(50)

Avedon

2026Avedon★ 4.0

Eden

2025Eden★ 6.7

Jim Henson Idea Man

2024Jim Henson Idea Man★ 7.8

2022We Feed People★ 7.0

Thirteen Lives

2022Thirteen Lives★ 7.8

Hillbilly Elegy

2020Hillbilly Elegy★ 6.7

Rebuilding Paradise

2020Rebuilding Paradise★ 6.1

Pavarotti

2019Pavarotti★ 7.3

Solo: A Star Wars Story

2018Solo: A Star Wars Story★ 6.6

Inferno

2016Inferno★ 6.1

The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years

2016The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years★ 7.5

In the Heart of the Sea

2015In the Heart of the Sea★ 6.8

Rush

2013Rush★ 7.7

Made in America

2013Made in America★ 4.2

The Dilemma

2011The Dilemma★ 5.4

Presidential Reunion

2010Presidential Reunion★ 6.1

Angels & Demons

2009Angels & Demons★ 6.7

Frost/Nixon

2008Frost/Nixon★ 7.3

The Da Vinci Code

2006The Da Vinci Code★ 6.7

Cinderella Man

2005Cinderella Man★ 7.6

The Missing

2003The Missing★ 6.3

A Beautiful Mind

2001A Beautiful Mind★ 7.9

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

2000How the Grinch Stole Christmas★ 6.8

EDtv

1999EDtv★ 6.0

Ransom

1996Ransom★ 6.7

Apollo 13

1995Apollo 13★ 7.5

The Paper

1994The Paper★ 6.6

Far and Away

1992Far and Away★ 6.8

Backdraft

1991Backdraft★ 6.7

Parenthood

1989Parenthood★ 6.7

Willow

1988Willow★ 7.0

Gung Ho

1986Gung Ho★ 6.1

Cocoon

1985Cocoon★ 6.6

Splash

1984Splash★ 6.3

Night Shift

1982Night Shift★ 6.1

1981Through the Magic Pyramid★ 2.5

Skyward

1980Skyward★ 7.1

Cotton Candy

1978Cotton Candy★ 4.9

Grand Theft Auto

1977Grand Theft Auto★ 5.3

Deed of Daring-Do

1969Deed of Daring-Do★ 3.7

Cards, Cads, Guns, Gore, and Death...

1969Cards, Cads, Guns, Gore, and Death...★ 3.7

Old Paint

1969Old Paint★ 4.7

—The Shrinking of Treehorn

—Untitled Ron Howard Firefighter Film

—Alone at Dawn

Untitled How the Grinch Stole Christmas Sequel

—Untitled How the Grinch Stole Christmas Sequel

Acting(175)

2026Marty, Life Is ShortSelf

2025John Candy: I Like MeSelf - Director, Splash (archive footage)

2025The StudioRon Howard

2024Enterprise or Love: The Story of Far and AwaySelf

2024Music by John WilliamsSelf - Filmmaker

2023Greatest Geek Year Ever! 1982Self

2023100 Years of Warner Bros.Self

2023Tom Hanks: The NomadSelf (archive footage)

2023John Wayne: Cowboys & DemonsSelf

2023Willow: Behind the MagicSelf - Director, Willow, 1988 / Executive Producer, Willow, 2022

2022'Tis the Season: The Holidays on ScreenSelf

2022Hans Zimmer: Hollywood RebelSelf

2022LIGHT & MAGICSelf - Academy Award Winning Filmmaker

2021Only Murders in the BuildingRon Howard

2021Fuck CoinSelf

2021Roger Corman, the Pope of Pop CinemaSelf

2020How To with John WilsonSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)

2020The Happy Days of Garry MarshallSelf

2020Reunited ApartSelf

2019The Twilight Zone: A 60th Anniversary CelebrationWilcox Boy (archive footage)

2019The Kelly Clarkson ShowSelf

2019Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10Self

2018Kasdan on KasdanSelf

2017Laddie: The Man Behind the MoviesSelf

2016Tom Hanks: A League of His OwnSelf

2016This Is UsRon Howard (uncredited)

2016ChelseaSelf

2016Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The MovieHimself

2015The Late Show with Stephen ColbertSelf - Guest

2015The Odd CoupleStanley

2014Late Night with Seth MeyersSelf - Guest

2014The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonSelf

2014Off Camera with Sam JonesSelf

2013The Arrested Development Documentary ProjectSelf

2013Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. ZanuckSelf

2012RadiomanSelf

2011Corman's WorldSelf - Filmmaker

2011The Death and Return of SupermanMax's Son

2011Classic TV Bloopers UncensoredRichie Cunningham (archive footage)

2011Sheldon Leonard's Wonderful LifeSelf

2010Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the ImpossibleSelf

2010Jews and Baseball: An American Love StorySelf

2009Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenSelf - Guest

2008Ron Howard: 50 Years in FilmSelf

2007Cannes: All AccessSelf

2007The Graham Norton ShowSelf

2005The Colbert Report

2005George Lucas: Creating an EmpireSelf

2004Tell Them Who You AreSelf

2004KulturplatzSelf

2004Making a 'Splash'Self - Director

2004Weezer: Video Capture Device - Treasures from the Vault 1991-2002Richie Cunningham ("Buddy Holly") (archive footage)

2003Arrested DevelopmentNarrator

2003The Ellen DeGeneres ShowSelf

2003Real Time with Bill MaherSelf

2003Jimmy Kimmel Live!Self - Guest

2002Christopher Plummer: A Man For All StagesSelf

2002Top GearSelf

2002Inside a Beautiful MindSelf

2001A Beautiful MindMan at Governor's Ball (uncredited)

2001Osmosis JonesTom Colonic (voice)

2001The Shootist: The Legend Lives OnSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)

2001From Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital FilmmakingSelf - Director

2000The IndependentRon Howard

2000Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in AnimationSelf

2000Welcome to HollywoodRon Howard

1999From Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & MagicSelf

1999Where Are They Now?Self

1999The Late Late Show with Craig KilbornSelf - Guest

1999Television: The First Fifty YearsSelf / Opie Taylor / Ritchie Cunningham (archive footage)

1998The Making of 'American Graffiti'Self

1997The ViewSelf

1997Frank Capra's American DreamSelf

1997Henry Fonda: Hollywood's Quiet HeroSelf

1997Star Wars: The Magic & the MysterySelf

1996E! True Hollywood Story

1996The Daily ShowSelf

1996Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13Self

1996Blacklist: Hollywood on TrialHerbert Biberman

1994Inside the Actors StudioSelf

1993FrasierStephen (voice)

1993Hollywood on HollywoodHost

1992The Magical World of Chuck JonesSelf

1992The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

1991The Horror Hall of Fame IISelf

1989The SimpsonsRon Howard (voice)

1989First WorksSelf

1988Willow: The Making of an AdventureSelf - Director

1986Return to MayberryOpie Taylor

1985Hollywood's Funniest All-Star BloopersSelf (archive footage)

1982Night ShiftAnnoying Sax Player (uncredited)

1981Fire on the MountainLee Mackie

1981Bitter HarvestNed De Vries

1980The Fonz and the Happy Days GangRichie Cunningham

1980Act of LoveLeon Cybulkowski

1979More American GraffitiSteve Bolander

1979A Walking Tour of Sesame StreetRichie Cunningham (archive footage)

1979Sitcom: The Adventures of Garry MarshallSelf

1978NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of DisneySelf - Host

1978Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild AngelSelf

1978Huckleberry FinnHuckleberry Finn

1977Grand Theft AutoSam Freeman

1977I'm a FoolAndy

1976A Special: Olivia Newton-John

1976Battle of the Network Stars

1976The Captain and TennilleSelf - Guest

1976The ShootistGillom Rogers

1976Eat My DustHoover Niebold

1976Laverne & Shirley

1976Donny & MarieSelf

1976The First Nudie MusicalAuditioning Actor

1975Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host

1975People's Choice AwardsSelf - Winner

1974LocustsDonny Fletcher

1974The Spikes GangLes

1974The MigrantsLyle Barlow

1973Happy Mother's Day, Love GeorgeJohnny

1973American GraffitiSteve Bolander

1973The American Film Institute Salute to ...Self

1972M*A*S*HWendell

1972The Waltons

1971Great PerformancesSelf

1971The Smith FamilyBob Smith

1970The Wild CountryVirgil Tanner

1970The Headmaster

1970SmokeChris (as Ronny Howard)

1969Love, American StyleRichie Cunningham

1969The Bold Ones: The New DoctorsCory Merlino

1968Mayberry R.F.D.Opie Taylor

1968Land of the GiantsJodar

1967A Boy Called Nuthin’Richie 'Nuthin'' Caldwell

1967Gentle BenJerry

1967Judd, for the Defense

1966The Monroes

1965Village of the GiantsGenius

1965The F.B.I.Jess Orkin

1965I SpyAlan Loden

1965The Big ValleyTommy

1964Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.Opie Taylor

1964Daniel BooneLuke

1963The Great AdventureDaniel Waterhouse

1963The Danny Kaye ShowSelf

1963The FugitiveGus

1963The Courtship of Eddie's FatherEddie Corbett

1962The Music ManWinthrop Paroo

1961The Mike Douglas ShowSelf

1961Five Minutes to LiveBobby Wilson

1961The New BreedTommy Simms

1961Dr. KildareJerry Prentice

1960The Andy Griffith ShowOpie Taylor

1960Pete and Gladys

1959Dennis the Menace

1959Five Fingers

1959Johnny RingoRicky Parrott

1959The Twilight ZoneWilcox Boy

1959The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis

1959The DuPont Show with June AllysonWim

1959BonanzaTed Hoag

1959The JourneyBilly Rhinelander

1955GunsmokeJamie

1954The Wonderful World of DisneyChris

1953The Danny Thomas ShowOpie Taylor

1953The OscarsSelf

1953General Electric TheaterBarnaby Baxter

1951The Red Skelton ShowJoey

1950The Bob Hope ShowSelf

1944Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Presenter