For nearly as long as he has lived—seven decades—Ron Howard has been a household name. The Hollywood heavyweight began his career as a child and has constantly been in the spotlight in cinema and television.
The numerous award winners not only have an amazing career but are also long-term single men. He has been married to his wife, Cheryl, for nearly fifty years.
Continue reading to learn more about Howard, his marriage, and his lengthy career!
Ronald Howard was born in Duncan, Oklahoma, on March 1, 1954, and went on to become a Hollywood icon.
Howard starred in his first movie at the age of eighteen months, Frontier Woman, and made his stage debut in The Seven Year Itch at the age of two.
Soon after, The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968) cast the redhead with freckles, launching his career as a celebrity.
At this time, his parents, who were also in the entertainment industry, fully supported Howard as he played Griffith’s son, Opie.
You can do it if you want to, but you don’t have to. Do you remember how we used to say it? Thinking back to a discussion he’d had with his parents years earlier, Howard recalled saying, “Well, once you start, there’s no stopping it.” “You must continue this show, but you can play other roles on other shows.”
In addition, Howard says, “I think it was pretty clear at that point that I was enjoying it, and I was good at it,” indicating that he understood the message his parents were trying to convey.
He was actually really good at it and was on the verge of becoming extremely famous.
In addition to starring on The Andy Griffith Show, Howard made a big screen appearance in the highly successful musical The Music Man in 1962.
A natural talent, he went on to star in the 1973 film American Graffiti, which starred Cindy Williams, Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford, and other actors he would later collaborate with.
In 1974, Happy Days, a brand-new Garry Marshall television sitcom, cast him as Richie Cunningham. Happy Days ran from 1974 to 1984, capturing the attention of viewers worldwide.
The TV series produced a few popular spin-offs, such as Laverne & Shirley, starring Williams and Marshall’s sister Penny, and Mork & Mindy, starring Robin Williams as the beloved Orkan.
In 1970, Howard met Cheryl Alley, his high school girlfriend whom he would marry in 1975, before he won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of the naive adolescent in Happy Days.
“There was never anyone else like her when I met her.” The Da Vinci Code director said, “She’s unbelievably supportive and always has been,” in an interview with People. Our compatibility has held up under a variety of circumstances.
After 50 years of shared adventures, Howard, who won an Oscar for directing A Beautiful Mind, celebrated the 50th anniversary of his first date with Cheryl on Instagram.
“On November 1, 1970, Cheryl and I went on our first date,” he stated, including a picture of himself with socks that featured Cheryl’s face. We watched Stanley Kramer’s It’s a Mad Mad Mad World re-released, and then had some pizza at the now-closed Barnone’s in Toluca Lake. Quite the beginning, huh?
“We’ll be driving in the same ’70 VW Bug I picked Cheryl up in five decades ago,” he added, outlining their plans for the day. It functions flawlessly. We do the same.
Cheryl appeared in several of Howard’s productions, including one in which she portrayed herself on the comedic TV show Arrested Development, which Howard produced and narrated.
In an interview with the Television Academy, Ron referred to Cheryl as his “lucky charm” and said that’s why she shows up in all of his movies.
“I became extremely anxious about ensuring her presence and recognition in at least one frame at a specific moment,” he said. “She needs to be in there, even if they are small cameos.”
Cheryl wishes her husband luck. She is a published novelist with a master’s in screenwriting and a bachelor’s in psychology.
The power couple, who have four children together—son Reed, twins Paige and Jocelyn, and daughter Bryce—are also the grandparents of six children.
Bryce, a renowned actor, gained recognition for his roles in Jurassic World and The Help, while Paige made her feature film debut in Adventureland in 2009. Ever since her appearances in the films Collection and The Employer, Paige has gained recognition.
Reed plays golf professionally, and Jocelyn, Paige’s twin sister, keeps to herself.
The Emmy Award-winning producer says that “communication” is the key to their lasting love as they approach their 49th anniversary on June 7.
“People ask, ‘How did you manage?'” As Howard informs people, there is no specific method. You must develop your communication skills and learn how to have fruitful, uncomfortable conversations. Beyond that, there’s a chance component because, in my opinion, you can’t compel individuals to develop together or apart.