Ron Howard has been famous for almost all of his 70 years. The Hollywood star has been busy in film and TV since he was a toddler.
Not only is he successful in his career, but he has also been married to his wife Cheryl for nearly 50 years.
Read on to find out more about Howard, his long career, and his marriage!
Ronald Howard was born on March 1, 1954, in Duncan, Oklahoma. He became a Hollywood legend.
At just 18 months old, he appeared in his first film, *Frontier Woman*, and by age two, he made his stage debut in The Seven Year Itch.
Ron Howard’s celebrity journey began with his role on *The Andy Griffith Show* from 1960 to 1968.
During this time, he played Opie, the son of Andy Griffith’s character. Howard had the full support of his parents, who were both in the entertainment industry.
He recalls a conversation with his parents: “Remember how we always said, ‘You can do it if you want, but you don’t have to?’ Well, if you start this, you can’t quit. You don’t have to take other parts on other shows if you don’t want to, but you have to keep doing this one.”
Ron Howard understood his parents’ message, saying, “I think it was pretty clear at that point that I was enjoying it, and I was good at it.”
In fact, he was not just good; he was about to become a huge star.
**Howard’s ‘Happy Days’**
While he was on *The Andy Griffith Show*, Howard also appeared in the 1962 musical film *The Music Man*, which was a big hit.
His natural talent shone again in the 1973 film *American Graffiti*, which also featured stars like Harrison Ford, Richard Dreyfuss, and Cindy Williams, whom he would work with later on.
In 1974, Ron Howard was cast as Richie Cunningham in a new show called *Happy Days*, created by Garry Marshall. The show aired from 1974 to 1984 and became very popular around the world.
*Happy Days* led to several spin-offs, including *Laverne & Shirley*, featuring Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall, and *Mork & Mindy*, starring Robin Williams as the beloved Mork.
**High School Sweetheart**
In 1970, before he won a Golden Globe for his role on *Happy Days*, Howard met his high school sweetheart, Cheryl Alley. They got married in 1975.
“I met her, and there was never anyone else,” Ron Howard said in an interview with *People*. He continued, “She’s unbelievably supportive and always has been. Our compatibility has lasted through many different experiences.”
After 50 years together, 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 wrote, sharing a photo of himself wearing socks with Cheryl’s face on them. “We went to see a re-release of Stanley Kramer’s *It’s a Mad Mad Mad World* and then got some pizza at the now-closed Barnone’s in Toluca Lake. Quite a start, right?”
He also shared their plans for the day: “We’ll be driving in the same ‘70 VW Bug I picked Cheryl up in 50 years ago. It runs great. So do we.”
Cheryl has made several appearances in Howard’s projects, even playing herself on the TV comedy series *Arrested Development*, which he produced and narrated. Speaking with the Television Academy, Ron called Cheryl his “good luck charm,” explaining that’s why she appears in every film he makes.
“At a certain point, I became very superstitious about making sure that she appears, that she’s at least identifiable in one frame,” he said. “They don’t have to be big cameos, but she’s gotta be in there.”
Cheryl not only brings her husband luck but is also a published author with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in screenwriting.
The power couple has four children—daughter Bryce, twins Paige and Jocelyn, and son Reed—and they are also grandparents to six kids.
Bryce is a well-known actor, recognized for her roles in movies like *Jurassic World* and *The Help*. Paige made her feature film debut in *Adventureland* and has since appeared in *The Employer* and *Collection*. Reed is a professional golfer, while Jocelyn, Paige’s twin sister, prefers to keep her life private.
As they approach their 49th anniversary on June 7, the Emmy Award-winning producer emphasizes that “communication” is the key to their lasting love.
“People often ask, ‘How did you do it?’ There’s no special technique,” Howard tells *People*. “The main thing is communication. You have to learn how to talk and have tough conversations in positive ways. There’s also a bit of luck involved because people either grow together or they don’t, and you can’t force that.”
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