Watching the series again I am stuck by how good an actor Ron Howard was! He was the same likable "Every Man" type like Tom Hanks and Michael J Fox. If he had decided to delay his directing career could he have had continued success as an actor?

Absolutely! I think so. Mainly because his character Richie Cunningham was so likeable. He was a great actor on "Happy Days". I'm really happy for him that his directing career has taken off so well, but it would be nice to see him act again. I laugh every time I think of that scene in Happy Days where Tom Hanks is trying to fight Fonzie wearing the karate outfit. All I can think of is that Ron Howard directed Tom in "Apollo 13"! I love that movie!

Andrea

I think Ron Howard chose NOT to be a movie star. He had been acting since he was a toddler, had grown weary of being in front of the camera, and had aspirations to be a director by the end of "The Andy Griffith Show".

I believe he went to UCLA film school just before doing American Graffiti and Happy Days.

At the height of his Happy Days fame he starred in two B-movie "Drive in" movies: Eat My Dust, and Grand Theft Auto. These were B-movie mogul, Roger Corman, productions.

One of the clauses for doing Grand Theft Auto was that Howard would get to direct it as well as starring in it. Corman agreed and allowed Howard to direct the movie. Hence, a major director was born in Ron Howard.

Marion Ross also stars in Grand Theft Auto and in one scene gives "the finger" to a police officer. Shame on Mrs. C!

You have completely misunderstood my question. Obviously Ron did not want to become a movie star. No, my question was whether audiences would have accepted him as one if he had chosen to take that path.

I think he could have. He did star in one classic movie...American Grafitti.

I know Ron loved directing, but what I always found odd was that he completely abandoned acting to direct. As opposed to Clint Eastwood, Sean Penn, Mel Gibson, Forest Whitaker and some other artists who direct movies that they don't cast themselves in, but still act time to time as well because they know as much as the audience loves them as a director, the audience loves them even more in front of the camera.

I think he could have. He did star in one classic movie...American Grafitti.
:yeahthat:

I know Ron loved directing, but what I always found odd was that he completely abandoned acting to direct. As opposed to Clint Eastwood, Sean Penn, Mel Gibson, Forest Whitaker and some other artists who direct movies that they don't cast themselves in, but still act time to time as well because they know as much as the audience loves them as a director, the audience loves them even more in front of the camera.

Maybe Ron didn't want to wear a hot toupe, this way directing he can go au natural.:lol:

well if Clint Howard can be a movie star, I'm sure Ron would've been an even bigger star.

well if Clint Howard can be a movie star, I'm sure Ron would've been an even bigger star.

I wouldn't classify Clint Howard as a movie star IMHO; sure he has been in many movies, but mostly as a supporting actor. As for Ron, I think he made the right decision when he chose to be a director. He wanted to direct so badly that he even offered Roger Corman to direct "Grand Theft Auto" for free :eek: ! I think he would have done good as an actor, but I don't picture him being in "leading man" roles.

Yeah he could have been. His exceptional acting in Happy Days & in American Graffiti, along Richard Dreyfus, as somebody previously mentioned, attributes to the discussion of whether or not he could of been a good one. I believe he would have been a great actor, if had the path he had chosen.