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The best Ron Howard movies and TV shows feature a mix of dramas and big-budget action flicks, as well as plenty of Oscar notice for his work. Howard got his start as a child actor, working on the classic sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, where he played Griffith's son Opie. That led to him working with George Lucas on American Graffiti and then becoming a major star thanks to his role as Richie Cunningham on Happy Days.
However, Howard became a star thanks to his work as a top-tier director. He directed his first movie in 1977 while still working as an actor on Happy Days. That film was Grand Theft Auto, and he finally made his full-time move to directing thanks to the success of the 1994 Tom Hanks film Splash. Over his career, Howard has won two Oscars and six Emmy Awards for his work, and he continues to make successful movies as he enters his 70s.
10 Cinderella Man (2005)
Ron Howard Is The Director
Cinderella Man, directed by Ron Howard, stars Russell Crowe as boxer James J. Braddock, whose comeback during the Great Depression inspires a nation. Renée Zellweger plays his supportive wife Mae, while Paul Giamatti portrays his loyal manager Joe Gould. The film follows Braddock's journey from washed-up fighter to unexpected champion, capturing the era's struggles and hopes.
Release Date June 2, 2005
Studio(s) Universal Pictures , MiraMax , Imagine Entertainment , Brian Grazer Productions , Parkway Productions
Runtime 144 Minutes
In 2005, Ron Howard re-teamed with Russell Crowe four years after Howard won an Oscar for directing Crowe in A Beautiful Mind. This film was a second biopic for the duo, as Crowe plays heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock, whose nickname was The Cinderella Man. The movie starts with Braddock being forced to retire after breaking his hand, which forces him into manual labor just as the Great Depression hit the United States.
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When he gets a chance to return to boxing and discovers his broken right hand made him more proficient using his left hand, he attempts a comeback to help pull his family back out of poverty. Before long, he finds his story is helping give other Americans who have fallen on hard times hope for the future. Critics praised the film and Crowe's performance, giving it an 80% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the movie earned three Oscar nominations.
9 Happy Days (1974-1984)
Ron Howard Plays Richie Cunningham
Happy Days is a television series set in the 1950s and 1960s, exploring the lives of the Cunningham family and their friends in Milwaukee. Starring Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham and Henry Winkler as Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli, the show captures the essence of mid-20th century American life. Premiering in 1974, it enjoys iconic status for its nostalgic portrayal of teenage life and family dynamics.
Release Date January 15, 1974
Seasons 11
Before Ron Howard was a director, he was a child actor. He got his start as Opie on The Andy Griffith Show and then moved on as a young adult to the role of Richie Cunningham on the sitcom Happy Days. Airing from 1974 to 1984, the sitcom showed life in the late 1950s and early 1960s and focused on the Cunningham family, two loving parents, and their two kids (Joanie and Richie). It also showcased Richie's friends and the very cool Greaser known as The Fonz (Henry Winkler).
While The Fonz ended up as the series' breakout character and its most popular star, Richie Cunningham was the actual lead, the prototypical American teenager of that era trying to get through life while dealing with school, family, and social pressure. The series lasted for 11 seasons and 255 episodes, and eventually, Howard left as a main character, with Fonzie taking his spot at the top.
8 Splash (1984)
Ron Howard Is The Director
Splash is a romantic comedy directed by Ron Howard, featuring Tom Hanks as Allen Bauer and Daryl Hannah as Madison. Released in 1984, the film tells the story of a man who falls in love with a mysterious woman who is secretly a mermaid. Portraying themes of love and identity, Splash integrates elements of fantasy and humor, supported by notable performances from John Candy and Eugene Levy.
Release Date March 9, 1984
Runtime 111 minutes
Ron Howard had a couple of minor successes as a director before 1984, but it was Splash that put him on the map. The movie is a romantic fantasy with Tom Hanks starring as a man named Allen who realizes that a childhood encounter with a mermaid was real. This happens when he meets a mermaid again as an adult and the two fall in love. Daryl Hannah stars as Madison, the mermaid.
It was a minor box office hit, but it earned an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy.
This film proved to be a big success for Howard. It was a minor box office hit, but it earned an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy. Daryl Hannah also won a Saturn Award for Best Actress. The film also received a sequel released on TV with no one from the original returning, and there have been rumors of a remake possibly coming down the line.
7 Willow (1988)
Ron Howard Is The Director
In Ron Howard's 1988 fantasy film, the titular Willow (Warwick Davis) must go on a quest to protect a human baby from the clutches of the evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh) with the help of mercenary Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) and a cast of other colorful fantasy characters. Although it never quite achieved cult-classic status, the movie did launch Davis' career, and led to the creation of a sequel television series on Disney+ in 2022.
Release Date May 20, 1988
Distributor(s) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Runtime 126 minutes
In 1988, Ron Howard directed what is easily his most fantastical movie as he helmed the fantasy adventure film Willow. Val Kilmer takes the lead role as Madmartigan, a mercenary swordsman who agrees to help the Nelwyn sorcerer Willow Ufgood on his quest. Warwick Davis stars as Willow, and Joanne Whalley stars as Sorsha, a warrior who ends up falling in love with Madmartigan during their journey,
George Lucas initially came up with the story idea and asked Ron Howard if he wanted to direct the film. It ended up being a box office success, making $137 million on a $35 million budget (via Box Office Mojo) and receiving mostly critical praise. It also earned two Oscar nominations (Sound Effects Editing and Visual Effects). The movie has since become a cult classic and even had a TV show sequel that arrived 34 years later on Disney+ streaming.
6 Parenthood (1989)
Ron Howard Is The Director
Parenthood
Release Date July 31, 1989
Runtime 124 minutes
Ron Howard took on a more personal film in 1989 when he directed the family drama Parenthood. The film was based on Howard's experience as a parent, along with producer Brian Glazer and screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel. Steve Martin stars in the film as Gil Buckman, a sales executive and father of three who begins to question his role as a dad when he learns that they all need to seek psychological counseling.
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Critics loved the film, praising its cast and story and awarding it a 92% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It also received two Oscar nominations (Best Supporting Actress for Dianne Wiest and Best Original Song) and three Golden Globe nominations (Best Actor for Steve Martin, Best Supporting Actress for Dianne Wiest, and Best Original Song). On top of that, it received two different TV show spinoffs, with the second becoming very popular and lasting for six seasons.
5 American Graffiti (1977)
Ron Howard Plays Steve Bolander
American Graffiti is a coming-of-age film directed by George Lucas in 1973. Produced by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, Paul Le Mat, and Charles Martin Smith, the movie centers on a group of teenagers on the last night of summer vacation before they head off to college and begin their adult lives.
Release Date August 1, 1973
Distributor(s) Universal Pictures
Runtime 110minutes
George Lucas called upon Ron Howard to direct his fantasy movie Willow, but a decade before that, Howard was acting in a Lucas-helmed movie. Lucas has made almost nothing but Star Wars movies over his career, but his first two films were outside of the galaxy far away. His second film was also the only non-sci-fi movie that Lucas made, a love letter to the 1960s rock and roll culture.
It was also one of Howard's rare movie leading roles.
Ron Howard stars in American Graffiti as Steve Bolander, a high school graduate who loves cars, cruising, and rock and roll. The film takes place right after high school and follows four friends trying to find their way in the world. This was likely why Howard was cast in Happy Days, as both take place around the same era. It was also one of Howard's rare movie leading roles. The Library of Congress added it to the National Film Registry in 1995.
4 Frost/Nixon (2008)
Ron Howard Is The Director
Frost/Nixon is a historical drama directed by Ron Howard, focusing on the infamous interviews between British television host David Frost and former U.S. President Richard Nixon. The film explores the intense behind-the-scenes negotiations and the eventual on-air confrontation that sought to address the Watergate scandal. Michael Sheen stars as Frost, with Frank Langella portraying Nixon in a gripping tale of political accountability and journalistic integrity.
Release Date January 23, 2009
Character(s) Richard Nixon , David Frost , Jack Brennan , James Reston Jr. , John Birt , Bob Zelnick , Caroline Cushing , Swifty Lazar
Runtime 122 Minutes
Seven years after winning the Best Director Oscar for A Beautiful Mind, Ron Howard was nominated for a second Oscar for Best Director, this time for a very different biopic. Frost/Nixon tells the story of the famous one-on-one interview between journalist David Frost and disgraced former United States President Richard Nixon after the Watergate scandal. The film was based on a stage play, and Howard directed it very similarly to the play.
Frank Langella stars as Nixon, while Michael Sheen plays Frost in this critically acclaimed biopic. Critics praised it, awarding it a Certified Fresh 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It also earned five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing, but it didn't win any of them. That said, the film was not a box office success, barely making back its budget.
3 A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Ron Howard Is The Director
A Beautiful Mind is a biographical drama depicting the life of renowned mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr., portrayed by Russell Crowe. Released in 2001, the film follows Nash's groundbreaking contributions to his field and his struggle with schizophrenia, capturing his profound impact on mathematics and personal resilience.
Release Date January 4, 2002
Runtime 135 Minutes
In 2001, Ron Howard teamed up with Russell Crowe for the biopic A Beautiful Mind. This was a complex movie about a complex man, John Nash, who was a brilliant mathematician who sought psychiatric help to deal with schizophrenia.A Beautiful Mind fictionalized his struggles as it invented a storyline where he had vivid hallucinations and had personal and extensive relationships with people who only existed in his mind.
It earned eight Oscar nominations, with Ron Howard winning for Best Director and the film winning for Best Picture.
While not completely accurate, the film received high critical acclaim and was a huge box office success, making over $313 million worldwide on a $58 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). It earned eight Oscar nominations, with Ron Howard winning for Best Director and the film winning for Best Picture. Jenniffer Connelly also won Best Supporting Actress, and Akiva Goldsman won Best Screenplay. This award was Howard's first-ever Oscar win for directing.
2 Arrested Development (2003-2019)
Ron Howard Plays The Narrator
Arrested Development is a comedy TV series that chronicles the descent from the wealth of the fictional Bluth Family. Michael Bluth, the most "well-adjusted" of the group, decides to break away from the family and let them fall into ruin after his father is imprisoned for real estate fraud. Despite his attempts, Michael tries to protect his family - from themselves - as he tries to settle his family's affairs and clear them of wrongdoing while caring for his teenaged son.
Release Date March 15, 2019
Seasons 5
Showrunner Mitchell Hurwitz
One of Ron Howard's most iconic roles was playing the voice of the narrator in the hit sitcom Arrested Development. It was an interesting role because no one saw Howard (outside of a cameo as himself in eight episodes), yet he was heard in every single episode of the series as he narrated the events happening in every season. Arrested Development follows the Bluth family after patriarch George Sr. goes to jail.
The series lasted for three seasons before Fox canceled it. Netflix brought it back in 2013 for the first part of a fourth season and then in 2018 to finish that off before finishing things off with a fifth season. The series struggled with its ratings early on but has since become a cult classic and is often called one of the best sitcoms in television history. It went on to win six Primetime Emmys and one Golden Globe Award.
1 Apollo 13 (1995)
Ron Howard Is The Director
Ron Howard directed this iconic Science Fiction film released in 1995. Starring a powerhouse cast of Tom Hanks, Ed Harris, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, and Bill Paxton, the story sees a band of Astronauts attempting to make it back home from a Moon-bound mission when their equipment fails.
Release Date June 30, 1995
Distributor(s) Universal Pictures
Runtime 140 Minutes
The best movie Ron Howard ever directed arrived in 1995 with Apollo 13. The film tells the true story of the 1970 Apollo 13 lunar mission and the difficulties the shuttle had when attempting to return to Earth. The main characters include the three astronauts on the ship: Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon), and Fred Haise (Bill Paxton). Gary Sinise and Ed Harris share the spotlight as the men on the ground.
The movie was a monster hit, making $355 million on a $52 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). It was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Screenplay. Although this was his most successful and beloved biopic, Ron Howard didn't earn an Oscar nomination for directing the film. The Library of Congress added it to the National Film Registry in 2023.
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