Ron Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. In 1960, when he was just six yeas old, Ron was cast on what would become the iconic sitcom "The Andy Griffith Show." In 1974 he landed a second soon-to-be-iconic television role, that of Richie Cunningham on "Happy Days." Howard made his directorial debut with the low-budget comedy "Grand Theft Auto" in 1977. Some of his most notable directorial works include the space drama "Apollo 13," the historical drama "A Beautiful Mind" – which won him the Academy Award for Best Director – and the adaptation of Dan Brown's bestseller "The Da Vinci Code." Together with writer/producer Brian Grazer, he co-founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986. Notable Imagine productions over the years span a wide range of genres and mediums, from the biographical drama "A Beautiful Mind" and the gripping thriller "The Da Vinci Code" to the musical comedy series "Empire" and the heartwarming TV show "Parenthood." Howard married Cheryl Alley on June 7, 1975. She is now a writer who goes by Cheryl Howard Crew. They have four children, the oldest of whom, Bryce Dallas Howard, is also a notable actress and director. He graduated from John Burroughs High School, and later attended the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.