Ron Howard Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Ron Howard’s Net Worth and Salary: What Is It?

With a net worth of $200 million, Ron Howard is an accomplished American actor, director, and producer. He began his career at the young age of six, landing a role on the legendary sitcom “The Andy Griffith Show” in 1960. In 1974, he achieved another significant milestone by being cast as Richie Cunningham on the beloved series “Happy Days.”

Transitioning to directing, Howard made his first feature with the low-budget comedy “Grand Theft Auto” in 1977. From these early days, he established himself as a multifaceted director, exploring various genres and creating numerous celebrated films. Some of his most distinguished directorial achievements include the space drama “Apollo 13,” the historical film “A Beautiful Mind”—which earned him the Academy Award for Best Director—and the film adaptation of Dan Brown’s phenomenon “The Da Vinci Code.”

In addition to his directorial successes, Howard has left his mark as a producer. Alongside writer/producer Brian Grazer, he co-founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986, which soon became a prominent entity in the entertainment landscape, recognized for its extensive and varied filmography. Over the years, notable productions from Imagine include the biographic drama “A Beautiful Mind,” the thrilling “The Da Vinci Code,” the musical comedy series “Empire,” and the affectionate television series “Parenthood.” Additionally, the critically acclaimed sitcom “Arrested Development,” which featured narration by Ron, was another highlight of the company’s portfolio.

Early Life

Born Ronald William Howard on March 1, 1954, in Duncan, Oklahoma, he is the firstborn of actress Jean Speegle Howard and director, writer, and actor Rance Howard. His younger sibling, Clint Howard, has also made a name for himself in the acting industry. The family relocated to Hollywood, California, in 1958, residing there for about three years before moving to Burbank. Ron completed his education at John Burroughs High School and briefly attended the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California, though he did not complete his degree.

Acting Career

Starting as a five-year-old in the entertainment realm, Howard’s first credited film role came in 1959 with “The Journey.” He then made appearances in episodes of various shows, including “The DuPont Show with June Allyson,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Dennis the Menace,” “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis,” and “The Cheyenne Show.” In 1960, Ron was cast as Opie Taylor in “The Andy Griffith Show,” portraying the son of the main character throughout all eight seasons. His childhood and teenage film appearances included titles such as “The Music Man” (1962) and “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” (1963), along with guest roles in series like “The Eleventh Hour” (1965), “I Spy” (1966), “The Smith Family” (1968), and “Daniel Boone” (1971-1972),

“M*A*S*H” (1973) and “The Bold Ones: The New Doctors” (1972) were among his early works.

As an adult, one of his initial roles was in George Lucas’s coming-of-age film “American Graffiti” released in 1973. Following that, he portrayed Richie Cunningham in the TV series “Happy Days” and acted alongside John Wayne in the 1976 film “The Shootist.” He later reprised his iconic character, Opie Taylor, in the 1986 TV movie “Return to Mayberry,” which reunited the cast of “The Andy Griffith Show.” Additionally, he participated in two reunion specials for “Happy Days” in 1992 and 2005. In recognition of his contributions, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 2013.

Directing Career

In 1977, Howard made his directorial debut with the comedic action film “Grand Theft Auto,” which had a low budget. He subsequently directed several TV movies before attaining significant success in 1982 with “Night Shift,” featuring Michael Keaton, Shelley Long, and Henry Winkler. Ron has since directed numerous major films such as “Splash” (1984), “Cocoon” (1985), “Willow” (1988), “Parenthood” (1989), “Backdraft” (1991), “Apollo 13” (1995), “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000), “A Beautiful Mind” (2001), “Cinderella Man” (2005), “The Da Vinci Code” (2006), “Angels & Demons” (2009), “Rush” (2013), “In the Heart of the Sea” (2015), and “Inferno” (2016). He premiered his film “Frost/Nixon” at the London Film Festival in 2008. Among the accolades he has received as a director is the 2009 Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award from the Austin Film Festival.

In June 2017, he officially assumed the role of director for the Star Wars prequel “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018). This change came after Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the previous directors, were dismissed for their unwillingness to reach a consensus with Lucasfilm regarding the film’s direction. At his arrival on the project, it was nearly finished, with just three and a half weeks of filming and five weeks of additional shoots remaining.

In November 2020, Ron released his drama film “Hillbilly Elegy” on Netflix. This adaptation of the book by J.D. Vance featured Amy Adams and Glenn Close. His survival drama “Thirteen Lives” was made available on Prime Video in July 2022. Additionally, during the same year, Netflix secured “The Shrinking of Treehorn” from Paramount Pictures, marking Howard’s debut in directing an animated feature.

Business Ventures

In 1985, Ron and Brian Grazer established the film and television production company Imagine Entertainment. Some notable films produced by Imagine include “Friday Night Lights” (2004), “8 Mile” (2002), and “Inside Deep Throat” (2005). The company has also been behind successful series like “24”, “Felicity,” and “Arrested Development.” Interestingly, Howard was the conceptual force behind the Fox/Netflix series “Arrested Development,” where he also served as producer and narrator, portraying a semi-fictionalized version of himself. In 2003, he received the National Medal of Arts for his work.

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Personal Life

Cheryl Alley, now known as Cheryl Howard Crew, married Howard on June 7, 1975. They are parents to four children, including their eldest, Bryce Dallas Howard, who has gained recognition as both an actress and director.

Real Estate

In 2004, the couple acquired a 3,000-square-foot apartment in the prestigious Eldorado Building of New York City for $5.6 million. They invested several additional million into renovations thereafter. In 2017, they put the apartment on the market for $12.5 million, later reducing the price to $11.5 million; however, they were unable to find a buyer and still own the apartment as of now. Additionally, in 2002, they bought a second apartment in NYC for $712,000.

The couple sold their expansive 33-acre lakefront estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, in 2014 for $27.5 million.

In Santa Monica, California, they purchased an ocean-view apartment for $2.75 million in 2006.