Ron Howard (1) (1954–)

I don't usually read celeb bios, but THE BOYS, by Ron Howard & Clint Howard, was a library sale find for just a buck, and hey, it's about Opie Taylor and Richie Cunningham, so I snatched it up. And I thoroughly enjoyed the story of the Howard brothers and their loving parents, Oklahomans Rance and Joyce. Turns out Ron is pretty much a lot lot like Richie. I especially enjoyed learning about his years as Opie on the Andy Griffith Show. And, later, about his growing impatience as an actor and show more his burning desire to direct - that was pretty fascinating too. Oh, and what he had to say about his goober-ish courtship of his wife, that was fun. And I especially admired the boys' parents, their Midwestern work ethic and the down-to-earth way they raised their sons. I should probably say more about Clint's side of the story, but he didn't come off nearly as likable as Ron. Five years younger than Ron, less ambitious and less successful, he drifted into drugs and booze in his teen years, causing his parents, I'm sure, a lot of grief. But he got clean in his thirties, and the brothers remain close to this day. The subtitle, "A Memoir of Hollywood and Family," is accurate, because as big a name Ron Howard is, there is just as much about his family here as there is about his career. A well-written, very entertaining read. If you were a fan, you'll love it. Well done, "Boys." Very highly recommended.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER show less

As celebrity memoirs go, this is fairly tame. No big scandals, no tell-all about other celebrities. Aside from Clint's addictions, (he's now sober), this is just a simple, sweet story about a family of working actors. Both Ron and Clint started acting when they were very young, their careers for a while eclipsing their father's.

The book covers the years when their parents met and fell in love, through The Boys' acting and growing up in Hollywood, to the beginning of Ron's directing career. show more The structure of the book works really well, with alternating views of the authors, including asides/interruptions by the other, giving the feeling of sitting with the two of them as they tell their story. What resonated most for me is that other than being in show biz, the Howard family was normal and relatable. The book is a delight. show less

What a delight this memoir is! Especially for anyone growing up watching Ron and Clint Howard on television, it is a real treat to get backstage insight to their growing-up years. With a candid look at their parents and themselves, the boys tell readers what life was like for the whole family. It wasn’t always easy. Tough decisions, sacrifices for others, dogged pursuing of roles, and more are all laid out in this memoir. Though good things happened for both the brothers, there were still show more disappointments for each, especially as they got older. Each had to chose where his future success would be. For Ron, it was undoubtedly directing. For Clint, it was becoming a character actor. Ron’s path seemed smooth, but it was not without some troubles. Clint’s path was really rocky, made that way by his own indulgences to drugs. But both seem to have achieved what they sought, and now have a fulfilled and happy life. It was so nice to read about a Hollywood family who supported each other in the business, and in Ron’s case, is still married to his high school sweetheart, 46 years later. Listen to the audio version, narrated by Ron and Clint Howard - it’s a great performance by both. show less

I realised on rewatch this movie's in the (surprisingly rare for me) category where the theatre experience is tough to replicate -- partially because you know how it all ends up, but also partially because the magnificent Vatican architecture just doesn't awe as much on a home screen. Still, the movie's quite good, particularly because of McGregor's magnetic performance (helped by the fact that the repeated visual contrast of the black cassock against the splendid Vatican backdrop is show more amazing). It doesn't really capture the complexity of the novel (though it makes valiant attempts), and while Hanks is as always captivatingly likable, he comes off as a bit too stereotypically cocksure Hollywood hero who knows and can eveything without much input or help. This is not the case in the novel, where his input is frequently important, but spurred on by the knowledge and ideas of others, and you frequently feel his desperation and feelings of inadequacy. But these are quibbles on an entertaining movie, and this remains my favourite Langdon film. show less