Ron Howard found fame in front of the camera at an early age, portraying Opie Taylor on “The Andy Griffith Show” before starring on “Happy Days.”
But during an interview with Graham Bensinger, Howard admitted his rise to the top as one of the world’s most coveted directors wasn’t an easy climb.
As he worked on “Happy Days,” Howard said he was losing patience not being able to fulfill his true dreams of becoming a filmmaker.
A rumor was put to rest that Ron’s first vision was creating a wild new version of an old character.
“How much truth is there really to “Opie Gets Laid,” Bensinger asked.
Ron Howard considered making questionable moves in his early days as a filmmaker. (Michael Tran)
“Well, it’s true that it went through my mind,” Howard said. “It endured as a serious idea for probably about two-and-a-half to three seconds.”
“The entire time that I was under contract and doing ‘Happy Days,’ my dream was to be a filmmaker. I felt like the clock was kind of ticking on me,” Howard said.
“I had lost patience with not being able to devote, you know, all of my energies to making that transition and giving that it’s chance.”
“The Andy Griffith Show” starred Andy Griffith as Sheriff Andy Taylor, Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle, Ron Howard as Opie Taylor and Don Knotts as Deputy Barney Fife in ‘The Andy Griffith Show’, circa 1963. (Silver Screen Productions)
His filmmaker brother, Clint Howard, laughed at the mere idea coming to fruition.
“‘Opie Gets Laid’ would have probably made Ron a million dollars, and he could have gone off and made a movie,” Clint said.
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“I’m glad he steered away from that because I don’t think anybody really wanted to see Opie get laid.”
Ron’s daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard, was grateful her father chose a different career path. ( Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Ron’s daughter, “Jurassic World” star Bryce Dallas Howard, was also grateful her father didn’t make the film.
“A lot of times in life, I’ll think about the fact that my dad has a public profile that isn’t embarrassing. It’s massive,” she said.
“I mean, if he would have done ‘Opie Gets Laid,’ I wouldn’t be in business.”
Ron later said that the flick was a “good joke, great for ‘The Letterman Show.’”
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