Oh, Happy Days! Get to Know Ron Howard's 4 Kids

The child star-turned-director has raised his famous family mostly out of the limelight.

Ron Howard, 69, first became famous as a child actor, portraying Opie on TV’s The Andy Griffith Show in the 1960s and later Richie Cunningham on Happy Days in the '70s, but grew up to become a movie director whose critically acclaimed films include Apollo 13, The Da Vinci Code, Frost/Nixon, A Beautiful Mind and Rush.

With all of the TV credits and movies on his resume, let's just say Howard has likely been singing "Sunday Monday happy days" for a very long time.

In 1989, the actor and director relayed a story to David Letterman about the moment he realized he was in a high-earning field. It was 1966 at the conclusion of a heated contract battle between Dodgers players Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. "When I saw what they signed for...I went down and took a piece of paper and figured out what I made during the course of a year, and I made like $5,000 more than Sandy. It made me sad. I didn't feel like I could possibly deserve more than Sandy." In 1966, Howard was 11!

That makes it sound like money has never been an issue for Howard, but he didn't let his fortune and influence go to his head. He and his wife of 47 years and high school sweetheart, Cheryl Howard, successfully raised four children out of the Hollywood limelight in Greenwich, Connecticut.

"You can’t pretend you’re living on subsistence on a farm when you actually have affluence and possibilities," he told Parade. "I think, at times, we probably tried to ignore our affluence. You can’t do that. You have to come to terms with your situation. That doesn’t mean you can’t convey some of your parents’ principals... But mostly children are who they are from the time they’re born."

And Howard is certainly proud of his four children. He says he's happiest "when something in my kids’ life clicks and comes together in a way that I haven’t had anything to do with. If there’s a highlight moment for them, that is probably the most satisfying sensation that I can feel."

All four of Ron Howard's children have middle names associated with the location where the child was conceived—Bryce Dallas (the city, obviously), twins Paige and Jocelyn share Carlyle (as in the Carlyle Hotel in NYC) and Reed Cross (the street where the family lived in London.)

Related: In the Director's Chair With Ron Howard

Who is Ron Howard’s wife?

Ron Howard is married to Cheryl Howard, his wife of almost five decades. The two met as teenagers when he was a junior at John Burroughs High School in Burbank, Calif. In an Instagram post, he said they went on their first date on Nov. 1, 1970. They were married June 7, 1975. He has said that he fell for her almost immediately. “I met her, and there was never anybody else,” he told People in 2019.

Who are Ron Howard’s kids?

Bryce Dallas Howard

Bryce Dallas Howard was born March 2, 1981. She is Ron and Cheryl Howard's oldest daughter. Following in her father's footsteps, the graduate of NYU's prestigious Tisch School of Arts has more than 40 acting credits to her name. She's appeared in huge blockbusters from Spider-Man 3 to Terminator Salvation, as well as the Jurassic World franchise. And don't forget her turn as villainous Hillary “Hilly” Walters Holbrook in the Oscar-winning films The Help.

Bryce is married to actor Seth Gabel. They wed in 2006 and share two adorable kiddos: Theodore and Beatrice.

Paige Carlyle Howard

Fraternal twin daughters Paige and Jocelyn Howard were born Feb. 5, 1985. Like her big sister, Paige also attended Tisch School of the Arts. She has appeared in guest starring roles on TV shows like Medium and 90210. In 2009, Paige made her feature film debut as Sue O’Malley in the 2009 in the comedy Adventureland. She's also done voice work, including nine episodes of The Astronauts.

Paige married artist and actor Timmy Abou Nasr on May 1, 2022. Paige's father officiated the ceremony that her sister called "a truly magical day."

Related: 'I've Grown More Because I'm a Father' Ron Howard Thoughts on Parenthood

Jocelyn Carlyle Howard

Also born Feb 5, 1985, Jocelyn Carlyle Howard is Ron Howard's other twin daughter. She stays out of the limelight so we don't know too much about her. But we do she has three children.

Reed Cross Howard

Ron Howard's only son Reed Cross Howard was born April 12, 1987. He appeared on his dad’s show Arrested Development in 2018. Aside from that, Reed is also an avid golfer and shows off his skills on his Instagram.

Reed is married to Ashley Howard. They share a daughter named Aspen Leigh.

How many grandchildren does Ron Howard have?

At last count, Ron and Cheryl have six grandchildren. Bryce Dallas Howard has two children. Reed Cross Howard has one son, and daughter, Jocelyn Carlyle Howard, has three children.

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