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Home , Brian Grazer, Cinderella Man, Don Knotts, Rance Howard

Marcel Hartmann/Sygma/Corbis Hollywood How to Be t have taught him him taught have in the 50 the years in movie business business movie e he and, of course, course, of and, how to handle handle to how actors, studios studios actors, ’s Howard’s Ron a little drama. drama. little a Guy by Amy Anderson Anderson Amy by Nicest Nicest

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Success January 2011 January

47 Nicest Guy in Hollywood

Years of Film Born on March 1, 1954, Ron Howard started his Most of us have heard Ron Howard’s laugh. Think back to just that, in a business that often throws up roadblocks, as many of those entertainment career at an early about any episode of when the Fonz says something as possible are going to be cleared away.” age. Here, some highlights embarrassing to Howard’s character, teenage Richie Cunningham, Howard says he strives to treat people with respect. This approach from a life in film. who shuffles his feet and laughs with a breathy, nervous naiveté. allows him the freedom to put his foot down from time to time

Or recall the old black-and-white episodes of The without causing uproar. “People know that I’m a good listener and 1960-1968 Plays Opie Taylor in the Show, when Howard played Sheriff Andy Taylor’s enthusiastic son that I’m eager to include people’s creative ideas when I believe they’re 1969 Shoots his first short films with a Super-8 camera Opie, throwing his auburn head back in laughter at the fumbling in harmony with the needs of the project. So knowing all of that, 1973 Don Knotts. I find that people are willing to accept a no from me more readily Plays Steve Bolander in American Graffiti Ron Howard’s laugh is familiar; it’s easy, uninhibited, and even a because they also understand that I’m very eager to say yes and 1974-1980 Plays Richie Cunningham in Happy Days, which little bit self-effacing; it makes us laugh right along with him. include their ideas.” earns him a 1978 Golden Globe Today, as an Oscar-winning director and co-chairman of Imagine That’s right; the nice guy says no. His filmography illustrates his Movie Master 1975 Marries high school sweetheart Cheryl Alley, with Howard, pictured bottom right with younger whom he has four children Entertainment, Howard directs movies that stick in the public’s ability to bring real human drama, even darkness, to life on screen. brother Clint and father in 1963, imagination just as much as his infectious smile. He credits his His portfolio, which includes some of the most popular films of the egister/Corbis has translated lessons he learned as a boy on 1976 Plays Gillom Rogers in The Shootist starring John directing approach, and much of the joy he still finds in filmmaking, past 25 years, is a mix of comedy, drama and suspense. He won an set at The Andy Griffith Show and as a young Wayne and Lauren Bacall man starring with in Happy Days 1977 to his early days as a young actor on The Andy Griffith Show. Academy Award for Best Director for A Beautiful Mind, a drama star- into an Oscar-winning career as director and Makes directorial debut with Grand Theft Auto, in which he also plays Sam Freeman “That was a very unique environment,” Howard says. “It was ring ; Emmys for his role as producer on the producer. His work has extended to nearly 25 incredibly productive, but it was also fun. And Andy Griffith, to be and the miniseries From the Earth to the Moon; years of filmmaking as well as television projects, 1982 Directs Night Shift including miniseries From the Earth to the Moon, honest, set a tremendous example without ever lecturing or offering and a Golden Globe for his acting on Happy Days in 1974. co-produced with partner , above, 1984 Directs Splash a word of advice. Basically, he demonstrated a creative integrity Over the course of his directing career, Howard has worked with and Tom Hanks, below. 1985 Directs Cocoon

about the work…. It did not mean that people had to wander around stellar actors, such as Glenn Close, Russell Crowe, Robert Duvall, Kevin Sullivan/Orange County R 1986 with a furrowed brow, chain smoking and kicking furniture, in order Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, Robert De Niro, and even the incompa- Directs Gung Ho to bring something that was really personal and creatively exciting rable Bette Davis. 1988 Directs Willow to the public.” 1989 Directs Parenthood Howard worked on the set of from the The Andy Griffith Show The Uncomfortable Conversation 1991 Directs Backdraft age of 6 to 14. His experiences solidified into a foundation for his Howard directed his last made-for-TV movie, Skyward, in 1980. 1992 directing today. “That’s the kind of environment that I try to create, Bette Davis was the star, and in an interview for the Encore Movie Directs and produces and it’s the way I work,” he says. “So I’m not a person that flourishes Channel series The Directors, Howard says Davis liked the script. But 1994 Directs The Paper in an environment of conflict. I’ve learned to cope with hot situa- she did not like the idea of answering to a 26-year-old director. “She 1995 Directs Apollo 13 tions, but it’s not something that I find stimulating.” kept referring to me as Mr. Howard,” he says. 1996 Directs Ransom

He spoke to her on the phone before the shooting started. “I said, BC via Getty Images

A 1998 ‘Miss Davis, please call me Ron.’ And she said, ‘No, I’ll call you Wins Emmy as producer for the miniseries From the A Sense of Fairness Earth to the Moon FP/Getty Images FP/Getty

In Hollywood, conflict would seem par for the course. It’s not Mr. Howard until I decide whether I like you or not.’ And then she A rchives/ 1999 known as the land of nice guys. It’s known as the land of egos. The hung up.” Directs and produces EdTV land of divas. And sometimes, the land of money first and people Howard spent a few sleepless nights before the first day on set, 2000 Directs and produces How the Grinch Stole Christmas BC Photo A Tiziana Fabi/ Tiziana last. But Howard has maintained a reputation for being one of the worrying he wouldn’t be a match for the formidable Miss Davis. A 2001 Directs and produces A Beautiful Mind, nicest guys in the business. His father, actor Rance Howard, told him what all actors want, which earns him the Best Director Oscar “He’s wise,” Happy Days co-star and longtime friend Henry legendary or not, is to feel like the director supports them and is 2003 Directs The Missing making sure they give their best performance. Winkler has said. “He was wise when I first met him. I think he’s an 2004 Wins Emmy as producer of the TV series Arrested old soul. There is this wonderful sense of fairness in Ron.” One day, in the middle of a scene, Davis stopped rehearsing Development People who work with Howard notice that fairness. And it’s inten- and said that Howard’s direction wouldn’t work. “She said it really 2005 Directs and produces tional. “As a director, I try to create an environment where people loud so the crew could hear,” Howard says. “And I said, ‘Well, Miss 2006 feel they can creatively flourish, where they can excel, and that Davis, just try it.’ ” So, after a few final objections, she tried it. And Directs The Da Vinci Code creates a lot of confidence and an ongoing dialogue and a kind of it worked. 2008 Directs and produces Frost/Nixon creative excitement that I can, as the director, really work with and Davis knew it and told Howard so. That evening, when filming 2009 Directs and produces Angels & Demons FP/Getty Images

help shape and focus,” he says. “But nobody’s operating out of fear or had wrapped for the day, Howard recalls saying his customary A 2011 Directs and produces anxiety as much as they are a kind of creative excitement and a belief goodbyes to the cast, including Davis. “And she said, ‘OK, Ron, see Press ssociated A

48 Success January 2011 Carl de Souza/ Success January 2011 49 Nicest Guy in Hollywood

you tomorrow.’ She literally patted me on Earning His Place morning by 7:45, I’ve got my list of from 23 to the ass and went off to her limousine.” As a young director, Howard overcame 56 setups that we have to do. And I’m starting objections from prominent people Thanks to those early experiences, in the industry and persevered to to talk to the assistant director and the Howard learned to tackle conflict in working create a name for himself and a cinematographer about the order in which relationships head-on. “When you do hit lasting film legacy. His father, actor we should shoot them. It’s a fluid thing; it Rance Howard, shown at right on the a roadblock with an individual, I almost set of Gung Ho, has been a source of changes all day long, but I have a plan. always find that it can be worked through via inspiration and encouragement during “I never did that in my life,” he says with a just applying logic to the situation,” he says. challenging times. laugh. “I’m sad to say it was only about three “Even though I don’t like confrontations, years ago that I realized, Wow, I could make I find that when you sense that trouble is a shot list for my daily life. And I do now and brewing, you try to grasp it, you try to under- it does help. I get a lot more done,” he says, stand it, [even] if you have to ask a few ques- laughing again. tions of other people to try to get some sense This practice of planning, of getting of what’s going on. As soon as you think you focused on what’s important, has helped understand, at all, go to the source, and don’t Howard develop a process for dealing with be afraid to have the uncomfortable conver- problems as they arise in the course of a sation. And if there is a difference of opinion, workday. “You know those tense, tense days work it out with respect.” when you’re spinning a lot of plates, some- But when it comes to the final cut, Howard thing’s going horribly wrong and you are says, “It’s not a democracy.” struggling with it and it’s just miserable and “Once in a while, there has to be a parting shitty? I learned a long time ago that if I would of the ways. And, you know, I’ve let people just take a moment and sit down and say, go. But not a lot. I haven’t had to. I think ‘All right, this is miserable, but what is my people know I would and that I do. I job today? I don’t like much of what’s going think I’m viewed as fair but probably not on right now, but right now, this moment, a pushover.” what are my tasks? And if I can identify the most important task, what is it?’ And then just go do it. Whether it’s trying to keep an The Noise of a actor who’s concerned about the script from Thousand Crises withdrawing from the project or whether Despite the conflict inherent in a collab- it’s trying to work with the studio to solve orative process, Howard says he finds a great a budget problem or whether it’s to try to deal of fun in the planning of a film. “That’s creatively deal with the fact that you just lost not solitary work, usually,” he says. “Those a location that you need to shoot in the next are meetings, those are conversations. You’re day. Whatever it is that feels crummy and out scouting locations, you’re in rehearsals hopeless, if you can just address it and say, with actors and writers, and you’re huddled ‘This is all I can do today; this is what I’m around an art table with a bunch of story- supposed to do today.’ Whatever it is, it helps board artists or special effects teams. I find me to identify that and do that and not let the that to be fun. It’s stimulating. There are noise of a thousand crises overwhelm me.” usually a lot of laughs, and often you really Of course, solving a problem isn’t always end the day feeling that you’ve achieved as simple as doing the next thing. Sometimes, something, you’ve solved something; you’ve it takes extended effort; sometimes it calls on elevated your project.” us to go above and beyond. Howard, while But behind all that fun are some daily best planning for Apollo 13, had the opportunity to ssociated Press

practices that set Howard up for success. A spend a lot of time with NASA engineers and “Well, I’m a fairly disorganized person in astronauts talking about the real Apollo 13 life, and I’m extremely organized when I’m crisis that required everyone involved to work working. I realize that my practice of making heroically for days, trying to save the lives of

shot lists is very, very thorough, so that in the Keith B. Srakocic/ the astronauts in space.

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“I think I’m viewed as fair but He’s a Nice Guy “I had the chance to interview many, you do? How would you tell them? What Don’t believe us? Here’s what some many people, both from Mission Control would the fallout be?” Howard explains. and also the astronauts, [Jim] Lovell and “And I could see at this one dinner party that probably other people have said about Oscar- [Fred] Haise,” he says. “And they kept people were completely energized by the winning director Ron Howard. talking about ‘work the problem.’ ” conversation. It wasn’t a bummer. It yielded Howard incorporated that line into the laughs; you know, people bared their feel- not a “He’s just unflappable. I mean he honestly Apollo 13 script. “The reason that they use ings. It really made the dinner incredibly is. I’ve seen Ron get angry at something that, the reason that’s a kind of a mantra for lively, so I felt like it’s a rare thing that can not being done right, but never to the point pushover.” them—it’s a little bit like my thing, ‘What’s be genuinely entertaining and stimulate that that it stops work, you know. He doesn’t my job today?’ It’s basically—as Jim Lovell kind of response.” throw temper tantrums. Never that I’ve explained to me—that as a test pilot, you’re In addition to “giving people something seen. He doesn’t scream at anybody, he trained that you could crash your plane to kick around and chew on, on the way doesn’t yell at anybody. It all runs pretty and die on one of these test flights. That home,” Howard seeks out scripts that are well because he’s done his homework. happens. But if you crash, you’d better crash often edgy, sometimes funny, grounded in And at those times when intangible things flipping switches and trying to figure it out. reality and framed with elements of “relat- come up, he doesn’t let it faze him.” Because every once in a while somebody able, honest drama.” Tom Hanks, actor in Splash, Apollo 13, figures it out 10 feet from the ground. So that “I think that as an actor I was correctly The Da Vinci Code, and Angels & Demons; notion of clear out the bullshit and work the typecast,” he says of his youthful roles. executive producer of From the Earth to problem is a simple mantra that makes a lot “I never wanted that for myself as a film- the Moon of sense to me. maker. And so I’ve always been really “There are many directors who get fussed “So then, part of what you have to do is focused on stretching my creative muscles over a lot more than Ron and who have not avoid the problems. I’m not one of those and risk-taking on film subjects and styles had significantly less impact. But he’s people that want all the secrets, conflicts that, perhaps, I haven’t had a lot of experi- just such a no-fuss guy. He doesn’t wear and impediments kept from me. My team ence with before but that I’m interested in.” all black clothes. He’s not Paul Thomas knows that I like to know what everybody’s His latest stretch was a pair of short films Anderson—he doesn’t have three names. thinking and what the problems are, because for FunnyOrDie.com to help support the Maybe he should.” I want to be part of ‘working the problem.’ ” creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Brian Grazer, Oscar-winning producer and Agency. One of the films reunited all the co-chairman of The Center of a Saturday Night Live presidential characters in Creative Swirl one scene, a feat others have tried to accom-

“I get involved in what I do, and that Howard tries to instill that work ethic and plish and failed. His next big challenge may Benedetti/Corbis lessandra A doesn’t bother someone at ease with sense of support on set, clearing away the be The Dark Tower series: three films and himself like Ron is. He knows I’ll never be obstacles for his team on every film. But, he a television series based on Stephen King’s ship in a bottle—I’m usually noodling around with something I just multiplex.” And yes, he gets stopped by fans. A lot. But he shrugs it off, as hard on him as I am on myself on his says, “As a director, I don’t ever have anybody novels. “While I bring my own sensibility, read in an article or a notion that just popped into my head or a weird saying, “It’s fine. I’m out and about all the time.” behalf. And he’s OK with that deal.” doing that for me.” Working with partner my own creative energy and focus and point dream I had. And I’m making notes and daydreaming about stories.” That’s an unsual habit for someone of his stature, for someone whose Russell Crowe, actor in A Beautiful Mind Brian Grazer at Imagine Entertainment has of view to every single moment and every He admits that he’s not a hobbyist, that although he plays guitar face most of us have seen since we were kids. “I acknowledge the diffi- and Cinderella Man changed that. “What I have with Brian, conversation, I also enjoy the collaborative and draws a bit, this filmmaking obsession takes up most of his time. culties of it. But I’ve also always been very grateful for the opportunities who’s a world-class producer and a great process and benefit from it,” Howard says. “It’s my job. But I love it, and it’s my hobby too. It’s my passion. that I’ve had and that I’ve been able to create for myself,” he says. “It’s “We went to the Piazza Navona one night friend,” Howard says, “is somebody who can “And I find that the thing that thrills me the “If it’s not a passion, I think you can’t do it well. In my mind—maybe a business where you have to keep re-earning your place at the table.” when we were filming in Rome. There do that for me, and does.” most is being at the center of a creative swirl I just know this for myself—if it ever became manufacturing for me, This is part of what makes Howard the nice guy: He has was a small orchestra performing. As we Their latest project, The Dilemma star- that exists when you’re facing the problems and not creating, then I wouldn’t look forward to each day anymore. some humility. approached, they saw Ron and shifted to ring Vince Vaughn, is the first Grazer script and issues of making a film or a television And I think I’d get out because it’s too challenging otherwise.” “I think that, in some way, for me, it requires a little humility because the theme from Happy Days.” Howard has worked on since the hit movie show at every stage.” Howard’s wife Cheryl, his high-school sweetheart, and their four you have to understand that, no matter how much people might know Ayelet Zurer, Israeli actress in Angels Splash in 1984. Howard knew The Dilemma children, daughters Bryce, 29, twins Jocelyn and Paige, 25, and son your name when you walk down the street, there are brilliant people & Demons script was a winner for him when he and Earning His Place at Reed, 23, bring some balance to his life. “I love simple stuff,” Howard who really want your job; they want to do what you’re doing. And if Grazer were at a dinner party and Grazer says with a smile. “Taking hikes with [Cheryl] is something I really look you don’t love the process and aren’t willing to commit to it, then you Sources: AARP The Magazine, The Directors: Take the Table brought up the premise, which is infidelity. Howard stays in the creative swirl even forward to.” The Howards moved their family from L.A. to Connecticut should get out, you should step aside.” One edited by Robert J. Emery, Newsweek. “You know, if you began to understand that after leaving the studio each day. “I go home in 1985. Howard isn’t stepping aside anytime soon. Despite the challenges, somebody you cared about was cheating on and start thinking about other ideas. For “We still love to go to movies,” he says. “We go on dates to movies; he’s learned to face the conflicts head-on and come out laughing. The someone else you cared about, what would me, playtime [means]—instead of building a we don’t screen them at the house. You know, we go out and hit the surprising thing is that everyone else is usually laughing too. S

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