Ron Howard: Bullied in high school

Childhood actor turned award-winning director and producer Ron Howard returns to his high school alma mater of John Burrough High School in Los Angeles. While walking the halls, he offers stories of meeting his future wife Cheryl, expecting and addressing bullies and reflects on his time at Burroughs as his closest brush with normalcy. Plus, Howard puts up a few shots on the basketball court and explains the surprising reason he set his sights on college enrollment.
#LosAngeles #MemoryLane #AlmaMater
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Episode debuted nationwide in 2023.
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[@kevrunner6000]

Ron Howard is just a national treasure!

[@Bulldog_skin]

That is so wild. I was watching this and thinking about his career and how as a 52 year old man he has been a part of my life since my earliest memory. Watching him in Andy Griffith reruns, on Happy Days when it was THE biggest show on T.V. and later as one of the most important directors in Hollywood. Thinking all that I finally thought "He is a national treasure." Two seconds later I scroll down and your comment is the first I see. That was my long winded way to say, I totally agree with you. haha

[@kathrynscottfitzgerald-qr1bp]

He sure is ❤❤❤

[@AbbieHoffmansGhost]

Graham shows the proper way to do an interview: you ask a good question not one looking for scandal or a 'gotcha' moment, and then you let the interviewee answer without interrupting or injecting something about you. Well done.

[@AbbieHoffmansGhost]

@@Plutogalaxy Mosquito alert.

[@solarnaut]

The only thing I know about Graham is that in recent weeks I have enjoyed sipping well edited interview segments (including some with Ron's brother beautifully woven in). How much is due to Graham's style and great editing and how much to Ron's nature and ability to offer an interesting narrative, I'm not sure. I suppose some might more appreciate a scab-picker probing Ron, but I'll guess that I might not.

[@ausniper]

Ron, I wasn't the guy you punched, but I was on the court with you at that night. One of the scariest moments of my young life wearing a visiting team uniform (Burbank High Blue) and seeing a sea of Red angry people coming toward us. Somehow I ducked under the bleachers out of site. It lasted several minutes and I was suprised the game continued. Having won the game, I remember we were escorted off the floor quickly to avoid any other conflicts. We played opposite each other for 3-4 years, and were matched up against each other many times. Good memories!

[@davidleavitt3804]

Thank you for sharing

[@katandtonyTVMM]

What a great memory! I love how you share it without any resentment whatsoever! lol... "I hid under the bleachers... GREAT MEMORY!" lol... this was a fun read, thanks for sharing it! 💜🖤💜

[@kingslaphappy1533]

Nice!👍

[@j.wilkerson1905]

That is a great memory...

[@VitalityMassage]

Ron is so REAL.

[@brad9092]

This guy is truly a good man. He speaks so highly of his father, I think it illustrates just how important dads are.

[@55Reever]

It is easy to see why Ron Howard is such a great film maker.

[@Orange-Jumpsuit-Time]

The world would be a better place if everyone had Ron Howards disposition.

[@milart12]

How can anyone not like this guy...Impossible.

[@BurdenErnie1]

And How

[@milart12]

Oops How can anyone...

[@77-ty7gb]

Except for the guy he slugged.

[@calisongbird]

@@milart12 KZbin comments are editable. You can go back and correct it if you want. Just tap the dots to the right of the comment and select “edit.”

[@milart12]

@@calisongbird Oh, wow Thank u Never knew that

[@todaynow1563]

Ron Howard is such a nice man, and was a good actor....His daughter got her acting chops from him.

[@solarnaut]

and apparently Ron got his acting spine from his father B-)

[@tomdrobyski319]

An honest, genuine man

[@pamelamays4186]

Ron Howard. No scandals. No tabloid headlines. No multiple marriages or divorces.

[@garyfrancis6193]

Yeah. Weird.

[@MrRobertito17]

I still hear Opie in his voice and what a sweet thing to hear.

[@solarnaut]

" Ohhh Paaawh ! " B-) (sorry, I know I can't carry little Opie's accent even with a keyboard)

[@okay5045]

How can you not love a man who says "smooching '

[@esmeraldagems9487]

Lol!

[@drawntomountains]

These videos of Ron's interview have been so enjoyable !!! To hear his life stories makes him all the more personable to his fans !! Always the most humble, well-adjusted star. And his memories of meeting and acting with John Wayne ( different video), were especially sweet ! I'm a huge JW fan !

[@edwardwilliams2438]

Nice guy...it comes across...in him and his brother. As Ron matures he looks strikingly like his dad. Always glad to see Icons living up to your own expectations. I'm sure Hollywood has a very toxic atmosphere..which he and his family appears to have weathered very well. Kudos to his parent's upbringing.

[@katandtonyTVMM]

No one seems more unimpressed with their own "celebrity" (wicked... accomplishments, mind you) than Mr. Ron Howard. He's an honest to goodness lifelong learner, and that... is no act. Whoever helped mold this guy into the person he became .. the person he is... WOW... Kudos to them. He's been blessed in the best of ways - and... I don't know much about all his kids, but Bryce seems to have that same level-headed approach to life, too. This video is among the favorites I've seen of him sharing his life with the world. Forever Young, Mr. Howard... You got it... Thank you for sharing your life and your work with us. Never stop sharing your dreams with us! 💚💛💚

[@Avmuhammad64]

I simply adore him! 🎶🎶 "Miss it, Opie!"😂😂

[@visualonestudio]

My dad went to John Burroughs High with Ron Howard. My dad is shy and so is Ron, so they never talked. But he saw him in the halls from time to time (he didn't attend consistently as my dad remembers). One day my dad was talking about him while we drove to Travel Town in Griffith Park and Ron was there! With Bryce and other kids. They were kids at the time (as was I, haha). We knew it his kids because of their matching red hair! My dad, still shy, didn't want to say hi. 😂

[@Telecasterluvr]

Pretty cool seeing the kids clap for him at the end for making a shot. He’s got a great shooting form!

[@aprilkepler1702]

I started to write great guy, then read comment below, "Ron Howard is a national treasure." Yeah, tears hit!!

[@dlgrayskibum]

My twin brother and I were at Burroughs High with Ron Howard, but he was a year ahead of us so even though I would see him around school, we were not close friends. I remember Ron as a very normal, unpretentious guy, but the most interesting thing was that our family lived very close to his girlfriend's house in Burbank and we would often see him drive his VW bug to pick up his girlfriend and drive her to the studio in his car where "Happy Days" was in production. Living in L.A., it was not uncommon to run into other kids in show business. In fact my twin and I were involved show business for a very short time when we were just a year old, selected out of about 200 other sets of twins to be the baby in the 1956 movie "Bundle of Joy" with Debbie Reynolds. So going to the same high school with Ron Howard was just everyday life in L.A. and not that big of a deal for me, although I do wish I was able to get to know him better because I have always admired him.

[@pamelamays4186]

Who would dare pick on Opie/Ritchie? Kudos to Ron's parents for making sure he had a normal childhood.

[@BOBFudge]

As an Educator, I applaud Mr. Thomas Marshall. So many students are not "cut out" to writing term papers, but they can tell a story using a different medium. Imagine having Ron Howard as your student and allowing him to create a film instead of writing a paper, only later to find out he becomes one of the greatest film directors of all time. I wonder if Mr. Marshall was ever star struck to have Opie Taylor in class; I know I would be.

[@stevemurray2737]

Ron Sat in front of me in Mr. Marshall’s History Class. Marshall was the Star of that Class. Always interesting and kept the kids attention. You were lucky to get in his class. Ronnie is a great person.

[@sappermade6012]

I like Ron! Seems like a cool normal dude

[@gioc5722]

Ron Howard thanks for staying real in the land of make believe!

[@davelindgren5245]

He is obviously a genius in his own way.

[@shepshape2585]

As a 58 year old who grew up watching Happy Days, he'll always be Richie Cunningham to me. Such a great show.

[@manofiske3318]

First season was okay. Once producers decided to move things entirely ''indoors'', in front of a 'live' moronic studio audience, ''Happy Days'' rather quickly degenerated into an embarrassing clown show.

[@prairiegirlist]

@@manofiske3318 in total agreement. When Ron left the show so did I

[@gioc5722]

He is almost 70 and shooting the basketball he showed great form. He said he wasn't a great player but I am sure he was as good as he could be and that's all anyone can do it be.

[@milart12]

I know. You can tell that playing basketball was important to him.

[@BonzoKilbourn]

Ron and his future misses were adorable.

[@calisongbird]

I think you mean “missus”

[@BonzoKilbourn]

@@calisongbird No I mean misses as in uh... He "misses" her when she is gone. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

[@Goobie77]

Very thoughtful, smart and nice guy. In addition to his immense talent.

[@stevelinscome728]

American Graffiti, my favorite. I graduated(1971) from same high school as George Lucas(1962).

[@Louis275]

Ron Howard was the greatest child actor on television. After him I'd say Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow. But no kid was better than Opie!!

[@mariannem8419]

LOL I love hearing him talk about himself.

[@mercedezlucke-benedict1122]

This is excellent

[@shannonwilliams1941]

Ronnie Howard is just a bad ass, period! Literally, his whole life!

[@willholmes7032]

Look at Ron with that wrist action on that last shot.

[@TDMorales]

Thank you for the great interview

[@allisalie101]

That's the first time I've seen Ron Howard as just, "Ron Howard". Not Richie, not Opie and not the director whom is always somewhat of a mystery. Just Ron, a guy talking about his life. Very cool.

[@yossarianmnichols9641]

Damn, that is ballsy to shoot hoops at his age with the kids watching. Wonder if they ever saw the A.G. show. He is a great interview/

[@justice8563]

Not sure if Ron is still directing but I would love to see him do a movie on the Richie Boys. No one would be able to do it Justice but him. Love ya Ron!

[@eoinMB3949]

Impressive shooting skills. To be fair he had the whole place staring at him and he pulled out a 3 pointer

[@BarberBobDetecting]

Close your eyes and listen to his voice; sounds a lot like Owen Wilson.

[@ginah.6243]

Ron's voice (a little), demeaner and kindness remind me of John Travolta.

[@judysetran9198]

I don't know anybody who has not been bullied at sometime .How one chooses to react and respond matters..There is no one on this earth that is liked by everyone ..

[@kenlompart9905]

Too bad the Fonz wasn't there when the big fight broke out, he could have stopped the whole thing by yelling COOL IT!

[@Energizer37]

A good person!

[@shokmusic_AC]

And he's got a smooth jump shot too

[@mencken8]

A lot of people get bullied, so much so that it’s natural, if not normal. To “solve” it would require that someone sort out the self v. other dichotomy. It’s not the unpleasantness of experiencing the bullying, it’s how one emerges from it. Speaking from personal experience, I acquired a lifelong distaste for any display of antagonism, and I generally avoid confrontation.

[@bucklaw]

Se that move he made at the end. The lean in.

[@robertwright4344]

He found his thrills…..😁

[@Kylersinjin]

Who knew he'd go on to narrate something as important as Arrested Development 😅

[@rogerwhiting9310]

Good guy

[@teshiamiller3196]

I got harassment at home an school. Ron you are awesome. Bryce is geeeorgoues. 😊

[@ognyc71]

I wonder what these bullies are doing now LOL

[@MeMeDaVinci]

I want to see his film on the depression. Is it somewhere to view?

[@benjiespinosa4703]

I wanted to see all the places where he got in a fight

[@gsantoyo8899]

Hey Ron, I am a fellow Burbanker. Remember when we were the Burroughs Indians .

[@JayHelms]

Hey Graham - no thumbs in the jeans pockets while you walk along. Makes you look like a goober. You're too cool for that.

[@RK831]

Does the guy ever take his cap off indoors?

[@ShyGuyLoveSongs]

Take it easy

[@JoeBuck207]

I forget he was on Happy Days.

[@brutus4013]

It’s terrible that college or graduate students were given draft exemptions while the regular blue collar men weren’t . Class system for sure .

[@Pronzini1]

Baloney! Anyone could have gone to some sort of college or community college, to avoid the draft, and stay out of that ridiculous so-called war.

[@brutus4013]

@@Pronzini1 Then why didn’t they , and why did so many go to Mexico and Canada . It takes money to go the institutions that allowed a person to get an exemption . Money and influence .

[@JackF99]

Tuition was cheap back then and community colleges would accept anyone with a high school diploma. You had to be a full time student though. Most working class kids had decent parents who would let them live at home while in school but the poorer boys who were on their own at 18 had nowhere to hide.

[@Pronzini1]

@@brutus4013 If you lived then, you would understand why. Some guys just hated the idea of college so much, they decided to head to Canada. That all stopped tho in 1974, when Nixon ended the draft.

[@clurkroberts2650]

Many small towns didn’t have nearby colleges to go to. Plus college wasn’t for everyone and expensive. It sucked big time to be in your late teens during the Vietnam war. The draft lottery was dreaded, if your number was low.

[@maddymud]

HS is hard enuff to navigate without having someone call you “Opie” every five seconds. Also knowing you would be in a fight for the first week at any new school situation - I felt that as a kid too - new group of males - new stupid dominance rituals.

[@tonybravado8231]

I imagine those weren’…HAPPY DAYS!!

[@michaelhopkins4061]

I bet he loves Ken burns!

[@dcmc7383]

Wow...as much as I respect Ron Howard and believe him to be a gifted director and producer....I am shocked he so openly dodged the draft. While I know a lot of people did it, it's still not something I can respect.

[@safffff1000]

I highly respect him, I did the same realizing at 16 that I didn't want to be a pawn of an idiot generals game. And now 55 yrs later I was proven right. All wars are created by the elites and the soldiers are all dupes to fight in them. If people all refused on both sides to participate the wars wouldn't happen. But because dupes can be convinced to inject themselves with poison and lock themselves down then it's no problem telling they have to go off and kill strangers. Dupes, a victim of deception. People that don't ask why, non critical thinkers.

[@MaryEverling]

Oh please....

[@thehaughtcorner]

Bullshit. I am almost the same age, and that war was stupid. Did you live through that? Did you have a draft lottery number? I damn sure did, and I'm glad I didn't get drafted. I respect the hell out of those who went, but I feel ashamed and sorry that they had to go.

[@pamelamays4186]

And Cunningham scores!😉

[@cynthiachronister4082]

Let's talk his relationship to mo Howard of the 3 stooges

[@garyfrancis6193]

“Is there anything you wanna tell me, Ope?” Silence……” Is there anything you don’t want to tell me?” Then Opie opens up.

[@cynthiachronister4082]

I graduated john Burroughs in 1978 I always thought his brother Clint was creepy

[@luckeyhal1]

Could you imagine what he was worth as an 18 year old in the early 70s

[@plvsoundman5148]

Olie was bullied. But started a fight slugged a guy his Sr yr in BB game.

[@catnameddog8776]

Draft was stopped in February 1973 .. Ron Howard was never in any danger of being drafted much less Vietnam. Considering he was born March 1954.

[@ShyGuyLoveSongs]

Class of 72 for him, probably thought about it

[@milart12]

-What do you mean? He says that while he was in high school, grades became more important to him because he wanted to go to college and avoid the draft. He would have been in high school from 1968-72.

[@thehaughtcorner]

Wrong! Last draft lottery was in March, 1975. My number was 181. I was 19 years old, and Ron was 20. You're damn right we were "in danger" of being drafted.

[@AlreadyShort]

the kids in the gym have no clue

[@chop3625]

Still won’t answer for Chuck.

[@milart12]

Haha HUUUge mystery.

[@billmalec]

Just wanted to be a kid.

[@gioc5722]

Can do or be

[@edsmith3461-z7m]

He would have graduated HS around 1972 when he was 18. The last draft lottery was held on December 1, 1969. This event determined the order of call for induction during calendar year 1970; that is, for registrants born between January 1, 1944, and December 31, 1950. He was never in any position to be drafted since he was born in 1954.

[@thehaughtcorner]

I was born in 1955; almost the same age as Ron. My lottery number was 181.

[@edsmith3461-z7m]

@@thehaughtcorner And were you drafted?

[@mirandavinci4146]

What was he bullied for.?

[@HansDelbruck53]

The world still wants to know how and when Opie lost his virginity. Andy, Barney, Helen Crump and Thelma Lou ain't talking.

[@AZCobraman]

Wonder if his told that teacher to kiss a duck?

[@NoCoverCharge]

Everyone was bullied in high school …grow up opie

[@AutistikManiac]

Not the popular kids

[@nb7466]

Dude had his life handed to him on a silver platter

[@williamthomson638]

My son is a former Quantico Marine. Your fear of fighting for your country is,.........

[@Pronzini1]

Intelligent. You only go to war when the country is in danger, like WW 2 etc. Vietnam was no threat to America, and it was a total waste of time and lives.

[@jayceewriter7826]

Ummm dying for a made up war that was baseless. Good for ur son but some of know the truth of Nam and the BS our country was telling us. Wake up lady

[@shaunsteele6926]

have you taken a look at this country lately? I don't blame anyone for not wanting to risk their life for it

[@sbarronmd]

is correct. Vietnam was a horrible war. glad my dad was in college at the time. Think about, we lost and no bad domino effect

[@MW-xm1rc]

Poor little rich boy, EVERYBODY who wasn’t part of the “IN CROWD” got bullied at some point in school. Move on and get over it!!

[@donnasherwood283]

enough with the grown men with baseball caps like one's their mother's put on when they were toddlers. It is undignified in public appearances except sports stadiums. I believe he is bald but if it bothers him this much he can do as john wayne and get a toupee.

[@WilliamShea-mj1ox]

Get a life kid.

[@garywagner2466]

Wow. How pretentious can you get? Thank God your mother made you wear that paper bag over your head.

[@AutistikManiac]

Obviously he's embarrassed about being bald Grow up

[@donnasherwood283]

you grow up. I am am one. men used to dress in appropriate attire and mostly had the maturity to deal with a condition such as baldness alto it is not clear to me he is embarrassed about that at all . today there are a million ways to address this without appearing in an interview as an overgrown teen. I see these idiots all over city alto the trend seems to have had its day in NYC thank heaven. @@AutistikManiac

[@donnasherwood283]

PS there was a time where any man including a truck driver knew enough to remove his hat as he entered any indoor space. One can see this in any number of films made before the current barbarians reset style. @@AutistikManiac

[@1959LP4U]

@ 1:57 Unisex bathroom in the background! California what a cesspool of insanity!!!