Ron Howard Says His Highly Anticipated Memoir With Brother Clint Has Brought Up Memories: ‘Man Do I Miss Our Mom’
Ron Howard and his brother Clint are considered two of television’s most popular and memorable child actors. Both featured in the classic comedy The Andy Griffith Show. Each went on to successful careers in the industry as adults. Ron, as one of this generation’s most beloved film directors, and Clint, a prolific and recognizable character actor.
Now the siblings have teamed up to pen a joint memoir of their lives in the entertainment industry. Called The Boys, it’s in the works now and according to Ron, it’s bringing up a lot of memories.
Ron Howard and brother Clint’s upcoming memoir
The Boys will be published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. In it the celebrity brothers will chronicle their lives growing up as actors.
“By turns confessional, nostalgic, heartwarming, and harrowing, The Boys is a dual narrative that lifts the lid on the Howard brothers’ closely held lives,” the publisher stated. “It’s the journey of a tight four-person family unit that held fast in an unforgiving business and of two brothers who survived ‘child-actor syndrome’ to become fulfilled adults.”
“Mom and dad‘s teachings are treasures to this day but I’ve realized that I took their presence for granted. Writing The Boys with my brother has been the topper of a wonderful lifetime,” said Clint.
On Twitter, Ron debuted the book’s cover. He wrote, “Here’s the cover of THE BOYS, the memoir that Clint and I wrote together. That’s our dad with us, outside of Desilu Studios. The book is out Oct 12 but you can pre-order it now!”
The director has been thinking about his mom a lot
In a Mother’s Day tweet, the filmmaker revealed the memories that have been flooding back in working on the memoir.
It’s well–documented that Rance and Jean may have raised their sons in Hollywood but kept them away from its dark side.
“Man do I miss our Mom,” the Hillbilly Elegy director wrote. “One of the joys of writing our memoir together was the time spent recalling just how much our remarkable & determined mom #JeanHoward had done to shape the future of our family. She had a fun & loving style all her own.”
‘We’re excited to share the story’
Howard said in a statement announcing the book: “When our dad passed in 2017, Clint and I began reflecting upon our lives and realized that while our childhoods seemed normal, they were anything but.”
Referring to his years (and his brother’s) on The Andy Griffith Show and to his brother’s years working with a bear on Gentle Ben, Howard continued, “Who grows up on a soundstage hanging out with Andy Griffith and Don Knotts, or with a trained bear? And what are the ways that particular childhood forever informed the choices I would make as a husband, father and filmmaker? We’re excited to share the story of how our parents pulled this off — raising two show-business kids who had no clue that their lives were out of the ordinary while rooting them in a loving, slightly off-beat family.”
The Boys is expected to release on October 12.
