You know that guy. The one with the distinctive, lived-in face who pops up in the background of a NASA control room or playing a creepy janitor. You’ve probably seen him in a hundred things and thought, "Oh, it's that guy!"
Well, "that guy" is Clint Howard.
And yeah, he’s Ron Howard’s brother. But calling him just a "brother" is kinda like calling a Swiss Army knife "just a piece of metal." It misses the whole point of why he’s actually a Hollywood legend in his own right. Most people assume he just gets roles because his big brother is an Oscar-winning director. Honestly? That’s only about 10% of the story. Clint has been working since he was two years old—back when Ron was still just a kid himself.
The "Nepotism" Myth vs. Reality
Let's address the elephant in the room. Does Ron Howard cast his brother in his movies? Absolutely. Clint has been in about 17 of Ron's films. From the NASA tech Seymour Liebergot in Apollo 13 to the whistle-blowing Whobris in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, they’re a package deal.
But here’s the thing: Clint had a massive career before Ron ever picked up a director’s megaphone.
While Ronny was playing Opie on The Andy Griffith Show, a tiny two-year-old Clint was wandering around the set of the same show. He played Leon, a toddler in a cowboy outfit who just stood there silently offering people bites of his sandwich. It was weird. It was cute. And it was the start of a career that has outlasted almost everyone else from that era.
By the time he was eight, Clint was the lead of his own hit show, Gentle Ben. He wasn't just "Ron Howard’s brother actor" back then; he was the kid who hung out with a 650-pound black bear every week. He was a bona fide child star with his own fan mail and his own legacy.
A Career Defined by Being "That Guy"
Clint Howard is the ultimate character actor. He’s not the leading man who gets the girl. He’s the guy who makes the world feel real—or sometimes, really uncomfortable.
He has over 200 acting credits. Think about that for a second. That is a staggering amount of work. He’s appeared in every single decade since the 1960s. He’s one of the few actors to have a "five-generation" connection to Star Trek, appearing in everything from the Original Series (as the juice-drinking alien Balok) to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds in 2023.
The Cult Legend Status
If you’re a horror fan, you don’t know him as Ron’s brother. You know him as the Ice Cream Man. In the 1995 cult classic Ice Cream Man, Clint played a murderous dairy enthusiast. It’s campy, it’s dark, and it’s exactly why he has a massive following at horror conventions.
He’s a chameleon. Look at this range:
- The Voice Actor: He was the original voice of Roo in Winnie the Pooh and Hathi Jr. in The Jungle Book.
- The Comedy Staple: He was Johnson Ritter in the Austin Powers trilogy and Paco in The Waterboy.
- The Dramatic Pro: He brought genuine gravitas to Frost/Nixon and Cinderella Man.
Most actors would kill for even one of those roles. Clint just treats it like another day at the office.
Growing Up Howard: It Wasn't All Sunshine
In 2021, the brothers released a memoir called The Boys. It’s a fascinating look at their upbringing in Burbank. Their parents, Rance and Jean Howard, were actors too, but they were determined not to let their kids become Hollywood casualties.
They lived modestly. No nannies. No fancy private schools.
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Rance Howard was a stickler for work ethic. He taught his sons that acting was a job, not a lifestyle. He even managed their money so they wouldn't feel like the breadwinners of the family.
But being the "other" brother wasn't always easy. While Ron’s career trajectory went from child star to TV icon to A-list director, Clint’s path was rockier. He struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for years. In the memoir, he’s incredibly open about it. He talks about how Ron and their parents supported him, even going to AA meetings with him.
He’s been sober since the early 90s, and he credits that stability with why he’s still working today. Recently, he even popped up on The Bold and the Beautiful as a homeless musician named Tom Starr. Even at 65, he’s still out there grinding, learning lines, and proving he’s got the chops.
Why Clint Howard Matters to Cinema
We live in an era of "nepo babies" and instant influencers. Clint Howard represents the opposite of that. He’s a blue-collar actor.
He shows up. He knows his lines. He doesn't hold his tongue (Ron actually says he loves working with Clint because Clint will tell him when an idea is stupid). He brings a specific, quirky energy that you just can't manufacture in a casting office.
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The "Eborsisk" Incident
There’s a famous piece of movie trivia that perfectly sums up their relationship. In Ron’s 1988 fantasy film Willow, there’s a two-headed dragon called the Eborsisk. It’s a hideous, drooling monster.
Ron named it after film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, but he told the designers to base the dragon's look on... Clint.
That’s peak sibling energy.
How to Appreciate Clint's Work Today
If you want to actually see what makes him great beyond the "brother" label, you’ve got to dig into the deep cuts. Don't just watch the big Ron Howard blockbusters.
- Watch "The Corbomite Maneuver" (Star Trek: TOS): Seeing a seven-year-old Clint command the screen as an alien commander is wild.
- Check out "Evilspeak": It’s a 1981 horror movie where he uses a computer to summon demons. It’s peak 80s cheese and he is fantastic in it.
- Read "The Boys": If you want the real, unvarnished story of their childhood, skip the tabloids and read the book. It’s surprisingly moving.
Clint Howard isn't just a footnote in Ron Howard's biography. He’s a survivor of the child-actor machine who turned into one of the most reliable and beloved character actors in the business. Next time you see him on screen, give him his props. He earned them.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Actors:
- Study Character Acting: Clint’s career is a masterclass in how to stay relevant for 60 years without being the lead. Focus on "flavor" over "fame."
- Value Professionalism: As Clint often says, his primary responsibility is to be prepared. In any industry, reliability is often more valuable than raw talent.
- Support Veteran Talent: Follow Clint’s recent work in indie films and soaps; supporting character actors keeps the "non-blockbuster" side of Hollywood alive.