Ron Howard Reveals Secret to His 51-Year Marriage With Wife Cheryl

Ron Howard recently dished on a couple of secrets to his 51-year marriage with his wife, Cheryl Howard.

In an interview with People, published on November 12, Howard revealed details about his relationship that have kept the spark alive with Cheryl for more than five decades.

“Her smile and her eyes,” the Andy Griffith Show actor shared. “And that look that makes me fall in love again over and over and over again.” Howard, 72, added, “I’ve been very blessed to be her guy.”

Although Cheryl and Howard celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary in June, Howard also marked the 56th anniversary of their first date with a sweet Instagram post in November. The Happy Days star explained in his November 1 update that they enjoyed a dinner and a movie and wore socks with each other’s faces on them.

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Piggybacking off that milestone, People asked if they regularly enjoy movie theater outings. That’s when Howard confirmed another key to his and Cheryl’s long marriage.

He shared, “Like America and the world, we’ve started going back to the movies again. Our romantic life has often been built around going to the movies, and that kind of dried up after COVID… Now, we’ve just rediscovered going back to the movies at least once a week and having a date.”

On June 7, 1975, Cheryl and Ron said “I do” after four and a half years of dating. They have since welcomed four kids — three daughters, Bryce Dallas Howard, Paige Carlyle Howard, and Jocelyn Carlyle Howard, and a son, Reed Cross Howard — and six grandchildren.

Ron is best known for his roles as Opie Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show and Richie Cunningham in Happy Days. Additionally, he appeared in films like The Music Man (1962), American Graffiti (1973), and The Shootist (1976). He also produced Arrested Development and A Beautiful Mind (2001), and directed Apollo 13 (1995).