Rance Howard - Actor

Rance Howard

Rance Howard Headshot

Actor

Birth Name: Harold Rance Beckenholdt

Birth Date: November 17, 1928

Death Date: November 25, 2017 — 89 years old

Birth Place: Duncan, Oklahoma

Children: Ron Howard, Clint Howard

Grandchildren: Bryce Dallas Howard, Paige Howard

Rance Howard was a prolific screen actor who appeared in several dozen film and TV shows in a professional acting career that spanned over 60 years. Born in Duncan, Oklahoma as Harold Rance Beckenholdt, Howard always dreamt of becoming a professional actor. After spending three years in the United States Air Force, where he fathered his first son Ron (who would later go on to become an Oscar-winning film director and notable TV actor), Howard moved to New York City to pursue his acting dream in earnest. He initially gravitated towards the theater and in 1950 nabbed a role in a touring production of "Mister Roberts." That role put him in the sights of various Hollywood casting agents, and by the mid-1950s he was appearing on TV shows like "Zane Grey Theater" (CBS, 1956-61), "Death Valley Days" (Syndication, 1952-70), and the film "The Music Man".

In the early 1960s Howard's son Ron nabbed the part of Opie on "The Andy Griffith Show" (CBS, 1960-68), with Rance also going on to guest star on five episodes of the widely popular series. Howard continued nabbing parts throughout the 60s and 70s, most notably in the classic film dramas "Cool Hand Luke" (1967) and "Chinatown" (1974), as well as his son Ron's 1977 directorial debut "Grand Theft Auto," which Rance co-wrote with his son. Howard would go on to appear in many more of his son Ron's films throughout the ensuing decades, including "Splash" (1984), "Apollo 13" (1995), and "A Beautiful Mind" (2001), which earned Ron Howard his first Oscar for Best Director. By the late 2000s Howard had racked up over 250 film and TV credits and despite being in his 80s showed no signs of slowing down. His most notable film role during this later period came in 2013 when he appeared in Alexander Payne's Oscar-nominated drama "Nebraska" (2013). A tireless worker, Rance Howard was appearing in films and TV shows right up to his death on November 25, 2017 at the age of 89.

Credits

Second ChancesStream

Actor
Wilbur
Movie
2013

NebraskaStream

Actor
Ray
Movie
2013
90%

The DilemmaStream

Actor
Burt
Movie
2011
24%

Angels & DemonsStream

Actor
Cardinal Beck
Movie
2009
36%

Georgia RuleStream

Actor
Dog Bite Man
Movie
2007
19%

Miracle at Sage CreekStream

Actor
Doctor Babcock
Movie
2005

PsychoStream

Actor
Mr. Lowery
Movie
1998
41%

The X-FilesStream

Actor
Old Man
Series
1993
74%

Far and AwayStream

Actor
Tomlin
Movie
1992
50%

SeinfeldStream

Actor
Blind Man
Series
1989
89%

Tales From the Crypt

Actor
Series
1989
82%

The 'BurbsStream

Actor
Detective 2
Movie
1989
56%

Gung HoStream

Actor
Mayor Conrad Zwart
Movie
1986
33%

The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins

Actor
Policeman
Movie
1984

Grand Theft Auto

Actor
Ned Slinker
Movie
1977
27%

Grand Theft Auto

Writer (Screenplay)
Movie
1977
27%

Eat My DustStream

Actor
Clark
Movie
1976

ChinatownStream

Actor
Irate Farmer at Council Meeting
Movie
1974
98%

Salty

Actor
Movie
1974

Where the Lilies BloomStream

Actor
Roy Luther
Movie
1974

Kung FuStream

Actor
Series
1972

Gentle Ben

Actor
Henry Boomhauer
Series
1967

An Eye for an EyeStream

Actor
Harry
Movie
1966

The Music ManStream

Actor
Oscar Jackson (uncredited)
Movie
1962
94%

Zane Grey Theater

Actor
Series
1956