Ron Howard’s mom gave up a blossoming acting career for 30 years to raise her sons.
Ron Howard became famous at six, and despite his family having the money, they lived an ordinary life.
Being a famous director, Ron Howard auditioned for his mom for a role in his famous film and cried when he saw her in action.
Ron lost both parents and remained united with his brother.
Ron Howard and his brother Clint grew up famous and had well-known actor parents who coached them through this thrilling career.
In honor of their parents, Ron and Clint wrote a memoir, “The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family,” about their family and gave an insight into how their parents, Rance Howard and Jean Speegle, built their family legacy.
According to L. A Times, Speegle first studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York before she got into an accident that left her unable to walk.
Fortunately, Speegle was able to heal and continued pursuing her acting dreams at the University of Oklahoma, where she met Rance.
In their book, Ron and Clint wrote that his father was a lean, good-looking man who loved to embrace his cowboy lifestyle. As described by her sons, Speegle had a doll face and red wavy hair.
Rance and Speegle fell in love quickly; there was no doubt they saw a future together. So, not long after dating, the couple decided to drop out of university and chase their dream of acting.
After struggling to find solid jobs, Rance and Speegle booked a gig as traveling members of a children’s theater. Speegle reportedly played princesses, including Cinderella or ingenues. Rance, on the other hand, was a Huntsman or prince.
The Howards got married in Kentucky while on tour with the children’s theater and eventually stopped after a year and a half of traveling across the country.
Ron and Clint Howard Had a Simple Childhood despite Being Famous
Rance and Speegle started a family and welcomed their two sons, Ron and Clint. According to L. A Times, the mother of two continued acting throughout the 50s but eventually quit to focus on her family.
Rance continued to act and mentored Ron and Clint, who worked on many different projects. Ron started acting on “The Andy Griffin Show” when he was six. Then he starred in “The Music Man” at eight.
Clint starred in the iconic films “Bananza,” “Star Trek,” and the TV show “Gentle Ben.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rance and Speegle put their son’s earnings in a trust account and did everything they could to guide their children through their newfound fame.
New York Times interviewed Ron and Clint about their memoir and asked about their upbringing as famous child stars. First, the question of lifestyle came up. Since the Howard boys were making money from their different projects, they could have indulged in a luxurious life.
However, Ron revealed they lived off their father’s salary because he wanted to give them a normal childhood. Ron also said that they were offered an opportunity to start a clothing line that would have brought them more income, but Rance did not want his kids to lose their childhood to fame.
Clint also stated that they grew up having everything they needed. But nothing was luxurious because they got new clothes once a year and did not go on vacation or drive fancy cars. The necessities were coved, and Rance and Speegle eliminated all the expectations of living an overwhelming Hollywood life.
Although Clint and Ron admitted that growing up in Hollywood had challenges, they commended their father for constantly protecting their mental health and ensuring they did not grow up too fast.
Ron recalled one moment when he was ten and on set with kids older than him. The cast members started using inappropriate language, and Rance stepped in to remind them how old his son was and that their language was not suitable for him.
Ron grew up to become a renowned and award-winning director, and his brother Clint continued acting and was a part of more famous films like “The Grinch,” “Parenthood” and more.
Ron Howard Got Emotional While Watching His Mother Act
Ron’s mother stopped acting to focus on raising her sons, and after 30 years, the mother of two returned to the screens. As stated by Huffpost, Speegle made her comeback shortly before Ron directed his film “Apollo 13” in 1995.
Her son Ron said she was the “new old lady on the sitcom block,” so when his father suggested that he cast Speegle for “Apollo 13,” the director admitted he was a bit nervous.
The film was important for Ron’s career, so the feeling of getting everything right was very strong. The director pondered his father’s suggestion and decided to audition for his mother for the role of Tom Hank’s mother.
Ron said he chose not to do it at the studio to make it less formal. So he went to his parent’s house and revealed that his mother was nervous but prepared for her audition.
The “Andy Griffen Show” star said they went through the scene, and seeing his mother in action got him emotional. Ron said,
“She made me cry just because I was proud of her as a son and also because I knew that she could do it, and this was an opportunity.”
“Apollo 13” became a success; out of the 59 nominations it received, 29 were won, including two Oscar awards.
Ron and Clint Howard Became a Stronger Unit after Losing Their Parents
In 2000, the Howard men lost their mother. As reported by L. A Times, Speegle died at 73 years old due to heart and respiratory illnesses.
In 2017, Rance passed at 89. Ron announced his father’s death on Twitter with a sweet message, thanking him for using his passion for acting to build a legacy for their family.
After Rance passed, it dawned on the Howard brothers that they were now orphans and only had each other to get through the rest of their lives.
Clint told Fatherly that he does not deal well with death. Although the actor said he did not freak out about his father’s passing, he believed he was numbing the pain and did not give himself a chance to grieve his loss.
Nonetheless, he was appreciative to have Ron’s support. Together, the brothers decided to write their memoir, “The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family,” to celebrate and honor Rance and Speegle’s life.
