After Opie on 'Andy,' and Before Richie on 'Happy Days,' Ron Howard was Bob on 'The Smith Family'

Photo byClassic TV Preservation Society

[Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all commentary and quotes that appear in this article are from an interview conducted by the author with those mentioned.]

Cunningham

After he played little Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show (CBS, 1960-1968) and before he portrayed Richie Cunningham on Happy Days (ABC, 1973-1984), he played Bob Smith on The Smith Family (ABC, 1971-1972). Today, he's award-winning director Ron Howard, which is how he was billed as first an actor on Happy Days. However, on both the Griffith and Smith shows he was known as Ronny Howard.

A Closer Look

The Smith Family, created by Edmund Hartman and Bob Sorrentino, premiered on ABC, on January 20, 1971, as a mid-season replacement. It was a unique half-hour hybrid series; part family comedy/part police show. Executive-produced by Don Federson, of My Three Sons and Family Affair lore, and directed by Herschel Daugherty, The Smith Family ran for two years until June 7, 1972.

Both renowned and obscure, The Smith Family brought cinematic legend Henry Fonda to television every week. He played Detective Chad Smith, who was married to the always pleasant and welcoming home engineer Betty Smith, played by former film actress Janet Blair.

Chad and Betty lived in a quaint Los Angeles suburb with their three children:

Darlene Carr was the practical-minded, college-bound Cindy Smith, Michael-James Wixted was Brian Smith, the rambunctious youngest son, and Ronny Howard was the relatively rebellious but always respectful Bob Smith.

A Personal Memory of Howard

"It was definitely a different flavor from My Three Sons and other of Don Federson's shows," said former child star Ricky Powel who, today, is a positive life coach.

On The Smith Family, Powell made semi-regular appearances as Milton, best friend to Michael-James Wixted's Brian. "The show, in general, was a lot of fun to work," Powell said.

One particular Smith Family memory stands out for Powell. "I got work with Ron Howard," he said, "and he was just Ronny Howard back then. And what a great down-to-earth guy he was."

Several years later, the two former actors ran into one another at a Southern California restaurant. Powell was delighted to discover that Howard on his journey "up the ladder" had not changed.

"Ron couldn't have been kinder," Powell concluded. "He asked me how I was doing and then he introduced me to his family. And to this day talking with him at that moment remains one of my favorite Hollywood stories of 'Nice guys don't have to finish last.' He's just awesome."