The Boys by Ron Howard & Clint Howard

My brother Scott's birthday was this weekend. I bought him a sporty yet business casual, dark olive puffer vest and this book "The Boys" by Ron Howard & Clint Howard. I recently read this book and loved it so much. But full disclosure: My brother and I have known Ron since the 1970s when he starred in our dad's television series, "Happy Days." In fact, the last time Ron saw our dad he said he was eager to pay his respects to "Mr. Marshall." Mr. Marshall? Ron had known our father for more than 42 years but he still called him Mr. Marshall? Do you know why? Respect and decency. Ron and Clint were raised to not only be actors, but also fine human beings. The credit goes most to their father Rance Howard. An actor himself, Rance trained his sons like Richard Williams trained Venus and Serena. Precision and excellence was essential. They weren't just going to be working actors, they were going to be stars. Rance taught them to be kind, thoughtful and hard working assets to any television set or movie. In the dual memoir, Ron and Clint take turns reflecting on their time on "The Andy Griffith Show," "Gentle Ben," "Happy Days" and "Star Trek." Their parents, Rance and Jean, moved to Los Angeles from the Midwest to pursue their own careers. But when the boys proved to have more potential, Rance and Jean gave up their careers to support the children. The family of four lived in Toluca Lake, the same village my siblings and I grew up in. The town is charming and unpretentious much like the Howard men themselves. Their grade school and high school experiences were far from typical, but the lessons their parents taught them helped both boys navigate their careers, despite their highs and lows. To meet Ron and Clint is to encounter a very rare breed of old school actor, and to read their memoir is like taking a charming ride down two delightful careers in television and film. To buy this book on Amazon click here.