The Boys audiobook

The Boys by Ron and Clint Howard is a 2021 William Morrow publication. As I read and listened to this book it struck me that the Howard brothers have been a presence in my life since I was a small child. This is very rare as we all know, but although they have popped in and out of my awareness, either with series television, movies, guest roles, or behind the scenes work, I occasionally marveled at the staying power of the Howard ‘boys’. Have their lives been as charmed as they appear to be? Other than what most other people know- I really didn’t know anything about the brother’s parents, what kind of upbringing they had, their personal relationships- friendships or romances, etc. But, even if I did have more than the surface information, I would still want to read this book. I'd just like hearing the story come straight from Ron and Clint. It is their life, and they can give people insights they could never ascertain any other way. Telling one’s story, with both personal and career elements is such a personal endeavor, as one decides what to share, what readers would be interested in knowing, and still be honest, and forthright. I would say that the Howard brothers did a great, and very thorough job. Maybe it is just me, but I never would have guessed that Ron and Clint are brothers, if I didn’t already know. I see very little physical resemblance, and that seems to be true in temperament as well. Clint’s perspective and personality, though ambitious, didn’t seem to have the same drive as Ron. He isn’t the boy scout that his older brother is, and his career has not followed the same path. I knew very little about Clint from a personal standpoint and found his portions of the story, though not as generous as Ron’s, to be more comical at times, but the darker tones of his life are quite evident. Although the book was a bit too long, and maybe not all the stories told were as interesting or as impactful to the reader as they were for Ron or Clint, for the most part the book is very interesting. The information they included in the book gives readers an up close and personal view of what it is like to be a child star, to try and live a ‘normal’ life, how they each coped with fame, and how some doors opened and some closed at just the right time and place. Although both brothers have been successful, Ron’s goals were a bit more focused, and his personality is more positive, looking at the things through a rosier lens than Clint. Clint chose to be an actor, not a behind the scenes guy, and his experiences weren’t always as rosy as Ron’s- far from it, in fact. In the end, though, as I reflected back on the book, after learning who had prodded Ron and Clint to consider writing it, and how it came to fruition, I thought that of all the memoirs, especially when dealing with Hollywood actors and players, it is true, that the child star, especially that of a television series star, rarely ever makes it through to a point in their lives where they can write a memoir about their long, long, long careers in the entertainment industry. Despite some dark days for Clint, the brothers have weathered the stereotypes, and pitfalls, and have enjoyed careers that have spanned decades, and that is quite an accomplishment all on its own. The book, maybe because it comes from two seasoned performers, has a slick, polished presentation, but it has a very honest quality about it, and felt sincere. There is a great deal of material to cover, with two people contributing to the memoir, but the book is well organized and overall, I appreciated the approach, and the obvious amount of work the guys put into the book, and I enjoyed taking this journey with them. I loved that the memoir was like an ode to the ‘Boys’ parents, and it is obvious, that though they’ve lived unconventional lives in many ways, they have also lived traditional ones, where family relationships are at the center of their lives, first and foremost. I really loved the way the book ended, as the brothers ribbed one another good- naturedly with jokes the readers will now fully understand. 4 stars

4.5 starsSpace here is limited, so for more pictures go to my blog: https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....Authors Ron Howard (left) and Clint HowardRon Howard is an award-winning American director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Ron began his Hollywood career as a child actor, playing - among other parts - little Opie Taylor on the Andy Griffith Show and teenage Richie Cunningham on Happy Days.Ron Howard as Opie TaylorRon Howard as Richie CunninghamClint Howard, a character actor, is Ron's younger brother. Clint also began his career as a child actor and - among other things - is well-known for portraying the alien Balok on an episode of Star Trek and young Mark Wedloe on Gentle Ben.Clint Howard as BalokClint Howard as Mark WedloeRon and Clint wrote this book to pay homage to their beloved mother and father, Jean Speegle Howard and Rance Howard, who selflessly guided their sons through the ins and outs of show business while keeping the boys grounded in everyday life.Rance Howard and Jean Speegle HowardNative Oklahomans Jean Speegle and Rance Howard aspired to be actors themselves, and moved to New York City in 1948 to start their fledgling careers. Jean and Rance married in 1949 and relocated to southern California, where opportunities were opening in television and movies. When Rance began to advance professionally, Jean gave up most of her acting ambitions to support her husband and raise a family. Jean Speegle Howard and Rance Howard with little RonnyRon Howard (called Ronny as a youngster) was born in 1954, and started to show acting talent as a toddler. Rance used his contacts to get Ronny auditions, and the boy was soon launched as a child performer. Clint, born in 1959, had a similar jump-start to his acting career, assisted by his dad. Young Ronny HowardYoung Clint HowardTo steer Ronny and Clint's vocations, Rance had to sacrifice some of his own ambitions, but he never complained. Ron writes, "Our parents' own show business aspirations were never realized as fully as ours, yet neither of them ever articulated or even telegraphed any bitterness or resentment." Having occupations as children wasn't easy and Clint recalls, "We inherited the farmers' work ethic our folks brought with them from Oklahoma. We were grinders and scrappers...We spent our nights doing two sets of homework: our assignments for school and our run-throughs of the next day's lines with Dad." The Howards were also a 'normal family', doing everyday things like Little League, rassling on the living room floor, and dinners out at the Sizzler. According to Clint, Jean thought of herself and Rance as sophisticated hicks - "Worldly enough to broaden their horizons through travel and the performing arts, yet homespun enough to live simply and humbly." The Howard Famly: Rance, Jean, Clint and RonRon has fond memories of his childhood and recalls early escapades like feeding gum to the family dog Gulliver, who promptly puked all over the floor. Recounting an admonition from Rance to stop giving Gulliver gum, Ron says, "I guess I was a repeat offender." In another childhood memory, Ronny is watching a western called Frontier Woman with his parents. Rance had a big part in the film, Jean was an extra who played a villager, and Ronny (an infant at the time) was the villager's baby, who was made to cry on cue. When Ronny got bigger he scored speaking parts, and by his sixth birthday was cast as Opie Taylor in The Andy Griffith show. Ron remembers being on set, "Walking barefoot down a dirt path in L.A.'s Franklin Canyon Park with Andy at my side and a fishing pole on my shoulder." In a rock-throwing shot for the show's opening sequence, where a stronger arm than Ronny's had to hurl the stone, Ronny began his education in the "wizardly craft of creating moving-picture illusions" - which would stand him in good stead when he became a director. Ronny Howard and Andy Griffith on The Andy Griffith ShowRance functioned as Ronny's overseer and coach, giving up his chance for major stardom to help his son. Rance continued to audition - and got parts in movies and television - but most of his time was devoted to his children. Ron writes, "Somewhere around the time I got the Andy Griffith show, [Dad] made a choice...He chose to be a great parent - to support his children's opportunities with everything he had. His priority became me, and a little later, Clint." Rance Howard with Clint and RonnieRon tells many amusing stories about being on the set of The Andy Griffith show, where the crew swore like sailors, drank like fish, smoked like chimneys, and shared racy yarns. Ron speaks fondly of the cast, and relates anecdotes about some of his favorite people - like Hal Smith, who played Mayberry's town drunk Otis Campbell. After a time, The Andy Griffith Show became something of a Howard family affair, with Rance and Jean being on set, and Clint playing a little boy named Leon, who wore a cowboy outfit and didn't speak. Hal Smith as Otis CampbellClint Howard as LeonRon learned a lot about acting during the run of The Andy Griffith Show, but - even as a child - he watched EVERYTHING, and started to acquire the skills he would need as a filmmaker. For Ronny's eighth birthday, Andy Griffith and Aaron Ruben (the show's producer) gave Ronny a Bell & Howell Zoomatic 8 mm movie camera - to encourage the boy's movie-making aspirations.Rance gave his sons more than acting tips; he gave them life skills. Clint recalls that his dad taught Ronny and himself fighting techniques, so they could defend themselves. Clint writes,"Dad knew that we would be perceived as being different, being show-business kids...And he didn't want us to live in fear or be intimidated by anyone or anything." For Clint's first big acting role he was a cast member on The Baileys of Balboa, after which he guest-starred on Bonanza and - at the age of seven - played Balok on (what was then) a little show called Star Trek. The Balok character was six-hundred-years-old but looked like a child, and Balok is still a favorite among Trekkies. Clint tells entertaining stories about his early career, especially his role as Balok and then as Mark Wedloe, a boy with a pet bear in the TV series Gentle Ben.Clint Howard (with Michael Landon) in BonanzaRon and Clint were close-knit brothers, and in addition to (occasionally) acting together, they hung out together. Both boys loved basketball, and Ron coached Clint's basketball team, the Howard Hurricanes, for years. Moreover, when young Ron started to write and direct his own short films, he usually cast Clint in the lead role. And Clint, being no fool, demanded payment. 🙂 Ron and Clint also admit to teenage peccadilloes and rebellious behavior, such as relentlessly teasing (one might say tormenting) their mom, though they loved her dearly.After The Andy Griffith Show, which wrapped when Ronny was fourteen, he had a hard time getting good parts. Ron observes, "There was no Opie Bounce...The work I was getting was pretty underwhelming...I somewhat smugly assumed that the industry would always be eager to take me back. It wasn't." This is a problem experienced by many child actors. Ron writes, "[Child actors are] in demand when they're prepubescent and cute, but less so when they enter adolescence. Just as these kids are entering the most vulnerable years of their childhoods - self-aware, awkward, and hormonal - their livelihood and sense of identity are pulled out from under them."Luckily for Ron and Clint, their acting careers weathered their pubescent years, and they continued working in Hollywood. Clint got parts in westerns, sitcoms, TV dramas, and films. And Ron eventually went on to play Richie Cunningham in the hit show Happy Days. Both boys had life-altering experiences in their teen years. Ron met Cheryl Alley - whom he later married; and Clint met marijuana, alcohol (and later) cocaine, and became an addict. Clint talks a good deal about his addiction and eventual recovery, and how it affected himself and his family.Teenage Clint Howard (third from left) in The CowboysRon Howard and Cheryl AlleyRon Howard and Cheryl Alley got marriedHappy Days taught Ron some hard lessons about show business. Though the show was built around Ron's Richie Cunningham character, the Fonzie character - played by Henry Winkler - became wildly popular. The network wanted to rename the show Fonzie's Happy Days, but backed down when Ron threatened to quit. Henry Winkler as FonzieRon writes, "In a way, this incident served me well, in that I was reminded, as I had been after The Andy Griffith Show, that the entertainment industry had no investment in my well-being. It's a cold business, and no one in Hollywood felt sentimentally obligated to advance my career and keep me happy." Ron realized he needed a long-term plan, and took steps to become a filmmaker.Ron's first big movie was 1977's comedy Grand Theft Auto, about a rich girl who steals her dad's Rolls Royce and takes off for Las Vegas with her boyfriend. The girl's parents offer a reward for her return, and a bunch of hilarious bounty hunters take up the challenge. The movie was a true family venture: Ron and Rance wrote the script; Ron, Rance, and Clint acted in the film; and Ron's wife Cheryl and mother Jean catered food for the film set.Ron went on to become an award-winning director; Clint and Rance continued to work in show business; and Jean got back into acting as well. Ron writes, "I wasn't the only Howard to take flight. In the 1980s, Mom returned to acting...It started with me putting her in Cocoon as a featured extra who worked on the film for several weeks." Jean then cornered the market on little-old-lady roles in sitcoms and shone in Ron's movie Apollo 13, where she played astronaut Jim Lovell's mother.Jean Speegle Howard got many 'little old lady' rolesRon's parents kept a close eye on their boys into young adulthood, but knew when to let go. Ron observes, "What a gift that was to let me fly away...It was their final act in raising me and positioning me for success in our shared field of work - a tremendous act of love and grace." And Clint and his dad became best friends. Clint recalls, "[Dad and I] went to ball games together, hung out together, engaged in shoptalk..I treasured our ritual of discussing the work and Dad clearly appreciated that I solicited his input."Ron Howard achieved success as a director Clint and Rance Howard became best friendsIn the acknowledgments the authors conclude, "What a gift it is to be able to look back at our lives with such love, respect, and appreciation. So, thanks, Mom and Dad."I enjoyed the book, which is a great story about Ron and Clint and their parents, with lots of nice photos. You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

The Howards are the gold standard when it comes to Hollywood families. Yes, they have experienced success working in the tv/film industry but what is most impressive to me is they are down-to-earth, good, honest people. I got teary-eyed more than once while reading this memoir written by brothers Ron and Clint Howard. The love they have for each other and their parents is so apparent and made for a heartwarming read.Actor Rance Howard married actress Jean Speegle in 1949. In 1954, their son Ron entered the world. Perhaps you've heard of him. He played Opie on The Andy Griffith Show, Richie Cunningham on Happy Days, and transitioned into a not too shabby career as a director. Clint is five years younger than his brother, Ron, and he too was a child star. He played the role of Marc Wedloe on the tv series, Gentle Ben, and had guest roles on just about every popular tv series in 1960s and 1970s. With almost 60 years in the business, Clint has had a pretty awesome career as a character actor. (On a side note, I always get excited when I'm watching a movie or tv show and he pops up and totally will exclaim, "Hey, it's Clint Howard!" with a big smile on my face.)So what's the secret to the brothers' success? They obviously have talent but a lot of the credit goes to their parents for giving them as much of a normal upbringing as possible. They valued the important things in life not the wealth or the fame. And both Ron and Clint recognize their parents' contributions as well the sacrifices they made so their kids could pursue their careers. Sharing their memories of their childhood in this book really honors their parents.Highly recommend reading this memoir as it is full of humor, heart, and wisdom.Thank you to William Morrow for providing me with an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.

Forgive the pun, but listening to this book put a good amount of happy in my day. My family and I regularly watched "Happy Days" in the 70's. I confess that all of us did our share of cheesy Fonzie impressions. Without a doubt, Ron's character Richie Cunningham was a guy you could root for. In the present day, my husband (a retired police sergeant) still enjoys "The Andy Griffith Show" and loves to refer to them as "training videos." Listening to Ron and Clint talk about their childhood and the loving guidance they received from their parents has been a delight. The transitions between the two brothers were seamless and well-planned. It is clear they share an unshakable bond. Now all I need to do is get my hands on a hardcover copy so I can get a look at the photos. If you enjoy memoirs, check this one out. I don't think you will be disappointed.

One of those best read on audio books. I am probably this books Target audience having seen or heard in my lifetime almost all the shows mentioned. The best thing about this book is the familial love that shines through. Maybe not a true 5 star book but I am really happy they wrote it.

Great double memoir by the Howard brothers, framing the story of their young lives and careers through the prism of their relationship with their parents.I’m a big fan of the Andy Griffith Show and I’ve read a lot about it. Ron gives as great a perspective on that show as any I’ve read, with a lot of great stories and insights. He truly loved Griffith, who was an important figure in his life. (And this is probably the only AGS behind-the-scenes stuff I’ve read where Francis Bavier isn’t a villain!)The other great parts of the book for me covered his time on Happy Days (which include the beginning of his lifelong friendship with Henry Winkler, who is apparently as great a guy as he seems, plus some interesting battles Howard had with ABC) and the production of the first movie in his career as a director: “Grand Theft Auto.”Clint has good stuff as well, including a behind the scenes of a great Star Trek episode - The Corbomite Maneuver. But overall his story kind of backfills Ron’s. In a good way! The two of them took very divergent paths and it was interesting to hear their separate versions of the same time period.Really interesting Hollywood memoir.

I won this as a goodreads giveaway. Thank you William Morrow and Harper Collins Publishers.This is one of those books I had a hard time putting down. I wanted to finish it in one go. While the Howard brothers were relaying their experiences on paper, if I had seen the film or TV show it played back in my head. It was also my walk down memory lane as well.Give this wonderful memoir a go.

5 Stars for The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family (audiobook) by Ron Howard and Clint Howard read by the authors and Bryce Dallas Howard. Watching Ron Howard on TV was such a big part of my childhood, I’ll never forget Opie Taylor and Richie Cunningham. But some how I completely missed his brother. I think I’ve seen Clint Howard in a couple of movies but I just can’t remember what he looks like.It was fascinating hearing how the family found opportunities in the acting world. And how Ron Howard was directing movies from a young age.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family by Ron and Clint Howard. I listened to the audio version, which is narrated by Ron and Clint. They are both so appreciative of their careers in television and film. For the most part they lived simple, down-to-earth lives due to their parents’ influence. For the majority of their childhood, they lived in a small ranch house with 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. Ron’s first car at age 16 was a Volkswagen Beetle. What I enjoyed most about the book was all the behind-the-scenes information—especially about the Andy Griffith show. Who knew that the ice cream that Opie ate on the show was really cold mashed potatoes (real ice cream melted too quickly under the hot lights) or that Otis’s jug was filled with apple juice and Opie used to sneak a swig. I got to hear about Ron working with John Wayne on The Shootist (my favorite John Wayne film.) Clint confesses to his alcohol and drug use as a teenager and young adult. The only thing I regret about listening to this book is that I feel sure the book was probably filled with photographs from their lives, which I would love to see. I’ve enjoyed this so much that I just might read it again in print form the second time around.

A Captivating Memoir and Enjoyable Read SUMMARYIn THE BOYS, Ron Howard and his younger brother, Clint, examine their childhood in detail for the first time. For Ron playing Opie on the Andy Griffith Show and Richard Cunningham on Happy Days offered fame and opportunity but also invited stress and bullying.Clint starred on such programs as Gentle Ben and Star Trek but hit a wall in adolescence with some tough consequences and lessons.The brothers dive deep into their childhood with the perspective of hindsight and success.—Ron, as a filmmaker and producer, and Clint, as a busy character actor. Their Midwestern parents, Rance and Jean, moved to California to pursue their own showbiz dreams. But it was their young sons who found steady employment as actors. Rance put aside his ego to become Ron and Clint’s teacher, interpreter, and moral compass. Jean became a loving protector from the snares of Hollywood.THE BOYS is a two-person narrative that opens the door to the brothers' lives. It’s the tale of a tight-knit four-person family that held fast in an unforgiving business and two brothers who successfully survived “child–actor syndrome.”“These pages capture a turning point in the entertainment industry, as told through the personal lens of one family.” REVIEWTHE BOYS is a captivating memoir of two boys growing up in Hollywood and their astute parents who kept them straight. The writing is honest, straightforward, and enjoyable. As a sixties child, I grew up watching Ron and Clint Howard on TV. The book is compulsively readable and listening to the audiobook brought back many fond memories of watching these series with my family. “Time moves more slowly when you’re young, because life is still new to you, a process of discovery.”Publisher Harper AudioPublished October 11, 2021Narrated Ron Howard and Clint HowardReview www.bluestockingreviews.com

The Boys felt like you were listening in at an extended family reunion of the Howards as Ron and Clint held court, retelling some of their favorite family anecdotes from years gone by, the stories everyone knows and the stories that no one has heard before, occasionally interruping each other with interjections and sometimes just telling the same story from the other lens. I could not put it down, but now I have an enormous list of classics to rewatch and bit parts (and B-movies) to look up and cameos to watch for.