Hollywood's other Clint

You’ve heard the saying - you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family. All you need to do is take a good look at your family, especially after Thanksgiving dinner, at Christmas time or the reading of the will to know it’s true.

But if I could choose my family, I’d choose Ron Howard to be my older brother. Look how well it’s worked out for Clint.

In case you’re not familiar with Clint Howard, he’s the freakishly ugly, bald brother of Ron Howard who looks nothing like him, and appears in virtually every one of his movies.

But he wasn’t always that hideously ugly.

He started his career on a tv show called Gentle Ben, about a boy and a bear. He played the boy. He was a cute kid back then, but time and God both have a sense of humor, and what he grew up to look like wasn’t exactly leading man material.

Ironically, in a business consumed with looks, his haven’t been a handicap. Neither has having Ron Howard as his brother.

He’s become kind of a cult Where’s Waldo/Spot His Brother figure in Ron’s films. When his face appears onscreen (and by the way, seeing it in 70mm does nothing to improve it), there’s always laughter and a smattering of applause.

Here’s a list of the movies Ron Howard has directed. The bolded ones are the ones Clint has appeared in:

2013
The Dark Tower (announced)

2012
The Dark Tower (TV series) (pre-production)

2011
The Dilemma

2010
Presidential Reunion (video short)

2010
Heidi Montag Says No to Plastic (video short)

2009
Angels & Demons

2008
Frost/Nixon

2006
The Da Vinci Code

2005
Cinderella Man

2003/I
The Missing

2001
A Beautiful Mind

2000
How the Grinch Stole Christmas

1999
Edtv

1996
Ransom

1995
Apollo 13

1994
The Paper

1992
Far and Away

1991
Backdraft

1989
Parenthood

1988
Willow

1987
Take Five (TV movie)

1986
Gung Ho

1985
Cocoon

1984
Splash

1983
Little Shots (TV movie)

1982
Night Shift

1981
Through the Magic Pyramid (TV movie)

1980
Skyward (TV movie)

1978
Cotton Candy (TV movie)

1977
Grand Theft Auto

1969
Cards, Cads, Guns, Gore and Death (short)

1969
Deed of Daring-Do

1969
Old Paint (short)

Years ago I had a close encounter with Ron Howard when he was first starting out. He was directing a film called Grand Theft Auto for Roger Corman, and through some connection I don’t even remember, I got a job as a production assistant on the film.

My big break lasted two days until I came down with a horrible case of the flu and had to bow out. Come to find out I was extremely easy to replace on a moments notice – a lesson I’ve learned many times since.

Anyway, more power to old Clint. He's carved out a career for himself, he's a cult figure and he loves his big brother. How many show biz siblings - not counting the Bridges, the Afflecks, the Baldwins or the Coens - can you say that about?

Besides, as Damon Wayans says, “This town is built on nepotism.”

He should know. He has five brothers to prove it.