What was Rance Howard's Net Worth?
Rance Howard was an actor who had a net worth of $3 million at the time of his death in 2017. Rance Howard died on November 25, 2017 at the age of 89. He appeared in over 100 films across seven decades, with credits including "Where the Lilies Bloom," "Chinatown," "Ed Wood," and "Independence Day." The father of actor and director Ron Howard, he also appeared in most of his son's films, including "Splash," "Apollo 13," "A Beautiful Mind," "Cinderella Man," and "Frost/Nixon." Through Ron, Bryce Dallas Howard is Rance's granddaughter. Rance's other son Clint Howard also became an actor. Rance had guest roles on numerous television shows over the decades.
Early Life and Education
Rance Howard was born as Harold Beckenholdt on November 17, 1928 in Newkirk, Oklahoma to Ethel and Engel. He was educated at Shidler High School, and then attended the University of Oklahoma. Howard subsequently served in the US Air Force, where he directed plays in the Special Services entertainment unit.
Career Beginnings on Stage
Howard began his professional acting career in 1948 when he began acting in a children's touring company. In 1950, he gained attention for his role as Lindstrom in a touring production of the play "Mister Roberts," starring Henry Fonda.
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Film Career
With his eldest son Ron, who was just two years old at the time, Howard made his feature film debut in the 1956 Western "Frontier Woman." He didn't appear on the big screen again until the early 1960s, when he had uncredited parts in "The Music Man" and "The Courtship of Eddie's Father." After those, Howard acted alongside his son Ron in 1965's "Village of the Giants." He went on to act in some films with his other son, Clint, including "An Eye for an Eye" and "Gentle Giant." In 1967, Howard had an uncredited part in the Paul Newman prison drama "Cool Hand Luke." The next decade, he appeared in such films as "Where the Lilies Bloom," "Chinatown," "Eat My Dust!," and "Mr. No Legs." Howard also acted alongside both his sons in the 1977 film "Grand Theft Auto," which was his son Ron's feature directorial debut. He continued appearing in Ron's films in the 1980s, including "Splash," "Cocoon," "Gung Ho," and "Parenthood." Howard's other credits during the decade included "Love Letters," "Creator," "Listen to Me," and "Limit Up."
Howard appeared in dozens of films throughout the 1990s, including his son's films "Far and Away," "The Paper," and "Apollo 13." Among his other notable credits during the decade were "Universal Soldier," "Ed Wood," "Independence Day," "The Lay of the Land," "Small Soldiers," and "Abilene." Kicking off the 21st century, Howard appeared in his son's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." He subsequently had a small part in his son's Academy Award-winning biographical drama "A Beautiful Mind." Howard had a myriad of other small roles over the subsequent years, in such films as "Rat Race," "D-Tox," "The Long Ride Home," "The Alamo," "Ghost Town," and his son's films "The Missing," "Cinderella Man," and "Frost/Nixon." He continued acting fairly regularly throughout the 2010s, with credits including "The Genesis Code," "Night Club," "Spooky Buddies," "Nebraska," and "Max Rose." After his passing in 2017, Howard was in four films that were released posthumously, including "Apple Seed," in which he starred opposite his son Clint.
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Television Career
In 1956, the same year he debuted on the big screen, Howard made his television debut in an episode of "Kraft Television Theatre." He subsequently had guest roles on "How to Marry a Millionaire" and "Bat Masterson." In the early 1960s, Howard had a number of guest appearances on "The Andy Griffith Show," which starred his son Ron. Later in the decade, he starred alongside his son Clint in the series "Gentle Ben," based on the children's novel by Walt Morey. In the 1970s, Howard had guest roles on a variety of shows, including "Bonanza," "The Waltons," "Gunsmoke," "Happy Days," and "Battlestar Galactica." The next decade, he appeared on such shows as "Dynasty" and "Murder, She Wrote," as well as in the miniseries "The Thorn Birds" and the television film "A Smoky Mountain Christmas."
In the 1990s, Howard had guest roles on "Coach," "Seinfeld," "Babylon 5," and "Two of a Kind," among other shows. He was also in the television film "Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter." In the 2000s, Howard appeared in episodes of "Angel," "That '80s Show," "Cold Case," "That's So Raven," "Ghost Whisperer," "CSI: NY," "ER," and "Lie to Me." His notable television credits in the 2010s included episodes of "Workaholics," "Grey's Anatomy," "Bones," and "Kroll Show." Howard's final television role was as himself in an episode of the sitcom "Arrested Development" that aired posthumously in 2018.
Personal Life and Death
Howard married his first wife, actress Jean Speegle, in 1949. Their sons are Ron and Clint. The couple remained married until Speegle's passing in 2000. Howard went on to marry Judy in 2001; they were married until Judy's death in early 2017. Later in the year, on November 25, 2017, a week after his 89th birthday, Howard died from heart failure sparked by a West Nile virus infection.
