Ron Howard started his journey in the entertainment industry of Hollywood.Back in 1956, when he was just two years old, he appeared in a Western titled “Frontier Woman” (with his father, Rance Howard), portraying… well, a two-year-old. This marked the start of a successful career as a child actor, credited under the name Ronny Howard. He starred in movies such as “The Music Man” and “Village of the Giants,” and gained significant recognition on television through shows like “The Twilight Zone,” “Dennis the Menace,” and “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.” His major breakthrough came when he played the young Opie Taylor in the 1960 sitcom “The Andy Griffith Show.” Howard continued to work consistently, appearing in nearly every popular TV series of the 1960s. By the 1970s, in his twenties, he was starring in hit films like “American Graffiti” and leading successful shows such as “Happy Days.”
Since he was brought up in the industry, Howard understood how to negotiate a deal. In 1974, he starred in a low-budget car-chase comedy titled “Eat My Dust!,” which was written and directed by Charles B. Griffith and produced by the famous Roger Corman. At 22 years old, Howard suggested an arrangement with Corman: he would participate in “Eat My Dust!,” but only if he was allowed to direct a movie for Corman soon after. Corman accepted, and in 1976, Howard directed “Grand Theft Auto,” another car chase comedy. Howard also acted in the film and collaborated with his father, Rance, on the screenplay, who also had a supporting role.
“Grand Theft Auto” was produced on a tight budget of just $600,000, as per Corman’s own guidelines. It ended up earning a solid $15 million at the theater, maintaining Corman’s track record of always turning a profit on his films.
Read more: 10 Finished Films That Were Never Made Public
What is the status of Grand Theft Auto?
“Grand Theft Auto” features an entertaining concept: Nancy Morgan portrays Paula, the daughter of a well-known politician who is contentedly dating Sam, a college student with limited financial stability. Paula’s parents (Bigby Cahill and Elizabeth Powers) push her to marry a rich but despicable man named Collins (Paul Linke), which she strongly opposes. In an attempt to avoid her parents’ schemes, Paula steals a vehicle, picks up Sam, and embarks on a rapid road journey to Las Vegas, aiming to quickly wed Sam. Starting in Los Angeles, the trip will take approximately four to five hours.
After she starts her journey, naturally, Paula gains several followers. Collins is right behind her, along with a henchman called Ned Slinker (Rance Howard). Collins also contacts a well-known radio show, offering a significant cash prize to anyone who can overtake Paula, drawing in numerous additional pursuers. It’s an eccentric road comedy reminiscent of “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World,” yet it has a bit more intensity and a far smaller budget.
Howard cleverly featured several well-known film directors in cameo roles, such as Paul Bartel, Alan Arkush, and Garry Marshall. Clint, Ron Howard’s younger brother, also made an appearance.
The movie did not receive strong reviews from critics — it holds a 29% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes — but it was profitable, which was primarily what Corman focused on. Just five years later, in 1982, Howard would direct another film, this time a prominent studio comedy titled “Night Shift” featuring Harry Winkler, Shelley Long, and Michael Keaton. This film earned $21 million with an $8 million budget. In 1984,Howard directed “Splash,”A mermaid comedy, an $11 million movie that earned nearly $70 million. He was a true hitmaker.
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Ron Howard discussed the creation of “Grand Theft Auto”with Car and Driver Magazine from 2013, and he remembered the experience clearly. He pointed out that Todd Hollowell, the executive producer on “Grand Theft Auto,” was also his assistant director on “Rush,” one of his latest films, so their professional connection has been long-standing. Howard also mentioned that he created filming methods that he continued to use for many years, stating:
I learned the method of filming stunts and analyzing them. Essentially, aiming to make the cars and drivers function as one character. In ‘Grand Theft Auto,’ we did it for excitement and humor, and in ‘Rush,’ for drama. And setting up the scenes so that you truly grasped the dramatic elements, not just sitting back and observing the action.
In a distinct interview with Business Insider, Howard stated that he was only permitted to direct “Grand Theft Auto” through blackmail. That’s, of course, an overstatement.He simply made an agreement with Corman. The famous producer was responsible for selecting the title “Grand Theft Auto,” which was one of the early names considered for “Eat My Dust!” Corman mentioned that he needed to create, in his own words, “a film about a car accident involving young people on the run.” Howard stated that he “had a plan for him within 15 minutes, and I was able to produce that movie.” Corman wasn’t particularly fond of the final script – it was too focused on characters for his studio’s taste – but he still went ahead with it.
The rest is history.
Interesting fact: “Grand Theft Auto” is the only movie that Howard both directed and starred in. Unfortunately, it isn’t available on streaming platforms, but savvy film fans know where to locate it.
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