Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

245

Gender

Male

Birthday

1928-11-17

Day of Death

2017-11-25 (89 years old)

Place of Birth

Newkirk, Oklahoma, USA

Also Known As

Harold Engle Beckenholdt

Rance Howard

Biography

Rance Howard (born Harold Engle Beckenholdt; November 17, 1928 – November 25, 2017) was an American actor who starred in film and on television. He was the father of actor and filmmaker Ron Howard and actor Clint Howard, and grandfather of actresses Bryce Dallas Howard and Paige Howard. Howard appeared in films such as Cool Hand Luke (1967), Chinatown (1974), Splash (1984), Ed Wood (1994), Apollo 13 (1995), Independence Day (1996), A Beautiful Mind (2001), Cinderella Man (2005), Frost/Nixon (2008), Nebraska (2013), and Max Rose (2016). He received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program for co-producing the television film The Time Crystal (1981).

Known For

Acting

Big Wind on Campus

2000

Big Wind on Campus

as

Grandpa Morton

Spooky Buddies

2011

Spooky Buddies

as

Mr. Johnson

Audie & the Wolf

2008

Audie & the Wolf

as

Dr. Maleosis

Cotton Candy

1978

Cotton Candy

as

Mr. Bremmercamp

Angels & Demons

2009

Angels & Demons

as

Cardinal Beck

Gung Ho

1986

Gung Ho

as

Mayor Conrad Zwart

A Crack in the Floor

2001

A Crack in the Floor

as

Floyd Fryed

Runaway Daughters

1994

Runaway Daughters

as

Minute Man 3

Land of the Free

1998

Land of the Free

as

Hotel Manager

Creator

1985

Creator

as

Mr. Spencer

Smokey Bites the Dust

1981

Smokey Bites the Dust

as

Football Coach

I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore

1992

I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore

as

Elderly Man

A Smoky Mountain Christmas

1986

A Smoky Mountain Christmas

as

Dr. Jennings

Mr. No Legs

1978

Mr. No Legs

as

Lou's Sidekick

Toolbox Murders

2004

Toolbox Murders

as

Chas Rooker

Miracle at Sage Creek

2005

Miracle at Sage Creek

as

Doctor Babcock

The Red Pony

1973

The Red Pony

as

Sheriff Bill Smith

Be My Baby

2007

Be My Baby

as

Zippy

Trust Me

1989

Trust Me

as

Vern

Terminal Velocity

1994

Terminal Velocity

as

Stunt Pilot/Chuck

Grand Theft Auto

1977

Grand Theft Auto

as

Ned Slinker

Steve Martin: A Wild and Crazy Guy

1978

Steve Martin: A Wild and Crazy Guy

as

Self

InSight

2011

InSight

as

Cemetery Presider

Skyward

1980

Skyward

as

Pilot #2

The Kid with the Broken Halo

1982

The Kid with the Broken Halo

as

Coach Ramsdell

Dads

2019

Dads

as

Self

Splash

1984

Splash

as

McCullough

Locusts

1974

Locusts

as

Aaron

Gone Dark

2013

Gone Dark

as

Charles

Dark Before Dawn

1988

Dark Before Dawn

as

Logan

Problem Child 3

1995

Problem Child 3

as

The Janitor

Holiday in Your Heart

1997

Holiday in Your Heart

as

Blind Man

Mars Attacks!

1996

Mars Attacks!

as

Texan Investor

Rosewood Lane

2011

Rosewood Lane

as

Fred Crumb

Harrison Bergeron

2006

Harrison Bergeron

as

Narrator

Cool Hand Luke

1967

Cool Hand Luke

as

Sheriff

Where the Lilies Bloom

1974

Where the Lilies Bloom

as

Roy Luther

Chinatown

1974

Chinatown

as

Irate Farmer

Flatbed Annie & Sweetie Pie: Lady Truckers

1979

Flatbed Annie & Sweetie Pie: Lady Truckers

as

Mr. Murray

Cocoon

1985

Cocoon

as

St. Petersburg Dectective

The 'Burbs

1989

The 'Burbs

as

Detective #2

Ticks

1993

Ticks

as

Sheriff Parker

Tiger Heart

1996

Tiger Heart

as

Mr. Johnson

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

2000

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

as

Elderly Timekeeper

The Long Ride Home

2003

The Long Ride Home

as

Old Man

Sasquatch Mountain

2006

Sasquatch Mountain

as

Harris Zeff

Grizzly Park

2008

Grizzly Park

as

Ranger Howard

Frost/Nixon

2008

Frost/Nixon

as

Ollie

Boppin' at the Glue Factory

2009

Boppin' at the Glue Factory

as

Walker Bill

Harley's Hill

2011

Harley's Hill

as

Charlie

Nebraska

2013

Nebraska

as

Uncle Ray

Bloody Trail

1972

Bloody Trail

as

Jake

Let Go

2011

Let Go

as

Dimples

Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess

1983

Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess

as

Still Photographer

Gentle Giant

1967

Gentle Giant

as

Tater Coughlin

The Courtship of Eddie's Father

1963

The Courtship of Eddie's Father

as

Camp Counselor (uncredited)

Forever and Beyond

1983

Forever and Beyond

as

Technician

Where Truth Lies

1996

Where Truth Lies

as

Judge Bloom

Innerspace

1987

Innerspace

as

Supermarket Customer

Sgt. Bilko

1996

Sgt. Bilko

as

Mr. Robbins

Ping!

2001

Ping!

as

Old Man

Another Man, Another Chance

1977

Another Man, Another Chance

as

Wagonmaster

The Miracle of Kathy Miller

1981

The Miracle of Kathy Miller

as

Dr. Jewell

Back By Midnight

2005

Back By Midnight

as

Priest

Huff

2013

Huff

as

Scotty

Play the Game

2009

Play the Game

as

Mervin Lavine

Universal Soldier

1992

Universal Soldier

as

John Devreux

The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins

1984

The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins

as

Policeman

The Colony

1995

The Colony

as

Stan Benson

B.O.R.N.

1989

B.O.R.N.

as

Robert Morrison

The Kid with the 200 I.Q.

1983

The Kid with the 200 I.Q.

as

Bus Driver

Scandal Sheet

1985

Scandal Sheet

as

Mr. Bell

Scout's Honor

1980

Scout's Honor

as

The Captain

Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter

1991

Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter

as

Bernie

A Beautiful Mind

2001

A Beautiful Mind

as

White-Haired Patient

The Kid from Left Field

1979

The Kid from Left Field

as

Harry the Bartender

Cinderella Man

2005

Cinderella Man

as

Announcer Al Fazin

Parenthood

1989

Parenthood

as

Dean at College

The Missing

2003

The Missing

as

Telegraph Operator

Ed Wood

1994

Ed Wood

as

Old Man McCoy

Ghost Town: The Movie

2008

Ghost Town: The Movie

as

Sheriff Tom Parker

An Eye for an Eye

1966

An Eye for an Eye

as

Harry

Listen to Me

1989

Listen to Me

as

Airplane II: The Sequel

1982

Airplane II: The Sequel

as

Person #1 (uncredited)

Drillbit Taylor

2008

Drillbit Taylor

as

Older Man

Sister Aimee: The Aimee Semple McPherson Story

2006

Sister Aimee: The Aimee Semple McPherson Story

as

James Kennedy

Little Giants

1994

Little Giants

as

Father Kelly

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

2007

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

as

Preacher

Snapdragon

1993

Snapdragon

as

Priest

Playing with Fire

1985

Playing with Fire

as

Fireman Goodwin

Eat My Dust

1976

Eat My Dust

as

Clark

Ghost Rock

2004

Ghost Rock

as

Cash

Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest

1995

Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest

as

Employer

Night Club

2011

Night Club

as

Chuck

Death and Texas

2004

Death and Texas

as

Circuit Court Judge

The Lone Ranger

2013

The Lone Ranger

as

Engineer

9 1/2 Ninjas!

1991

9 1/2 Ninjas!

as

Ninja Negotiator

The Night Caller

1998

The Night Caller

as

Hank

The Dilemma

2011

The Dilemma

as

Burt

Kalebegiak

2016

Kalebegiak

as

José Mari

Fearless

1993

Fearless

as

Bald Cabby

Frontier Woman

1956

Frontier Woman

as

Prewitt

Talk Radio

2016

Talk Radio

as

Lou

The Child Wanderers

2010

The Child Wanderers

as

Old Knut

Legend of the Phantom Rider

2003

Legend of the Phantom Rider

as

Doc Fisher

Psycho

1998

Psycho

as

Mr. Lowery

The Paper

1994

The Paper

as

Alicia's Doctor

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2

2011

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2

as

Preacher

40 Nights

2016

40 Nights

as

Devil as an Old Man

The Legend of Frank Woods

1977

The Legend of Frank Woods

as

Howard Blacker

Ed and His Dead Mother

1993

Ed and His Dead Mother

as

Rev. Praxton

Solemates

2015

Solemates

as

Older Man

Broken Memories

2017

Broken Memories

as

Jasper

Limit Up

1989

Limit Up

as

Chuck Feeney

Village of the Giants

1965

Village of the Giants

as

Deputy

Apollo 13

1995

Apollo 13

as

Reverend

Forced to Kill

1994

Forced to Kill

as

Rance

Chasing the Star

2017

Chasing the Star

as

Devil as an Old Man

The Christ Slayer

2019

The Christ Slayer

as

Devil as Old Man

The Genesis Code

2010

The Genesis Code

as

Dr. Tolley

Far and Away

1992

Far and Away

as

Tomlin

The Wild Country

1970

The Wild Country

as

Cleve

Bigfoot: The Unforgettable Encounter

1994

Bigfoot: The Unforgettable Encounter

as

Todd

The Second Civil War

1997

The Second Civil War

as

Arnold Tooney, Jr.

Evasive Action

1998

Evasive Action

as

Train Engineer

Once Fallen

2010

Once Fallen

as

Harry

Love & Sex

2000

Love & Sex

as

Earl

The Trial

2010

The Trial

as

Judge Danielson

Busted

1997

Busted

as

Mayor Davies

Second Chances

2013

Second Chances

as

Wilbur

D-Tox

2002

D-Tox

as

Geezer

Killing Cupid

1995

Killing Cupid

as

Zeke

Return to Mayberry

1986

Return to Mayberry

as

Preacher

Independence Day

1996

Independence Day

as

Chaplain

Abilene

1999

Abilene

as

Arliss

Traveller

1997

Traveller

as

Farmer

Huckleberry Finn

1978

Huckleberry Finn

as

Pap Finn

Love Letters

1983

Love Letters

as

Joseph Chesley

Chairman of the Board

1998

Chairman of the Board

as

Rev. Hatley

Joe Dirt

2001

Joe Dirt

as

Bomb Squad Cop

Jumping for Joy

2002

Jumping for Joy

as

The Alamo

2004

The Alamo

as

Governor Smith

Apple Seed

2019

Apple Seed

as

Carl

Keith

2008

Keith

as

Old Man (uncredited)

Jonah Hex

2010

Jonah Hex

as

Telegrapher

Redemption: For Robbing the Dead

2011

Redemption: For Robbing the Dead

as

Doctor

Small Soldiers

1998

Small Soldiers

as

Husband

Money Talks

1997

Money Talks

as

Reverend

Georgia Rule

2007

Georgia Rule

as

Dog Bite Man

Valentine's Day

2010

Valentine's Day

as

Bistro Gardens Diner

The Executioner's Song

1982

The Executioner's Song

as

Lt. Nelson

Within

2009

Within

as

Deli Owner

The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe

1976

The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe

as

Murder, She Wrote: South by Southwest

1997

Murder, She Wrote: South by Southwest

as

Jarvis Bean

The Lonely Guy

1984

The Lonely Guy

as

Minister

Happy, Texas

1999

Happy, Texas

as

Ely

Ghosts of Mississippi

1996

Ghosts of Mississippi

as

Ralph Hargrove

Malevolence

1999

Malevolence

as

Dr. Burns

Boris and Natasha

1992

Boris and Natasha

as

Polygraph Man

Two Soldiers

1986

Two Soldiers

as

Paw

Easy Rider: The Ride Back

2012

Easy Rider: The Ride Back

as

Andrew Jackson Bennett

Gary Coleman: For Safety's Sake

1986

Gary Coleman: For Safety's Sake

as

Captain Truck

Max Rose

2016

Max Rose

as

Walter Prewitt

Rat Race

2001

Rat Race

as

Feed the Earth Spokesman

The Andy Griffith Show

The Andy Griffith Show

as

Treasury agent

Son of the Beach

Son of the Beach

as

The Rookies

The Rookies

as

Kung Fu

Kung Fu

as

Sheriff Byrd

Ghost Whisperer

Ghost Whisperer

as

Dirk Abrams

Little House on the Prairie

Little House on the Prairie

as

Simpson

Two of a Kind

Two of a Kind

as

Mr. Fillmore

Cold Case

Cold Case

as

Buddie

Tales from the Crypt

Tales from the Crypt

as

Des

Angel

Angel

as

Marcus Roscoe

CSI: NY

CSI: NY

as

Samuel Cooper

Dynasty

Dynasty

as

Happy Days

Happy Days

as

Clueless

Clueless

as

Diagnosis: Murder

Diagnosis: Murder

as

Driver

Quantum Leap

Quantum Leap

as

Doc Graves

Laverne & Shirley

Laverne & Shirley

as

That '80s Show

That '80s Show

as

Mr. Bailey

Babylon 5

Babylon 5

as

David Sheridan

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

as

Judge Alan Franklin

Night Gallery

Night Gallery

as

Cameraman (segment "The Boy Who Predicted Earthquakes")

Melrose Place

Melrose Place

as

Motel Manager

Superboy

Superboy

as

Baywatch

Baywatch

as

Joe

7th Heaven

7th Heaven

as

Old Man in Park

The Huntress

The Huntress

as

Just Shoot Me!

Just Shoot Me!

as

Blind Flower Guy

The Waltons

The Waltons

as

Wiseguy

Wiseguy

as

Ernest Haynes

ER

as

Dr. Oliver Kostin

The Monroes

The Monroes

as

The Virginian

The Virginian

as

Luka

The Thorn Birds

The Thorn Birds

as

Doc Wilson

Bat Masterson

Bat Masterson

as

Fletcher

ABC Afterschool Special

ABC Afterschool Special

as

Myron Faraday

Gentle Ben

Gentle Ben

as

Henry Boomhauer

B.L. Stryker

B.L. Stryker

as

Seinfeld

Seinfeld

as

Blind Man

Baywatch

Baywatch

as

Fireman

Nichols

Nichols

as

Deputy

The Andy Griffith Show

The Andy Griffith Show

as

The Governor's Chauffeur

The Andy Griffith Show

The Andy Griffith Show

as

Bus Driver

Married... with Children

Married... with Children

as

Edwin

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

as

Frank Benton

Arrested Development

Arrested Development

as

Rance Howard

The Long Hot Summer

The Long Hot Summer

as

Wilk

Seinfeld

Seinfeld

as

Farmer

Lie to Me

Lie to Me

as

Joe Metz

Kraft Television Theatre

Kraft Television Theatre

as

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.

as

Ranger

Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction

Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction

as

Reginald Hannon (segment "The Viewing")

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show

as

Self

The Waltons

The Waltons

as

Dr. McIvers

Mork & Mindy

Mork & Mindy

as

Guard

Finder of Lost Loves

Finder of Lost Loves

as

Hank

Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy

as

Martin Carroll

Bones

Bones

as

Jerold Norsky

That's So Raven

That's So Raven

as

Murphy

The X-Files

The X-Files

as

Old Man

Coach

Coach

as

Herman Van Dam

Dan August

Dan August

as

Hobbs

Baywatch Nights

Baywatch Nights

as

A Death in California

A Death in California

as

Ralph Lee

Murder, She Wrote

Murder, She Wrote

as

Fillmore

Battlestar Galactica

Battlestar Galactica

as

Farnes

NCIS: Los Angeles

NCIS: Los Angeles

as

Eugene

Switch

Switch

as

Collins

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

as

Deputy Shaker

Then Came Bronson

Then Came Bronson

as

Carl Mueller

Workaholics

Workaholics

as

Jerry

Switched at Birth

Switched at Birth

as

Frank Hill

Twenty Good Years

Twenty Good Years

as

Henry

Production

Through the Magic Pyramid

1981

Through the Magic Pyramid

as

Cotton Candy

1978

Cotton Candy

as

Grand Theft Auto

1977

Grand Theft Auto

as

Crew

Directing