There are many reasons why Ron Howard can be described as an American icon, but none of them would exist if he hadn’t gotten his start as a young boy on The Andy Griffith Show. At just six years old when the series began, Howard clearly learned a lot about the entertainment industry that helped him with his career — and picked up a few other fun skills along the way.
As fans of the show know, each episode began with Howard as Opie walking down a dirt road with Andy Griffith and a couple of fishing poles in their hands. There’s a good chance you have that unforgettable whistling theme song in your head now. You probably also remember how Opie would reach down and grab some rocks, then toss them into the nearby swimming hole. Even as he grew up over the seasons of the show, every episode started that same way.
Now, about six decades later, Howard is proving his skills with skipping stones hasn’t faded. In fact, you could argue they’ve gotten much better. He shared the video below on his Instagram account and bragged, “Still got it.”
It might be a simple skill, but you have to admit it’s pretty darn impressive. Anyone who’s attempted it themselves only to have their rock immediately sink below the water knows how frustrating it can be to get it just right. Maybe Howard should add lessons for stone skipping to the film classes he frequently offers!
We also love seeing that he still has fond memories of the show that helped launch his lifelong career. He may be one of the biggest names in Hollywood today at 65, but we’ll always have a soft spot in our hearts for little “Ronnie Howard” and the whole Mayberry bunch.
