The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family

A pair of Oklahomans with stars in their eyes left the Midwest for Hollywood. There, these self-described “sophisticated hicks” discovered that their children were more in demand than they were. Determined to raise their sons in as forthright and healthy a manner as possible, the parents were careful to pick good roles for them. Ron Howard became famous as Opie on the Andy Griffith Show, while his younger brother, Clint, starred in Gentle Ben. Both roles were true to the clean-cut, wholesome lives that they led—an upbringing that helped shield the boys from the kinds of sad fates that most child actors fall into.

Later, their paths diverged as Ron pursued his dreams of directing, whereas Clint struggled with addiction issues even as he became a sought-after character actor. Their new joint memoir focuses mostly on their early lives and will be of interest to fans of their shows (including Happy Days and numerous films) and of Hollywood in general. Although the writing often tends to tell rather than show (perhaps a fault of the author-editor who “assisted”), it is interspersed with more conversational quotes from the brothers that show their own voices and their genuine fondness for each other. Readers are treated to many behind-the-scenes details and insights, along with family photographs that illustrate the book.