Ron Howard’s Most Heartbreaking Memory From ‘The Andy Griffith Show’
The Andy Griffith Show holds a special place in the hearts of many because of its heartwarming stories and lovable characters. But, as with all good things, it eventually came to an end. The wrap party was meant to be a celebration of the show’s success, but for young Ron Howard, who portrayed Opie Taylor, it turned out to be a truly bittersweet moment.
Ron spoke about this with Graham Bensinger in a 2023 interview on YouTube. “We were the number one show on television, but Andy wanted to move on,” Ron recalled, so it was decided that the show would end at the conclusion of its eight season. Ron didn’t feel “tormented,” he said, with the knowledge that the show was ending as they filmed the final season; he was growing up, getting interested in school and sports, and thinking about his own future.
So his experience at the show’s wrap party was a bit of a surprise for the young actor.
According to him, as the night of the wrap party unfolded, the cast gathered, sharing memories, laughter, and a few tears. Andy Griffith, the beloved actor who played the lead character, Sheriff Andy Taylor, took the stage to address the cast and crew. His words carried weight that night as he explained why it was time to say goodbye to the show they had all poured their hearts into.
Richard R. Hewett/TV Guide/Courtesy Everett Collection
As Andy continued to speak, the atmosphere grew heavy. Ron, who had been part of the show since its very beginning as a child actor, was hit hard by the realization that this was truly the end. The weight of the moment overwhelmed him, and tears began streaming down his face. Not just tiny tears. In Ron’s own words, he said “I just started sobbing.”
Ron’s tears were a testament to the deep love and attachment he had developed for the show, its characters, and the actors who played them — a genuine display of the impact that The Andy Griffith Show had on his life and career. After all, he had grown up on the set and had formed incredibly deep bonds with the cast and crew, especially people like Don Knotts, who played Deputy Barney Fife. The show had been his second home, and the people on the set had become his extended family. The thought of parting ways with this tight-knit group was just too much for young Ron to bear. “I realized I was leaving something behind that was more than a job,” Ron remembered. “It was a way of life.”
As Andy continued to speak, his words resonated with everyone in the room. He acknowledged the impact the show had made on their lives and expressed his deep gratitude to the cast and crew for their dedication and hard work. His words were filled with warmth and appreciation, but for Ron, they were also a reminder that things would never be the same — that, in his words, “I suddenly didn’t know what it was going to be like to not have that show in my future, and those people in my future.”
Richard R. Hewett/TV Guide/Courtesy Everett Collection
And while Ron was right in a way, he was also very wrong. Throughout his life, he maintained his friendships with Andy and the other cast members. He even had a chance to play Opie one more time in the reunion movie, Return to Mayberry.
Although the wrap party was a sad and emotional moment for everyone, it’s important to remember that the end of The Andy Griffith Show was also the beginning of new chapters in the lives of the cast and crew, especially for Ron Howard who is probably even more well known these days as an award-winning filmmaker, directing numerous acclaimed movies, including A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, and everyone’s favorite Star Wars movie, Solo. What? You say you haven’t seen that one yet? Truth be told, it’s actually pretty good. Check it out when you get a chance.
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Where Are They Now? Music Legends
July/August 2025
They rocked and rolled us, they shredded, they head-slammed and they crooned, but what happened to them and where are they now?
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