Oscar-winning director Ron Howard tells host Ben Mankiewicz that he feared being “branded” a supernatural comedy director following the success of “Splash” and “Cocoon.” After tapping guidance from his “Happy Days” boss, Garry Marshall, and insight from Frank Capra’s biography, Howard set forth to explore the medium of film in all its genres as a director. He tells Ben about being mesmerized by “Bonnie and Clyde” and “The Graduate” and learning how to work with stars when acting in “The Shootist” with John Wayne directed by Don Siegel. Ron Howard’s Super 8 answers run the gamut from nods to “Project Hail Mary.” and “Eastern Promises,” to “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” and “Blazing Saddles.”

Films Mentioned:

Night Shift
Splash
Cocoon
Grand Theft Auto
It Happened One Night
Brian’s Song
Boys in the Band
The Wild Bunch
The Graduate
Bonnie and Clyde
White Heat
The Shootist
Charley Varrick
Skyward
Eden
The Paper
The Missing
Backdraft
Frontier Woman
The Journey
Around the World in 80 Days
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Project Hail Mary
Eastern Promises
Unforgiven
A Face in the Crowd
Gone with the Wind
Matilda
High Noon
Arrival
Something About Mary
Terms of Endearment
As Good as it Gets
Young Frankenstein
Blazing Saddles

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