Ron Howard is remembering a time, long ago.
American director and film producer took a nostalgic trip down memory lane on February 15, sharing a sweet throwback photo of himself with The Andy Griffith Show legends Andy Griffith and Don Knotts.
The Oscar-winning director posted the picture on Instagram, revealing that the two sitcom icons surprised him on the set of Ransom back in the late ‘90s.
“A fun photo of the day in ‘97 when #AndyGriffith and #DonKnotts surprised me with a visit to the set of #Ransom in #Queens,” Howard, 70, captioned the post. “It was recently confirmed that Don and I were actually distant cousins!”
Howard, of course, played Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show from 1960 to 1968, landing the role at just 5 years old.
He starred as the adorable son of Griffith’s Sheriff Andy Taylor, while Knotts played the hilariously overzealous Deputy Barney Fife—a performance that earned him five Emmy Awards.
While Howard later became known for his role as Richie Cunningham on Happy Days, he ultimately followed his childhood dream of becoming a filmmaker.
The Apollo 13 director once told PEOPLE that even as a young actor, he had his sights set on working behind the camera. “Andy was like a wonderful uncle to me,” he shared. “He created an atmosphere of hard work and fun that I try to bring to my movies.”
Howard, Griffith, and Knotts reunited for one last Mayberry adventure in the 1986 TV movie Return to Mayberry, where Opie became a first-time dad and Barney (briefly) took on the role of sheriff before handing it back to Andy.
Sadly, both Griffith and Knotts have since passed away—Knotts in 2006 at age 81 and Griffith in 2012 at 86.
But their influence on Howard remains strong.
In a June 2024 conversation with Conan O’Brien, Howard reflected on why The Andy Griffith Show was so beloved. According to him, it was all thanks to Griffith’s creative instincts.
“It was so much a function of kind of a singular creative voice,” he said. While Griffith wasn’t officially credited as a producer, Howard explained, “It was his show, it was tailored to his sensibility.”
And when it came to comedic choices, Griffith had a clear vision.
“Andy used to kill jokes if they were too broad. He just kept saying, ‘The South is plenty funny on its own,’” Howard recalled. For Griffith, authenticity was key—something that made The Andy Griffith Show stand out from other slapstick-heavy sitcoms of its time.
Howard’s throwback post is proof that while decades have passed, his time in Mayberry—and the friendships he made there—will always hold a special place in his heart.
