The Sweetest Photos of Ron Howard and Cheryl Howard Over the Years, as the Director Turns 72

Rum and Cheryl Howard‘s love story is a long time in the making.

The couple, who met in highschool and went on their first date in 1970, have been on one another’s sides for all of life’s large moments.

Cheryl, who’s a printed writer, and Ron, an actor and Oscar-winning director, expanded their household 4 occasions over with the addition of their youngsters, daughters Bryce DallasJocelyn Carlyle and Paige Carlyle, as effectively as Reed Cross.

“We’ve had that good fortune of our chemistry staying strong, our interests having grown and evolved, but somehow remaining compatible,” Ron, who turns 72 on March 1, 2026, awning PEOPLE. “There’s an element of luck there. I count myself as supremely fortunate.”

From their early days as a pair to their most up-to-date outings, have a look again at some of the sweetest photographs of the longtime couple.

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So High School

Ron Howard and Cheryl Alley met whereas attending John Burroughs High School in Burbank, California, and had their first date in 1970.

“Nov 1 1970 Cheryl & I went on our 1st date,” Ron wrote alongside an instagram publish commemorating the fortieth anniversary of the second in 2020. “We went to see a re-release of Stanley Kramer’s It’s a Mad Mad Mad World and then got some pizza at now defunct Barnone’s in Toluca Lake. “Quit begin, proper?”

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Longtime Love

He added a sweet detail sharing that to celebrate, “We’ll be driving in the similar ’70 VW Bug I picked up Cheryl up in 5 a long time in the past. It runs nice. So will we.”

Sporting what appears to be a signature look for a young Ron Howard, the couple is seen here in the 1970s.

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Wedding Bells

After Ron Howard proposed three timesthe two tied the knot in 1975 in Burbank. Special visitors for his or her large day included the actor’s well-known costars from The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Daystogether with his TV dads Andy Griffith and Tom Bosley.

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Eyes for You

See what we mean about the ruffled shirts?

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Sweet Moment

The two took their date night to the 31st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 1979.

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Baby Makes Three

In 1981 the couple expanded their family when they welcomed their first daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard — seen here with her parents in 1982. Their family continued to grow over the years with the addition of twins Paige Carlyle Howard and Jocelyn Carlyle Howard in 1985 and later son Reed Cross Howard in 1987.

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Bring It In

Ron Howard and Cheryl Howard were all smiles when they attended the third annual Carousel Ball of Hope in Denver in 1983.

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Beaming with Pride

And Cheryl Howard was of course on deck to celebrate her husband’s film Parenthood at the LA premiere in 1989.

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Winner’s Circle

The two were all dressed up in 1996 when Ron Howard won the Directors Guild of America award for Apollo 13.

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To the Nines

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Star Support

As always, Cheryl was right by her husband’s side as he received his second Hollywood Walk of Fame star for his contributions to both film and TV.

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Fancy Date Night

The couple, who are now grandparents six times over, are still each other’s favorite dates decades later.

Over the years, Cheryl Howard has also “been in everything“That Ron Howard has directed since “eleventh grade in highschool,” he is stated.

“At a sure level, I grew to become very superstitious about ensuring that she seems, that she’s at the least identifiable in a single body,” Ron defined to the Television Academycalling Cheryl his “good luck allure.” “They do not need to be large cameos, however she’s gotta be in there.”

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Five Decades in the Making

From high school sweethearts to grandparents, Ron Howard and Cheryl Howard have a love story for the ages.

“I met her, and there was never anybody else,” Ron, seen here with his wife in 2022, told PEOPLE in 2019. “She’s unbelievably supportive and at all times has been. Our compatibility has endured by means of all types of experiences.”

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Golden Year

They hit their milestone 50th anniversary in 2025, and Ron mirrored on the “calm soothing waters and some difficult rapids” throughout their relationship. The key to it all? “Love and respect one another sufficient to only preserve paddling,” he wrote.

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Wife Guy

Ron marked his wife’s 72nd birthday in December 2025 with a wintry selfie full of warmth.

In 2024, whereas on The View Ahead of their forty ninth marriage ceremony anniversary, Ron gushed about Cheryl — and even got a bit emotional.

“I discovered this lady who was simply so full of life. She was flying airplanes. She was going to nighttime college to get forward, and all of these items,” Howard said. “And she just had so much authentic energy for life and joy and she does… still.”

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