Ron Howard revealed that he was related to his Andy Griffith Show co-star Don Knotts as he shared a throwback pH๏τo on Instagram over the past weekend. 

The Oscar winner, 70 – who is the father of actress Bryce Dallas Howard – notably starred as Odie in the beloved sitcom which aired on CBS from 1960 through 1968. 

He played the son of the Griffith’s character Andy Taylor – the sheriff of a fictional town named Mayberry. Knotts portrayed deputy sheriff Barney Fife which garnered him five Emmy wins. 

In the image, Howard could be seen posing with Andy and Don (who is known for starring on Three’s Company) as they paid him a visit on set of his 1996 film Ransom starring Mel Gibson and Rene Russo. 

The trio flashed cheerful smiles towards the camera as they posed for the ‘fun’ snap together. 

In the caption, the filmmaker explained that his former castmates ‘surprised me with a visit to the set of #Ransom in #Queens. It was recently confirmed that Don and I were actually distant cousins!’ 

Ron Howard, 70, revealed that he was related to his Andy Griffith Show co-star Don Knotts as he shared a throwback pH๏τo on Instagram over the past weekend; seen in 2022

In the image, Howard could be seen posing with Andy and Don as they paid him a visit on set of his 1996 film Ransom starring Mel Gibson and Rene Russo

At the age of give, Howard was cast as Odie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show – and joined other co-stars such as Frances Bavier, Howard McNear, Jim Nabors and Hal Smith. 

The premise of the show followed, ‘Widower Sheriff Andy Taylor, and his son Opie, who live with Andy’s Aunt Bee in Mayberry, North Carolina.’

‘With virtually no crimes to solve, most of Andy’s time is spent philosophizing and calming down his cousin Deputy Barney Fife,’ per an IMDB synopsis.  

During the show’s run on the CBS network, it raked in a total of nine Emmy nods – with five going to Knotts for his performance as Fife. 

When Andy Griffith exited the series, a spin-off was created and called Mayberry R.F.D. with some of the original cast returning. 

A reunion television movie aired in 1986 on NBC тιтled Return To Mayberry, with Howard joining Griffith and Knotts once again. 

During a past interview on Larry King Live back in 2006, Ron reflected on working alongside Don on the 60s sitcom.

‘Don was, you know, an amazing guy in that – and I’ve worked with a lot of very, very funny people over the years,’ he said at the time. 

He played the son of the Griffith’s character Andy Taylor – the sheriff of a fictional town named Mayberry. Knotts portrayed deputy sheriff Barney Fife which garnered him five Emmy wins; seen in 1962

During a past interview on Larry King Live back in 2006, Ron reflected on working alongside Don on the 60s sitcom; Griffith and Knotts seen in 1962 

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‘And they all have different styles but one remarkable thing about Don is that I wasn’t aware of any neurosis or anything, you know,’ the star added. 

‘He wasn’t like his character at all. Even as a kid, you know, I could see that he was a really great comic actor who knew how to create this character and knew how to be very funny but, you know, he wasn’t Barney Fife.’

Howard also further expressed, ‘He was a very calm, very kind, very relaxed, very creative guy.’ 

Knotts was also known for his roles in projects such as The Ghost And Mr. Chicken (1966) and the series Three’s Company. 

Last year during an interview on the Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend podcast, Ron further remembered his time on The Andy Griffith Show as a child actor. 

In regards to the show’s success, he credited Andy and explained, ‘It was so much a function of kind of a singular creative voice. It was his show, it was tailored to his sensibility. 

‘Andy used to kill jokes if they were too broad. He just kept saying, “The South is plenty funny on its own.” Other shows about the South were too slapstick and silly for Griffith.’

He also recalled how both Griffith and Knotts would come up with ideas and dialogue on the spot if the episode needed it. 

In regards to the show’s success, he credited Andy and explained, ‘It was so much a function of kind of a singular creative voice. It was his show, it was tailored to his sensibility’; seen earlier this month in Orlando 

Knotts was on Three’s Company; seen here are Suzanne Somers, John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt

‘How lucky was I to grow up in that situation where the actors were set up…to participate, make suggestions?’ Howard expressed during the interview. 

The filmmaker explained that even as a young kid on set, he would offer his own ideas but said they initially ‘never went anywhere.’

But at one point while filming an episode for the second season, he suggested a different line for his character which would match what a child would say. 

‘I just felt this surge of being involved in something,’ the actor said after the director agreed to let the change happen.  

Griffith pᴀssed away at the age of 86 in 2012 following a heart attack and Knotts died six years earlier in 2006 at the age of 81.  

After his time on The Andy Griffith Show, Ron went on to take on other roles such as Richie Cunningham in Happy Days (1974-1980). 

After his time on The Andy Griffith Show, Ron went on to take on other roles such as Richie Cunningham in Happy Days (1974-1980); seen above with Henry Winkler on Happy Days 

He also jumped to the big screen to star in films including American Graffiti (1973) and The Spikes Gang (1974). 

The star made his directorial debut with Grand Theft Auto in 1977 which he also wrote and starred in. 

Other projects he has directed over the years include Night Shift (1982), Apollo 13 (1995), How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), A Beautiful Mind (2001), Cinderella Man (2005) and Thirteen Lives (2022). 

Howard has received an ᴀssortment of accolades over the span of his career thus far, including two Oscars, six Emmys and two Golden Globe Awards.