Cast & creator
Rance Howard
Best known for Grey's Anatomy, The Mike Douglas Show, Bones
Rance Howard (born Harold Engle Beckenholdt; November 17, 1928 – November 25, 2017) was an American actor who starred in film and on television. He was the father of actor and filmmaker Ron Howard and actor Clint Howard, and grandfather of actresses Bryce Dallas Howard and Paige Howard. Howard appeared in films such as Cool Hand Luke (1967), Chinatown (1974), Splash (1984), Ed Wood (1994), Apollo 13 (1995), Independence Day (1996), A Beautiful Mind (2001), Cinderella Man (2005), Frost/Nixon (2008), Nebraska (2013), and Max Rose (2016). He received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program for co-producing the television film The Time Crystal (1981).
Also known as: Harold Engle Beckenholdt
171
film credits
79
television credits
241
1947–2019 · acting roles
6.3
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (250)
Showing 250 of 250 credits
Grey's Anatomy
Martin Carroll
2005
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
Bones
Jerold Norsky
2005
NCIS: Los Angeles
Eugene
2009
Seinfeld
Blind Man
1989Seinfeld
Farmer
1989
The X-Files
Old Man
1993
Married... with Children
Edwin
1987Married... with Children
Reverend
1987
Diagnosis: Murder
Driver
1993
CSI: NY
Samuel Cooper
2004
Ghost Whisperer
Dirk Abrams
2005
ER
Dr. Oliver Kostin
1994
Murder, She Wrote
Fillmore
1984
Melrose Place
Motel Manager
1992
Babylon 5
David Sheridan
1994
Quantum Leap
Doc Graves
1989
Cold Case
Buddie
2003
The Andy Griffith Show
Treasury agent
1960The Andy Griffith Show
Bus Driver
1960The Andy Griffith Show
The Governor's Chauffeur
1960The Andy Griffith Show
Writer
1960
Angel
Marcus Roscoe
1999
Little House on the Prairie
Simpson
1974
Dynasty
1981
The Flintstones
Writer
1960
The Waltons
1972The Waltons
Dr. McIvers
1972
Baywatch
Joe
1989Baywatch
Fireman
1989
Arrested Development
Rance Howard
2003
Happy Days
Mr. Burkhart
1974
Coach
Herman Van Dam
1989
The Virginian
Luka
1962
Lie to Me
Joe Metz
2009
That's So Raven
Murphy
2003
The F.B.I.
Ranger
1965
Tales from the Crypt
Des
1989
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction
Reginald Hannon (segment "The Viewing")
1997
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Deputy Shaker
1956
7th Heaven
Old Man in Park
1996
Laverne & Shirley
1976
The Rookies
1972The Rookies
Writer
1972
Gunsmoke
Judge Alan Franklin
1955Gunsmoke
Frank Benton
1955
Bat Masterson
Fletcher
1958
ABC Afterschool Special
Myron Faraday
1972
Just Shoot Me!
Blind Flower Guy
1997
Night Gallery
Cameraman (segment "The Boy Who Predicted Earthquakes")
1970
Kraft Television Theatre
1947
Workaholics
Jerry
2011
Wiseguy
Ernest Haynes
1987
Switch
Collins
1975
Mork & Mindy
Guard
1978
Battlestar Galactica
Farnes
1978
Baywatch Nights
1995
Angels & Demons
Cardinal Beck
2009
The Danny Thomas Show
TV Crewman
1953
Clueless
1996
A Beautiful Mind
White-Haired Patient
2001
Independence Day
Chaplain
1996
Son of the Beach
2000
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Elderly Timekeeper
2000
Finder of Lost Loves
Hank
1984
The Huntress
2000
Then Came Bronson
Carl Mueller
1969
Rebel Highway
Minuteman
1994
Nichols
Deputy
1971
Cinderella Man
Announcer Al Fazin
2005
Far and Away
Tomlin
1992
The Lone Ranger
Engineer
2013
Mars Attacks!
Texan Investor
1996
Apollo 13
Reverend
1995
The Thorn Birds
Doc Wilson
1983
Gentle Ben
Henry Boomhauer
1967Gentle Ben
Writer
1967
Dan August
Hobbs
1970
Superboy
Colonel
1988
Universal Soldier
John Devreux
1992
The 'Burbs
Detective #2
1989
Valentine's Day
Bistro Gardens Diner
2010
Chinatown
Irate Farmer
1974
Small Soldiers
Husband
1998
Two of a Kind
Mr. Fillmore
1998
The Monroes
1966
Airplane II: The Sequel
Person #1 (uncredited)
1982
Jonah Hex
Telegrapher
2010
That '80s Show
Mr. Bailey
2002
Cool Hand Luke
Sheriff
1967
Drillbit Taylor
Older Man
2008
Joe Dirt
Bomb Squad Cop
2001
B.L. Stryker
1989
Frost/Nixon
Ollie
2008
The Missing
Telegraph Operator
2003
Splash
McCullough
1984
Money Talks
Reverend
1997
Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2
Preacher
2011
Ed Wood
Old Man McCoy
1994
Rat Race
Feed the Earth Spokesman
2001
Twenty Good Years
Henry
2006
The Alamo
Governor Smith
2004
Innerspace
Supermarket Customer
1987
The Dilemma
Burt
2011
The Long Hot Summer
Wilk
1985
Cocoon
St. Petersburg Dectective
1985
Nebraska
Uncle Ray
2013
Psycho
Mr. Lowery
1998
The Paper
Alicia's Doctor
1994
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Preacher
2007
A Death in California
Ralph Lee
1985
Georgia Rule
Dog Bite Man
2007
Parenthood
Dean at College
1989
Little Giants
Father Kelly
1994
Spooky Buddies
Mr. Johnson
2011
Love & Sex
Earl
2000
Gung Ho
Mayor Conrad Zwart
1986
Problem Child 3
The Janitor
1995
Sgt. Bilko
Mr. Robbins
1996
The Lonely Guy
Minister
1984
Ghosts of Mississippi
Ralph Hargrove
1996
Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest
Employer
1995
Dads
Self
2019
Fearless
Bald Cabby
1993
Murder, She Wrote: South by Southwest
Jarvis Bean
1997
Switched at Birth
Frank Hill
1991
D-Tox
Geezer
2002
Terminal Velocity
Stunt Pilot/Chuck
1994
Creator
Mr. Spencer
1985
Ticks
Sheriff Parker
1993
The Executioner's Song
Lt. Nelson
1982
A Smoky Mountain Christmas
Dr. Jennings
1986
The Second Civil War
Arnold Tooney, Jr.
1997
Grand Theft Auto
Ned Slinker
1977Grand Theft Auto
Writer
1977Grand Theft Auto
Associate Producer
1977
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
Camp Counselor (uncredited)
1963
Snapdragon
Priest
1993
A Crack in the Floor
Floyd Fryed
2001
Toolbox Murders
Chas Rooker
2004
Another Man, Another Chance
Wagonmaster
1977
Happy, Texas
Ely
1999
Ed and His Dead Mother
Rev. Praxton
1993
Talk Radio
Lou
2016
Let Go
Dimples
2011
Chez Upshaw
Harry
2015
The Kid with the Broken Halo
Coach Ramsdell
1982
Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess
Still Photographer
1983
Miracle at Sage Creek
Doctor Babcock
2005
Solemates
Older Man
2015
Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter
Bernie
1991
InSight
Cemetery Presider
2011
Flatbed Annie & Sweetie Pie: Lady Truckers
Mr. Murray
1979
Easy Rider: The Ride Back
Andrew Jackson Bennett
2012
The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins
Policeman
1984
Keith
Old Man (uncredited)
2008
The Long Ride Home
Old Man
2003
B.O.R.N.
Robert Morrison
1989
Once Fallen
Harry
2010
Play the Game
Mervin Lavine
2009
Land of the Free
Hotel Manager
1998
Runaway Daughters
Minute Man 3
1994Harrison Bergeron
Narrator
2006
Where the Lilies Bloom
Roy Luther
1974
Chairman of the Board
Rev. Hatley
1998
Big Wind on Campus
Grandpa Morton
2000
The Trial
Judge Danielson
2010
Boris and Natasha
Polygraph Man
1992
Legend of the Phantom Rider
Doc Fisher
2003
Listen to Me
1989
Evasive Action
Train Engineer
1998
Love Letters
Joseph Chesley
1983
The Wild Country
Cleve
1970
Second Chances
Wilbur
2013
I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore
Elderly Man
1992
Rosewood Lane
Fred Crumb
2011
Smokey Bites the Dust
Football Coach
1981
Redemption: For Robbing the Dead
Doctor
2011
Kung Fu
Sheriff Byrd
1972
Village of the Giants
Deputy
1965
9 1/2 Ninjas!
Ninja Negotiator
1991
Bigfoot: The Unforgettable Encounter
Todd
1994
Eat My Dust
Clark
1976
The Kid from Left Field
Harry the Bartender
1979
Ghost Rock
Cash
2004
Grizzly Park
Ranger Howard
2008
Traveller
Farmer
1997
The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe
1976
Back By Midnight
Priest
2005Gary Coleman: For Safety's Sake
Captain Truck
1986
The Genesis Code
Dr. Tolley
2010
The Kid with the 200 I.Q.
Bus Driver
1983
Where Truth Lies
Judge Bloom
1996
The Legend of Frank Woods
Howard Blacker
1977
Huckleberry Finn
Pap Finn
1978
Within
Deli Owner
2009Image in a Bottle
The Doctor
1976
An Eye for an Eye
Harry
1966
The Miracle of Kathy Miller
Dr. Jewell
1981
Through the Magic Pyramid
Producer
1981Through the Magic Pyramid
Writer
1981
Ghost Town: The Movie
Sheriff Tom Parker
2008
Steve Martin: A Wild and Crazy Guy
Self
1978
The Red Pony
Sheriff Bill Smith
1973
Harley's Hill
Charlie
2011
Ping!
Old Man
2001
Dark Before Dawn
Logan
1988
Max Rose
Walter Prewitt
2016
The Colony
Stan Benson
1995
Forced to Kill
Rance
1994
Mr. No Legs
Lou
1978
Sasquatch Mountain
Harris Zeff
2006
The Child Wanderers
Old Knut
2010
Return to Mayberry
Preacher
1986
Chasing the Star
Devil as an Old Man
2017
Cotton Candy
Mr. Bremmercamp
1978Cotton Candy
Co-Producer
1978
Tiger Heart
Mr. Johnson
1996
Death and Texas
Circuit Court Judge
2004
Limit Up
Chuck Feeney
1989
Trust Me
Vern
1989
Gentle Giant
Tater Coughlin
1967
Boppin' at the Glue Factory
Walker Bill
2009
Busted
Mayor Davies
1997
Holiday in Your Heart
Blind Man
1997
Audie & the Wolf
Dr. Maleosis
2008
Scandal Sheet
Mr. Bell
1985
Sister Aimee: The Aimee Semple McPherson Story
James Kennedy
2006
The Night Caller
Hank
1998
Broken Memories
Jasper
2017
Night Club
Chuck
2011
Killing Cupid
Zeke
1995
Scout's Honor
The Captain
1980
Apple Seed
Carl
2019
Be My Baby
Zippy
2007
The Christ Slayer
Devil as Old Man
2019
Playing with Fire
Fireman Goodwin
1985
Malevolence
Dr. Burns
1999
Locusts
Aaron
1974
40 Nights
Devil as an Old Man
2016
Skyward
Pilot #2
1980
Huff
Scotty
2013
Kalebegiak
José Mari
2016
Jumping for Joy
2002
Frontier Woman
Prewitt
1956Gone Dark
Charles
2013
Abilene
Arliss
1999
Bloody Trail
Jake
1972
Two Soldiers
Paw
1986
Forever and Beyond
Technician
1983