Steven Spielberg famously got his start as a director via the trial by fire of guiding Joan Crawford through the pilot episode of Rod Serling's "Night Gallery." The screen diva put him through his paces but good, but the filmmaker hung in there, likening the experience to "pitching to Hank Aaron your first time in the game." The only performer who might've been more daunting for a tyro director during that era was Bette Davis. Ron Howard learned this when he was assigned to manage the two-time Oscar-winner in the 1980 made-for-television drama "Skyward."
Howard was not quite as wet behind the ears as Spielberg was when he took on Crawford. The "Happy Days" star had been in show business his entire life stretching back to "The Andy Griffith Show." He made his feature-directing debut with 1977's action-comedy "Grand Theft Auto," and called the shots on a TV movie called "Cotton Candy" a year later.
Howard was not quite as wet behind the ears as Spielberg was when he took on Crawford. The "Happy Days" star had been in show business his entire life stretching back to "The Andy Griffith Show." He made his feature-directing debut with 1977's action-comedy "Grand Theft Auto," and called the shots on a TV movie called "Cotton Candy" a year later.
- 10/31/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
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