Home once owned by Ron Howard hits the market

An Encino home where Oscar-winning filmmaker Ron Howard once lived has come on the market for $3.695 million.

Howard bought the home in 1979 when he was appearing as Richie Cunningham on the sitcom “Happy Days.” He sold the property seven years later for $808,000, records show.

The sprawling two-story was designed by architect Robert Byrd, whose designs often focus on indoor-outdoor living while combining elements of California Ranch, Midcentury Modern and Farmhouse style. Wood-beamed ceilings and exposed brickwork — two of Byrd’s hallmarks — are found throughout the 5,900-square-foot home. Picture windows and pocketing doors take in leafy views.

Extensively renovated this year, the home has a modernized kitchen, four fireplaces and open-concept living spaces. A rounded wall of stained glass windows surround a dining area. A wet bar sits off the common area.

The master suite has been updated with a free-standing soaking tub and a circular shower. Including the guest house, which has its own kitchen, there are five bedrooms and seven bathrooms.

Outside, landscaped grounds hold a fire pit, a built-in barbecue and a swimming pool rimmed in river rock. Elsewhere is a three-car garage.

Howard, 65, gained fame in the 1960s for his role as Opie on “The Andy Griffith Show.” By the late 1970s, he made his directorial debut with the comedy “Grand Theft Auto.”

As a filmmaker, Howard has scores of credits and a pair of Academy Awards for his 2001 film “A Beautiful Mind.” His other films include “Apollo 13,” “Cinderella Man”and “Rush.”

Click here to see full article.