---
name: "Rance Howard"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/rance-howard"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "17 November 1928"
died: "25 November 2017"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 8
average_fi1m_score: 74
updated: "2026-09-17T00:33:05.828935+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Rance Howard

Actor. Born 17 November 1928 in Newkirk, Oklahoma, USA. Died 25 November 2017.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 17 November 1928, Newkirk, Oklahoma, USA
- **Died:** 25 November 2017
- **Active:** 1974–2013
- **Also known as:** Harold Engle Beckenholdt

## Biography

Rance Howard (born Harold Engle Beckenholdt) was an American actor who appeared in film and television from the late 1940s until his death. He was born on 17 November 1928 in Newkirk, Oklahoma, and died on 25 November 2017 in Los Angeles, California. He studied at the University of Oklahoma and began his professional career after service in the United States Air Force.

Howard was the father of actors and filmmakers Ron Howard and Clint Howard, and the grandfather of actresses Bryce Dallas Howard and Paige Howard. He appeared in fifteen films directed by his son Ron, including *Apollo 13* (1995), *A Beautiful Mind* (2001), *Cinderella Man* (2005) and *Frost/Nixon* (2008). Other credits include *Chinatown* (1974), *Independence Day* (1996), *How the Grinch Stole Christmas* (2000) and *Angels & Demons* (2009). In 2013 he played Uncle Ray in *Nebraska*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (8)

- *Nebraska* (2013), Fi1m 82, as Uncle Ray — [page](https://film.one/film/nebraska.md)
- *The Lone Ranger* (2013), Fi1m 55, as Engineer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lone-ranger.md)
- *Frost/Nixon* (2008), Fi1m 81, as Ollie — [page](https://film.one/film/frost-nixon.md)
- *A Beautiful Mind* (2001), Fi1m 62, as White-Haired Patient — [page](https://film.one/film/a-beautiful-mind.md)
- *How the Grinch Stole Christmas* (2000), Fi1m 54, as Elderly Timekeeper — [page](https://film.one/film/how-the-grinch-stole-christmas.md)
- *Apollo 13* (1995), Fi1m 84, as Reverend — [page](https://film.one/film/apollo-13.md)
- *Ed Wood* (1994), Fi1m 84, as Old Man McCoy — [page](https://film.one/film/ed-wood.md)
- *Chinatown* (1974), Fi1m 93, as Irate Farmer — [page](https://film.one/film/chinatown.md)

## Also known for

- *Angels & Demons* (2009), Cardinal Beck
- *Mars Attacks!* (1996), Texan Investor
- *Bones* (2005), Jerold Norsky
- *Valentine's Day* (2010), Bistro Gardens Diner
- *Cinderella Man* (2005), Announcer Al Fazin
- *Small Soldiers* (1998), Husband
- *Rat Race* (2001), Feed the Earth Spokesman
- *Universal Soldier* (1992), John Devreux

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/rance-howard