Ron Howard, who started his career in show business playing the son of Andy Griffith's sheriff character on the 1960s sitcom, said he recently found out he and Knotts are distant cousins.

He played the son of Griffith, who played a widowed sheriff ... Ron Howard, who found fame as a child star on the hit 1960s series “The Andy Griffith Show,” recently shared a photo on social ...

The Andy Griffith Show reigns as one of the most iconic ... such as Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier), who helps take care of Taylor and his young son, Opie (Howard), and Taylor's bumbling, stumbling ...

Howard, of course, played Opie on “The Andy Griffith Show” from 1960 to 1968. He played the son of Andy Taylor, the sheriff of Mayberry. Knotts played Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife. Knotts died ...

Ron Howard, who started his career in show business playing the son of Andy Griffith's sheriff character on the 1960s sitcom, said he recently found out he and Knotts are distant cousins.