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As the social and political turmoil of 1960s America spilled into the 1970s, network television executives and producers knew they could no longer ignore the thorny issues being argued over kitchen tables and at work/school. The Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, the Equal Rights Amendment, etc. were driving a wedge between families and neighbors. So when Norman Lear trotted out the unrepentant bigot Archie Bunker on "All in the Family" in 1971, many people in the country felt seen. And while they might not agree on the hot-button topics explored on this show, they could at least laugh through their many disagreements.

There came a point, however (somewhere between President Richard M. Nixon's resignation and the end of the Vietnam War), where television viewers grew weary of all these socially conscious sitcoms. Yes, they were still watching them in huge numbers, but they needed a break from the nonstop tumult of their lives.

Actor Rance Howard, father of Ron and Clint Howard and a prolific actor in his own right, has died at the age of 89. Ron Howard broke the sad news to fans on social media late on Saturday. Howard started his career when he was 20-years old, as part of a touring theater company. He acted alongside Henry Fonda in the play Mister Roberts, playing the role of Lindstrom across the country for a year and a half. Earlier this month, his granddaughter, actress Bryce Dallas Howard, praised Howard at the Broken Memories premiere and said that she admired how he stuck to acting despite never really hitting it big.

Ron Howard took to Twitter to share the news of Rance Howard's death while also paying tribute to the late actor. Ron Howard shared that his father changed the course of the Howard family history when he started acting. Ron had this to say.

Actor Rance Howard died Saturday at age 89, his son — director Ron Howard — announced on Twitter.

“Clint & I have been blessed to be Rance Howard’s sons. Today he passed at 89,” Ron, 63, tweeted, referring to his brother Clint Howard, who is also an actor. “He stood especially tall 4 his ability to balance ambition w/great personal integrity. A depression-era farm boy, his passion for acting changed the course of our family history. We love & miss U Dad.”

Rance started his career at age 20, as part of a touring theater company. He acted alongside Henry Fonda in the play Mister Roberts, playing...

Bryce Dallas Howard has a laugh that should be heard to be appreciated. It’s hearty and genuine -- an infectious burst of gusto that happens when she gets excited about something, such as acting, which, surprisingly enough, is not something that all actors enjoy talking about. But in Howard’s case she does.

Over the course of a couple of phone chats -- one interrupted by a dead cell phone battery -- one can hear the earnest joy in her voice, usually followed by that laughter, when talking about her journey from M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village, her feature film debut, to the massive success of Jurassic World despite her character’s penchant for running in heels from dinosaurs and, most recently, her 2017 Screen Actors Guild Award-nominated performance in an episode of Netflix’s Black Mirror.

“Maybe this is a little corny, but I’m a third-generation actor, so it’s awesome...

Each week Cinelinx will chose one director for an in-depth examination of the “signatures” that they leave behind in their work. This week, with the release of Rush, we examine the trademark style and calling signs of Ron Howard as director.

Ron Howard is an atypical Hollywood success story. Starting his career as a child actor, Howard became a star as an adult and then a consistent producer and director. Few child actors before or since have been able to maintain the type of career that Ron Howard did. He grew up in a family that wasn’t new to Hollywood and the way it treats its actors. For that reason, Howard’s parents controlled a lot of his professional career and helped to guide him to become the success he is today. His fascination with film is what allowed him to leap from child actor to successful film director.