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BUSHBERRY RFD is not for sale. It was done as an artistic parody on the politics and politicians who would exploit small town America.

This Day in History:

Birthdays: Ron Howard (Opie!), Roger Daltrey, Harry Belafonte, David Niven, Glenn Miller, Yitzhak Rabin

1932 - Charles Lindbergh III ( "the Lindbergh baby") is kidnapped.

1961 - The Peace Corps is established by President Kennedy.

1969 - Mickey Mantle retires.

1973 - The Honda Civic debuts.
Today is Opie's Birthday!

Opie, better known nowadays as Ron Howard, is a Hollywood dynamo. He is an actor and a director and/or producer of such hits as Splash, The Da Vinci Code, Cinderalla Man, A Beautiful Mind, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Apollo 13, Backdraft, Parenthood, Willow and many many more.

As an actor, Howard has appeared in The Music Man, The Andy Griffith Show, Happy Days and American Grafitti. Did you also know he was in one or more episodes of the original Twilight Zone, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Make Room for Daddy, Dennis the Menace, Route 66, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Dr. Kildare, The Fugitive, I Spy, Gentle Ben, The F.B.I., Daniel Boone, Gunsmoke, Lassie, Love, American Style, M.A.S.H., The Waltons, Bonanza and Frasier???

Here is a highly accomplished and talented actor, director and producer, a triple threat with dozens of nominations and awards to his name, including an Emmy and two Oscars and I still think of him as Opie - or Richie Cunningham.

For that I must apologize, but the multi-talented and highly skilled professional that he has become will always bring to my mind a picture of that freckle faced boy with the lisp from The Music Man, the red-headed tyke who grew up on The Andy Griffith Show and the fresh faced teen from Happy Days. Probably because, like so many other baby boomers, I have watched Ron Howard grow up, albiet from a distance and through a camera lens.

I have to wonder, after seeing his truly wonderful "Arrested Development" if Mr. Howard would ever do a parody on Mayberry. If he did maybe he could call it "Bushberry RFD."

Mr. Howard, though I may always be reminded of Opie and Richie when I am enjoying your latest project, I want you to know I have great respect for your body of work, you talent and your many successes. So, Happy Birthday and may you have many more so you can continue to bring us great entertainment for another 50 years!

"Well, now, take down your fishin' pole and meet me at The Fishin' Hole,
We may not get a bite all day, but don't you rush away"
- lyrics from "The Fishing Hole" - Theme to the Andy Griffith Show, 1960 - 1968
Posted by Pop Art Diva at 8:29 PM