Ron Underwood facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ron Underwood
Underwood in 2006
Born	Ronald Brian Underwood (1953-11-06) November 6, 1953 (age 71) Glendale, California, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Southern California
Occupation	Film and television director
Years active	1980–present
Spouse(s)	Sandy Underwood
Children	Larissa, Lana, Lauren

Ronald Brian Underwood was born on November 6, 1953. He is an American film and television director. He is well-known for directing popular movies like Tremors (1990), City Slickers (1991), Heart and Souls (1993), and Mighty Joe Young (1998).

Early Life and Education

Ron Underwood was born in Glendale, California. When he was in school, he lived in Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka) as an exchange student. He was part of the AFS Intercultural Programs.

After high school, he first studied to become a doctor at Occidental College. But he soon decided he wanted to make movies instead. So, he moved to the USC School of Cinema (now USC School of Cinematic Arts). He studied cinema and also learned about anthropology, which is the study of human societies and cultures.

Ron's Film Career

Starting Out (1976–1989)

After finishing his studies, Ron Underwood started working for Barr Films. This company made educational films. He directed more than 100 short films. One of these was based on a story by Kurt Vonnegut called "Deer in the Works."

Ron also worked on bigger movies early in his career. He was a production assistant for Futureworld (1976). He even helped look after a young Gwyneth Paltrow while her mom, Blythe Danner, was filming! Later, he was a location manager for Capricorn One (1978). He also worked as an assistant director on a low-budget horror film called Tourist Trap.

For several years, he kept directing educational films and children's TV shows. In 1986, he became famous for his film The Mouse and the Motorcycle. This movie mixed live action with stop-motion animation. It won a Peabody Award, which is a big honor in television. Two years later, he directed the sequel, Runaway Ralph. For this, he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy award.

Becoming a Mainstream Director (1990–Present)

After his success with children's TV, Ron Underwood started directing feature films. His first big movie was Tremors in 1990. It starred Kevin Bacon and Reba McEntire. Critics liked the film, and it became a "cult classic." This means it gained a very loyal fan base over time.

His first big commercial hit was City Slickers in 1991. This movie starred Billy Crystal and Jack Palance. Jack Palance even won an Academy Award for his role! The movie earned $179 million worldwide. It was one of the most successful films of 1991.

Next, he directed Heart and Souls (1993), which also got good reviews. It starred Robert Downey Jr. He then directed Speechless (1994), starring Michael Keaton and Geena Davis.

In 1998, Ron got a chance to direct a big-budget film for Walt Disney Pictures. This was Mighty Joe Young, a remake of an old movie. The film starred Bill Paxton and Charlize Theron. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Visual Effects. The special effects in the movie were very advanced for their time. They helped pave the way for other ape films like King Kong.

After Mighty Joe Young, Ron directed The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002). This movie starred Eddie Murphy. However, it did not do well at the box office.

Ron Underwood then went back to directing smaller films and a lot of television shows. He directed Stealing Sinatra (2003) and Back When We Were Grownups (2004). He also directed In the Mix (2005), starring the singer Usher.

He has directed many episodes for popular TV dramas. These include shows like Monk, Boston Legal, Ugly Betty, Heroes, Grey's Anatomy, Burn Notice, and Once Upon a Time. He has also directed episodes for Desperate Housewives, Nashville, Scandal, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Fear the Walking Dead, and Elsbeth.

Ron Underwood's Work

Short Films

• Hang Gliding: The New Freedom (1973)
• Courtesy: A Good Eggsample (1976)
• Deer in the Works (1980)
• A Case of Working Smarter, Not Harder (1982)
• Library Report (1983)
• Overcoming Objections (1984)
• Living With Computers (1984)
• Motivation: The Classic Concepts (1985)
• The Meeting Robbers (1986)

Feature Films Directed

• Tremors (1990) (He also helped write the story!)
• City Slickers (1991)
• Heart and Souls (1993)
• Speechless (1994)
• Mighty Joe Young (1998)
• The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
• In the Mix (2005)

Other Film Roles

Television Shows Directed

TV Movies Directed

• Stealing Sinatra (2003)
• Back When We Were Grownups (2004)
• Santa Baby (2006)
• The Year Without A Santa Claus (2006)
• Holiday in Handcuffs (2007)
• Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe (2009)
• Deck the Halls (2011)

Awards and Nominations

Ron Underwood has been recognized for his directing work:

See also

In Spanish: Ron Underwood para niños