Ron Howard Hated This 'Andy Griffith Show' Episode for Making Him Eat Food He Dislikes

Ron Howard once said he did not like a "The Andy Griffith Show" episode where he had to eat pickles.

Ron Howard who played Opie Taylor as a child on "The Andy Griffith Show," once shared that he did not enjoy filming the "The Pickle Story" episode as he had to eat pickles.

A while ago, Howard interviewed for "Archive of American Television" and shared insight into his time as little Opie and being the TV son to Andy Griffith.

Howard shared what the conditions were like filming in the 60s. He described how the lights had been much bigger than they are today, so he would be squinting during inside shots.

He explained that there were few times where he really had to act like he was enjoying something, including licking ice cream that was really colored mash potatoes and eating pickles. He explained the pickle episode:

"I hated pickles so much, that biting those pickles was an unbelievable burden, just a chore. Painful."

Despite having to eat pickles, Howard shared that he remembered loving being apart of the set. He remembered that as a young boy, he had loved the episodes when he appeared in many scenes.

"The Andy Griffith Show" ran from 1961-1968 and had a total of 249 episodes. Out of the 249, Howard appeared in 209 alongside his TV dad, Sheriff Andy Taylor played by Griffith.

Although Howard was a fixture of the beloved comedy sitcom, he was almost not cast on the show.

Griffith passed away in 2012, and at the time, Howard shared that his TV dad had played a major role in shaping him and his career.

Howard had shared a tweet to honor the late TV actor and wrote that he was grateful for Griffith and the joy he took in creating. The tweet read:

"Andy Griffith. His pursuit of excellence and the joy he took in creating served generations & shaped my life. I'm forever grateful. RIP Andy."

Although Howard was a fixture of the beloved comedy sitcom, he was almost not cast on the show. He had first played a part in a pilot for "General Electric Theater."

He had signed on to do the show if the pilot took off. The magical show did not do well with audiences so that Howard could join the cast of "The Andy Griffith Show."

As a child actor, Howard appeared in a handful of TV shows including, "Playhouse 90," "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," "Dennis the Menace," "The Twilight Zone," and "Johnny Ringo."

These days Howard is known for his work behind the camera. He directed movies such as "A Beautiful Mind," "Apollo 13," "The Da Vinci Code," and "How The Grinch Stole Christmas."