Although it's much more common today than it was a few decades ago, an actor successfully becoming a director is still much of a rarity. Of course, there are classic success stories like Ron Howard, who enjoyed success as an actor in projects like The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days.

However, it could be argued that someone like Howard's transition into directing wasn't a matter of if, but simply a matter of when. In a Fresh Air interview, Howard explained that he held an interest in behind-the-scenes work at an early age, even while he was playing Opie on The Andy Griffith Show. "It didn't take me long to realize that the director was the person who sort of got to hang out and play with everybody," he said. "The job just always attracted me."

So while someone like Howard seems to have traded one craft for another, what's to be said about those actors who want to continue on in their career while simultaneously exploring directing opportunities, like Richard Boone? While Boone was famous for his role as Paladin in Have Gun — Will Travel, he was also responsible for directing multiple episodes of the series. Some observers seemed to think that Boone was stretching himself too thin and should stick to what he knew he was good at.

However, in an interview with The Times, Boone explained that he felt that he was well equipt as both an actor and director because he understood that one took priority over the other.

"I like directing, but I can't honestly say I'll ever say goodbye to acting," he said. "It's my life's work and I feel very fortunate to be doing what I love most."

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Richard BooneHave Gun Will Travel

Richard Boone once hit back against critics who were judgmental of the Western genre

In regards to those arguments that he wasn't a suitable director, Boone disagreed. "This criticism, and it's getting quite common, usually comes from producers," Boone said. "For the life of me, I can't understand why. Throughout Europe and even in New York, it's not uncommon for an actor to lend his talent to directing without sacrificing his true worth in his original field — and without criticism."

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