Howard is probably best-known for his role as Pete Butler on the television series Mr. Novak (1963-65, with fellow "Man Trap" guest star Jeanne Bal and Bill Zuckert) and as Officer Vince Howard on Emergency! (1972-77) with Kevin Tighe and Randy Mantoopth. He was also a regular on Barnaby Jones during the show's first season (1973), playing Lieutenant Joe Tayler. He has also made guest appearances in a number of other television shows, including Get Smart, The Time Tunnel, I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, Mission: Impossible, The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The Rockford Files, McCloud, Fantasy Island, Quincy, M.E., and Murder, She Wrote. He made his film debut in the 1967 comedy The Reluctant Astronaut, in which he had an uncredited role. He followed this with an appearance in 1968's I Love You, Alice B. Toklas, in which he played a patrolman. Howard's film credits since then have included The Barefoot Executive, The Man, Trouble Man, Moving Violations, and Lethal Weapon 3. He has also appeared in several made-for-TV movies, including Company of Killers, Quarantined, The Hunted Lady, Love Is Not Enough, Better Late Than Never, Welcome Home, Jellybean, and Never Forget. Throughout his career, he often portrayed a police officer or some other type of law enforcement figure.