I've been watching some episodes from the later seasons and for a guy who's in the opening credits, Potsie sure doesn't seem to be around much! Does anyone know how many episodes he appeared in during the final four seasons?

not sure how many, but...I'm sure he was in more scenes than we are seeing in re-runs, some were probably cut out for syndication to make room for more commercials.

I also heard that he actually left the show midway through season 11? (although he was still in the opening credits due to contractual obligations or something like that.)

After Ron Howard and Don Most left the series the writers had no idea what to do with the Potsie character. Consequently he appeared a lot less often in the final seasons and usually only as comic relief. Not a very nice way to repay the loyalty Anson Williams gave to the show. I think they could have written stories about Potsie pursuing his music career. They also should have developed more of a friendship between Potsie and Roger. It seems to me like it would have been a natural extension of Potsie's friendship with Ritchie.

Many years ago I read in some color Sunday magazine (not Parade, but similar to it) that there was going to be one last spin-off of Happy Days. It was going to be called "Ralph, Potsie, and (some girl's name, I can't remember.)" It didn't specifically say it, but I assume Anson Williams and Don Most were at least approached with the prospect of reprising their old roles. Melanie Mayron (Thirtysomething) was offered the girl's part, but she turned it down.
Does anyone out there know anything more about this? The project must not have gotten very far at all, because I can't find any info about it on the internet.

Many years ago I read in some color Sunday magazine (not Parade, but similar to it) that there was going to be one last spin-off of Happy Days. It was going to be called "Ralph, Potsie, and (some girl's name, I can't remember.)" It didn't specifically say it, but I assume Anson Williams and Don Most were at least approached with the prospect of reprising their old roles. Melanie Mayron (Thirtysomething) was offered the girl's part, but she turned it down.
Does anyone out there know anything more about this? The project must not have gotten very far at all, because I can't find any info about it on the internet.


The episode "Ralph vs. Potsie" (6th season) was supposed to be the pilot for the spinoff you mentioned. Just found this on the SO "Happy Days" website:

This episode was reportedly the pilot for an unsold spinoff called 'Ralph and Potsie'. From Erin Moran in an e-mail: "It is true that there was a pilot with Anson and Donny. It was done on the same set as Happy Days. If you can remember the show where Ralph and Potsie were in their apartment and having a hard time getting along with each other and they divided the apartment in half. One side was Potsie's side and the other was Ralph's. That episode led into doing a pilot with them. It didn't sell though".

I was under the impression that it was a more recent development, like right after Happy Days went off the air. Apparently it was a much younger Melanie Mayron who turned down the role.
Now that episode makes a lot more sense. It focused so much on Ralph and Potsie in their apartment. And the frequent mention of the unseen "Drinkwater Twins." If the spinoff had happened, I wonder if we would have seen the twins?

after DON MOST and RON HOWARD left the POTSIE character was in limo
FONZIE and him never really jelled.he was too old to hang with CHACHI and
JOANNIE who the storylines were around and ROGER and him never were really friends.his character was really downsized.i dont think he had a place to go so he was like a rebound for stupid jokes.unfair really since the original pilots we
wriiten about RICHIE and his best friend POTSIE.such is life.

Yeah. It's like they really stuck Potsie in the background. They also made him dumber. Which, me being a Potsie fan...well. It kinda ticked me off. :(

Yeah. It's like they really stuck Potsie in the background. They also made him dumber. Which, me being a Potsie fan...well. It kinda ticked me off. :(

I've noticed this in several shows. In Charles in Charge, Willie Aames was intelligent in the first several episodes and became dumb soon after.

Boy Meets World, Corey's older brother became dumb in the later episodes.

It's kind of sad when they make a character dumber to make quick and easy puns and jokes work.