TMC
09-26-2016, 05:03 PM
http://screenrant.com/where-are-they-now-happy-days-cast/
Happy Days, which ran on ABC for ten years starting in 1974, has a big legacy. For one, it gave us The Fonz, a character so iconic in American culture that his leather jacket was on display at the Smithsonian for years. It also gave us the expression “jumping the shark”, which happens when a TV show does something desperate to attract a new audience or revive ratings. In Happy Days‘ case, Fonzie literally jumped over a shark on water skis.
In addition to its squeaky-clean portrayal of life in Milwaukee in the 1950s, many of its stars went on to huge success in the entertainment industry, inspired and mentored by the show’s creator, Garry Marshall, who died earlier this year.
Often a career-launcher, Marshall made some great decisions about guest stars along the way. Penny Marshall (Garry’s sister) and Cindy Williams appeared, then launched their own successful spin-off Laverne & Shirley. Robin Williams got his big break on the show, appearing as alien Mork from the planet Ork, and then got his own series, Mork & Mindy. Both Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks appeared on the show before they were married, and others like Ed Begley Jr., Crispin Glover, Amy Irving, Cheryl Ladd, and Kathy Hilton (Paris’ mother) all popped up in small roles.
But the show’s cast, which changed somewhat over the years, kept the happy days flowing for eleven seasons. Let’s catch up with them and find out Where Are They Now: The Cast of Happy Days.
Happy Days, which ran on ABC for ten years starting in 1974, has a big legacy. For one, it gave us The Fonz, a character so iconic in American culture that his leather jacket was on display at the Smithsonian for years. It also gave us the expression “jumping the shark”, which happens when a TV show does something desperate to attract a new audience or revive ratings. In Happy Days‘ case, Fonzie literally jumped over a shark on water skis.
In addition to its squeaky-clean portrayal of life in Milwaukee in the 1950s, many of its stars went on to huge success in the entertainment industry, inspired and mentored by the show’s creator, Garry Marshall, who died earlier this year.
Often a career-launcher, Marshall made some great decisions about guest stars along the way. Penny Marshall (Garry’s sister) and Cindy Williams appeared, then launched their own successful spin-off Laverne & Shirley. Robin Williams got his big break on the show, appearing as alien Mork from the planet Ork, and then got his own series, Mork & Mindy. Both Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks appeared on the show before they were married, and others like Ed Begley Jr., Crispin Glover, Amy Irving, Cheryl Ladd, and Kathy Hilton (Paris’ mother) all popped up in small roles.
But the show’s cast, which changed somewhat over the years, kept the happy days flowing for eleven seasons. Let’s catch up with them and find out Where Are They Now: The Cast of Happy Days.