Why was Linda Purl let go after season 10 and her character written out of the show as a result?

The only thing I can think of -- and this is pure specualtion -- is that maybe with Erin Moran and Scott Baio returning to the cast is that maybe budget-wise, they couldn't afford to keep her character on

Crystal Bernard and Kathy Silvers were also let go, so maybe money considerations were the issue.

If anyone knows the real reason, please let me know.

Anyone?

I guess they might have decided that Fonzie having a permanent 'steady' who happened to have a child of her own was OK but then since the Cunninghams were supposed to be HIS family, having him becoming a husband and father would have somewhat challenged the show's dynamics so they decided that the show was better off without her for the next (and, as it turned out, last) season.

Of course, with the whole deal of all performers shouting their lines at each other so the nosebleed section of the studio audience could hear instead of actually TALKING to each other somewhat made any kind of character growth or depth a bit challenging.

I guess they might have decided that Fonzie having a permanent 'steady' who happened to have a child of her own was OK but then since the Cunninghams were supposed to be HIS family, having him becoming a husband and father would have somewhat challenged the show's dynamics so they decided that the show was better off without her for the next (and, as it turned out, last) season.

Of course, with the whole deal of all performers shouting their lines at each other so the nosebleed section of the studio audience could hear instead of actually TALKING to each other somewhat made any kind of character growth or depth a bit challenging.

Yeah, HD was a pretty loud show. But it's part of the deal when you do a live show, because you have to "project" and "play to the back rows."

A sitcom with a studio audience is essentially a filmed stage play.

Did you guys know Linda Purl performed live with Donny Most? (You probably did. I just found out though).

sJcmMxYE-hs
https://youtu.be/sJcmMxYE-hs

Clearly that season with Linda Purl and the Poltegeist girl didn't work (not their fault).

I’m sure they were dealing with budget realities, too, with Erin Moran and Scott Baio coming back to the show, with their relatively big salaries. That’s why we saw Potsie and Roger appear less in season 11, and why so many others left.

From a creative standpoint, Fonzie with a steady girlfriend - or at least that steady girlfriend - didn’t work. And the actress who played the daughter was not good in front of a studio audience.

I’m sure they were dealing with budget realities, too, with Erin Moran and Scott Baio coming back to the show, with their relatively big salaries. That’s why we saw Potsie and Roger appear less in season 11, and why so many others left.

From a creative standpoint, Fonzie with a steady girlfriend - or at least that steady girlfriend - didn’t work. And the actress who played the daughter was not good in front of a studio audience.

I thought it worked okay. It was getting to the point where Henry Winkler was pushing 40 in real life and it seemed creepy he was still pursuing girls who were barely in their 20s.

I’ve read it was due to budget.

I agree it was likely budget. Joanie and Chachi were more important to them.

It was only natural that The Fonz got a regular girlfriend. He was older, Richie and Ralph were gone, at some point you have to move on from snapping your fingers at college girls. Especially when you are a school teacher. Lol

Heather O'Rourke is great in Poltergeist, but on Happy Days she has to worry about a studio audience, which wouldn't be easy for a child.

Did you guys know Linda Purl performed live with Donny Most? (You probably did. I just found out though).

sJcmMxYE-hs
https://youtu.be/sJcmMxYE-hs

The funny thing about this is that Linda and Donny were stars in a period piece involving the early days of rock-and-roll, but here they are over 3 decades later singing in the style that rock was starting to overtake in the 1950s. :lol:

They also starred in a movie together directed by Jerry Paris and produced by Ron Howard’s Company.

I wish Linda had been on to the end, I think she looked her loveliest at that time:

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I wish Linda had been on to the end, I think she looked her loveliest at that time:

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She looks like a hostage in this photo, with that scared look on her face.

I'm sure we'll never know the real reason but I do remember an article in the newspaper back then saying the show's producers wanted Fonzie to be free to date multiple girls and him being in a committed relationship didn't work.

I'm sure we'll never know the real reason but I do remember an article in the newspaper back then saying the show's producers wanted Fonzie to be free to date multiple girls and him being in a committed relationship didn't work.

That sounds like a BS excuse to justify firing Purl. As I understand, it was due to budget constraints -- Joanie and Chachi came back and the show couldn't afford to pay Purl anymore.

Besides, at Fonzie's age, it was time for him to settle down.

Besides, at Fonzie's age, it was time for him to settle down.

As bitingly pointed out by Glenn in 1998’s “The Wedding Singer”…

As bitingly pointed out by Glenn in 1998’s “The Wedding Singer”…

I learned something new today!

I learned something new today!

Winkler was uncomfortable with Fonzie still romancing substantially younger women but despite being the show’s star, he had little clout and no control over the scripts or direction of the storyline.

Winkler was uncomfortable with Fonzie still romancing substantially younger women but despite being the show’s star, he had little clout and no control over the scripts or direction of the storyline.

I buy that. Ultimately, it's the producers who call the shots.

I wish Linda had been on to the end, I think she looked her loveliest at that time:

264221

Heather O'Rourke's blonde version of "Harriet from Small Wonder"'s mushroom cut there looks as awful on Heather as it is on Emily Schulman! No, just... no.

Dr. Thong,
Great post. This has always been a mystery to me for something so abrupt in the series.

"Joanie and Chachi came back"

Joanie, especially as she got older, wasn't exactly the beauty the Happy Days scripts make her out to be!

(see also: According to Jim and how beautiful teenage Ruby is meant to be in the scripts in comparison to the much less stunning actress playing her)

Dr. Thong,
Great post. This has always been a mystery to me for something so abrupt in the series.

Yeah, they had to cut the budget, so they just decided to put her back with the ex-husband.

Of course, this all happened off-camera between seasons, so we never saw the farewell between the two.

Too bad, because it was good to see Fonzie finally in an adult relationship. He was a little too old to be trolling for younger girls at Arnold's.

It's too bad that maybe they could have brought Linda Purl back for the last couple of episodes and had them reconcile, but they had to wind down the show because they probably knew the end was near.

I shouldn't pick a nit but you mean "trawling" for girls, not trolling. And yes. kiddie Leo DiCaprio must have been taking notes.

"Joanie and Chachi came back"

Joanie, especially as she got older, wasn't exactly the beauty the Happy Days scripts make her out to be!

(see also: According to Jim and how beautiful teenage Ruby is meant to be in the scripts in comparison to the much less stunning actress playing her)

They should have never left - the show's 2nd and 3rd most popular characters - it hurt the ratings of HAPPY DAYS, and The spin-off faltered by mid-season two which is why they came back. If they hadn't left, HAPPY DAYS could have gotten another season or two.

They should have never left - the show's 2nd and 3rd most popular characters - it hurt the ratings of HAPPY DAYS, and The spin-off faltered by mid-season two which is why they came back. If they hadn't left, HAPPY DAYS could have gotten another season or two.

Chachi seems like the Urkel of the show - inexplicably popular and then murderously annoying to those who didn't want to imagine themselves having sex with him as the show went on.

Chachi seems like the Urkel of the show - inexplicably popular and then murderously annoying to those who didn't want to imagine themselves having sex with him as the show went on.

People wanted to have sex with Urkel?

People wanted to have sex with Urkel?

If in-universe Urkel can attract Myra,, I'm sure that out-of-universe he could attract girls.

Here's a really nice image, since the one I posted earlier didn't exactly go over well:

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I'm a fairly hardcore Linda Purl fan. I'm on her emailing list and
I buy entire DVD season sets of things like Murder, She Wrote
even if Linda appears in only one or two episodes. Watching her
closely on Matlock, she seems a little uncomfortable at times.
As with Happy Days, it's disappointing that her Matlock
character never made a return appearance in any of the later seasons.

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Is any one else concerned that they've put makeup on Heather O'Rourke as well in that photo?

I shouldn't pick a nit but you mean "trawling" for girls, not trolling. And yes. kiddie Leo DiCaprio must have been taking notes.

The current term is "trolling," so I stand by my original post.

But as a spelling and grammar nazi, I give you credit for your post.

;)

The current term is "trolling," so I stand by my original post.

But as a spelling and grammar nazi, I give you credit for your post.

;)

Yes, it *is* rather obvious i had/have a university lecturer (Dad) and a high school teacher (Mum) for parents, is it not?

:)

Yes, it *is* rather obvious i had/have a university lecturer (Dad) and a high school teacher (Mum) for parents, is it not?

:)

No worries my friend. I'm a bit of a grammar / spelling Nazi so I tend to focus on those things. Fonzie just called it "Picking up chicks," which never really goes out of style. ;)