The Fonz & Sandra Clark & Urkel we know them from the Sitcoms of Happy Days & 227 & Family Matters and there Characters become the main focal point of the show.

Yet Henry Winkler as the Fonz & Jackee as Sandra Clark & Jaleel White as Urkel the actors-Actress seems so nice and I do feel sorry for them because yes they played there characters fantastically and yes they made a great deal of money but I know people say that the show wasn’t as good.

My questions are

Do you feel sorry for them the actual actors-actress?

Or did bad writing-Scripts ruined the show?

The Fonz & Sandra Clark & Urkel we know them from the Sitcoms of Happy Days & 227 & Family Matters and there Characters become the main focal point of the show.

Yet Henry Winkler as the Fonz & Jackee as Sandra Clark & Jaleel White as Urkel the actors-Actress seems so nice and I do feel sorry for them because yes they played there characters fantastically and yes they made a great deal of money but I know people say that the show wasn’t as good.

My questions are

Do you feel sorry for them the actual actors-actress?

Or did bad writing-Scripts ruined the show?
No, because the three shows involved were hits mainly due to those three breakout characters. Fonz and urkel were pop icons with either their own Saturday morning cartoon or breakfast cereal.

Fonzie was awesome. Happy Days was a good show its entire run, partly because Henry Winkler could carry the show fine when Ron Howard was gone.

I liked the original filmed season of Happy Days best and also the next, maybe three seasons (when at least it seemed set in the 1950s). The final 4 or 5 seasons (post Richie) are a study in Hollywood redevelopment hell (the actors are clearly not to blame - they are charming no matter what format is thrown at them). Henry as Fonzie was awesome to ride that wave unscathed and he should be honored for his role in the show's success. -- Although, IMHO, that season with the little Poltergeist girl should be dropped from syndication package.

Urkel was always a distressing one-note cartoon character, IMHO.

I thought Winkler and Linda Purl gelled well together. That's why I generally like later seasons of shows where out of desperation they try different things.

No, because if they were smart they banked the $ they made from the show and should be GRATEFUL for having had a smash hit. There are so many ultra-talented actors and actresses who struggle to make a living from their craft, but keep at it for the love of it. Often, they have mundane gigs on the side to put bread on the table.

And if you get typecast? So what! Be grateful you made such a dent on the public consciousness. And besides there are plenty of venues to still persue your craft. They might not get super exposure but I guarantee you there will be puhlennty of dinner theatres, smaller productions and charities tickled pink to have a “typecast” star as part of their efforts.

And the entertainers who did achieve some fame never pursued their craft to solely achieve fame. The fame came as a fringe benefit, after the main one, LOVE OF THE CRAFT. Many artists who achieved fame attest to this.

I never watched the other shows but why would you feel sorry for Henry Winkler? He's led a charmed life. Just because some actors get typecast and create their own misery doesn't mean you should feel sorry for them. I feel sorry for good people who die young or have life threatening illnesses, not multimillionaire TV stars.

And if you get typecast? So what! Be grateful you made such a dent on the public consciousness. And besides there are plenty of venues to still persue your craft. They might not get super exposure but I guarantee you there will be puhlennty of dinner theatres, smaller productions and charities tickled pink to have a “typecast” star as part of their efforts.

And the entertainers who did achieve some fame never pursued their craft to solely achieve fame. The fame came as a fringe benefit, after the main one, LOVE OF THE CRAFT. Many artists who achieved fame attest to this.

Agreed. Some of these actors come to resent the shows that made them stars. Susan Dey, Kim Fields, Patty Duke, Bill(y) Gray, and Gary Coleman come to mind. Maybe Jay North, too--he had a lot of problems during Dennis, but those were not the fault of the show, but were the fault of abusive guardians.

I never watched the other shows but why would you feel sorry for Henry Winkler? He's led a charmed life. Just because some actors get typecast and create their own misery doesn't mean you should feel sorry for them. I feel sorry for good people who die young or have life threatening illnesses, not multimillionaire TV stars.

Well said. And your last sentence really puts things in perspective.

These stars wept all the way to the bank.

The only ones I for whom I feel sorry are child stars like Jay North and Gary Coleman. As young kids, they had no control over their lives.

These stars wept all the way to the bank.

The only ones I for whom I feel sorry are child stars like Jay North and Gary Coleman. As young kids, they had no control over their lives.

Yes, Coleman had a lot of problems later in his shortened life. His and Jay's are sad stories. Oh, and so are Dana Plato's and Erin Moran's. RIP to all except Jay, who is still with us.

Not really Henry went on to be successful producer and was behind such hits as MacGuyver Jackee went on to better things as well as Jaleel if you want to feel bad for some how about David Faustino who in spite of trying his best just seems to can't be rid of Bud Bundy or Max Baer who even though was pretty successful with Macon County Line and a few other movies is still only remembered as Jethro Bodine and it took Adam West two decades to make everyone forget that he was Batman.

I thought Winkler and Linda Purl gelled well together. That's why I generally like later seasons of shows where out of desperation they try different things.

Me too. I liked Henry Winkler and Linda Purl together.