Did Don Most do the right thing in leaving with Ron Howard

[TMC]

I mean, it isn't like he set the world on fire post-Happy Days. He appeared in a lot of low budget, sex comedies after Happy Days went off the air. It was around this time that he was billing himself as "Donald Most" instead of "Donny Most" in a futile attempt to distance himself from his Ralph Malph persona. For instance, Most appeared on the 1982 Halloween episode of CHiPs as Moloch, a shock rocker made up like a Kiss reject. The most high-profile stuff that he did post-Happy Days were arguably providing the voices of Eric the Cavalier and Stiles on the Dungeons & Dragons and Teen Wolf animated series.

[Edward216]

So what if he hasn't had the most high profile career since then? The only thing that matters is if Don Most thinks it was the "right thing" for him to do. And since we don't know how he feels about it then I don't see the point in talking about it.

Ed.

[Chocolate Moose]

He must have thought the offers would be rolling in.

[Superswiper]

Ralph is my least favorite of the original foursome, consisting of Richie, Fonzie, Potsie and Ralph, so I'm not too fussed he left the show. Though, it would have probably been better in the long run if he just stayed, then maybe Potsie would have had a bigger in the last few seasons.

[JSP]

Potsie without Ralph Malph didn’t seem right.

[sandmountainslim]

I wish he had stayed with the show. The loss of both Richie and Ralph as well as the travesty of Arnold's burning was too much. Why did they make Arnold's look like a Western Steakhouse when they rebuilt it?

[Superswiper]

Originally Posted by sandmountainslim

I wish he had stayed with the show. The loss of both Richie and Ralph as well as the travesty of Arnold's burning was too much. Why did they make Arnold's look like a Western Steakhouse when they rebuilt it?

Apparently, they wanted to give Arnold's a 60's makeover, as by that time in the show, it had reached that decade. Though, I don't see what's so 60's about it.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by JSP

Potsie without Ralph Malph didn’t seem right.

It seemed that the writers really didn't know what to do with Potsie without having Ralph and Richie to play off of.

It wasn't like all of a sudden Potsie was going to become Fonzie's new best friend or anything like that, because Fonzie could barely tolerate him at times.

And yes, I do remember the episode where Fonzie became Potsie's buddy to pay him back for saving his life, but Fonzie was at his wits end having to spend all his spare time with Potsie and their relationship went back to normal at the end of that episode. Fonzie seemed like he was going to have a nervous breakdown after having to do nearly everything being at Potsie's side.

[someguy23475]

Ralph was my favorite of the group. It would have been better if Anson Williams left instead, but what would Ralph’s role be?

[DEH55]

In hindsight he probably should not have left I guess . I read in a interview where he said that he could not get one acting job for 6 months after leaving the show. He had to go back out for auditions And he ended up just getting guest spots on The Love Boat and Fantasy Island etc. That had to be tough. But at the time I guess he didn't want to be typecast as Ralph Malph.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by DEH55

In hindsight he probably should not have left I guess . I read in a interview where he said that he could not get one acting job for 6 months after leaving the show. He had to go back out for auditions And he ended up just getting guest spots on The Love Boat and Fantasy Island etc. That had to be tough. But at the time I guess he didn't want to be typecast as Ralph Malph.

I saw an interview on you tube with Donny Most and Anson Williams.

Most said he left because he felt the show had gone downhill after Fonzie jumped the shark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEaGBenx4WE

[TVFactFan]

the ralph and potsie characters were not needed once richie left

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

the ralph and potsie characters were not needed once richie left

The show wasn't needed once Ron Howard left.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

The show wasn't needed once Ron Howard left.

I would agree. he was definitely the show

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I would agree. he was definitely the show

The show was originally written around the character of Richie -- you were seeing the 50s through his eyes.

And even though Fonzie became more prominent, and Henry Winkler the breakout star of the show, the relationship between Fonzie and Richie was central to the show. They went from being friends to more like brothers.

Once that dynamic was gone, the show became something different. It wasn't the show that I'd discovered in 1975. It was as though the 50s gave way to the 80s. There were references made to the 60s, but it didn't feel like a nostalgia show anymore. And that process had started even before the changeover.

And Anson Williams was a man alone after Ron and Donny left -- Potsie was part of a trio and was reduced to a solo. It wasn't like Potsie was going to become Fonzie's buddy (they tried that in one episode), and it became obvious that the writers didn't know what do with him in the later years of the show. I don't blame Anson Williams for doing fewer episodes in the last couple of years and seeking out other opportunities -- he had to think about his career.