What Happened To Leather Tuscadero...? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Dr. Thong · 04-13-2007, 10:23 PM

As we all know, singer Suzi Quatro made several guest appearances in the role of "Leather" Tuscadero during the show's fifth and sixth seasons (1977-1979).

Suzi herself spoke highly of the experience and I have never heard anything bad said about her or her performance.

Yet, after the sixth season, the character vanished, never to return. I wonder why. I have never read anything as to why she was never asked back.

I wonder if anyone here has any knowledge or speculation as to why the character never made another appearance on the show. Lord knows they could have used her in the wasteland known as The Post-Richie Years.

Ireneparalegal · 04-13-2007, 10:26 PM

I would like to know also. Was it to simply focus on her music career?

BTW, did you know her niece is actress Sherilynn Fenn? I found this out a few years ago.

Zoneboy · 04-13-2007, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

BTW, did you know her niece is actress Sherilynn Fenn? I found this out a few years ago.

Damn, I just found out about that earlier this week, This isn't good at all.

MikeLutton · 04-13-2007, 11:37 PM

who is sherylin fenn never heard of her

Ireneparalegal · 04-13-2007, 11:41 PM

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000145/

TJ · 04-14-2007, 01:23 AM

She gave an interview with the International Happy Days Fans Club in January 1999.

Some others were suggested for the role like Debbie Harry and Joan Jett, but they never auditioned. She interrupted a tour of Japan to come audition for it.

She was actually offered a spin-off series from what I've read, but she said no because she didn't want to be type cast.

She has said that she'd love to play Leather again. Old rockers never die.

Race's Girl · 04-14-2007, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I would like to know also. Was it to simply focus on her music career?

I think that Leather left to become a famous female rock singer

Ireneparalegal · 04-14-2007, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Race's Girl

I think that Leather left to become a famous female rock singer

Yeah, I know. But she was into her music before she was ever on Happy Days. So, I am wondering when she hit it big in 1979 with her song Stumblin' In, was it because she was MORE focused on her music that she decided to not return as Leather. She was making appearances on television, interviews, etc. She probably couldn't do the Happy Days thing no longer.

catlover79 · 04-14-2007, 04:08 PM

All I know is that she was getting WAY too much airtime. I don't know what happened to Leather in the storyline, but I think Suzi Quatro is still pretty popular overseas.

kiddynOmite · 04-14-2007, 09:22 PM

I think Suzi Quatro probably figured her career was better suited to music and went in that direction. Remember she was a professional musician with recording albums and popular outside of the U.S. way before she was Leather Tuscadero.

In addition, when you're not a main character there are no guarantees in TV.

Leather was a recurring character that would appear whenever a story called for it. That is, whenever producers and writers would think of writing her in. I doubt she had a contract like the main cast.

Therefore as new staff writers come in, and old ones leave, there is a lack of continuity in storyline and old recurring characters are forgotten about or no longer fit into the direction the series is going.

Then again, Happy Days is notorious for its lack of storyline continuity: different "Joanie" for the pilot, 2 different actors play Chuck and then Chuck disappears completely only to be mentioned passingly during a Christmas episode where Fonzie is recounting a story to a depressed Al (and only because they needed to use old footage that had Randolph Roberts as Chuck), no Bag (Neil Schwartz) or Demons in later seasons, Cunningham house changes (to suit a live audience set), no mention of cousin Spike in later seasons, Linda Purl appears as Richie's girlfriend, Gloria, then later as Fonzie's girlfriend, Ashley, Warren Berlinger played a different guest star character across different seasons...

wayne · 05-16-2007, 01:59 PM

You know the 2 parter "Fonzie and Leather" right? In part 2 Leather sings "Devil Gate Drive." In Rolling Stone's book of rock lists it mentions that the song was a number one hit in England in 1974

Chocolate Moose · 05-16-2007, 04:08 PM

You mean Pinky? didn't she get fat and kill herself?

TripperFan · 05-16-2007, 04:10 PM

Somebody left her out in the rain and she hardened.

Ireneparalegal · 05-16-2007, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocolate Moose

You mean Pinky? didn't she get fat and kill herself?

WTF?

catlover79 · 05-16-2007, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TripperFan

Somebody left her out in the rain and she hardened.

That's awful.

04-13-2007, 10:23 PM	#1
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,546	What Happened To Leather Tuscadero...? As we all know, singer Suzi Quatro made several guest appearances in the role of "Leather" Tuscadero during the show's fifth and sixth seasons (1977-1979). Suzi herself spoke highly of the experience and I have never heard anything bad said about her or her performance. Yet, after the sixth season, the character vanished, never to return. I wonder why. I have never read anything as to why she was never asked back. I wonder if anyone here has any knowledge or speculation as to why the character never made another appearance on the show. Lord knows they could have used her in the wasteland known as The Post-Richie Years.
	__________________ "Sunday has been cancelled due to lack of interest. That is all."

04-13-2007, 10:26 PM	#2
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	I would like to know also. Was it to simply focus on her music career? BTW, did you know her niece is actress Sherilynn Fenn? I found this out a few years ago.
	__________________ DALLAS COWBOYS ARE HERE AT TRAINING CAMP!!!

04-14-2007, 04:08 PM	#9
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	All I know is that she was getting WAY too much airtime. I don't know what happened to Leather in the storyline, but I think Suzi Quatro is still pretty popular overseas.
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05-16-2007, 01:59 PM	#11
wayne Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 03, 2000 Location: portland Oregon, Inspiration Point Posts: 1,047	You know the 2 parter "Fonzie and Leather" right? In part 2 Leather sings "Devil Gate Drive." In Rolling Stone's book of rock lists it mentions that the song was a number one hit in England in 1974
	__________________ wayne's world

05-16-2007, 04:08 PM	#12
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,898	You mean Pinky? didn't she get fat and kill herself?
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04-13-2007, 11:37 PM	#4
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,886	who is sherylin fenn never heard of her

04-13-2007, 11:41 PM	#5
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000145/

04-14-2007, 01:23 AM	#6
TJ Site Owner Administrator Forum Star Join Date: Feb 03, 2000 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 10,681	She gave an interview with the International Happy Days Fans Club in January 1999. Some others were suggested for the role like Debbie Harry and Joan Jett, but they never auditioned. She interrupted a tour of Japan to come audition for it. She was actually offered a spin-off series from what I've read, but she said no because she didn't want to be type cast. She has said that she'd love to play Leather again. Old rockers never die.

04-14-2007, 09:22 PM	#10
kiddynOmite Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 11, 2007 Posts: 11	I think Suzi Quatro probably figured her career was better suited to music and went in that direction. Remember she was a professional musician with recording albums and popular outside of the U.S. way before she was Leather Tuscadero. In addition, when you're not a main character there are no guarantees in TV. Leather was a recurring character that would appear whenever a story called for it. That is, whenever producers and writers would think of writing her in. I doubt she had a contract like the main cast. Therefore as new staff writers come in, and old ones leave, there is a lack of continuity in storyline and old recurring characters are forgotten about or no longer fit into the direction the series is going. Then again, Happy Days is notorious for its lack of storyline continuity: different "Joanie" for the pilot, 2 different actors play Chuck and then Chuck disappears completely only to be mentioned passingly during a Christmas episode where Fonzie is recounting a story to a depressed Al (and only because they needed to use old footage that had Randolph Roberts as Chuck), no Bag (Neil Schwartz) or Demons in later seasons, Cunningham house changes (to suit a live audience set), no mention of cousin Spike in later seasons, Linda Purl appears as Richie's girlfriend, Gloria, then later as Fonzie's girlfriend, Ashley, Warren Berlinger played a different guest star character across different seasons...

05-16-2007, 04:10 PM	#13
TripperFan In God's Arms Now Forum Star Join Date: Sep 14, 2003 Location: Heartbreak Ridge Posts: 12,086	Somebody left her out in the rain and she hardened.
	__________________ If I don't see you in this world, I'll meet you in the next one.....don't be late James Marshall Hendrix Voodoo Chile The Forum Legend formerly known as TripperFan "religion is for people who are afraid of hell--spirituality is for people who have been through hell"---anonymous