Why Did Fonzie and Ashley Breakup Prior to the Last Season? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 03-23-2011, 05:04 PM

Ashley was that single mother (played by Linda Purl) that the Fonz dated in the second to last season. It was unique in a sense in that it was really the first time that we saw Fonzie in a monogamous relationship. I believe that the on-camera explanation was that Ashley reunited with her ex-husband. I wonder if behind-the-scenes, the producers felt that the viewers couldn't accept or believe the Fonz as a "one-woman man". They were already progressively trying to mature the Fonz by making him a high school teacher and in the last episode, have in adopt a boy.

Dr. Thong · 03-23-2011, 09:26 PM

Don't really know. It was cool to see Fonzie in an adult relationship. In real life, Henry Winkler was close to 40 and it was starting to look creepy to have a man that old chasing after teenage girls.

Waterston_Fan · 03-23-2011, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMC

Ashley was that single mother (played by Linda Purl) that the Fonz dated in the second to last season. It was unique in a sense in that it was really the first time that we saw Fonzie in a monogamous relationship. I believe that the on-camera explanation was that Ashley reunited with her ex-husband. I wonder if behind-the-scenes, the producers felt that the viewers couldn't accept or believe the Fonz as a "one-woman man". They were already progressively trying to mature the Fonz by making him a high school teacher and in the last episode, have in adopt a boy.

They may have made him mature but him adopting a boy as a single father was unheard of at the time and I don't know if a man or woman can adopt a child if they were single now.

tmac81s · 03-24-2011, 02:41 AM

I always wondered that too. When Linda Purl joined the cast in season 10, this was the season where Joanie and Chachi left to do their own series. So I think they initially were looking for new storylines, and having Fonzie enter into a relationship with a single mother did open the door for a lot of new story ideas. Then, Joanie Love Chachi was cancelled and the characters returned to Happy Days, so maybe they decided that they didn't need this story arc anymore since they had Joanie and Chachi back, so they dropped her. This is all pure speculation. I've never heard anything official on why Ashley and Heather left the show.

old grouch · 03-24-2011, 12:39 PM

Was it Linda Purl's choice to leave the show or was she let go??? It's a shame that Ashley and Heather didn't stay around for the last season because the relationship between Fonzie and Ashley breathed new life into a show that was starting to get stale.

biffbronson · 03-25-2011, 08:31 AM

I've read several interviews with Linda Purl and there's never any mention of quitting HD or being fired. I don't know why it seems interviewers never ask her about it, unless she's declined to talk about the situation.

dave insinga · 03-28-2011, 07:34 PM

The episode in short is :FONZIE IS PUSHING ROGER,POTSIE AND CHACHI TO WORK OUT AND PLAY ALL KIND OF SPORTS ALL THE TIME. THIS WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT HE AND ASHLEY HAD BROKEN UP AND HE WAS DOING THIS TO
KEEP HIMSELF OCCUPIED.ANYWAY THE BOYS CON HIM IN TO GOING AWAY TO A SINGLES RESORT IN LAKE WHITEFISH TELLING HIM ITS A SPORTS WEEKEND.
HE ENDS UP TALKING TO A GIRL WHEN HE EXPLAINS ALL ABOUT ASHLEY AND HEATHER.

Heidi Dawn · 03-29-2011, 04:36 PM

I didn't think Fonzie and Ashley were a good couple. I think she would have been a better match for Roger.

I also didn't like Joanie and Chachi as a couple because I thought he was mean to her all of the time.

dave insinga · 04-06-2011, 06:14 PM

this particular episode should be airing with in the next could weeks

70s show watcher · 04-20-2011, 05:28 AM

i read somewhere that the 11th season of the show was kind of a last minute renewal and im just wondering if linda only had a 1 year contract and decided not to sign on for another year?

Waterston_Fan · 04-20-2011, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 70s show watcher

i read somewhere that the 11th season of the show was kind of a last minute renewal and im just wondering if linda only had a 1 year contract and decided not to sign on for another year?

That would be interesting if it was a last minute renewal but I kinda think maybe Fonzie needed to learn about heartbreak.

But if Linda and Heather came back, they would have too many cast members in the opening credits.

I wonder when he and Ashley broke up cause in the first episode of the 11th season, he sure doesn't seem that broken up.

robyrob · 04-20-2011, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 70s show watcher

i read somewhere that the 11th season of the show was kind of a last minute renewal and im just wondering if linda only had a 1 year contract and decided not to sign on for another year?

I think it was that and the fact that with the sagging ratings and Joanie and Chachi coming back they didn't have enough money for such a big cast and so someone had to go.

anglemark10 · 04-20-2011, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waterston_Fan

I wonder when he and Ashley broke up cause in the first episode of the 11th season, he sure doesn't seem that broken up.

It wasn't mentioned until "Where the Guys Are," which was the third-aired (seventh-produced) episode of the season.

Waterston_Fan · 04-21-2011, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anglemark10

It wasn't mentioned until "Where the Guys Are," which was the third-aired (seventh-produced) episode of the season.

Seventh-produced? Where did you get that from?

I would have thought they would have that episode the first one. Because Chachi and Joanie don't seem to upset to see each other after breaking up.

dave insinga · 04-21-2011, 01:39 PM

i read somewhere that the show should have been canceled after the 10th season but since the show had been so good to abc all those years they gave the cast the 11th season to tie up all the loose ends joannie and chachi,rich and ralph and of coarse the fonz.so maybe this had something to do with the story lines.

03-23-2011, 05:04 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,545	Why Did Fonzie and Ashley Breakup Prior to the Last Season? Ashley was that single mother (played by Linda Purl) that the Fonz dated in the second to last season. It was unique in a sense in that it was really the first time that we saw Fonzie in a monogamous relationship. I believe that the on-camera explanation was that Ashley reunited with her ex-husband. I wonder if behind-the-scenes, the producers felt that the viewers couldn't accept or believe the Fonz as a "one-woman man". They were already progressively trying to mature the Fonz by making him a high school teacher and in the last episode, have in adopt a boy.

03-23-2011, 09:26 PM	#2
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,546	Don't really know. It was cool to see Fonzie in an adult relationship. In real life, Henry Winkler was close to 40 and it was starting to look creepy to have a man that old chasing after teenage girls.
	__________________ "Sunday has been cancelled due to lack of interest. That is all."

03-24-2011, 02:41 AM	#4
tmac81s Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 06, 2011 Location: Kalispell, MT, USA Posts: 203	I always wondered that too. When Linda Purl joined the cast in season 10, this was the season where Joanie and Chachi left to do their own series. So I think they initially were looking for new storylines, and having Fonzie enter into a relationship with a single mother did open the door for a lot of new story ideas. Then, Joanie Love Chachi was cancelled and the characters returned to Happy Days, so maybe they decided that they didn't need this story arc anymore since they had Joanie and Chachi back, so they dropped her. This is all pure speculation. I've never heard anything official on why Ashley and Heather left the show.
	__________________ "Aaaaayyy"~~The Fonz, "Happy Days" "I've Heard it Both Ways"~~Shawn Spencer, "Psych" "Well how the hell should I know?”~~Thelma Harper, “Mama’s Family”/“Carol Burnett Show”

03-25-2011, 08:31 AM	#6
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,283	I've read several interviews with Linda Purl and there's never any mention of quitting HD or being fired. I don't know why it seems interviewers never ask her about it, unless she's declined to talk about the situation.
	__________________ In memory of lovely Erin Moran 1960-2017 ~ Missing you "For you are beautiful ~ And I have loved you dearly ~ More dearly than the spoken word can tell..." "What's the word?" (Paul Martin) ~~ "I don't want money for nothing." (Timmy Martin) -- Lassie ROCKS! WORD UP "It's just a dugout that my dad built... In case the reds* decide to push the button down..."*

03-28-2011, 07:34 PM	#7
dave insinga Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 19, 2005 Posts: 590	fonzie and ashley break up explained in season 11 episode SO HOW WAS YOUR WEEKEND The episode in short is :FONZIE IS PUSHING ROGER,POTSIE AND CHACHI TO WORK OUT AND PLAY ALL KIND OF SPORTS ALL THE TIME. THIS WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT HE AND ASHLEY HAD BROKEN UP AND HE WAS DOING THIS TO KEEP HIMSELF OCCUPIED.ANYWAY THE BOYS CON HIM IN TO GOING AWAY TO A SINGLES RESORT IN LAKE WHITEFISH TELLING HIM ITS A SPORTS WEEKEND. HE ENDS UP TALKING TO A GIRL WHEN HE EXPLAINS ALL ABOUT ASHLEY AND HEATHER.

03-24-2011, 12:39 PM	#5
old grouch Member Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2010 Location: montana Posts: 1,877	Was it Linda Purl's choice to leave the show or was she let go??? It's a shame that Ashley and Heather didn't stay around for the last season because the relationship between Fonzie and Ashley breathed new life into a show that was starting to get stale.

03-29-2011, 04:36 PM	#8
Heidi Dawn Muppets Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 01, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 883	I didn't think Fonzie and Ashley were a good couple. I think she would have been a better match for Roger. I also didn't like Joanie and Chachi as a couple because I thought he was mean to her all of the time.
	__________________ Complete Series Box Sets I own: MASH, Three's Company, Gilligan's Island, The Dukes Of Hazzard, The Golden Girls, The Monkees, The Brady Bunch, Full House, I Dream Of Jeannie, Bewitched, Taxi, Gimme A Break, Dallas, Charlie's Angels, Joanie Loves Chachi, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, The Cosby Show, The Facts of Life, Family Ties, Diff'rent Strokes, Green Acres.

04-06-2011, 06:14 PM	#9
dave insinga Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 19, 2005 Posts: 590	this particular episode should be airing with in the next could weeks

04-20-2011, 05:28 AM	#10
70s show watcher Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 20, 2008 Location: between point place and studio 8 h Posts: 4,548	i read somewhere that the 11th season of the show was kind of a last minute renewal and im just wondering if linda only had a 1 year contract and decided not to sign on for another year?

04-21-2011, 01:39 PM	#15
dave insinga Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 19, 2005 Posts: 590	11th season was a gift from the network i read somewhere that the show should have been canceled after the 10th season but since the show had been so good to abc all those years they gave the cast the 11th season to tie up all the loose ends joannie and chachi,rich and ralph and of coarse the fonz.so maybe this had something to do with the story lines.