What Happened To The Cast Of Happy Days?

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For a decade, from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, “Happy Days” was one of television’s most popular television series, tapping into a sense of ’50s nostalgia that had taken hold of audiences who were very receptive to old-fashioned Americana after some turbulent years. It starred Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham, an everyman character coming of age in the Midwest alongside a cast of likable and entertaining supporting characters. It dominated the airwaves, generating a handful of different spinoff series, some more successful than others.

After the show finally went off the air, its large ensemble cast of actors went on to bigger and better things. While some left the industry entirely after their years on “Happy Days,” others are still acting to this day or have moved onto other jobs within the industry. If you’ve ever wondered what the stars of “Happy Days” have been up to lately, consider this a Christmas card letter of sorts apprising you of their most recent happenings.

Before Pat Morita became famous for the Oscar-nominated role of Mr. Miyagi in “The Karate Kid” (which came into play in the sequel series “Cobra Kai” too) he played Arnold on “Happy Days,” the owner and proprietor of Arnold’s Drive-In for the show’s first three seasons, before leaving and returning towards the end of the show’s run. (He also reprised his role for 13 episodes of the ill-fated “Happy Days” spinoff, “Blansky’s Beauties.”) The American-born actor of Japanese immigrants got his start in the late 1960s, appearing in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and “The Shakiest Gun in the West.”

These days, it’s hard to separate Morita’s legacy from “The Karate Kid” franchise, which features far and away his most memorable work. But he appeared in many films and television series after the popular martial arts series, including “Mulan,” “I’ll Remember April,” and “The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo.” 

Morita passed away from complications due to kidney failure in 2005, when he was 73 years old. His last film performance was “Royal Kill” (pictured above), which was released in 2009, four years after his death.

As “Happy Days” went on, Joanie Cunningham (Erin Moran) began to take on a larger role, which meant that her teen friends were featured more often. Chief among them was Jenny Piccolo, whose chief character trait was her obsession with boys, played by Cathy Silvers. The daughter of actor Phil Silvers, Cathy was no stranger to the entertainment industry. But although she acted for a while after “Happy Days” went off the air, appearing in “Foley Square,” “Cleghorne!,” and “Sgt. Bilko,” she eventually found a new career path for herself. Her last film role came in 1996 with the made-for-TV movie “Encino Woman.” 

Instead of continuing an acting career, Silvers got a degree in marketing from American University and began running her own health-focused business. In 2007, she wrote the book “Happy Days Healthy Living,” which functions as both a celebrity autobiography and a lifestyle guide that highlights the importance of health and nutrition.

Unlike many of his fellow “Happy Days” cast members, Ted McGinley didn’t get his start as an actor, but instead worked as a model before getting his big break as Roger Phillips, cousin of Richie Cunningham, on the then hit series. He was featured on the show for 61 episodes late in its run, as many of the central cast were appearing more and more sporadically and “Happy Days” was in need of fresh blood. 

After appearing on “Happy Days,” McGinley took on the role of college jock Stan Gable in “Revenge of the Nerds,” the chief villain of the piece. He went on to appear in “Wayne’s World 2,” “Major League: Back to the Minors,” and “Pearl Harbor.” His television career was equally prolific. He played Ace Covington Evans on 60 episodes of “The Love Boat” from 1983 to 1987, 34 episodes of “Dynasty,” and had one-off performances on shows like “Mad Men,” “Psych,” “Castle,” “Wizards of Waverly Place,” and many others. 

He’s currently starring in “Shrinking” alongside Harrison Ford and Jason Segel, and in 2024, he took on the lead role of John Baxter in the faith-based drama “The Baxters” (seen above).

As Lori Beth, Lynda Goodfriend played first Richie Cunningham’s longterm girlfriend, and finally his wife (they’re married in Season 8, and go on to have two children together before the end of the series). Along with Scott Baio, she was one of the actors who transitioned from the “Happy Days” spinoff “Blansky’s Beauties” to the main show, after its premature cancellation. That was her first major role, and after her time on “Happy Days,” she maintained a sporadic acting career throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s. You may recognize her from her appearances in films like “Pretty Woman” and “Beaches.” 

Her final on-screen role came in 1994, when she was featured in “Exit to Eden,” a BDSM comedy thriller starring Rosie O’Donnell and Dan Aykroyd. Since retiring from acting, she opened an acting studio in Los Angeles, where she taught aspiring performers — something that has stayed close to her heart. She currently works as the creative director for the performing arts department at the New York Film Academy, and she recently did an interview with Film Courage (pictured above) with advice for actors.

At the beginning of “Happy Days,” Henry Winkler could pass for his early 20s as the Fonz, but as the show went on, the need arose for a new teenage bad boy. Enter Chachi (Scott Baio), Fonzie’s younger cousin. While Chachi was kind of the Scrappy-Doo of the “Happy Days” gang for a while, Baio’s fame grew during his time on the role, eventually culminating in the spinoff “Joanie Loves Chachi.” After “Happy Days,” he played the title role on “Charles in Charge” for five seasons, which only increased his reputation as a teen dreamboat.

In the 1990s, he was a main cast member on “Diagnosis: Murder,” but major roles became more and more irregular for Baio, culminating in his agreeing to star in the reality series “Scott Baio is 45…and Single.” In recent years, he’s dipped his toe into the world of politics, emerging as an outspoken celebrity face of the Republican party. His latest film performance was as Bron in 2025’s “A Line of Fire” (seen above).

After Pat Morita left “Happy Days,” the kids still needed an adult figure at the diner they inhabited for a portion of nearly every episode, and Al Molinaro stepped into the void as Al Delvecchio — a role he continued to play for nearly 150 episodes, as well as on the short-lived spinoff “Joanie Loves Chachi.” Molinaro began his acting career fairly late in the game, after already established himself with several savvy real estate investments. His biggest role before joining the cast of “Happy Days” was as Officer Murray Greshler on the TV version of “The Odd Couple.” 

He appeared in a few other projects after “Happy Days,” most significantly the TV sitcom “The Family Man” (and of course, the music video for Weezer’s “Buddy Holly,” where he reprises his role as Al, as seen above), but by the 1990s he had largely retired aside from the sporadic commercial appearance. In 2015, Al Molinaro passed away as the result of a gallbadder infection when he was 96 years old.

The unfortunately-named Ralph Malph was one of Richie Cunningham’s closest friends on “Happy Days,” played by Don Most. In addition to reprising his role as Ralph on the “Happy Days” animated spinoff “The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang,” Most found continued success on television, in both live-action and voiceover projects. He was featured on several episodes of “The Love Boat” and appeared on popular shows such as “MADtv,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” and “Glee.” 

Some of his many voiceover credits include a longterm role as Eric the Cavalier on the “Dungeons & Dragons” animated series and the character of Stiles on “Teen Wolf,” which ran from 1986 to 1987. He’s also made a few sporadic appearances on the big screen, and his most recent film performance was in 2024, when he played Pierce in the Christian drama “Unsung Hero.”

In addition to his work as an actor, Most also tried his hand at music, beginning during his “Happy Days” years but continuing into the 2020s. In 2023, he released the album “New York High,” which was met with largely positive reviews from critics.

If Richie is the sweet, even-tempered Average Joe and Fonz is the bad boy, Potsie — played by Anson Williams — is the handsome but not-too-bright sidekick, albeit one with the voice of an angel. After appearing in an impressive 219 episodes of “Happy Days,” Williams began to step away from life in front of the camera. He acted only sporadically in the years following the show’s end, and his last on-screen performance was in 2016, when he appeared in an episode of “The Odd Couple.” 

But he hasn’t left Hollywood behind. Instead, he’s become a prolific television director, beginning his career back in 1985 with an “ABC Afterschool Special” episode. Since then, he’s helmed episodes of shows such as “Melrose Place,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” “Baywatch,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” and even 31 episodes of “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.” He’s also shown an interest in politics, and in 2022, he ran for the office of major of Ojai, California, although he ultimately lost the race by 42 votes.

No sitcom high school guy’s life is complete without an annoying little sister who eventually grows up to be one of the gang, and for “Happy Days,” that was Joanie, played by Erin Moran. As “Happy Days” went on, she was paired up with Chachi (Scott Baio) as producers attempted to squeeze a few more years out of the show by focusing on the younger characters while their older counterparts were aging out of their teen years. They even generated an (admittedly poorly received) spinoff series, “Joanie Loves Chachi,” where the two hit the road trying to make it in a band.

In the years after her time as Joanie Cunningham ended, Moran struggled to find roles, though she made appearances at various events and appeared on “Hollywood Squares” in 2003 (seen above). She eventually left Hollywood for good, only returning for the occasional reality show appearance. She sadly died in 2017 at the age of 56, as a result of throat cancer that had progressed much more quickly than anyone realized.

As Richie and Joanie’s traditional but ultimately loving father, Tom Bosley was a warm, paternal presence on “Happy Days.” He began his television career pretty much as the medium was starting back in the 1950s, appearing in a telecast version of “Alice in Wonderland” in 1955, and then was featured in essentially every major show in the two decades that followed. Bosley was also a prolific stage actor, starring in eight Broadway shows between 1958 and 1968 — he was, as we say, booked and busy. He was one of the longest-running cast members of “Happy Days,” with 255 episodes (and a Primetime Emmy nomination) under his belt. 

In the years after “Happy Days,” Bosley continued his breakneck acting pace. He had a recurring role as the sheriff on “Murder, She Wrote,” and starred in a very similar show, “Father Dowling Mysteries.” Bosley also appeared in the TV movie “Charlie & Me” (seen above), but his final performance came in 2010, when he played Arthur in the Jennifer Lopez vehicle “The Back-Up Plan.” He passed away later that year at the age of 83.

The warm, loving maternal figure on “Happy Days” was played by Marion Ross, who had worked in Hollywood for 20 years before taking on one of her most famous roles in the 1950s-era sitcom. As a young woman, she appeared in many films throughout the 1950s, including “Operation Petticoat,” “Sabrina,” and “The Glenn Miller Story.” She was also part of the burgeoning medium of television — Ross was featured on “Perry Mason,” “The Untouchables,” “Father Knows Best,” and several other shows before the end of the 1950s.

“Happy Days” was undoubtedly her longest-running series, but she appeared in several other major television shows in the years that followed. Ross was cast in the 1991 sitcom “Brooklyn Bridge,” as well as “The Drew Carey Show,” “Gilmore Girls,” and “That ’70s Show.” Now 97, she’s been retired from acting for a few years now — her most recent performance was in 2021, when she appeared as herself in “Senior Entourage” (pictured above).

Although The Fonz was only ever supposed to be a supporting character on “Happy Days,” Henry Winkler’s iconic performance as the charming greaser was enough to cement him in pop culture history, even taking over the reins from its purported star Ron Howard when he left the show late in the series run. For a generation of viewers, The Fonz was the definition of cool. But for a long time, Henry Winkler spent his career trying to get out from under The Fonz’s shadow. It’s a testament to his skill as an actor that he’s managed to do so, with other memorable characters that have since shaped his public persona. 

In addition to comedic performances in multiple Adam Sandler films, “Parks & Recreation,” “Arrested Development,” and “Childrens Hospital,” he completely reinvented himself as an actor with his award-winning role in the often shocking “Barry.” He plays Gene Cousineau, an over-the-hill performer who, while teaching an acting class for young Hollywood hopefuls, ends up caught in the orbit of reluctant hitman Barry (Bill Hader). It was for this performance that he won his first Primetime Emmy after six career nominations, and he earned a nod three additional times for his work on “Barry.”

By the time Ron Howard was cast as the all-American teenager Richie Cunningham in “Happy Days,” he was already a seasoned Hollywood veteran. As a little boy, he starred as Opie on “The Andy Griffith Show,” his character becoming shorthand for innocence and small-town childhood. In 1973, he appeared in the early George Lucas film “American Graffiti,” which in many ways served as a proof of concept for “Happy Days.” He ultimately spent seven seasons as the show’s lead, although he occasionally returned for guest appearances in the later seasons. 

Though he occasionally acted after “Happy Days” — especially in a voiceover capacity, most memorably in “Arrested Development” — nowadays we know Ron Howard primarily as an acclaimed director. Some of his most memorable films are “Splash,” “Willow,” “Apollo 13,” “A Beautiful Mind,” and “Solo: A Star Wars Story.” Howard has received four Oscar nominations, ultimately winning two: Best Director and Best Picture for “A Beautiful Mind” in 2002. But he’s also not afraid to poke fun at his legacy, as a recent episode of “The Studio” (seen above) proves with a performance that earned him a Emmy nomination for Best Guest Actor.