Who knows what Scott Baio had in mind at the time of the interview regarding Erin Moran’s death. He was clearly both grieving and sympathetic; however, many felt his comments were uncalled for. This, especially after medical findings showed that Erin not only died of complications from stage 4 cancer but results cleared her of illegal substances, too.
Scott wouldn’t budge. He didn’t apologize either. He would go on with statements regarding the dangers of substance abuse, and it didn’t take long for Tony Moran, Erin’s brother, to come to her defense. He tweeted, “You and my lil sis had a very very brief fling. She dumped you. 2 reasons. 1. She told me that you were more like a lil’ girl and not a man. 2. She told me that you were tiny…. I’d advise you to get on your knees and pray you never run into me.” Brutal.
The Cast Loved Their Director
One of the things that made Happy Days such a successful show was the fact that its cast really enjoyed what they were doing. This wasn’t just because the script itself was enjoyable and promising, but because the director, Garry Marshall, made sure they were having a great experience of it at the same time. He even made a softball team comprised of the cast and crew, so everything they did wasn’t necessarily part of work. This is a big part of why they all became such good friends.
When Marshall died on July 19, 2016, the actors expressed their sorrows and condolences through social media. Henry Winkler tweeted, “Rest In Peace… Thank you for my professional life. Thank you for your loyalty, friendship and generosity.” and “Larger than life, funnier than most, wise and the definition of friend.” Ron Howard, who played Richie, also tweeted, “He was the greatest boss I’ve ever had. His guidance influenced the entire course of my life… and I am not alone in feeling that way about the impact of Garry’s wisdom on those who were a part of his universe.”
The Happy Days Cast
We are grateful for each day we live, for the experiences life affords us, the opportunities, and all the lessons we learn from it. But some days are not as great as the others, even for the cast of Happy Days. They were all sullen upon learning that Erin Moran’s body was found unresponsive. She spent too long living in hard times and sadly hadn’t been able to pull herself out in time to save her life.
Erin’s old Happy Days friends had tried to reach out, but their beloved Joanie had already become unpredictable, and too sick. She had been suffering from throat cancer, and wasn’t thoroughly informed of how much the disease had metastasized. Before she died, she and her husband had become homeless and penniless. Tragically, the once highly popular and sweet child actress died in pain and deep sorrow.
Scott Baio Gets in Trouble
When the untimely death of actress, Erin Moran, broke in the news, her old Happy Days beau, Scott Baio, was distressed during an interview with the WABC radio show. He looked so down, with glassy eyes, as vulnerable as his heart was open and honest.
Unfortunately, his honesty would be misunderstood. He found himself in the hot seat for saying, “I’m OK, a little shocked but not completely shocked that this happened. My thing is, I feel bad because her whole life, she was troubled, could never find what made her happy and content. For me, you do drugs or drink, you’re gonna die. I’m sorry if that’s cold, but God gave you a brain, gave you the will to live and thrive and you gotta take care of yourself.” What do you think? Were Scott’s words too critical, or were they harsh but fair?
Several Spin-Offs
The Happy Days TV sitcom was so successful that it spurred quite a number of spin-offs over the years. Its storyline was so rich that as the show went on, producers and directors would be filled with tons of ideas to inspire new stories for the public to enjoy.
None of them were ever as successful as the main Happy Days show, but Robin Williams greatly benefited from the acting opportunity. It was the start of a career that would make him known as one of the most talented comedians of all time. Among the spin-offs are Laverne & Shirley, Joanie Loves Chachi, Blanksky’s Beauties, Out of the Blue, and, of course, Mork & Mindy (the show that launched Robin Williams’ career).