What The Surviving Cast Of Happy Days Looks Like Today

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"Rock and roll with all my friends, hopin' the music never ends," went the insanely catchy theme tune to "Happy Days," the coming-of-age ABC sitcom which made everyone nostalgic for the idealized America of the 1950s. Of course, all good things do have to come to an end and after 11 seasons and a whopping 255 episodes, the antics of Richie, Potsie, Ralph, and, of course, The Fonz were no more.

Sadly, several of its key cast members have died since the show wrapped up in 1984, including Tom Bosley who played patriarch Howard Cunningham; Al Molinaro and Pat Morita, who portrayed Arnold's Drive-In owners Al Delvecchio and Mitsumo "Arnold" Takahashi, respectively; and, perhaps most tragically, Erin Moran, aka little sister Joanie Cunningham, who died from throat cancer in 2017 at the age of just 56. But the majority are still very much alive and kicking. From Emmy Award victories and election campaigns to swing band recordings and self-imposed retirements, here's a catch-up on what 11 regulars — in increasing order of appearances — have recently been up to and what they look like now.

Billy Warlock joined the "Happy Days" cast in its ninth season as Roger's bad boy sibling Flip. And the actor went on to enjoy a hugely successful '80s career, picking up a Daytime Emmy Award for his role as Frankie Brady in "Days of Our Lives," taking center stage as Bill Whitney in body horror "Society," and playing hunky lifeguard Eddie Kramer in the early years of the world's most watched, and most scantily-clad, prime-time drama, "Baywatch."

Warlock later appeared in the latter's spinoff "Baywatch Nights" and T.V. movie "Hawaiian Wedding" and got engaged to one of the show's most popular pin-ups Erika Eleniak, too. Away from all the slow-motion, skin-baring beachside action, the Californian starred in the pioneering interactive movie "Mr. Payback," returned to the soap opera genre as A. J. Quartermaine in "General Hospital," Ben Hollander in "The Young and the Restless," and Ross Rayburn in "One Life to Live," and impressed as Felix Turner in The Public Theater's staging of Larry Kramer's AIDS drama "The Normal Heart."

Warlock, now married to Julie Pinson having previously been wed to another soap regular, Marcy Walker, left Hollywood behind in the early 2010s to work as a ski school instructor. "... I'm at that stage now where because I haven't done (acting) for quite some time, I get stared at a lot," he explained to 7 News. "So a lot of times I do have to go over and go, 'Yes, that's me.'"

Crystal Bernard admitted she felt imposter syndrome after being cast as Howard Cunningham's niece K.C. in "Happy Days." "... As soon as I got on a set and saw that everybody had a craft — that acting was a craft — in two days I went from thinking I was so good and not worrying about a thing to having no ability at all and worrying about everything," she admitted to Backstage.

However, the actor ended up carving out a successful career in several different fields. Indeed, she reached the Billboard Country charts with her 1995 debut album "Girl Next Door" and enjoyed a Hot 100 hit with Peter Cetera collaboration "(I Wanna Take) Forever Tonight." And she's hit the stage in productions of "Crimes of the Heart," "Annie Get Your Gun," and "Barbra's Wedding."

On the big screen, Bernard appeared in sequels "Master Ninja II" and "Slumber Party Massacre II" and the comedy dramas "Gideon" and "Jackpot." On the small screen, she played Amy in restaurant-based sitcom "It's A Living" and cello-playing lunch counter employee Helen In "Wings," appeared in the T.V .movies "Without Her Consent," "Miracle Child," and "As Good as Dead," and guested on "My Two Dads," "According to Jim," and "Just Shoot Me!" Following a handful of Hallmark Channel movies, Bernard retired from the industry.

Linda Purl, who played The Fonz's girlfriend Ashley Pfister in "Happy Days," is still racking up the credits having recently enjoyed recurring roles in soap operas "General Hospital" and "The Bold and the Beautiful" and LGBTQ drama "After Forever" as well as joining another throwback sitcom star and real-life boyfriend Patrick Duffy in crime thriller "Hollywood Grit."

Purl's most notable post-"Happy Days" parts include the titular detective's daughter Charlene in "Matlock," leading lady Kate Del'Amico in married spy drama "Under Cover," and Pam's mother Helene in "The Office." You may also have seen her on the big screen in "Mighty Joe Young" and in a whole host of TV and straight-to-video/DVD/streaming movies such as "Body Language," "Fear of the Dark," and "Secrets."

The multi-talent has also guested on the likes of "Desperate Housewives," "True Blood," and "Hacks," treaded the boards in productions of "Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners" and "The Glass Menagerie," and released several albums showcasing her skills as a jazz singer. Purl's personal life appears to have been just as busy. She's been married and divorced four times, with her list of ex-husbands including screenwriter William Broyles Jr., producer Alexander Cary, and Lucille Ball's son Desi Arnaz Jr.

Often referred to but never actually shown in person, Joanie's man-hungry BFF Jenny Piccalo looked destined to become a Mrs. Columbo style figure in the "Happy Days" universe. However, in season eight, producers decided it was about time the character got a face. Step forward Cathy Silvers.

The daughter of comic legend Phil Silvers, who also played her dad on screen for a ninth season episode, went on to guest on "The Love Boat," "Punky Brewster," and "Wings," join the main casts of sitcoms "Cleghorne!" and "Foley Square," and voice the adopted sister of Big Bird, Marie Dodo, in Sesame Street's first big screen venture "Follow That Bird."

However, following her final acting credit in 1996 T.V. movie "Encino Woman," Cathy made a significant career change. Drawing upon her marketing studies at American University, she launched a company which supplies farmers' markets' organic produce across Los Angeles County. In 2007, the multi-talent — now a two-time divorcee following marriages to doctor Alexander Burnett and entertainment lawyer David Fullman — reflected on her eclectic resume with the book, "Happy Days Healthy Living: From Sit-Com Teen to the Health-Food Scene." She also finds the time to host online series "The Healthy Living Show."

Ted McGinley entered the "Happy Days" universe in 1980 as Marion's nephew and Jefferson High coach Roger Phillips. And having later joined the casts of shows which were considered past their peak, including "The Love Boat" and "Married... with Children," the Californian was christened the "patron saint of shark-jumping."

Luckily, McGinley appears to see the funny side, telling the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "I've had a lot of fun with it. To be honest with you, it's meant people are still talking about me. It's kind of doing me a favor. And people keep hiring me, so I know that I'm okay, jumping the shark." Indeed, the star has racked up nearly 100 credits including Mr. Scream in "Wayne's World 2," an Army Major in "Pearl Harbor" and quarterback Stan Gable in "Revenge of the Nerds."

On the small screen, McGinley has enjoyed recurring roles in "Dynasty," "Sports Night," "Hope and Faith," appeared in T.V. movies "Wild Justice," "Every Mother's Worst Fear," and "Hard Time: Hostage Hotel," and voiced characters in "Family Guy," "Justice League," and "Transformers: Robots in Disguise." More recently, the prolific talent, who has two sons with fellow thespian Gigi Rice, played Christa Miller's husband Derek in Apple TV+'s acclaimed dramedy "Shrinking" and took center stage as the patriarch of an evangelical Christian family in faith-based drama "The Baxters."

Lynda Goodfriend first appeared in "Happy Days" as a character named Kim before assuming the recurring role of Richie Cunningham's girlfriend and eventual wife Lori Beth in its fifth season. The actor largely gave television a wide berth following the sitcom's end, instead maintaining a working relationship with the sitcom's creator Garry Marshall — who sadly died in 2016 aged 81 — that would see her show up in four of his films.

Indeed, Goodfriend played Louise in 1986 Tom Hanks dramedy "Nothing in Common," Mrs. Myandowski in 1988 weepie "Beaches," a tourist in 1990 rom-com "Pretty Woman," and Linda in 1994 comedic thriller "Exit to Eden." Most of Goodfriend's post-"Happy Days" career has been behind the scenes. She's directed T.V. movie "Four Stars" and short film "The Perfect Crime."

She also formed her own North Hollywood studio, The Actors Workout, which boasts a theater and two schools. And after landing a teaching position at the New York Film Academy, she became the institute's Chair of the Acting Department. However, she continues to hold Lori Beth close to her heart, telling the NYFA in 2023 that the eight years she spent playing her "were the most fun of all the work I've done."

The oft-shady Scott Baio became the number one-pin up of "Happy Days" when he joined the show in its fifth season. In fact, his character Chachi Arcola and his love interest played by Erin Moran — who sadly died in 2017 aged 56 — were so popular they got their own short-lived spinoff. And the actor went on to star in several other sitcoms including "Charles in Charge," "Baby Talk," and "See Dad Run."

Baio also got the chance to showcase his more dramatic side in the likes of "Diagnosis: Murder" and indie romance "The Bread, My Sweet," made several guest appearances on "Arrested Development," and landed his very own reality series "Scott Baio Is 45... and Single." He's also proved his versatility by releasing several albums, co-hosting VH1's "Confessions of a Teen Idol," and directing family comedy "Out of This World."

However, in recent years, Baio has become more renowned for his life away from the cameras, whether publicly endorsing Republican candidates in several presidential elections, spreading offensive conspiracy theories, or accusing Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer Chad Smith's wife of assault. He, too, has been at the center of various damaging allegations, with both Nicole Eggert and Alexander Polinksy claiming that they'd been abused by the star during their time on "Charles in Charge." Baio has offered strenuously denied any wrongdoing with both parties. 

Don Most, who played happy-go-lucky Ralph Malph on "Happy Days" has kept constantly busy since the nostalgia-fest wrapped up. And not just on the screen, either. Indeed, the star has treaded the boards in "The Sunshine Boys," and "Middletown" and released several swing music albums including "Swinging Down the Chimney Tonight" and "D Most Mostly Swinging."

Most has also appeared in the films "Leo and Loree," "EDtv," and "The Great Buck Howard," guested on "Fantasy Island," "Baywatch," and "Glee," and taken the director's chair for both 1999's "The Last Best Sunday" and 2007's "Moola." He's provided voiceovers for Saturday morning animations "Dungeons and Dragons" and "Teen Wolf," too.

Most, who's been married to fellow actor — and mother of his two children — Morgan Hart since 1982, was last seen playing a music manager in faith-based box office hit "Unsung Hero." In a recent interview with Yall 106. 5, the native New Yorker revealed, (via Parade) that he had more in common with another "Happy Days" character than his own: "When I was in high school, I was not the class comedian. I was more the audience for some people I knew that fancied themselves as comedians. I was closer to Richie Cunningham in real life than I was Ralph. But that's what I loved playing this part, you know, there's freedom. There's a certain freedom in that where it's not yourself, you're somebody else and you could explore that and go anywhere."

Despite leaving "Happy Days" after its seventh season and going on to forge a hugely successful career as an Oscar-winning director, Ron Howard will still be best known to many as boy-next-door Richie Cunningham.

The multi-talent, whose daughter Bryce Dallas Howard has also pursued a career in the industry, helmed several crowd pleasers in the 1980s including "Splash," "Cocoon," and "Parenthood" and consolidated his box office appeal in the '90s with "Apollo 13," "Backdraft," and "Ransom." But it was in the '00s that he became an Oscar favorite, picking up both Best Picture and Best Director for biopic "A Beautiful Mind" and further nominations in the same categories for boxing drama "Cinderella Man."

Howard has since scored hits with his adaptations of Dan Brown's novels "The Da Vinci Code," "Angels and Demons," and "Inferno," entered George Lucas' universe with "Solo: A Star Wars Story," and ventured into the documentary field with portraits of The Beatles, Pavarotti, and Jim Henson. Although he's explicitly ruled out a "Happy Days" reboot, the sitcom's most successful graduate — who's been married to Cheryl Howard for more than 50 years — is still proud of what it achieved. "The fact that the show endures, and that "The Andy Griffith Show" is still on — both of these shows have never left the air — and it kind of blows my mind in an interesting way," he told People. "There's something about that that doesn't age — it was nostalgia when it was made."

Anson Williams, who played Richie's best friend Potsie in "Happy Days," has never been afraid to return to his former glories. He appeared as himself in a "Boy Meets World" episode centered around his classic sitcom, reprised his most famous role in a dream sequence on "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," and contributed to the celebratory specials screened in 1992 and 2005.

Williams has also worked alongside several of his "Happy Days" co-stars since the show wrapped up. He produced "Skyward," the 1980 T.V. movie helmed by Ron Howard and went into business with Al Molinaro for a short-lived restaurant chain named Big Al's. He even married and then divorced a former castmate, Lorrie Mahaffey, who played Jennifer Jerome for six episodes, and had Don Most, aka Ralph, serve as best man when he walked down the aisle for a third time to Sharon MaHarry.

Away from the show that made his name, Williams took the director's chair for several afterschool specials and episodes of hit T.V. shows "Beverly Hills, 90210," "Charmed," and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," launched cosmetics firm Starmaker Products, and worked with MaHarry on one-woman show "Crazy Mama." After recovering from colon cancer in 2016, Anson Williams threw his hat into politics, running for mayor of Californian city Ojai six years later but losing by a narrow margin to Betsey Stix.

Marion Ross, who appeared as Richie's mother Marion Cunningham in all but two of the 255 "Happy Days" episodes, only retired from the acting game in 2021 at the age of 92, with her last performance coming in the mockumentary "Senior Entourage." And she sure packed a lot in between.

After assuming her most famous character in spinoff "Joanie Loves Chachi," Ross went on to become a regular on "The Love Boat," enjoy recurring roles on "Touched By An Angel," "The Drew Carey Show," and "Gilmore Girls," and pick up a Best Supporting Actress nod at the Golden Globes for her turn in "Terms of Endearment" sequel "The Evening Star."

Ross also lent her voice to "Family Guy," "Handy Manny," and "Guardians of the Galaxy," saw Minnesota's Albert Lea Civic Theater renamed in her honor, and graced the Hallmark Channel in "Signed Sealed Delivered For Christmas." "I want to enjoy my life and my children. I just love being at the phase that I'm at now," the veteran explained to UPI about slowing down in her later years. "Sometimes I say, 'No, I'm not going to be in this play and give you every last ounce of myself. I'm saving it for me and my family.'"

Richie Cunningham may have started out as the leading man in "Happy Days." But by the second season, its leather-clad, cooler-than-cool greaser had become the bona fide star of the show. It was a role that initially served as an albatross around actor Henry Winkler's neck as he explained to TODAY. "There were eight or nine years at a time when I couldn't get hired because I was 'The Fonz,' because I was typecast."

Luckily, the actor went on to have a glittering career both behind and in front of the camera. Indeed, Winkler was responsible for creating '80s T.V. hit "MacGyver" and took the director's chair on "Cop and a Half," "Memories of Me," and "A Smoky Mountain Christmas." He also became an Adam Sandler regular, appeared in box office hits "Scream," "The French Dispatch," and "Black Adam," and enjoyed recurring roles in "Parks and Recreation," "Royal Pains," and "Arrested Development." His most acclaimed performance in recent years came as acting coach Gene Cousineau in hitman dramedy "Barry," for which he was rewarded with an Outstanding Supporting Actor Emmy.

If that wasn't enough, Winkler also conceived "Hank Zipzer," a series of children's books based on his own difficulties with dyslexia that was later made into a T.V. series, penned not just one but three autobiographies, and hosted his own show on the History Channel. He's fast approaching his 50th wedding anniversary with the mother of his three kids, Stacey Weitzman.