“Happy Days” was an iconic show for a number of reasons, one of which was the show’s stellar cast highlighted by Ron Howard and Henry Wrinkler. Anson Williams was another star on that show, though. He became a household name playing the role of Potsie on the program. However, “Happy Days” star Anson Williams opened up about fans’ reaction to him in public.
Williams went on to star in all kinds of other roles. He told On Milwaukee, “The nice thing about it is that when people say ‘Potsie’ there is always a smile on their faces.” Williams added, “I am grateful for the opportunity to be on the show, to be Potsie. But once, I was complaining to Ron (Howard) about being Potsie all the time and he said, ‘What are you complaining about? I get ‘Richie’ and ‘Opie!'”
It was something that he very much loved. It was a show that brought so much joy to so many people and so many people still recognize him for it. Still, there were times when he did not like that as much. But Ron Howard offered him so great perspective about being in the same boat.
“Happy Days” Stars Reflect
Ron Howard grew up in Hollywood. First, he starred in the program “The Andy Griffith Show” before moving over to “Happy Days” when he got a little older. Folks loved him on both shows. However, originally, he was meant to be the star of the show. Instead, The Fonz broke out and became the star of the program. Everything changed for Howard on the show and in Hollywood.
He said to BBC America, “The press kept saying: ‘What’s it like? Do you feel that you’ve become a second-class citizen on your own show?’ and these kinds of things.” He continued, “Which I didn’t feel within the workspace. And I certainly didn’t feel it within our friendship, which endures to this day.” It was extremely hard for him. It didn’t make it any easier that he was friends with Henry Winkler. The two are still friends to this day, but the way it went was that one character broke out and the other did not.
Winkler added in a separate interview, “People would say: ‘Wow, he’s funny. He’s such a good actor. But he was the Fonz.” He concluded, “And so they would pass me by. You have to learn to find the strength in yourself to deal with that, reinvent yourself, move on.” It was hard for folks not to see The Fonz with him. He struggled with being typecast in Hollywood after finding so much success with the show “Happy Days.”
It was both a positive and a negative for Winkler for some time.
