“The Fonz” was a friend till the end for Erin Moran, but even he couldn’t keep his troubled former co-star from an early grave!
Henry Winkler, who played Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli on “Happy Days,” attempted to help resuscitate Moran’s career by scoring her a role on the FOX and later NetFlix hit sitcom he was on at the time, “Arrested Development” — but it never came to pass.
The show was even co-produced and narrated by Moran’s TV brother Ron Howard, which would have given the actress an inside track to appear as a guest star.
Her character Joanie Cunningham’s love interest on “Happy Days” and spinoff “Joanie Loves Chachi,” played by Scott Baio, also appeared on “Arrested.”
Winkler even forgave Moran for publicly attacking him in 1992 — accusing the actor of sexual harassment!
He recalled first meeting Erin when she was just 9 years old and just starting out in Hollywood.
“She was like my little daughter!” said Winkler on Howard Stern’s Sirius XM radio show. “I hope that she is able to come to terms with the fact that she has greatness in her and goes on.”
‘Happy Days’ Star Erin Moran Dead At 56 — Suspected OD
The actor acknowledged his former co-star’s passing on his ‘@hwinkler4real’ Twitter account upon hearing the sad news.
“OH Erin… now you will finally have the peace you wanted so badly here on earth …Rest In It serenely now.. too soon,” wrote Winkler.
Fellow “Happy Days” co-star Don Most, who portrayed “Ralph Malph” on the sitcom, is among a growing list of celebs that includes Kristy Swanson, Willie Aames and Cassandra “Elvira” Peterson who have also posted kind words via Twitter about the late actress.
“So incredibly sad to hear about Erin. A wonderful, sweet, caring, talented woman. I can’t really comprehend this right now. Very painful loss,” wrote Most through his account.
Moran’s last known appearance on television was as a storyteller on an episode of The Biography Channel’s, “Celebrity Ghost Stories” airing on September 15th, 2012.
