On April 5, “Happy Days” icons Henry Winkler, Anson Williams, Ron Howard, and Don Most made their first public appearance together in years, taking the stage at Steel City Con in Pittsburgh for a panel discussion that was part trip down memory lane, part heartfelt tribute to the show, and the man, who brought them together.
The moment wasn’t lost on Winkler, who portrayed the iconic Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli on the hit show.
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The ‘Happy Days’ Cast Reunites For The First Time In Decades
“This is the first time we’ve appeared this way in 50 years,” he said to the crowd during the panel, per a video shared on the event’s official Instagram page.
Howard, sitting beside him, couldn’t help but quip in return. “It feels like 50 minutes. It does,” he admitted. “We’re having so much fun hanging, and this is sort of our great excuse to come together, so thank you.”
The crowd responded with warmth, as the group launched into a question-and-answer session filled with laughter, memories, and stories from the set of the classic series that ran from 1974 to 1984.
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Cast Reflects On Lifelong Bond
Set in mid-century Milwaukee, “Happy Days” followed the everyday life of the Cunningham family, their friends, and their famously cool neighbor, Fonzie. What began as a nostalgic sitcom became a cultural landmark, spawning spin-offs, catchphrases, and an enduring sense of Americana.
“First of all, Garry Marshall was, like, a brilliant creator, a great writer,” Winkler reflected. “They chose a wonderful cast, some of them, unfortunately, are no longer on the earth with us, but we played together, we stayed together, and we worked hard together. Nobody thought they were better than anybody else.”
Howard expanded on that sentiment, recalling how the cast gelled into something deeper than coworkers.
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“I say that was a huge key. The show evolved as, really, an ensemble. So that idea of we were like a family, well, okay, maybe not a family, but we were a unit, we were a community,” he continued. “And also, I think for us, it was kind of like our coming of age story. We were just growing up through this process.”
“It was a life experience that’s unlike anything else that I’ve ever known,” Howard added. “And we had great chemistry. We had fun working together from the beginning, and it never failed us.”
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After Years Out Of The Spotlight Together, ‘Happy Days’ Cast Shares Why This Reunion Mattered
Though the four have stayed in touch privately over the years, appearing together in public has been a rare occasion.
Ahead of the panel, Winkler told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette just how special the moment was. “We have been together. We see each other, we talk to each other, support each other,” he said. “But this is the first time we will be together in a public setting.”
“You play together, you stay together. And they picked really well. They picked great people to be part of this group and we have always stayed close and in touch.”
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‘Happy Days’ Earned Emmy Love For Its Heart And Humor
Though it may not have been an overwhelming awards magnet, “Happy Days” did earn its share of industry recognition.
The show received several Primetime Emmy nominations during its run, and in 1978, director Jerry Paris won the Emmy for Outstanding Director for a Comedy Series for the touching and humorous episode “Fonzie’s Baptism.”
The series was also nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1978. Its cast earned accolades as well, with Winkler receiving multiple nominations for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, while Tom Bosley and Marion Ross were nominated in supporting categories.
Ron Howard Reveals The Moment He Realized Why ‘Happy Days’ Still Endures
Earlier this year, Howard, Williams, and Most reunited at MegaCon Orlando. While Winkler was absent, Howard reflected on what made “Happy Days” such a lasting success. He admitted that he hadn’t seen an episode in a long time, until one day, while waiting at the airport, he tuned into a rerun.
What he felt surprised him.
“Because I know why the show was a hit: it was good. And we were good,” he said. “We were so cohesive as an ensemble unit. We really connected in a great way. And it’s one of the reasons the show has endured.”
Decades after the credits rolled, the cast of “Happy Days” continues to embody the spirit of the show, humble, heartfelt, and forever connected by the time they shared under the lights and behind the scenes.
