Happy Days Cast Remembers Costar Erin Moran: She 'Made Everyone Around Her Feel Better'
Costars of Erin Moran, the actress best known for playing Joanie Cunningham in the sitcoms Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi, shared their reactions to her shocking death on Saturday. She was 56.
Her fellow actors remembered Moran as a talented actress and caring woman.
Don Most, who played class clown Ralph Malph on Happy Days, told PEOPLE in a statement, “I am so incredibly sad to hear about Erin. She was a wonderful, sweet, caring, talented woman. As I write this I can’t really comprehend this right now. A very painful loss. It gives me some comfort to know that she’s with Tom, Al, Pat and Garry. Rest In Peace, sweet Erin.”
Anson Williams, who played Potsie on the ’70s and ’80s sitcom, also shared his condolences in a statement:
“Erin was a person who made everyone around her feel better,” he said in a statement. “She truly cared about others first, a true angel. I will miss her so much, but know that she is in God’s hands. RIP sweet angel.”
Costar Henry Winkler, who played Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli, told PEOPLE, “I will always remember Erin with her sweet smile that greeted me on the very first day I walked onto the set of Happy Days in 1974. She was only nine years old. For the next ten years that smile never faded. Unfortunately yesterday it did. My condolences go out to her family. She will always be locked in my heart.”
He also led remembrances of Moran on Twitter.
“OH Erin... now you will finally have the peace you wanted so badly here on earth,” he wrote. “Rest In It serenely now.. too soon.”
OH Erin... now you will finally have the peace you wanted so badly here on earth ...Rest In It serenely now.. too soon
- Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) April 23, 2017
Such sad sad news. RIP Erin. I39;ll always choose to remember you on our show making scenes better, getting laughs and lighting up tv screens. https://t.co/8HmdL0JKlf
- Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) April 23, 2017
Costar Henry Winkler, who played Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli, led remembrances of Moran on Twitter.
“OH Erin... now you will finally have the peace you wanted so badly here on earth,” he wrote. “Rest In It serenely now.. too soon.”
Ron Howard, who portrayed Joanie’s older brother Richie Cunningham on the small screen, also shared his sadness about the news.
“Such sad sad news. RIP Erin,” the actor said. “I’ll always choose to remember you on our show making scenes better, getting laughs and lighting up tv screens.”
Cathy Silvers, who played Jenny Piccalo on the show, shared her sentiments in a statement shared with PEOPLE:
“My best friend. My shinning armor. My example of unconditional love, grace, poise, dignity, strength, talent beyond measure, and above all Erin held my hand throughout my life. My love for Erin is forever. A beautiful person, no luckier woman than I to call Erin my loving best friend. When the casting door opened and I walked in and jumped on the couch to read for Jenny Piccalo we laughed our heads off then Erin threw her arms around me and our journey of friendship began. We were very close on set and grew even closer now. May we all be as gracious, elegant, respectful, kind and unconditionally loving as Erin Moran. Jones!!! We will meet again my friend and the trouble we will cause will be exponential!’ xoxo.”
Officers in Harrison County in Indiana responded to reports of an unresponsive female in Corydon, Indiana, on Saturday afternoon. First responders determined that the woman, identified as Moran, had deceased, PEOPLE has confirmed (the news was first reported by TMZ). An autopsy is pending.
Moran most famously played Cunningham on Happy Days, which ran from 1974 to 1984. She also starred in the spin-off, Joanie Loves Chachi from 1982 to 1983, which followed her character’s romance with Chachi, played by Scott Baio.
The actress also appeared on The Love Boat, Murder She Wrote and The Bold and the Beautiful.
