Director and actor Ron Howard is opening up about his time playing Richie Cunningham in the hit sitcom, Happy Days, which ended in 1984 after 11 seasons.
While speaking to Vulture in an August 2025 interview, Howard said producers thought about changing the Garry Marshall series' name to Fonzie’s Happy Days because of the fans' positive response to Henry Winkler's character, Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli, better known as Fonzie, per Remind Magazine. According to Howard, he made it clear that he wouldn't be continuing filming the series if the show's title was changed, despite his contract.
"I never, ever challenged what they were doing creatively. It made perfect sense that you’d build this Fonzie character and maximize that," said Howard to the publication. "But the optics of now being in a show called Fonzie’s Happy Days, my ego wouldn’t allow for that. I wasn’t bluffing. I would’ve left. And my contract, I’m sure, had no clause connected to titles. They could have said, “F--k you. We changed the title, and we expect you to show up Monday morning.'"
Howard clarified that Marshall told him that they wouldn't go through with the title change if he was unhappy about it.
"But thank God for great bosses. Garry Marshall said, 'If you’re not cool with it …'" said Howard, who left Happy Days after its seventh season, to the publication.
Howard also said that Winkler didn't want the show's name to change.
"I later found out Henry himself thought it was a terrible idea. I think the position I took made it easy for both Garry and Henry to also say, 'No, let’s not do that.' Years later, Henry said they were ready to do a spinoff and other things for Fonzie, and he just said, “Why fix it if it’s not broken? My success depends on the ensemble I’m in,'" said Howard during the interview.
Howard made similar comments about the situation during a January 2024 interview with the New York Times, alongside Winkler. He said he told producers he "would leave" if the show's title became Fonzie’s Happy Days.
"I told them I would leave. I don’t think I contractually could have. But I told them if you really want to change the name of the show to that, I would rather go back to USC and film school and what I was doing before the show launched," said Howard to the publication.
Winkler also said he told producers he thought a possible title change was a bad idea and was "an insult to everybody" else on the Happy Days cast.
Hence then, the article about the reason ron howard threatened to leave happy days was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The Reason Ron Howard Threatened to Leave 'Happy Days' )
Also on site :
- Two dozen killed in Ukrainian strike on Russian New Year’s celebration – governor
- Volunteer in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard reportedly killed during widening protests
- Palestinian Mujahideen Movement Condemns Israeli Enemy& 039;s Prevention of International Organizations from Continuing Their Work