Erin Moran’s death at the age of 56 on Saturday touched and saddened many fans, but none more so than those she shared a screen with on the classic sitcom of the ’70s and ’80s, “Happy Days.”
“OH Erin… now you will finally have the peace you wanted so badly here on earth …Rest In It serenely now.. too soon,” tweeted Henry Winkler, who most know as The Fonz.
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
Moran’s big brother on the show, Ron Howard, also expressed his grief over her passing, writing, “Such sad sad news. RIP Erin. I’ll always choose to remember you on our show making scenes better, getting laughs and lighting up tv screens.”
Such sad sad news. RIP Erin. I'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
And Anson Williams, who played Potsie on the long-running series, told ABC7’s George Pennacchio, “Erin was a person who made everyone around her feel better… She truly cared about others first, a true angel. I will miss her so much…she is in God’s hands.”
EMTs were called to an Indiana home on Saturday afternoon to tend an “unresponsive female,” the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department confirms. “Upon the arrival of first responders, it was determined that Erin Marie Moran Fleischmann was deceased. An autopsy is pending,” the department said in a statement.
Moran was best known for playing Ron Howard’s feisty little sister, Joanie Cunningham, on the sitcom “Happy Days” from the time she was 12 until 22 (1974-1984).
Her teaming with onscreen love interest Scott Baio proved to be so popular that they spun off into their own short-lived series, “Joanie Loves Chachi.”