Erin Moran

It always astounds me when I look at the list of credits Erin Moran chalked up in her career. She was a child star... and I do mean STAR. She was all over the place! She was on My Three Sons, Family Affair, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Bearcats, The Love Boat,  Gunsmoke, The Waltons, Daktari, The Don Rickle's show, Hotel, and of course Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi. She also was in a four or five movies.

I had her on my "Left For Dead" list. She had done maybe four projects since Happy Days went off the air. Now how is that for being cruel to one of the cast of a show most Americans watched for ten years solid? Unfair is not a good enough word.

Was she as cute when she got older? No. Not at all. Was she really truly sexy? Not to me personally (I am not a freckle person... so my opinion is VERY tainted) but I know of some guys who fell in love with her and still have a crush on her to this day. Can she act? Ooohh yes! Her career shows that she can.

Stereotyped? Probably. Many will always think of her as "Joanie". But Ron Howard moved on, Tom Bosley, Marion Ross, and Henry Winkler were able to do other things. And if the "Fonz" could still work (as well as Chachi - Scott Baio), then certainly Erin Moran should have been able to.

Erin did refuse to do the Happy Days Reunion... and I sort of agree with her reasoning. She said that she would have done it if it had not been a "best of" show. Showing clips and having the stars talk about their experiences. She wanted to ACT not narrate. It hurt her with some of the show's fans but I do understand what she meant. Still... it would have been nice to see her do it.

She did go on the Oprah Winfrey show to explain why she didn't do it. BOY! Did she come off like a fruitcake to many people... because she started talking about her family threatening her because she wouldn't do the reunion. They, she said, wanted her to do it because it made them look good. Odd. And very probably true (there are many weird families out there) ... but it didn't come across well. Debbie Reynolds came on after her and made the statement that "I don't understand what she was talking about. I think she needs to get some help." OUCH!

As of this writing her last work was in 1999 playing herself in "G vs E" (TV series Good vs Evil). She had a quick role... again playing herself... in the 1996 film "Dear God". That sure ain't good when you play yourself on a show. That means nothing... no acting. You are you. So much for her stance on the "Reunion" thing.

Where is she now: (12/12/01)
After being lambasted in several National Inquire editions, she went on the Howard Stern show to reveal elements of her unhappy childhood. (Now, I understand doing that... but on STERN? Sheesh! Never for such a delicate matter!)...

Erin is currently married and living in California where she is a born again Christian. She has plans to write a book about her acting experiences, about her time on Happy Days and JLC. She also wants to resume her acting career.

KUDOS!!! Erin, Kudos to you!

UPDATE: (07/02/2008)

In 2008 Erin is working again! She has 2 films coming out this year and another one in post-production for release in 2009! Way to go... ummm... girl! :)