Whatever Happened To Potsie From Happy Days?
From 1974 to 1984, "Happy Days" was one of the top sitcoms on TV. The ABC comedy followed the lives of the 1950s-era Milwaukee-based Cunningham family and their friends, with a cast that included Ron Howard, Tom Bosley, Marion Ross, and of course, Henry Winkler as the breakout character, Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli.
While the Fonz may have stolen the show with his cool catchphrases and daring motorcycle (and shark!) jumps, Cunningham family friend Warren "Potsie" Weber was more than just a nerd. The character, played by Anson Williams, was Richie's right-hand man and the lead singer of the gang's band that played gigs at the malt shop hangout, Arnold's.
Williams' Potsie character actually appeared in four series on ABC. Prior to "Happy Days," Williams played Potsie in the 1972 "Love American Style" episode, "Love and the Happy Days," according to IMDb. The segment served as the pilot for the hit sitcom, per Herald Weekly. In addition, Williams appeared as Potsie on the spinoff "Laverne & Shirley" in 1976, and more than 25 years later, Potsie was resurrected for a brief cameo on "Sabrina the Teenage Witch."
So, what has Williams been doing in the decades since his "Happy Days" heyday? Some fans may be surprised.
Anson Williams went on to become a successful director after taking advice from his Happy Days co-star
While he was one of the biggest sitcom stars of the 1970s, Anson Williams has surprisingly few acting credits to his name. His IMDb page lists just 19 credits as an actor, including one-off guest spots on short-lived TV shows like "Bridget Loves Bernie" and "The Paul Lynde Show." Williams' resume as a television director is much more prolific. Once "Happy Days" ended its 11-season run, the star went on to work as a director on hit shows such as "Melrose Place," "Beverly Hills 90210," "Baywatch," and most recently, "The Secret Life of the American Teenager."
In an interview with Smashing Interviews, Williams revealed that he always knew that he wanted to go beyond acting and that it was his "Happy Days" co-star who advised him to get into directing. "Early on in acting I knew I wouldn't be doing it as a career my whole life," Williams said. "I first started creating and writing shows and selling them as a producer. Then it was Ron Howard who said, 'You really should direct.' I ended up attaching myself to shows that I had created because no one would give me a break as a director."
Williams has been directing since 1985, which is just one year after "Happy Days" ended, and his first shot was on an ABC Afterschool Special.
Anson Williams is also a successful entrepreneur
In addition to his work in the entertainment world, Anson Williams is a dad to five daughters, per Fox News. But he is also a successful entrepreneur. Williams told Smashing Interviews that while working as a director on "Melrose Place" he collaborated with a skincare guru that the cast gushed about, and the two ultimately created the QVC-worthy line, StarMaker Products.
Williams, whose second cousin was the famed Dr. Henry Heimlich, later launched the hormone-free alternative menopausal product, Cool Flash for the Hot flash, as well as Alert Drops, an all-natural spray created to help drowsy drivers stay awake while on the road. The idea for the latter product was spawned after Williams dozed off while driving. "I was driving home, and I fell asleep at the wheel and almost killed myself bouncing around in the local desert," the former "Happy Days" star told WMBF.
Williams told Page Six that his famous cousin once told him that lemon juice gives an instant adrenaline boost, so he came up with the idea for a portable spray for the lingual nerve on the tongue. "I called Henry and I said, 'Why don't we put citric acid in a spray,' and he said, 'That would solve more lives than the Heimlich maneuver,'" Williams told the outlet. He also revealed that he promised Heimlich that he would get the stay-awake spray out to the public, and he did so in 2017, one year after his cousin's death. Williams credited the game-changing product as "Dr. Heimlich's legacy."