Already have an account?
Get back to the

Erin Moran’s TV ‘Happy Days’ Brother Ron Howard: ‘I Had No Idea She Was Ill’

Erin Moran’s former TV brother Ron Howard revealed that he was shocked by the actress’ death from complications of stage IV cancer. Watch the interview in the video above.

Related: Celebrity Deaths in 2016: Stars We’ve Lost

Moran passed away on Saturday, April 22, at age 56, at her home in New Salisbury, Indiana. She was best known for her role as Joanie Cunningham on Happy Days from 1974 to 1984 alongside Howard, who played Richie Cunningham. Moran also starred in a short-lived spinoff, Joanie Loves Chachi

Related: Most Shocking Celebrity Deaths of All Time

Howard opened up about Moran’s death on The Talk on Monday, April 24. “It’s been a rough time,” he said. “Bill Paxton, we lost a while back — a very good friend. My stepmother Judy passed away a couple of months ago, so the Erin event really did hit hard and shock. I had no idea she was ill whatsoever.”

Related: Celebrity Health Scares

He reminisced about the decade they spent on set together when Moran was a teenager. “She was always the kid on the set, in a way,” he said. “When I think of her then, which is how I chose to think of her, she was this feisty, spirited little girl.”

Howard recounted the time the cast had a messy shaving cream fight during a rehearsal. “It was kind of a boys club, we had all the guys goofing around,” he said. “There was a lot of hijinks and goofy frat stuff going on. But I do remember a particular moment where we were in a rehearsal, in our rehearsal clothes, and somehow it was kind of turning into a shaving cream fight. And she did sneak up behind Henry Winkler with a pretty good shaving cream pie, and she got him.” 

Got a Tip form close button
Got a tip for US?
We're All Ears for Celebrity Buzz!