Friday, May 06, 2011

Seven Questions with Marion Ross from Happy Days; Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 9, 2011)

Mother's Day is on Sunday, and to celebrate Mother's Day, The Hub is bringing you a marathon of some of the best episodes featuring America's favorite TV mom, Mrs. Cunningham from the series Happy Days. But Mrs. Cunningham was only a character on the popular series, and behind that character is the award-winning actress Marion Ross, and we recently had the privilege of interviewing Ms. Ross, just in time for this special marathon dedicated to her and her character (which, as I learned in my phone conversation, are very much one and the same). In my interview with Ms. Ross, it became obvious very early in the conversation that she is just as wonderful as the character she played on television decades ago, and that she truly appreciates the legacy that she left by starring in that series and has a deep respect and admiration for her many fans. So, on Sunday, check out the marathon on The Hub, but before you do that, "sit on it" and check out our interview with Marion Ross, better known as Mrs. C.!

"Seven Questions with Marion Ross From Happy Days"

Marion Ross

SitcomsOnline: Tell us how you got the role of Mrs. C. from Happy Days, and when you got the role, did you expect that the series and your role would become such a huge part of pop culture as it has become?
Marion Ross: We certainly didn't. We had no idea. It was wonderful. Not only did it have it's wonderful run, but to have it rerun over and over again. And now, The Hub is airing the series, so children will get the opportunity to see it again. It's just wonderful. People everywhere see me on the street and they recognize me as Mrs. C. right away, and I wouldn't have it any other way. We thought that the series could be successful, but it has taken on a life of it's own, and it is just wonderful!

SitcomsOnline: When a lot of people hear your name or see you, they immediately begin to think of Mrs. C. from Happy Days. So in what ways are you like (or not like) Mrs. C. in real life?
Marion Ross: It doesn't bother me that they think of me as Mrs. C., but if you think about it, we all need a handle. They don't think about your whole career and everything that you stand for. Of course, I am pretty much like that. When the guys like a series, they start to like you. It's a really great feeling. I'm not so sure how I'm like or not like her, but I really do enjoy being known to people, especially these guys that I meet out on the street who instantly recognize me as Mrs. C. and they admire and respect the character, and me for that matter.

SitcomsOnline: What were some of your favorite moments from Happy Days? Were there ever any things that you just hated doing for any reason?
Marion Ross: We have one where I'm trying to revive our marriage, and I come down in this outfit and I'm not sure if I can do this. But it is like children at play, and mostly a lot of fun. Sometimes we'd get into fights like a real family, but we'd get along. Garry Marshall, our producer, knew that we didn't want to do certain things and we'd get into little spats but we'd always just end up doing whatever he wanted us to do anyway. You'll see one of those episodes Sunday on The Hub, the "Dance Contest" episode where I take tango lessons from the Fonz. I wasn't so sure about it, but it turned out great.

SitcomsOnline: Happy Days is one of the few sitcoms from that era where many of the younger actors went on to continued success in life. How often do you interact with those whom you played the TV mom to?
Marion Ross: The Fonz (Henry Winkler) is in Boston starring in a movie called Here Comes the Boom with Kevin James. They're kind of off doing their own things and they're pretty successful at it. It's great to know that I was such a great mom to them and raised them so well! (laughs)

SitcomsOnline: Here's a question that the TV conspiracy theorists all over the world really want an answer to: what happened to Chuck Cunningham? Or is that a secret that even his own TV mother isn't allowed to have the answer to?
Marion Ross: (laughs) Gosh, I feel so bad about that! We had multiple Chucks, and none of them just seemed to work with the cast. It was a running gag on the set that we'd always say "there's Chuck!" at the most unusual times. One time, we were shooting in Malibu, pretending it was Hawaii, and Tom Bosley said "look over there, it's Chuck!" You know, I really ought to make up with some big story about what happened to Chuck just to have a story to tell and impress people, but there really isn't one.

SitcomsOnline: You've had roles on television going back to some of the earliest days and continue to do roles today, so as TV has evolved, what changes do you think have been positive? And which ones have been not-so-positive?
Marion Ross: Our whole culture has changed really, and I really liked the older culture more. I don't really think that TV has changed so much, but it is more of the culture as a whole. Just the other day, I saw a little girl outside playing a game on a cell phone and I just wondered why don't her parents come to play with her? We've gotten so much into our iPods and everything these days that we just don't take time to relax.

SitcomsOnline: Would you be interested in taking on a regular or recurring role on a TV series these days? Is there any type of character that you have never played on television that you would like to play?
Marion Ross: I would, especially if it was if it was like films and I could work two days or so and be done with it. TV is a lot of work, but in movie roles, you can just work a few days and be done. I've done a few roles like on Brothers & Sisters as the mother of Sally Field's character but that is done with, they killed her off. Then there was Nurse Jackie, which I loved doing, where I played a dementia patient. I have done quite a few roles that are different from who I am, such as a show called Brooklyn Bridge, where I played a Jewish character living in New York City. It was created by Gary David Goldberg, who also created Family Ties, and it won numerous awards but it only ended up lasting a few seasons. Next year though, I'll be on stage in Toronto in the starring role of Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers, where I'll get to play another Jewish character from New York, so that should be interesting.

Ms. Ross had quite a bit more to say that we couldn't quite fit in our scope of our "seven questions" format, and we love her for the additional contributions that she made. In regards to her other work on TV, she talked quite a bit about her role as the grandmother on the Fox series That '70s Show, where she played a role that was very much different from the role that she played on Happy Days. In fact, she described the role as a "chain-smoking grandmother with bowel problems." As she mentioned in the interview, she very much enjoys playing in these roles that are a lot different from the role that most people associate her with, but she certainly doesn't mind being known as Mrs. C. Also, in regards to the "disappearing Chuck" on Happy Days, she brought up the fact that Chuck definitely wasn't the only kid who disappeared, but Richie Cunningham also disappeared in the later seasons. Of course, any Happy Days fan knows that, but what they may not realize is the extremes that they had to go through to avoid using the on-screen likeness of Ron Howard. She mentioned that after he left the series, his new contract prohibited the Happy Days producers from showing him on-screen in any way, meaning that the most that they could do is talk to Richie on the telephone. Even photos of Ron Howard that could potentially appear on camera couldn't be shown!

We deeply appreciate Ms. Ross for giving us the time and opportunity to interview her, and for continuing to entertain generations of viewers through reruns of Happy Days and her continuing work on the big screen, the small screen, and on stage! Don't forget to catch the "Mom-a-thon," airing 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM ET on Sunday, May 8, on The Hub. You can catch the following episodes of TV's favorite mom:

6:00PM "Dance Contest" - Mrs. Cunningham secretly takes tango lessons from the Fonz.
6:30PM "Marion Rebels" - Mrs. Cunningham takes a job as a waitress at Arnold's to escape her routine.
7:00PM "Marion: Fairy Godmother" - Ralph and Leather are transformed into a fashionable couple for the ROTC Ball.
7:30PM "Marion Goes to Jail" - Marion lands herself in jail when her car crashes through Al's drive-in.
8:00PM "Empty Nest" - Joanie has left the Cunningham house, Marion looks to find ways to cope and occupy her time.
8:30PM "So How Was Your Weekend" - Marion's finicky mother causes rift when she visits the Cunninghams.


It's Friday, so it is time for "Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows" for the coming week. This is where we list what sitcom stars are appearing on talk shows for the coming week, the stars are both current and past sitcom stars (but we won't cover movie stars like Tom Hanks or John Travolta, since they won't be talking about their past sitcoms likely), so this is for all sitcom fans of all eras!
For the week of May 9-13, 2011, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! So get your DVR's (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!

Monday, May 9, 2011
  • Josh Gad (Back to You) - Watch Josh on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
  • Adrian Grenier (Entourage) - Catch Adrian on Lopez Tonight at 12am on TBS.
  • Sinbad (The Sinbad Show/A Different World) - Sinbad drops by Lopez Tonight at 12am on TBS.
  • David Spade (Rules of Engagement/8 Simple Rules/Just Shoot Me) - David visits The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings for time and channel.
  • Tracy Pollan (Family Ties) - Tracy appears on The Gayle King Show at 10am on OWN.
  • Marlo Thomas (That Girl) - Marlo talks with Kathie Lee and Hoda on Today on NBC at 10am.
  • Will Ferrell (The Office) - Will stops by Chelsea Lately on E! at 11pm.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
  • Paul Reiser (The Paul Reiser Show/Mad About You/My Two Dads) - Watch Paul on The Gayle King Show at 10am on OWN.
  • Yvette Nicole Brown (Community) - Catch Yvette on The Nate Berkus Show, so check local listings.
  • Candace Cameron Bure (Full House) - Candace guest hosts on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
  • Will Ferrell (The Office) - Will continues to make the rounds on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart at 11pm.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
  • Dick Van Dyke (The Dick Van Dyke Show) - The legendary Mr. Van Dyke visits The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC. His book My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business: A Memoir is now available.
  • Patricia Heaton (The Middle/Back to You/Everybody Loves Raymond) - Watch Patricia Good Morning America on ABC between 7-9am and later on LIVE! with Regis & Kelly, so check your listings.
  • Grizz Chapman (30 Rock) - Catch Grizz on The Mo'nique Show at 11pm on BET.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
  • Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) - Catch the hilarious Jim on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Norm Macdonald (The Norm Show) - Watch Norm on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) - Nick stops by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
  • Betty White (Hot in Cleveland/The Golden Girls/The Mary Tyler Moore Show) - Betty is the guest on Tavis Smiley on PBS, but check listings for time.
  • Will Ferrell (The Office) - Will talks about The Office on Today on NBC between 7-9am.
Friday, May 13, 2011
  • Paul Reiser (The Paul Reiser Show/Mad About You/My Two Dads) - Paul drops by the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly) - Melissa and the cast of Bridesmaides visit the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. She will later appear on Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS. Bridesmaids opens in theaters on May 13.
  • Tina Fey (30 Rock) - The funny lady Tina chats on The Gayle King Show at 10am on OWN.
  • Will Ferrell (The Office) - Will concludes his appearances this week on LIVE! with Regis & Kelly, so check your listings.

Leave us comments on our message board or Tweet/Facebook us to let us know what you think of this Friday feature! We do listen!


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, September 17

Shifting Gears - "Gummies" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Riley is horrified when she finds weed gummies in Carter’s pocket, prompting surprising advice from Matt. Meanwhile, Eve inadvertently lands Gabriel and Stitch in hot water after asking them to donate to a charity auction.

Shifting Gears - "Kiss" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Jimmy returns with a new job and a proposition for Riley and the kids to move into his house, Riley is torn between her past and her future. Meanwhile, Matt's feud with Eve flares up once again after she damages his car.

Abbott Elementary - "Rally" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Ava and the Abbott teachers go to the district to plead for Ava's job back; Gregory handles duties as interim principal.

Abbott Elementary - "Please Touch Museum" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Abbott Elementary goes on a schoolwide field trip to the Please Touch Museum, which has some of the older kids skeptical.

The Hospital - "Double or Nothing; Make a Wish" (BET, 11:00PM ET/PT)
Apparently the best spot to gamble during your shift, is in the morgue.

The Hospital - "Lyrical Surgery; Get It Poppin" (BET, 11:30PM ET/PT)
Dr. Do-It-To-Em's mixtape has more bars than a nursing student during finals week.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 15)

Wednesday, September 17

  • Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Watch Wanda on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/George and Leo/Chicago Sons/Simon/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move/Silver Spoons) - Jason appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Ron Howard (Arrested Development/Happy Days/The Andy Griffith Show) - Ron is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Brett Goldstein (Shrinking/Ted Lasso) - Brett stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Rob Reiner (All in the Family/Morton & Hayes) - Rob appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Greta Titelman (Fantasmas/Search Party/Los Espookys) - Paul and Greta are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Eva Longoria (Only Murders in the Building/Telenovela) - Eva talks about FX's Necaxa on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Marlon Wayans (Marlon/The Wayans Bros.) - Marlon talks about Him on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Eugene Levy (Schitt's Creek/Greg the Bunny/Hiller and Diller) - Eugene talks about The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Mark Duplass (Big Mouth/Togetherness/The Mindy Project/The League) - Mark talks about The Morning Show on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Rosie Perez (Human Resources/Search Party) - Rosie co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Kristin Davis (And Just Like That.../Bad Teacher/Sex and the City) - Kristin dishes on the end of And Just Like That and surprises Drew with an item from the set of Sex and the City on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Jane Lynch (Angel from Hell) - Jane talks about Fox's Celebrity Weakest Link on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Judy Reyes (Scrubs) - Judy is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

09/16 - Disney's SuperKitties Adds to Voice Cast; Netflix Renews The Hunting Wives for Season 2
09/15 - 77th Primetime Emmy Award Winners; Letterman TV Adds Late Night with David Letterman
09/14 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 15, 2025)
09/13 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount Looking to Merge with Warner Bros. Discovery; Samsung TV+ Adds Late Night with David Letterman
09/12 - Emmy Awards to Create Special Moments; Ricky Gervais Netflix Animated Comedy Alley Cats Coming in 2026
09/11 - Remembering Polly Holliday of Alice and Flo; Prime Video's Overcompensating Renewed for Season 2
09/10 - Netflix Renews Leanne for Season 2; Hazbin Hotel Returns October 29
09/09 - HBO Comedy The Chair Company; Trailer for Disney's Vampirina: Teenage Vampire
09/08 - The Paper Renewed for Season 2, NYC Event on Tuesday; Final Season of Bel-Air
09/07 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 8, 2025)
09/06 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Shifting Gears Picked Up for Three Additional Episodes; The Paper Renewed for Season Two
09/05 - Crutch Premieres November 3 on Paramount+; Trailer for Season 2 of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
09/04 - Freeform's 31 Nights of Halloween 2025 Schedule; Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Cast
09/03 - Live Staged Reading of Three's Company Episode; Freeform Acquires According to Jim for October
09/02 - Hulu's Chad Powers Trailer; BET's The Hospital Premieres September 10
09/01 - TV Marathons on Labor Day 2025 Include Archie Bunker's Place and George Lopez
08/31 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 1, 2025)
08/30 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Saturday Night Live Cast Changes Loom; NBC Renews Password for Third Season
08/29 - HBO's Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television; Adult Swim Slates Two Series for October
08/28 - NBC's Password Renewed for Season 3 for 2026; Pluto TV Streaming CBS Shows Ahead of Fall Season
08/27 - Hulu's Deli Boys Renewed for Season 2 with Fred Armisen; HBO's I Love LA Premieres November 2
08/26 - English Teacher Returns on FX for Season 2; Jesse Williams Prime Video Series Trailer
08/25 - Doc Season 2 Trailer for Fox; Remembering David Ketchum and Jerry Adler
08/24 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 25, 2025)
08/23 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Home Improvement Cast Members to Reunite on Shifting Gears; The Paper to Have Binge Drop
08/22 - Hulu's Futurama Season 13 Trailer; A Man on the Inside Returns November 20 on Netflix
08/21 - George Lopez Coming to COZI TV; The Morning Show Season 4 Trailer
08/20 - Welcome Back, Kotter 50th Anniversary Marathon on Rewind TV; Apple TV+ Palm Royale Season 2 Premieres November 12
08/19 - Antenna TV's Archie Bunker's Place Labor Day Marathon; Larry the Cable Guy Prime Video Special
08/18 - Nobody Wants This Season 2 Premieres October 23; HGTV and Retta Continue Partnership
08/17 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 18, 2025)
08/16 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount Plans Retool of Cable Networks; King of the Hill Revival Scores Big Ratings