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The cast of Happy Days were worried they'd be cancelled during the show's early years
They weren't all Happy Days on set...
In television, no series is safe. The entertainment industry is a cutthroat business, and no matter how talented an actor is, or how genuinely good a television show can be, the future is never guaranteed.
Even Happy Days wasn't safe from the dark cloud of cancellation. Today, Happy Days is widely regarded as a jewel on the crown of classic television, but in the show's beginnings, both the cast and crew were nervous that each day on set would be the day they went off the air.
Actor Marion Ross was pressed as to whether the actors believed the series would last during an interview with the Santa Ynez Valley News. "None of us did," said Ross. "In fact, we spent the whole first three years thinking, well, pack your stuff up. We were all a conservative group of people. Now, here we just finished our 10th season."
Today, a tenth season is practically unheard of. But even back in the seventies, the longevity of a show like Happy Days was a bit unusual.
Ross, however, argued that the environment of Happy Days, cultivated by series creator Gerry Marshall, was the ideal one for an actor, and she had no desire to leave the show behind.
"When people say, 'Wouldn't you like to move on?'" said Ross. "We always have five months off every year, so why would we want to move on, when we have this wonderful work situation, where we all love it?"
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