Show Notes
Anson Williams became a television icon as Potsie Weber on Happy Days, but his Hollywood story goes far beyond Arnold’s Drive-In.
Anson joins Steve Kmetko for a revealing look back at more than five decades in show business, including how he stumbled into his first acting job with a young Steven Spielberg, what Garry Marshall taught the Happy Days cast about surviving Hollywood, and the extraordinary day John Lennon secretly showed up on the Happy Days set with his son Julian.
Anson also tells the remarkable story of how his connection to Dr. Henry Heimlich helped bring the Heimlich maneuver to national television, remembers his late Happy Days co-star Erin Moran, talks about working with Bette Davis and Hollywood legends including Milton Berle and Ethel Merman, and explains how Ron Howard helped inspire his second career as a television director.
Plus, Anson discusses his newest project, Crazy Mama, starring Linda Purl.
It’s an hour of Hollywood history from someone who was there for an astonishing amount of it.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Anson Williams joins Still Here Hollywood 01:00 Growing up in Los Angeles and trying to break into show business 04:00 The disastrous audition that launched his career 07:24 His first real break 09:00 How a sit-in at a talent agency changed everything 12:00 His first acting job, directed by Steven Spielberg 14:22 Would social media have changed his career? 17:05 Happy Days becomes his big break 17:26 The real story of the original Happy Days pilot 19:37 Why the Happy Days cast became so close 21:03 What made Garry Marshall special 22:11 How Anson turned Potsie into a second career 25:46 How Happy Days helped spread the Heimlich maneuver 30:34 Who made Anson laugh hardest on Happy Days? 33:23 John Lennon secretly visits the Happy Days set 35:43 What changed after Ron Howard left 37:19 Working with Bette Davis 41:47 Remembering Marion Ross 42:43 Becoming a television director 45:35 Growing up around Hollywood legends 49:38 Working with Ethel Merman 50:28 Remembering Erin Moran 52:19 The most important lesson he learned as a director 53:37 Learning to direct science fiction 56:03 Crazy Mama and Linda Purl 1:01:07 Anson Williams looks ahead
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