My Days: Happy and Otherwise” By Marion Ross

When I was in elementary school and into high school, my dad was the television producer of such shows as “The Odd Couple, “ “Happy Days” and “Laverne & Shirley.” My dad loved his job, and wanted his children to see what he did for a living. We could visit the set of “Happy Days” as often as we liked and even bring friends from school. He said, however, that we could only visit the set of “Laverne & Shirley” on special occasions (like when one of my grandparents appeared on the show.). When I asked why we couldn’t visit “Laverne & Shirley” regularly, he said in his thick Bronx accent, “There is too much swearing going on! Penny and Cindy throw scripts at the writers’ heads, and it’s not pretty! They are not happy people. Stick with Happy Days. Those are hard working, happy people who don’t throw anything.” One of dad’s favorites on that show was Marion Ross, the author of this memoir “My Days.” Dad knew that if he put Marion in a scene with any other actor they would not only behave but also shine. When “Happy Days” started in 1974, Marion Ross was a 45 year-old-single mom with two young children, who had just divorced an alcoholic. She was cast as the mother on  “Happy Days,” which would become the Tuesday night at 8:00 P.M. hit show of the ‘70s featuring Richie, Fonzie, Potsie and Ralph. As the loveable Mrs. C, she not only bonded with the cast but she also set a shining example of what it is like to be a dedicated working actor, and loyal human being. It is not a surprise that Marion still remains friends with members of the “Happy Days” cast today at the age of 89. But her time spent on the Paramount lot is only part of this wonderful book. Before appearing on television, Marion was a stage and film actress working with such greats as Lauren Bacall and Noel Coward. In her early years of acting, she said she often felt like a fish out of water, having moved to California from rural Minnesota to follow her dream of becoming an actress. But her book demonstrates that if you keep trying, you can find your work family and even find your great love late in life as well. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that this book was as charming as Marion herself. To purchase this book on Amazon please click here.