Why did Ron Howard + Don Most leave the show?

Ron Howard had aspirations of continuing his career behind the camera as a film director, so when given the chance to go at the end of his contract, he left with the full support of the cast and crew. Plus he'd felt that the Richie character had been taken as far as he could go, especially since he was practically a grown man who really wouldnt need to rely on advice from his de-facto "brother" Fonzie. Don Most wanted to continue his career acting in other venues such as feature films and also felt that Ralph Malph was a "spent" character at that point.

"A commitment to cinema means to lead a technically deviant lifestyle."

They wanted to pursue other opportunities
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That's true -- perhaps Anson was ok still being on the show, and then at that point you had Potsie, Fonz, Roger, and Chachi as the "gang" for the most part. That worked (without Chachi even better) for those last four seasons.

By the final season, Potsie appeared even less but was still around here and there and was in the starring list. As the focus went to *shudder* Chachi yet again! Then for good measure, there were some interesting Fonz story lines- like being black balled at the Shriners and the 1984 episode with the dream being in the restored car from the garage which was then stuck on the railroad tracks with that girl who was dead .... that was creepy, especially for Happy Days!



Raoul and the Kings of Spain
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Most did some voice work too, I thought he was great as Eric in Dungeons & Dragons. Probably a better VA then regular actor, certainly better than the celebutards that get starring roles in animated films today.

Try not to take life too seriously, no one gets out alive.

The entire show became pointless/aimless well before Howard and Most left.

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http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=305106

Season 8-As this season started, the show had lost Ron Howard and Danny Most so they could grow their careers more and have some directing opportunities, at least in Ron Howard's case. Their characters, Richie and Ralph, had left for the Army at the end of Season 7 so right there it left a big hole that they needed to fill and quickly. A lot of people feel the series should have ended with the end of Season 7 but the ratings were still there enough to go on and ABC chose to renew. In season 8 the decision was made to focus the show around Fonzie and his life. Also, this is the season where we finally actually see Joanie's friend Jenny Piccalo who had only been mentioned by name up to that point. The season deals largely with 3 things: Fonzie and his life and how it's affected when he becomes a teacher, which changed him. Secondly, it deals heavily with Jenny Piccalo since she's still in High School. Third, it deals of course with Joanie, Chachi and their relationship. Season 8 is where it started to deal a bit too much with that and there started to be a lot more drama surrounding that than was needed. Also, about midway through the season Richie's cousin Roger comes to stay with the Cunninghams..who is played by the actor many know from Married With Children. His character stayed through the rest of the series. So, a lot of changes happened that season and some were good and bad. I'd give that season a 7.

Season 9-It's actually a bit better of a season than 8 is, the few big changes that season were the addition of Joanie and Richie's cousin, KC and Roger's brother got added in too. Outside of that it shifts even more towards focusing on Fonzie and it ends up being a weird mish-mash of going back and forth between Fonzie, Roger and his brother, Joanie and Chachi and to a bit lesser extent Jenny Piccalo. This is where they started to make a lot of changes at once and some things panned out and worked ok, other things just didn't stick to the wall. This is the season Richie's son was born in and Fonzie literally helped deliver him. I'd give that overall season an 8.

Season 10-This was probably the hardest season to get through honestly. It centers a lot around Fonzie and how he finally gets into a steady relationship with a girl who has a daughter. That part was okay but the HUGE mistake they made that season was they had Fonzie deal with getting older and they almost never showed his bike on screen anymore. Also, there are a lot of points where he isn't wearing the leather jacket anymore. As far as Fonzie goes they made a LOT of poor choices there. Everyone gets older I understand that but a character like Fonzie it's not really necessary or smart to focus on his getting older. The stronger parts of the season dealt with Roger and his brother still. I'd give this season a 6 and that's being generous. It was easily the worst of the 11 seasons I felt.

The 11th and Final season-You know, all things considered it was a really well done season and I know that's gonna catch hell probably but here's why. The show stopped dealing with Fonzie getting older and just put him back into the character everyone knew. He became a dean at a school in a bad neighborhood and they did well with that. It showed him relating to those inner-city kids and the difference he made for them. Roger became the principal of that school, and Joanie ended up teaching at that school. That whole Joanie-Fonzie-Roger arc worked really well and surprised me. Due to the new school setting, they tried to add in a lot of new characters who they tried to have regularly (It seems like as the season started they were thinking it might get another year). Some of them worked well, others not so much but they tried. Joanie and Chachi got married. Also, Richie and Ralph came back for one final episode, which was surprisingly quite moving. The final scene with Richie and Fonzie summed up those 11 years and the whole thing behind the show perfectly.."You were my protector, the best friend a guy could ever ask for, my confidant, you helped me get married, deliver my son..how do you ever repay someone for all of that?" Fonzie's response? "I think you just did." and he walked out that door for the final time crying. By that point I was too. That scene was perfect and captured those two characters in one damn sentence. As for Fonzie? At the very end he got to adopt his own son which was just fitting..the kid came from a background not much different from his. As I said I think they were trying to get pieces to fit for a 12th year but at that point they knew they were done so they ended it as best they could. They did well. The last line of the show was great, from Tom Bosley: "Here's to Happy Days" as he looks at the camera like he's thanking the audience. Not Newhart brilliant but still very good. The final version of the theme song for the show used in the final season was GREAT, best version of the theme by far! I'd give that last season a 9, easily.

I wonder why Donny Most left the show. His career after "Happy Days" was not impressive. He seems like a supporting actor with delusions of grandeur.

Anson Williams stuck around to get paid. Lynda Goodfriend did the same thing. If she wasn't under contract the producers probably would have dropped her like a hot rock when Ron Howard left. I read in TV Guide many years ago that Ron Howard spoke to Goodfriend before informing producers he was leaving the show and advised her to get a contract extension. He didn't have to do that. Howard was a GOOD FRIEND.