All posts tagged: sitcoms

The tragic lives of some of the biggest stars of ’70s sitcoms revealed

The tragic lives of some of the biggest stars of ’70s sitcoms revealed

Erin Moran rose to stardom when she was just 13 after landing the role of Joanie Cunningham on Happy Days in 1974. However, behind-the-scenes, Erin was feeling Hollywood pressure: in a 1983 interview, Erin claimed that by the time she had turned 15, producers “suddenly wanted me to lose weight and become this sexy thing.” In 1982, Erin began starring in the spin-off Joanie Loves Chachi and later claimed that she would have preferred to stay as a cast member of Happy Days. “I liked working with the people. But I didn’t even want to do it,” she said. “I wanted to stay on Happy Days.“ The show was canceled after 17 episodes, and Erin’s career never recovered; she struggled financially, and in 2011, she joined several co-stars in a $10 million lawsuit against CBS for unpaid royalties. In 2012, they were each awarded $65,000 after settling out of court. That same year, it emerged that Erin had been served eviction papers and her California home had been foreclosed on in 2010. She and her husband, Steve …