Silke Jasso
Erin Moran, the former child star who rose to fame as Joanie Cunningham in the popular sitcom “Happy Days,” recently passed away at the age of 56.
Videos by Rare
Moran was just 14 when she first appeared in “Happy Days” as the mischievous sister of Ron Howard’s character, Richie.
In the video above, we see Moran in her prime. The clips are taken from “Smokin’ Ain’t Cool” (season six, episode 17, originally aired Jan. 16, 1979) in which Moran’s character Joanie takes up smoking in order to fit in with the “cool kids.”
No longer the squeaky clean 12-year-old she started the series as, teenage Joanie is recruited by the Magnets, who are focused on one thing: looking cool. And in the ’50s, the easiest way to look cool was to smoke.
Many friends and relatives try to persuade Joanie to put down the cigarettes, but none are successful, until the Fonz himself enters the fray. Since Fonzie was the epitome of coolness, Joanie heeded his advice.
