Catching up with Ralph Malph from Happy Days

Happy Days, which ran from 1974-1984 was set in the 1950's to the 1960's in Milwaukee, Wisconsin It was one of the most popular shows of it's era. One of the things that made the program so endearing was the relationship between Richie Cunningham and his friends. The antics with the Fonz, Ralph, and Potsie made the show fun to watch. Donny Most who portrayed Ralph Malph has not been seen since Happy Days ended as much as Ron Howard and Henry Winkler but he has managed to remain busy, since his lovable character was last seen. His alter ego, Ralph was one of Richie Cunningham's best friends on Happy Days. He was always thinking about girls and telling lame jokes. Malph was also a practical joker and often used novelty items such as joy buzzers, whoopie cushions, spring-loaded eyeball glasses, and Groucho Marks glasses on his less than thrilled victims.

In the early seasons of Happy Days, before the Fonz showed up, Ralph Malph was considered as more cool than Potsie or Richie. He was a member of the gang, The Gems and also owned a hot rod car. After high school graduation Ralph, Potsie, and Richie got an apartment together, but Richie eventually returned home. Once the focus of Happy Days turned to Fonzie, Ralph was given less air time. He joined the army and when he returned home, after an honorable discharge, decided to follow in his fathers footsteps and go into dentistry. Ralph Malph went off to college and the character was never seen again.

Donny Most was born August 5th, 1953 to Jewish parents in Brooklyn, New York, He graduated in 1970 from Erasmus Hall High School. He attended Lehigh University for three years but did not graduate. His plan was to study engineering, but he switched his major to business after completing his first semester. Most landed the role of Ralph Malph during his third audition so he moved to California and turned acting into a career. His film credits include The Great Buck Howard in 2008, Planting Melvin in 2005 and EDtv in 1999. Donny Most also made an appearance on Charles in Charge, where his former Happy Days co-star, Scott Baio was the star. He portrayed a man who won the lottery and he runs up to Charles, AKA Baio and as he waves hid winning ticket shouts, "It looks like happy days are here again!"

Donny Most has been married to actress Morgan Hart since 1982. They live near Los Angeles, California and have two daughters. Most has done voice overs for several Saturday morning cartoons. These include reviving Ralph Malph for The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang in 1980, Eric the Cavalier in Dungeons & Dragons in 1983, and from 1986-1989 as Stiles on Teen Wolf. The actor did a cameo as himself in the fifth season Family Guy in 2007. The episode was called "It Takes a Village Idiot, and I Married One".

On Happy Days the guys had a band and Don Most was a singer off camera as well. He released his one and only pop album in the fall of 1976. It was titled Donny Most and was on the United Artists label. The recording did not chart, but a single from the album"All Roads (Lead Back to You)" b/w "Better to Forget Her" made it to the Hot 100 singles. The son became successful, after Most sang it on Happy Days. The entertainer switched to swing music in 2016 and went on tour in 2017.

On April 19, 2011, Most, along with Happy Days co-stars, Anson Williams, Mario Ross, Erin Moran, the estate of Tom Bosley, who passed away in 2010, filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against CBS, which owns the show. The actors sought 10 million dollars, claiming they had not been paid for revenues from merchandising as was outlined in their contracts. The cast members claimed they had not received revenues from items related to the show, which included dolls, greeting cards, T-shirts comic books, DVDs,, toy cars, games, scrapbooks, games, lunch boxes, and magnets that carry their images on the box covers. The lawsuit was settled in July 2012, and each of the Happy Days cast mates received a payment of $65,000 and a promise from CBS to continue to honor the terms of their contracts.