Al Molinaro, best known for his role of Al in the hit TV series ‘Happy Days’, has died in Los Angeles at age 96.
Molinaro played café owner Al Delvecchio for 146 episodes from 1976 to 1982. He reprised the role for 17 episodes of the spin-off ‘Joanie Loves Chachi’ from 1982-1983. He also resurrected the role for the Weezer ‘Buddy Holly’ video in 1994, introducing the band performing at Arnold’s as “Kenosha, Wisconsin’s own Weezer” and then adding “and try the fish”.
In 1987 life imitated art with Molinaro opened a restaurant with his Happy Days co-star Anson Williams called Big Al’s.
Al Molinaro had dabbled in real estate before becoming an actor and as a result was already financially stable before his first acting job, something that allowed him the freedom to only take parts he enjoyed.
He often popped up in big parts on ‘Bewitched’, ‘Get Smart’ and ‘Green Acres’. It was at acting class where he met Penny Marshall (Laverne & Shirley) who introduced Al to her brother, director Garry Marshall. Garry gave him his first on-going acting job as Murray the Policeman in the comedy ‘The Odd Couple’. Marshall then placed him in his next show ‘Happy Days’ as Al Delvecchio.
Molinaro retired from acting in 1992 at age 73 but continued to make TV commercials until 2003.
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