Happy Days Actor, Tom Bosley, Dies at 83

Happy Days actor, Tom Bosley, dies at 83. The beloved actor that played Howard Cunningham, Mr. C, died of heart failure. He was also suffering from lung cancer at the time of his death.

His agent , Sheryl Abrams, confirmed his death on Tuesday at a hospital near his Palm Springs home. Bosley was born in 1927 in Chicago, Illinois to a Jewish Orthodox family. His father sold real estate and his mother was a concert pianist.

He is best known as the calm and responsible hardware store owner on the sitcom Happy Days for 255 episodes, which ran for ten years from 1974-1984. He co-starred with Marion Ross (Marion Cunningham) , Henry Winkler (the Fonz) and Ron Howard (Richie Cunningham). Tom Bosley originally turned down the role of Howard Cunningham, but later changed his mind after reading a very touching scene between father and son in the pilot episode.

He has been married twice after being widowed, currently to Patricia Carr and has one daughter, Amy Bosley, who he had with Jean Eliot and three grand children.

Ron Howard, who played his onscreen son, said he was a wonder and happy Dad and that he misses him already. Ron played Richie Cunningham, the onscreen son of Howard Cunningham. He was also on the Debbie Reynolds Show, Night Gallery, Sandy Duncan Show, Love American Style, Wait Till Your Father Gets Home, The Streets of San Francisco, Joanie Loves Chachi, The Love Boat, Murder She Wrote, Father Dowling Mysteries, Walker Texas Ranger, ER, and many other beloved television shows and a few movies.

Tom Bosley's most famous character, Howard Cunningham, otherwise known as Mr. C, was the backbone of the family in the American classic, Happy Days.

He has been seen recently in commercials for SMC (Specialty Merchandise Corporation) as their spokesperson because he was a personal friend of the owners of SMC.

Tom Bosley also made is mark on stage playing in the Broadway hit "Fiorello," and even one a Tony Award for his performance. Years later he returned to Broadway to play Belle's father in "Beauty and The Beast."

Bosley served in the Navy, got a college degree from DePaul University, played in Radio dramas and performed on Broadway for 15 years before moving to Hollywood to become a television and movie actor.

Good bye, Mr. C, we will always love you and remember you often, especially when we are watching reruns of Happy Days.