My Days: Happy and Otherwise

by Marion Ross

For eleven seasons, Marion Ross was head of one of America’s favorite television households. Now meet the lovable real-life woman behind the Happy Days mom . . .
 
Before she was affectionately known to millions as “Mrs. C.,” Marion Ross began her career as a Paramount starlet who went on to appear in nearly every major TV series of the 1950s and 1960s—including Love, American Style , in which she donned an apron that would cinch her career. Soon after came the fateful phone call from producer Garry Marshall that made her an “overnight” success, and changed her life . . .
 
In this warm and candid memoir, filled with loving recollections from the award-winning Happy Days team—from break-out star Henry Winkler to Cunningham “wild child” Erin Moran—Ross shares what it was like to be a starry-eyed young girl with dreams in poor, rural Minnesota, and the resilience, sacrifices, and determination it took to make them come true. She recalls her early years in the business, being in the company of such luminaries as Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, and Noel Coward, yet always feeling the Hollywood outsider—a painful invisibility that mirrored her own childhood. She reveals the absolute joys of playing a wife and mother on TV, and the struggles of maintaining those roles in real life. But among Ross’s most heart-rending recollections are those of finally finding a soulmate—another secret hope of hers made true well beyond her expectations.
 
Funny, poignant, and revealing—and featuring Garry Marshall’s final illuminating interview—as well as a touching foreword from her “TV son” Ron Howard, and a conversation with her real-life son and daughter, Marion Ross’s story is one of inspiration, persistence, and gratitude. It’s also a glowing tribute to all those who fulfilled her dreams—and in turn, gave us some of the happiest days of our own lives.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Audiobook, Tv, Media Tie In

336 pages, Hardcover

Published March 27, 2018

Reviews

[Julie]

I grew up in a very strict Catholic household in the 70s & 80s. Many great shows were on television then, but I was restricted from watching most of the ones that my classmates at school watched. But, as kids will do, I had a way around this. My best friend lived next door...and when good shows were on, I would suddenly have to go study for a test, or whatever excuse I could come up with, go across the street and watch television with them. Through the years I happily sat on my neighbor's living room rug watching One Day At a Time, Alice. Laverne & Shirley. Dukes of Hazard. Welcome Back Kotter. And...one of my favorites....Happy Days. I really enjoyed the nerdy Ralph Malph, good ol Richie Cunningham, Snarky little sister Joanie, the lovable Potsie Weber, and of course...The Fonz. We all went around saying "Ayyyyy'' with our thumbs up and saying "Sit on it!'' And my parents always thought I was getting help with math. :)

When I think of Marion Ross, I will always think of Mrs. C., the lovable mom from Happy Days. I wanted to know more about the actress though, so I read her new book. I'm glad I did! Turns out Marion Ross (as with all actors) is so much more than her iconic character Mrs. C. From her roles on Broadway, film and television, to her personal life, her story is so interesting and enjoyable! Reading her book was like sitting down to lunch with her and just listening to her talk. I enjoyed every word!

Marion shares stories about her childhood, early career, her "big break,'' her castmates, children.....it's just a nicely well rounded book about her life. Her co-author is David Laurell. The book is well-written and just shines with Ross' lovely, down-to-earth personality.

I'm definitely going to purchase a copy of this book for my husband, who is a huge Happy Days fan. Anyone who grew up in the 70s, or who loves the show, will enjoy learning more about Marion Ross. Her stories about the show, her castmates,and her life are wonderful! After I finished the book, I went online and found the Love, American Style episode that introduced the Cunningham family.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7COp...

(The blurb for the video is in French, but the audio is in English)

Great show! Great book! And, a great actress and person!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

[The Geeky Bibliophile]

Marion Ross said she would never write a book about her life. Luckily for fans, she had a change of heart about that. In My Days: Happy and Otherwise, Ross shares stories about her life and six decade career acting in film in television.

Watching Happy Days was a big part of my childhood, so it's no surprise that I immediately wanted to read this book. I love finding out behind-the-scenes details of television series I love(d), and it was a lot of fun to read about Ross' memories of working on the show. There were a few surprise (such as her difficult relationship with Tom Bosley in the early days of the show), but most of the memories she shared were quite pleasant and enjoyable to read about. As an added bonus, there are also interviews with her former Happy Days cast members, including the late Erin Moran.

This was an enjoyable read, and I think fans of Happy Days would definitely be interested in this one!

I received an advance review copy of this book courtesy of Kensington Books via Netgalley.

[Lisa Ks Book Reviews]

If I didn't adore her before, (I did) I certainly adore her now! Marion Ross is an amazing woman and actress. I truly loved this chance to get to know her so much better. Thank you Ms. Ross for sharing your life and talent with us.

[Koren]

If you are looking for some dirt about her relationship with her Happy Days cast members you are not going to find it here. According to Marion, everyone got along and was one big happy family. As a matter of fact, for the most part the book has an upbeat, positive attitude. She even had a happy childhood growing up in southern Minnesota, and I was surprised to find out, she grew up about an hour away from my hometown. The book has a message that if you want something bad enough and are willing to work hard, you can do anything.

[Lori]

I was happy to hear that Marion Ross wrote a memoir. I wanted to read about her life. Since I had fond memories of Happy Days. Marion Ross keeps it nice with her memoir. there is no mudslinging. If she has to mention a person who was unpleasant to work with she is not nasty about it. Honest and fair. I liked that she included some of the actors she worked with on Happy Days. most share their experiences with her in this book. Including Garry Marshall, and Erin Moran who both died before she finished her memoir. I enjoyed learning something about "Mrs C" aka Marion Ross.

[Theresa Smith]

Thanks to Goodreads for this free giveaway copy!

I enjoyed reading Marion's story and respected her for her dedication and hard work. I was not familiar with her life history and found her perspective on her marriage and family and work very interesting. I also appreciated some of the behind-the-scenes passages about her television show, "Happy Days." She wrote honestly but, I believe, respectfully of her cast members and their success. I did find it tiresome to read through the many interviews of her family and friends included in the book. It was a bit repetitive and didn't add much insight into Marion's life. Overall, I enjoyed the book and think her fans will really appreciate this.

[Julie]

This book was OK but was somewhat slow moving and repetitive. Two things really grated on me. 1) Hearing repeatedly than Marion swore she would never write an autobiography. 2) Her comment over and over about various things that she "never really thought about it much." Husband drank a lot? She didn't really think about it much. Was she sad that her parents didn't live to see her success? Didn't really think about it. Etc., etc. The interviews with her colleagues and family were interesting and show that she is well liked. Since she is nice person and much loved, I bumped this up to 3 stars.

[Pat Kamuf]

I really enjoyed this book. I did not know that much about Marion Ross, but she has lived an interesting life. She knew what she wanted from life and went out and got it!! It came with a lot of hard work and determination.

[Jeff Grosser]

I always loved Marion Ross as Mrs. C on Happy Days. Now after reading her book, I also love the real Marion Ross. What a lovely lady. Thank you for sharing your life experiences with world. It's a better place because of people like you.

[Ellen]

I received this book "My Days" from Netgalley for my honest review.
This just wasn't the book for me. I was kinda bored reading it.

[Tammie Gunter]

Marion Ross Mrs C, does not disapoint. Great stories about her life. Happy Days.
Anson Williams. Don Most and Scott Baio all have a story about her in the book.
I loved it.

[Suez]

Very good read! I love an autobiography that is inspiring, uplifting, and true. Marion Ross has done this!

[MO]

I completed this as part of a book club challenge.

I was not originally excited about a celebrity memoir and had considered another one prior to stumbling across the one for Marion Ross.
Lately, I've been feeling my Gen X vibes and even though I was 9 when the show Happy Days ended, I do have some memories of it and was excited to learn about the woman who played the mom, Marion Cunningham (or Mrs. C).

I listened to this on Audible and think the experience was more "authentic" because Marion herself narrated the memoir. Can I just say that her life, her story and her attitude are so much more than what I could have ever imagined? I went out to check this afternoon to see if she is still living and learned she turned 97 back in October! I am so impressed to learn who she is and that she has such a wonderful outlook on life.
I admit that I may go out and watch a few shows to relive "Happy Days"...

[Melanie Rowley]

Ok read but too focused

Good story but just never got into book. Very surface only and too clinical. Just no depth at all. And really did not care for the question and answer segments at all. Sadly gave me a vanilla pudding feeling.

[Kathy]

This is such an honest book, filled with Marion Ross' personality and a lot of information about what makes her tick. I was pleased to learn about Marion's many accomplishments as an actress, friend, and mother! My heart was touched by this well-written and interestingly formatted book. I highly recommend it.

[SundayAtDusk]

Yes, Happy Days fans, there's lots of stuff on Marion Ross' days on that television show in this book, including lots of comments about and from the other actors on the show. I wanted to mention that first, since there are obviously many fans who don't appreciate it when an actor or actress talks little in their memoirs about a popular TV show they were on. Not being a fan of the show, I was happy to see Ms. Ross also covered many other topics and time periods in this book.

She starts off with her childhood during the Depression in Minnesota. Apparently, she always had little doubt she would be a well-known actress one day. Of course, she did much to make that belief come true, and had to overcome obstacles that were blocking her way to stardom. She married an alcoholic wanna-be actor, who she at one time thought was just adorable when he would get in a downer and not want to search for work. Seriously. The author admitted, though, one reason she chose to marry her husband was because she did not want a husband who might block her acting ambitions. What chronically unemployed husband would try to stop his wife from working?

In the '50s, there was a good chance a woman might end up with a husband who didn't want her to work outside of the home. Not Marion Ross. Was she smart or what? She eventually realized, however, her husband was an alcoholic who was not getting any soberer. (Since she was being both a mommy and daddy to him, one suspects he was something else, too, but the author does not broach that topic, except once in an offhand way.) Divorce was inevitable, leaving Ms. Ross a single mother with two children, as well as with constant concern about how the bills would be paid. But she had always been the one paying the bills anyway.

Ah, but then came happy days in more ways than one. The author became one of the iconic TV sitcom mothers, later stopped by people in public who would tell her that she "raised" them. (One really should not laugh at or underestimate the power of fantasy, especially fantasies that helped individuals survive less than happy childhoods.) Ms. Ross appreciated the affection and affirmation she was receiving from the public, but worried at times about being a less than perfect mother at home to her own two children. She's not one to bash herself, though, and not one to lie or be filled with regrets. She is a confident woman who got what she wanted, without causing harm to anyone, and without pretending she needed a man to financially or emotionally support her.

Marion Ross eventually does find true love, as well as always having had the love of her children and, later, grandchildren. She also went on to star in an outstanding TV show I never forgot--Brooklyn Bridge, (1991-1993). As grandmother Sophie Berger, she was the heart and soul of that fabulous show. (Sorry, readers, there's little about that series.) At the end of this memoir, the author thinks about her death . . . hey, she became a successful actress, beating all odds . . . maybe she can outsmart Mr. Death with the same type of determination . . . . :)

(Note: I received a free e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher or author.)

[Teena in Toronto]

Marion Ross was born 89 years ago in Minnesota. She always had the dream of being an actress on the stage and studied drama in school ... her name was originally spelled "Marian" but she changed the spelling when she was young because she felt "Marion" would look better on a marquee.

She met her husband, Effie, when she was still in university and they impulsively got married. Effie didn't have a lot of ambition and it was Marion who worked and made sure everything was taken care of (she was okay with that). Though Marion didn't realize it, Effie was an alcoholic ... everyone drank back then, though she didn't. They eventually divorced and Marion by then had two children to take care of (Effie wasn't father material).

Marion found steady work in movies, TV shows and plays before landing the part of Marion Cunningham ("Mrs. C.") on Happy Days in 1974 until 1986. After that show ended, she continued to work in show business. She met the love of her life, Paul Michael, when she was in her sixties and he passed away suddenly in 2011.

I like reading bios/autobios as I'm always interested in people's stories. I wasn't a big fan of Happy Days but watched it (as did everyone else) when it was on back in the day. Marion seems like a nice person so I was curious to see what her story was and find out what was really going on behind the scenes.

I liked the writing style (Marion wrote this with the help of David Laurell) and she didn't reveal anything too scandalous. She seems to be well-liked and respected. There are interviews with various members of the Happy Days cast along with her children, Jim and Ellen, and her long-time assistant and they all had nice things to say about her.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2018/03...

[Susan Hein]

I enjoyed reading about Marion Ross's experiences on Happy Days and her relationship with the cast. I found the ending odd and sad as she thinks she may be able to live forever because if her Hollywood dream came true, why not that dream. What??

[Sharon]

I've been in the mood for memoir lately, and I'm glad I chose this one.

If, like me, you're of a certain age, you will remember when "Happy Days" dominated the television airwaves. Not only was it the most popular program in the country, but it affected popular culture (if you've ever used the term "jumped the shark," you referenced this show).

So, when I had the chance to review Marion Ross' memoir, I jumped at it. Beyond being everyone's beloved "Mrs. C." on "Happy Days," Ross had an extensive theatrical and film resume. The TV show cemented her long-desired career to be a world famous actress (as someone who, like Ross, couldn't wait to break away from her small-town upbringing, I completely understood what she meant).

We start with Ross' early days in Albert Lea, Minnesota, and come up through the present day with the octogenarian actress letting us into even some of the darkest corners of her days. Ross is honest, humorous, and direct. The book reads as though she is sitting in her beloved sun room and telling you about things that happened. You can almost hear her voice.

If you were a fan of "Happy Days," you're sure to enjoy this book.

[Tina]

I love reading memoirs written by celebrities. The thing is....this book is kind of boring. I think the best way to describe it is to call it vanilla.

Marion Ross has always been someone I enjoy watching on TV and what you see has Mrs. C. pretty well describes her book. Perky, sweet, innocent and kind. These are all wonderful qualities, except for the fact that when you are writing a memoir, I think you need to be honest and unless Ross' life has been exceptionally happy, this book is missing some huge chunks of reality.

Interestingly, she agreed to do the book only if each of her Happy Days co-stars would be included. So, as part of her story, we get interviews with Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, etc describing Marion and how it was to work with her.

Everyone is so kind and sweet and maybe I am jaded, but really?

I didn't hate this book in the least, but I didn't love it either.

[Lisa Carlson]

Minnesota born actress Marion Ross along with reporter David Laurell has written a beautiful memoir about her childhood (born in the southern Minnesota town of Albert Lea as was I), her family, her early days in Hollywood and her iconic role as Mrs. C on Happy Days. If you grew up in the era of weekly television shows on network stations where theme songs, a strong cast and excellent writing was common place you will adore the tone of Ross's memoir. There is no drama here as she is an elegant woman who displays midwestern sensibilities with every situation and every person she encounters. Refreshing It's no surprise the cast of Happy Days adores her and she has remained close friends with all of them. It was one of my favorite shows. From one Mrs C. to another thank you for such a great read!

[Rhonda]

A beautiful Valentine to a life well lived

Marion Ross as Mrs C. along with the rest of the Happy Days cast had been a fixture in my home for years so I was very curious about her life, especially during those years. What I discovered in this well written thoughtful memoir is that her days before and after the filming of Happy Days were equally fascinating. She is an amazing woman who has led a life rich with joy and her share of sorrow.
I think her wanting to get the people in her life's side of the story was very telling as to her character and a brilliant idea.
David Laurell interviews with family and friends paints a thorough picture of this consummate actress, mother and friend. I highly recommend this book.
I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley.

[Mary Craven]

I won an advance reader's edition on Goodreads and have finished the book ahead of publication. Most people will say they know Marion Ross from her role as Mrs. C. on Happy days, but there is so much more to the lady than just that. I enjoyed reading about her childhood in the mid-west, the job her father took that brought her and her family to California, her education in drama, and the hard work of "paying her dues" before that big break in Happy Days. My Days - happy and otherwise lets us all know we can have dreams and with some hard work and a little luck, those dreams can come true.

[Marie]

I enjoyed Ross's story very much--her voice and sensibilities rang true, and her sturdy midwestern spirit was a delightful departure from whiny, depressing, tell-all celebrity bios (not that I read many). In a stroke of brilliance, the co-author decided to interview all the cast members of Happy Days, so the touching result was that Henry Winkler, Ron Howard, Garry Marshall and others rounded out Ross's modest self-portrait, and gave me a glimpse into a family dynamic that went on behind the scenes of this sweet show. A satisfying read.

[Chris]

I really enjoyed this autobiography. Marion Ross was exactly my mother's age, so it was fun comparing her to my mother. Marion was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota, and knew from a very young age she wanted to be an actress. She did everything she could to prepare for this eventuality. She took many lessons and got her contract at Paramount. Unfortunately, she was dropped after a year or so, but she persevered and kept on getting small roles, until her big break-out role of Mrs. Cunningham in Happy Days, in her 50's.

[Claire Barfell]

I won this book on Goodreads Giveaways! I have always and admired Marion Ross, however, I had no idea about all of the difficulties she faced in her life. I really enjoyed this book and I really appreciate her strength and determination. She always has a positive attitude and does not even think of failure. This is the kind of person I want to be like. I loved her on Happy Days and now I feel like I really know her.

[Leila Kern]

This was a fun book to read! For everyone who watched Happy Days and loved Mrs. Cunningham; and, who didn’t want her to be their Mother? I respect Marion Ross for being open about her personal life and love her even more for that. I also loved that Marion allowed others to share their thoughts! Thank you, Marion Ross!

[Wilma Bates]

This book is the life story of Marion Ross, one of America's favorite tv moms. It is inspiring to everyone to not give up on their dreams. The interviews of her co-stars of Happy Days and her children tell us she is a wonderful person on stage and in person.

[donald cooper]

Couldn't put it down

A wonderful book well presented by a great lady of stage and screen. Had the pleasure of not only watching Happy Days through the years, but later when she appeared live at the NTR in Kansas City.

[Cheryl]

I gave this book 4 stars because it was well written and had some interesting things about Marion’s life. It was be better for someone who is a big fan of Marion Ross. Several chapters on her work in the Happy Days show. She sounds like a strong happy woman.