• Anson William Heimlich was born in Los Angeles, California, on 25 September 1949
• He fell in love with acting at a young age and attended Burbank High School, where he served as captain of the track team and acted in school plays
• Anson is an actor, director, writer, and businessman who is best known for his role of Warren Potsie Weber in “Happy Days” TV series
• He has married twice and is currently in a marriage with his second wife of 31 years
• His current net worth is estimated to be at least $1.8 million



Known for movies

Short Info

Net Worth$1.8 million
Date Of BirthSeptember 25, 1949
SpouseJackie Gerken, Lorrie Mahaffey
FactHe has played the same character (Potsie Weber) in four different series: Love, American Style (1969), Happy Days (1974), Laverne & Shirley (1976) and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1996).


Anson Williams Wiki Biography

Anson William Heimlich was born in Los Angeles, California USA, on 25 September 1949, so under the zodiac sign of Libra and holding American nationality – he is popular for being an actor while most of this popularity came from his role of Warren Potsie Weber in “Happy Days” TV series which aired from 1974 to 1984.

https://twitter.com/Singing2Bulldog

Childhood and education

Anson was born into a Jewish family – his father Haskell was initially named Haskell Heimlich before changing his last name to Heimlick.

Anson fell in love with acting at quite a young age, as he spent so much time watching movies and TV series on his black and white TV screen. He was very sportive during the years he spent at Burbank High School, and served as the captain of the track team, as well as acting in numerous plays performed at the school. He was also a great student, who had very high grades and it was expected of him to enroll at college, however, Anson had other plans.

After he matriculated from the Burbank High School in 1967, Anson decided to completely focus on his career as an actor, and didn’t enroll at college.

Career of an actor

Anson did not get to become an actor right away, but rather worked several odd jobs to financially support himself until he finally launched his acting career in 1971 when he appeared alongside John Amos in a McDonald’s commercial.

Anson Williams

The commercial helped Anson get noticed in the film industry, and he won the role of Potsie Weber in the TV comedy series entitled “Love, American Style”, while later becoming part of the “Happy Days” TV series which made him very famous. The first season of the show was based mainly on the lives of Potsie and his father Richie played by Ron Howard, and this role helped him gain recognition and grow a fanbase – also Anson met his first wife in the final seasons of the series.

As soon as “Happy Days” ended, Anson tried his luck in directing, as he got to work on short programs made for children including “No Greater Gift” shot in 1985, and “The Drug Knot” in 1986. Anson’s directing skills were soon noticed, and he got to direct some of the very popular TV series over the next few years, such as “The Pretender”, “Beverly Hills, 90210”, “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”, and numerous others.

As well as an actor and a movie director, Anson is also a businessman – he opened a chain of restaurants together with his friend from the “Happy Days” TV series Al Molinaro, but the business has been closed for many years now. After it went defunct, Anson founded the Starmaker Products company, and became a spokesperson, as he spoke during the US Patent and Trademark Office’s National Trademark Expo held in April 2008.

Anson is a bit of a writer as well, as he wrote and published his book entitled “Singing to a Bulldog: From Happy Days to Hollywood Director, and the Unlikely Mentor Who Got Me There”.

Anson suing “Happy Days” production

Anson and four of his friends from the “Happy Days” TV series sued CBS – the owner of the show – stating that they were robbed as CBS wasn’t paying them the money from merchandising revenues which their contract guaranteed them to get. By their contract, each of them was supposed to get five percent from net proceeds of selling merchandise if their images were used in it, however, CBS paid them nothing, although after the five of them filed a lawsuit, CBS responded that they only owed them around $9,000 each.

In October 2011, the judge working on the case stated that Anson and his friends were not to receive millions of dollars which they asked for – CBS then asked for the case to be thrown out which the judge denied, and the lawsuit was initially settled by CBS giving each of the five people $65,000, and an undertaking that they would continue to pay them the five percent from selling “Happy Days” merchandise.

Personal life and relationships

Anson remains very secretive when it comes to his love life, as he hasn’t shared much about it, but being a famous actor means that one cannot hide completely from the media’s attention.

Anson has married twice – he met his  future first wife while still part of the “Happy Days” TV series, as she joined the cast in the final two seasons. Lorrie Mahaffey and Anson were an instant match and as the people who were there later described it, the two fell for one another almost as soon as they laid eyes on each other. They exchanged their wedding vows on 19 November 1978, and are parents to a single child whose gender and name are not known.

Anson Williams – "Potsie" on "Happy Days" – revealed in a Facebook post yesterday that he was diagnosed with colon…

Posted by Better Connecticut on Sunday, February 5, 2017

 

The marriage lasted for eight years as the two divorced in 1986 – rumor has it that it was due to Anson’s infidelity, and that his now second wife was the cause. Anson and Jackie Gerken married in 1988, and have been together ever since – 31 years and counting. They are parents to four children while the child he has with Lorrie is currently living with her.

There are no controversies surrounding Anson’s love life – it’s not known whether or not he has dated any other women besides his two wives.

Hobbies and interests

Anson has been involved in numerous activities throughout the years, and his interest changes numerous times, as he was always trying new things but eventually gets bored of them.

Anson loved reading comic books when he was younger, but this stopped when he was around 22 and when he began acting in “Happy Days”. He enjoyed playing billiards with his friends, which is something he still enjoys, but he prefers golf as he gets to be in nature while also competing at a game with his friends. He has always been a big fan of beer, but now doesn’t drink as much as he did before because of his health. Anson always liked flying in planes, especially private jets, and has even considered getting a license so that he could fly his own plane, however, this hasn’t happened.

Since he was a kid, Anson has been a lover of animals – he grew up alongside a dog and now has two dogs who make him and his wife company, as all of their kids are already grown and have left home.

Appearance and net worth

Anson is currently 69 years old. He has short black hair and blue eyes, is 5ft 10ins (1.78m) tall, and weighs around 143lbs (65kgs).

According to authoritative sources, his current net worth is estimated to be more than $1.8 million, and is steadily rising thanks to numerous projects he is currently working on.

Social media presence

It appears as Anson is not that active on the internet, as he is an old-fashioned soul who is trying to stay away from the things which the modern age brought.

It seems that the only active profile of his is on Twitter, which he launched in September 2014 and which is currently followed by more than 2,300 people, while he’s tweeted over 70 times, but his last one was on 18 May 2015. There is an Instagram account of Anson, but it only counts 66 followers and a single picture uploaded onto it, while his fan page on Facebook currently counts more than 1,000 ‘likes’.

General Info

Full NameAnson Williams
Net Worth$1.8 million
Date Of BirthSeptember 25, 1949
Height1.79 m
ProfessionTelevision producer, Actor, Television Director
NationalityAmerican

Family

SpouseJackie Gerken, Lorrie Mahaffey
ChildrenHannah Lily
ParentsHaskell Heimlick

Accomplishments

MoviesScareful What You Wish For, All-American Murder, Your Mother Wears Combat Boots, The Drug Knot, I Married a Centerfold, A Quiet Little Neighborhood, A Perfect Little Murder, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
TV ShowsHappy Days

Social profile links

Facts

#Fact
1He has played the same character (Potsie Weber) in four different series: Love, American Style (1969), Happy Days (1974), Laverne & Shirley (1976) and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1996).
2Best known by the public for his role as Warren "Potsie" Weber in the television series Happy Days (1974).
3Nephew of Dr. Henry Heimlich, creator of the "Heimlich Maneuver".

Pictures

Movies

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Odd Couple2016TV SeriesClayton
Take 22009TV MovieMike
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch2003TV SeriesPotsie
Son of the Beach2002TV SeriesWarden Jack Beatty
Baywatch2000TV SeriesCouncilman McKenna
Fudge1995TV SeriesWaiter
I Married a Centerfold1984TV MovieNick Bellows
Happy Days1974-1984TV SeriesPotsie Weber / Pretty Boy
Fantasy Island1983TV SeriesDan O'Dwyer
Greatest Heroes of the Bible1979TV SeriesNabar
The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour1978TV Series
The Love Boat1977TV SeriesSean McGlynn
'Twas the Night Before Christmas1977TV Movie
Laverne & Shirley1976TV SeriesPotsie Weber
Lisa, Bright and Dark1973TV MovieBrian Morris
Marcus Welby, M.D.1973TV Series
Bridget Loves Bernie1973TV SeriesYoung Man
The Paul Lynde Show1972TV SeriesJimmy
Love, American Style1972TV SeriesPotsie (segment "Love and Happy Days")
Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law1971TV SeriesSteve Baggot

Director

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Secret Life of the American Teenager2008-2013TV Series 31 episodes
Take 22009TV Movie
Sons & Daughters2006TV Series 1 episode
Lizzie McGuire2001-2003TV Series 7 episodes
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch1999-2003TV Series 10 episodes
Body & Soul2002TV Series 1 episode
The Nightmare Room2001-2002TV Series 2 episodes
Charmed2000-2001TV Series 3 episodes
Baywatch2000-2001TV Series 6 episodes
Titans2001TV Series 1 episode
Profiler1999-2000TV Series 2 episodes
Beverly Hills, 902101996-2000TV Series 9 episodes
7th Heaven1998-1999TV Series 2 episodes
Cousin Skeeter1999TV Series 2 episodes
Melrose Place1996-1999TV Series 9 episodes
Star Trek: Voyager1997-1999TV Series 4 episodes
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine1997-1998TV Series 2 episodes
Love Boat: The Next Wave1998TV Series 2 episodes
The Net1998TV Series
Clueless1997TV Series 1 episode
The Pretender1997TV Series 1 episode
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys1996TV Series 2 episodes
Xena: Warrior Princess1996TV Series 1 episode
The Cape1996TV Series
SeaQuest 20321995-1996TV Series 7 episodes
Fudge1995TV Series 7 episodes
Live Shot1995TV Series
Robin's Hoods1994-1995TV Series 2 episodes
Heaven Help Us1994TV Series
Diagnosis Murder1993-1994TV Series 4 episodes
All-American Murder1991Video
A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder1990TV Movie
Glory Days1990TV Series 2 episodes
Little White Lies1989TV Movie
Dream Date1989TV Movie
Your Mother Wears Combat Boots1989TV Movie
Hooperman1987-1988TV Series 3 episodes
Just the Ten of Us1988TV Series 1 episode
L.A. Law1987TV Series 1 episode
CBS Schoolbreak Special1986TV Series 1 episode
The Lone Star Kid1986TV Movie
ABC Afterschool Specials1985TV Series 1 episode

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Happy Days1974-1981TV Series performer - 21 episodes
Brothers and Sisters1979TV Series writer: "Brothers and Sisters"
Dolly1976TV Series performer - 1 episode

Producer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Take 22009TV Movie executive producer
The Lone Star Kid1986TV Movie executive producer
ABC Afterschool Specials1985TV Series executive producer - 1 episode
Little Shots1983TV Movie executive producer
Skyward Christmas1981TV Movie executive producer
Skyward1980TV Movie executive producer

Writer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Lone Star Kid1986TV Movie
ABC Afterschool Specials1985TV Series writer - 1 episode
Skyward1980TV Movie story

Music Department

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Anson and Lorrie1981TV Movie composer: special music material

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Celebrity Ghost Stories2009TV Series documentaryHimself
The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet2009TV SeriesHimself
The Early Show2008TV SeriesHimself
The Singing Bee2007TV SeriesHimself
Whatever Happened To?2007TV SeriesHimself
My First Time2006TV SeriesHimself
The 4th Annual TV Land Awards2006TV SpecialHimself
Movies That Shook the World2005TV Series documentaryHimself
TV Land Confidential2005TV Series documentaryHimself
Happy Days: 30th Anniversary Reunion2005TV Movie documentaryHimself
Good Morning America2004TV SeriesHimself
ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration2003TV Special documentaryHimself
Intimate Portrait2002TV Series documentaryHimself
Biography2001TV Series documentaryHimself
TVography: Happy Days2001TV Movie documentaryHimself
Truth Behind the Sitcom Scandals 42000TV Movie documentaryHimself
Entertainment Tonight Presents: Happy Days - Secrets1999TV Movie documentaryHimself
Boy Meets World1996TV SeriesHimself
Happy Days Reunion Special1992TV SpecialHimself
Body Language1984-1985TV SeriesHimself
Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour1984TV SeriesHimself - Panelist
Battle of the Video Games1983TV MovieHimself - Host
Anson and Lorrie1981TV MovieHimself - Host
All-Star Salute to Mother's Day1981TV SpecialHimself
Pop! Goes the Country1980TV SeriesHimself
The Mike Douglas Show1974-1980TV SeriesHimself - Actor / Himself - Co-Host / Vocalist / ...
Kraft Salutes Disneyland's 25th Anniversary1980TV SpecialHimself
The Merv Griffin Show1975-1978TV SeriesHimself
The Chuck Barris Rah-Rah Show1978TV SeriesHimself
The Hollywood Squares1975-1978TV SeriesHimself - Panelist
ABC's Silver Anniversary Celebration1978TV SpecialHimself
The 4th Annual American Music Awards1977TV SpecialHimself
The 34th Annual Golden Globe Awards1977TV SpecialHimself
Break the Bank1976-1977TV SeriesHimself
Dinah!1975-1976TV SeriesHimself
Easy Does It... Starring Frankie Avalon1976TV SeriesHimself
The Magnificent Marble Machine1976TV SeriesHimself
Dolly1976TV SeriesHimself
The $10,000 Pyramid1975TV SeriesHimself
New American Bandstand 19651975TV SeriesHimself
Match Game 731974TV SeriesHimself - Panelist
Entertainment Tonight2016TV SeriesHimself
The Doctors2016TV SeriesHimself
Today2008-2016TV SeriesHimself
The Insider2016TV SeriesHimself
Oprah: Where Are They Now?2015TV SeriesHimself
Home & Family2014TV SeriesHimself / Himself - Guest
Marie2013TV Series documentary
The Actor's Journey2011Video documentaryHimself
The Actor's Journey for Kids2011Video documentaryHimself
Unscripted2011TV SeriesHimself

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Entertainment Tonight2015-2016TV SeriesHimself / Potsie Weber
TV's 50 Funniest Catch Phrases2009TV MovieHimself
The O'Reilly Factor2008TV SeriesPotsie Weber
50 Greatest Comedy Catchphrases2008TV Movie documentaryPotsie Weber (uncredited)
Weezer: Buddy Holly1994Video shortPotsie
Happy Days1984TV SeriesPotsie Weber

Awards

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1983Golden GlobeGolden Globes, USABest Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionHappy Days (1974)

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia
Author

Benjy is currently a reporter for BiographyPedia based in Adelaide, Australia. Prior to joining BiographyPedia in July 2019, he was a Bizarre TV reporter and theatre critic at TheSun. Benjy has also written for DailyMail and TMZ. Benjy studied journalism at Goldsmiths University of London, graduating in 2009. You can contact him at [email protected].

Write A Comment

Pin It