Anson Williams Wiki Biography, net worth, age, family, children

Known for movies

Happy Days (1974-1984)
as Potsie Weber / Pretty Boy

The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008-2013)
as Director

The Cape (1996)
as Director

Live Shot (1995)
as Director

• Anson Williams, born 25 September 1949, is famed for his role as “Potsie” in “Happy Days.”
• He skipped college to pursue acting, landing a significant role after a McDonald’s commercial.
• Anson expanded his career into directing and entrepreneurship, including founding Starmaker Products.
• He successfully settled a lawsuit against CBS over “Happy Days” merchandising revenues.
• Anson has been married three times, with children from his first two marriages, and enjoys golf and animal companionship.

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 holds American nationality – he is popular for being an actor while most of this popularity came from his role as Warren Potsie Weber in “Happy Days” TV series which aired from 1974 to 1984.

“@caloudie: Nicest guy around Go buy his book #SingingToABulldog @Singing2Bulldog pic.twitter.com/XolYgVrcwE” Thank you!

— Anson Williams (@Ansonw4real) November 24, 2014

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 on college, however, Anson had other plans.

After he matriculated from 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’s journey into the limelight began with a pivotal moment: a breakthrough commercial that caught the eye of the film industry. This led to his triumphant casting as Potsie Weber in the beloved TV comedy “Love, American Style.” However, it was his subsequent role in the iconic series “Happy Days” that truly catapulted him to stardom. In the show’s inaugural season, the spotlight shone brightly on Potsie and his father, Richie, portrayed by Ron Howard. This significant role not only garnered Anson widespread recognition but also cultivated a devoted fanbase.

Amidst the whirlwind of fame, Anson’s personal life took an unexpected turn. It was during the final seasons of “Happy Days” that he crossed paths with his future first wife, marking a serendipitous moment amidst his burgeoning career.

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.

In addition to his prowess as an actor and director, Anson ventures into the realm of entrepreneurship. Collaborating with his friend Al Molinaro from the “Happy Days” TV series, they embarked on the venture of launching a chain of restaurants. Though this business chapter has since concluded, Anson’s entrepreneurial spirit endured.

Following the closure, he established Starmaker Products, assuming the role of a spokesperson. He delivered a keynote address at the US Patent and Trademark Office’s National Trademark Expo in April 2008, showcasing his dedication to innovation and business endeavors.

Anson is a bit of a writer as well, as he wrote and published a book.

Anson suing “Happy Days” production

Anson and a group of his fellow cast members from the beloved “Happy Days” television series took legal action against CBS, the show’s owner. Their claim centered on allegations of financial mismanagement, asserting that CBS had failed to deliver the promised earnings from merchandising revenues as outlined in their contracts.

According to their agreements, they were entitled to a five percent share of the net proceeds from the sale of merchandise featuring their likenesses. However, despite the contractual obligations, CBS had neglected to provide any compensation.

In response to the lawsuit, CBS initially offered a paltry sum of approximately $9,000 to each of the five individuals involved. This offer fell far short of what was rightfully owed, prompting the cast members to pursue legal recourse to ensure fair compensation for their contributions to the show’s success.

In October 2011, the judge overseeing the case delivered a verdict that dashed Anson and his colleagues’ hopes of receiving the substantial sum they had sought. CBS, emboldened by the ruling, attempted to have the case dismissed altogether, only to be rebuffed by the judge.

Ultimately, rather than enduring a protracted legal battle, CBS opted to settle the dispute. Each of the five individuals involved was awarded $65,000, along with a commitment from CBS to uphold their contractual obligation of paying them five percent of the proceeds from “Happy Days” merchandise sales.

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.

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 has changed numerous times, as he was always trying new things but eventually got 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 in 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 keep him and his wife company, as all of their kids are already grown and have left home.

View this post on Instagram

TODAY: Anson Williams, the actor who played “Potsie” on Happy Days, shares recipes from his new book, “The Perfect Portion Cookbook!” LINK IN THE BIO!

A post shared by The Doctors (@thedoctorstv) on Mar 8, 2016 at 7:02am PST

Appearance and net worth

Anson is currently 74 years old. He has short black hair and blue eyes, is 5ft 10ins (1.78m) tall, and weighs around 143lbs (65kgs).

As per reliable sources, his present net worth is believed to exceed $1.8 million and is on a consistent upward trajectory, buoyed by a multitude of ongoing projects he is actively involved in.

Social media presence

It appears that 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 his only active profile is on Twitter, which he launched in September 2014 and which is currently followed by more than 6,900 people, he’s tweeted over 70 times, but his last one was on 18 May 2015. His page on Facebook currently counts more than 4,900 followers.