The VERY Odd Thing About Ralph Malph and His Family on TV’s ‘Happy Days’

Dave Sundstrom March 11, 12:00 pm

What To Know

Ralph Malph, played by Donny Most, was a beloved character on Happy Days.
Throughout the series, Ralph’s family underwent confusing changes.
These inconsistencies reflected the show’s willingness to break continuity for creative reasons.

The classic TV show Happy Days revolved around the lives of the Cunningham family and their close-knit group of friends, including the effortlessly cool Arthur Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler), better known as Fonzie. During the ’70s, the show was a force to be reckoned with on ABC, where it anchored the network’s Tuesday night lineup.

Growing up, I truly loved watching this show. So much so, in fact, that I’ve written article after article about it. Heck, I even did a deep dive into the mystery of whatever happened to older brother Chuck. It seems like one evening, good old Chuck just told the family he was going to go play some basketball and never came back.

But today we’re focusing on Ralph Malph, played by the talented Donny Most. Ralph was the lovable, quick-witted best friend of Richie Cunningham, and he brought an infectious energy to every scene that he was in. His comedic timing and playful banter with the rest of the cast made him a fan favorite.

HAPPY DAYS, from left, Henry Winkler, Ron Howard, Don Most, Anson Williams, 1974-84 (1977 photo)

Carl Furuta/TV Guide/ABC/courtesy Everett Collection

Here’s what Donny told Boise Beat in 2017 about working on Happy Days, “It looked like at the time like a bunch of people just goofing off having a good time, but there were a lot of talented people working hard to make it look easy. That’s what I remember. What really stands out for me is the collaborative process and how fervent it was.”

During the first season of Happy Days, Ralph is introduced as the son of Hazel and Harry Malph, the proud owners of a dress store. However, as the show progressed, Ralph’s family took a twist that left audiences scratching their heads. Suddenly, out of the blue, Ralph’s parents changed their identity and their profession. They went from being the down-to-earth Hazel and Harry to the whimsical and utterly Disney-sounding Mickey and Minnie Malph.

Mickey was now an optometrist, which brought a whole new dimension to the character portrayed by the talented Alan Oppenheimer, who you may remember during the eighties as the voice of Skeletor. In addition to landing guest-starring roles on many of the hit TV shows of the era, Alan was also a really talented voice actor. Check out this commercial starring Alan around the time when He-Man toys were first being introduced to American children.

ALL'S FAIR, Jack Dodson, (1976), 1976-77

Everett Collection

Without a doubt, Alan was a great casting decision. No way you can do better than that, right? Wrong. Well, at least if you’re a fan of The Andy Griffith Show. As if one change wasn’t enough, Jack Dodson, who played Howard Sprague on that show, took over the role of Mickey Malph later on.

So, why did all this happen? Well, my friends, it turns out that sometimes TV shows just can’t resist a bit of reinvention. Behind the scenes, creative decisions are made to keep the stories fresh and engaging, and Happy Days was certainly no exception. That’s why Chuck just up and disappeared. And who can forget Fonzie’s much younger cousin, Spike? He was cast aside in favor of another Fonzarelli family member, and the love of Joanie Cunningham’s life, the one and only Chachi Arcola.

Producer Garry Marshall and the writers decided early on that rules could be broken in order to make a better TV show and, hopefully, tell great stories. More than anything else, I think that is why Ralph’s family always seemed to be in a state of perpetual transformation. Even after the show “jumped the shark,” I’d argue that Happy Days managed to maintain its charm and captivate audiences for years.