Another icon of 1970s and ’80s TV has left us far too soon. Actress Erin Moran has died at the too-young age of 56 of undisclosed causes. Born in Burbank, California in 1960, Moran first entered show business co-starring on the series Daktari, various other TV and film roles followed, none more iconic than her debut as lovable little sister Joanie Cunningham on Happy Days. Erin Moran reached the peak of her career success in 1982, when she and Scott Baio were tapped to star in the high-profile Happy Days spin-off Joanie Loves Chachi. Unfortunately, the show only ran a total of 17 episodes, and both stars quickly returned to Happy Days for the duration of that series’ run. Following that, she did a string of guest spots in shows like Murder, She Wrote before largely vanishing from the public eye. While she may be gone, the characters she leaves behind are reflective of a star whose shine tragically burned out far too soon.
