Reviews Write New Review
[email protected]
Don Most
Ralph Malph, "Happy Days"
Donny Most was born on August 8, 1953 in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. His father was an accountant. He developed his love of acting in the third grade after he saw "The Jolson Story." A local television station was running the movie several times a day and Most was mesmerized by the story of Al Jolson. In 1979, he told a TV Guide reporter that he watched the movie a staggering 50 times and memorized every line of dialogue.
At the age of 15, he got his first real taste of show business by performing at resorts in New York's Catskill Mountains. He was part of a group of teenagers who played the so-called "Borscht-Belt" circuit. While still in high school, he began to take professional acting classes and appear in television commercials.
Most graduated from Brooklyn's Erasmus Hall High School, which also gave the world Barbra Streisand and Eli Wallach. He continued his education at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and decided to spend the summer before his senior year in Los Angeles. During these few months, he won a bit part on "Emergency" and on "Room 222" and decided not to return to college.
Most's third job in television was the charm. He auditioned for the part of Potsie on "Happy Days," but was immediately ruled out because of his hair color. Ron Howard, a redhead, had already been cast in the lead role and the producers did not want another redhead to play the best friend.
But the producers liked Most too much to simply ignore him. In the original script, the character Ralph Malph was a football jock. Garry Marshall decided to cast Most as Ralph and, playing off Most's comic ability, he changed the dumb jock into the class comedian.
In 1980, Most left the series to expand his acting career.
Related Speakers View all
Tom Postilio
Founding Member of CORE & Star of the HGTV Reality T...
|
|
Mickey Conlon
Real Estate Broker; Known For HGTV's "Selling New York"
|
|
Jessie Pavelka
Fitness Expert; Former Television Host on NBC’s "The...
|
|
Rick and Kelly Dale
Owner of Rick's Restorations; Best Known for "Americ...
|
|
Josh Ostrovsky
Social Media Celebrity & Comedian Best Known as "The...
|
|
Evan Peters
Actor Best Known for best known for his Roles on the...
|
|
Tyler Lepley
Star of Tyler Perry's "The Haves and Have Nots" on OWN
|
|
Ross Lynch
Actor Best Known for "My Friend Dahmer," "Chilling A...
|
|
Juan Pablo Galavis
ABC's First Latin Bachelor and Former Professional S...
|
|
Paul Hollywood
Celebrity Chef & Television Host
|
|
Scott Wilson
Best known as Hershel Greene on AMC's "The Walking D...
|
|
Bob Pisani
CNBC On-Air Stocks Editor & Trader Talk Blogger
|
|
Steve Liesman
CNBC's Senior Economics Reporter, "Squawk Box"
|
|
Bill Griffeth
Co-Anchor of an Hour of CNBC's "Closing Bell"
|
|
Nick Wechsler
Actor; Best Known for the TV Series "Roswell" and "R...
|
|
Gregg Jarrett
Co-Anchor of FOX News Channel's "America's News HQ"
|
|
Andy Levy | |
Marco Luque
Brazilian Stand-Up Comedian; Host of the Brazilian V...
|
|
Marcos Mion
Brazilian TV Presenter, Actor and Entrepreneur
|
|
Rafinha Bastos
Jewish Brazilian Comedian and TV Personality; Former...
|