Remembering Leslie Charleson And Her Wonderful Role On “Happy Days” As Well As On “G.H.”

“Happy Days,” playing off a major “Summer of ’42” theme, to which so many can relate, Leslie Charleson, beautiful and classy as she remained until she died days back, at age 79, played a divorcee, who hired “Richie” (Ron Howard), “Potsie” (Anson Williams) and Ralph (Donny Most) to do odd jobs around the house.

Eventually that theme, “consummated” in “’42,” a film and not, at least not “that way,” on “Happy Days” (trust me days are not so happy, sans it), was broached, as dependable “Richie,” played by the enormously successful Mr. Howard, is invited to dinner.

The roughly 10 year age difference, more or less the same as the real life one between Leslie and Ron in reality was “excuse” not to at least “go further” around the proverbial “bases.”

Maybe they ought to have consummated, implied of course, after all in an earlier episode, “Ralph” cites Lancaster (Burt) and Kerr ( Deborah, Kerr pronounced car, as in star, as Jeffrey Lyons once stated) on the beach, in the epic film, “From Here To Eternity.” They could have brought back and in, the onrushing waves.

Alas, why was the country not ready for such, but violence and what is now always, as though the waves, manifest.

Miss Charleson went on to fame and beautiful love scenes and fierce determination as a great doctor, playing Dr. Monica Quartermaine for so long, almost all years after I stopped watching, on the still airing soap opera, “General Hospital.”

However, the show and characters and performers such as Leslie Charleson (in “my time,” she competed with a character named “Lesley,” played by another favorite, Denise Alexander, for the affections of Dr. Rick Webber, with talented Chris Robinson in that role.

Similar to the hospital gates being open as “G.H.” began for many years, based on her class, beauty and talent, if at all possible, they are open for Leslie Charleson now.

Thank you Leslie.

Ron Howard and Leslie Charleson in a memorable and excellent scene on “Happy Days.”