Happy Days’ Anson Williams on Singing to a Bulldog

Actor Anson Williams will always be known as Potsie Weber, the friendly kid next door, and Richie Cunningham’s best friend on the beloved series Happy Days (1974-1984). This year, the busy director, singer, producer, and entrepreneur dove into somewhat unfamiliar territory and penned a memoir that would make Mrs. “C” proud. Filled with fabulous behind-the-scenes’ stories of his Hollywood life, the book also captures important life lessons and the love and guidance that come from sources you never imagined. Williams recently joined me for my podcast Whine At 9 to discuss the inspiration behind his new book Singing to a Bulldog: From Happy Days to Hollywood Director, and the Unlikely Mentor Who Got Me There.

When Williams was approached by Reader’s Digest to share some life stories, he never anticipated that they would turn into a book-size series of tales, or that the inspiration for his work would come from a man he met so long ago. Says Williams, “The first words on paper that I wrote down were– ‘There’d be no stories without Willie.’” Williams describes himself as a 15-year-old broken kid, working as an assistant janitor with his boss Willie Turner. Turner was an uneducated, African American janitor with a heart of gold. Turner “turned around” Williams’ life. “He was the first person that didn’t talk at me, he talked to me,” explains Williams. The young, soon-to-be actor, quickly learned from Willie the power of words and the power of believing in himself. “He helped me discover me,” notes Williams.

It wasn’t long before Anson Williams realized his book would be driven by the man who influenced him most. “This is going to be a book about paying Willie’s lessons forward.” Williams believes that the underlying theme of the book is to “never judge”. Emphasizes Williams, “That ordinary person is the one that’s going to be extraordinary for your life.”

Where did the unusual title come from? In the middle of his Happy Days’ tenure, Williams continuously looked for opportunities to expand his career and life experiences. After realizing that other television shows like The Partridge Family and The Brady Bunch featured music, Williams approached producer Garry Marshall about the possibility of Potsie and Ritchie having a band. Marshall agreed, but with one stipulation– Williams would have to sing to a bulldog. The producer’s explanation? “If you’re good I get laughs, if you’re bad I get laughs. You’re singing to a bulldog. Go get a song.” Explains Williams, “And there I am singing ‘I’m All Shook Up’ to a bulldog.” But Williams isn’t complaining. “That moment opened up so much more than just singing. It opened up my life and it opened up all these other opportunities that would have never happened.” That bulldog moment symbolized something more for Williams. “In my head I’m thinking ‘jump the shark’ is the precise moment when success starts to decline and ‘singing to bulldogs’ is the precise moment you start to climb. So that was my reason for the title.” Adds Williams, “I’m hoping the book will inspire people to climb their mountain and give them the confidence they can do it.” Just as he did.

Listen to Nancy’s interview with Anson Williams here, on iTunes, or Stitcher Radio.

Nancy Berk, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, author, comic and entertainment analyst. The host of the showbiz podcast Whine At 9, Nancy digs a little deeper as she chats with fascinating celebrities and industry insiders. Her book College Bound and Gagged: How to Help Your Kid Get into a Great College Without Losing Your Savings, Your Relationship, or Your Mind can be seen in the feature film Admission starring Tina Fey and Paul Rudd.