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Erin Moran of 'Happy Days' likely died of stage 4 cancer

Erin Moran of 'Happy Days' likely died of stage 4 cancer
Posted at 9:19 AM, Apr 24, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-24 12:44:21-04

HARRISON COUNTY, Ind. -- Actress Erin Moran, of "Happy Days" fame, died of complications from stage 4 cancer, officials said Monday. 

Moran was found dead Saturday at her house in Harrison County, Indiana. An autopsy revealed she likely died from complications of stage 4 cancer. 

PREVIOUS | Erin Moran, 'Happy Days' actress, dead at 56

No illegal narcotics were found at the house, the sheriff's department said. 

Moran was cast as Joanie Cunningham, the younger sister of Richie Cunningham, who was played by Ron Howard, a child actor who is now a famed director.

"Such sad sad news ... I'll always choose to remember you on our show making scenes better, getting laughs and lighting up TV screens," Howard wrote on Twitter.

The show aired from 1974 to 1984. It was set in 1950s Milwaukee and was a big hit with a catchy theme song and memorable characters such as The Fonz, played by Henry Winkler.

 

 

Moran played the same character in the early 1980s in "Joanie Loves Chachi," a short-lived spinoff with her "Happy Days" co-star Scott Baio continuing his role as Chachi Arcola.