What is Anson Williams' Net Worth?
Anson Williams is an American actor, singer, director, and businessman who has a net worth of $3 million. Anson Williams is best known for his role as Warren "Potsie" Weber on the ABC television sitcom "Happy Days." Since then, he has appeared in episodes of such series as "Fantasy Island," "Fudge," "Baywatch," and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." Williams has also directed episodes of numerous shows, including "Diagnosis: Murder," "Melrose Place," "Beverly Hills, 90210," and "The Secret Life of the American Teenager."
Early Life
Anson Williams was born as Anson William Heimlich on September 25, 1949 in Los Angeles, California to a Jewish family. His uncle, Dr. Henry Heimlich, is the namesake of the eponymous first aid maneuver for people who are choking. As a teenager, Williams went to Burbank High School, where he captained the track team and performed in a number of school productions.
Television Acting
Williams made his television acting debut in 1971 in an episode of the legal drama series "Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law." The following year, he made his first appearance as the dimwitted and gullible Potsie Weber on the ABC anthology comedy series "Love, American Style." Williams appeared alongside Ron Howard, Marion Ross, and other characters who were eventually spun off into the sitcom "Happy Days." Debuting in 1974, "Happy Days" focused mainly on Williams' character Potsie and Howard's character Richie during its first season. Soon, Henry Winkler's character Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli became the show's breakout star. A hugely popular series, "Happy Days" ran for 11 seasons through 1984. Notably, Williams was one of the few actors from the cast to remain on the show throughout its entire run.
While he was still on "Happy Days," Williams appeared as his character Potsie Weber in an episode of the spinoff series "Laverne & Shirley." He also appeared in episodes of such shows as "The Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island." In 1984, Williams appeared in the television film "I Married a Centerfold." Later, in 1992, he reunited with his former cast mates for "The Happy Days Reunion Special." Williams has since made guest appearances on shows including "Fudge," "Boy Meets World," "Baywatch," "Son of the Beach," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," and the 2005 special "Happy Days: 30th Anniversary Reunion." In 2016, he appeared in the reboot of the sitcom "The Odd Couple."
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Television Directing
Following the end of "Happy Days," Williams began a prolific career directing television shows. In the mid-80s, he directed episodes of the anthology series "ABC Afterschool Special," "CBS Schoolbreak Special," and "WonderWorks." He subsequently directed episodes of "L.A. Law," "Hooperman," and "Just the Ten of Us." In 1989, Williams directed three made-for-television films: "Your Mother Wears Combat Boots," "Dream Date," and "Little White Lies." In the early-to-mid 90s, he directed episodes of the shows "Diagnosis: Murder," "Heaven Help Us," "Robin's Hoods," "Live Shot," "Fudge," and "seaQuest 2032." Later in the decade, Williams directed nine episodes apiece of the primetime soap opera "Melrose Place" and the teen drama "Beverly Hills, 90210." He also directed episodes of "The Pretender," "Clueless," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," and "Star Trek: Voyager," among other shows.
Williams' other notable television directing credits have included "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," "Baywatch," "Charmed," and the Disney Channel series "Lizzie McGuire." His most prolific directing work has been on the ABC Family teen drama series "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," which he directed 31 episodes of from 2008 to the show's conclusion in 2013.
"Happy Days" Lawsuit
Along with his former "Happy Days" costars Erin Moran, Marion Ross, and Don Most – and with the estate of the late Tom Bosley – Williams filed a $10 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against CBS in 2011. The suit alleged that the network failed to pay them for merchandising revenues they had been owed under their contracts. While CBS claimed it owed the actors around $8,000-$9,000 each, the actors argued that they were owed millions. The lawsuit was ultimately settled in the summer of 2012, with each actor receiving a $65,000 payment and a promise by CBS to honor the terms detailed in their contracts.
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Personal Life
In 1978, Williams married Lorrie Mahaffey, who played his character's girlfriend on "Happy Days." Together, they had a daughter named Hannah before divorcing in 1986. Two years after that, Williams wed Jackie Gerken, with whom he had three children named Gabriella, Stella, and Olivia. The couple divorced in 2019.
Other Endeavors
As a businessman, Williams opened the Big Al's chain of diners in 1987 with his former "Happy Days" costar Al Molinaro. The business eventually folded. Later, Williams founded the cosmetics company Starmaker Products. He also penned a memoir entitled "Singing to a Bulldog: From Happy Days to Hollywood Director, and the Unlikely Mentor Who Got Me There."
Ojai Mayor
In June 2022, Anson announced he was running for mayor of Ojai, California. He ultimately did not win.
Real Estate
In 2011 Anson Williams paid $950,000 for a home in Ojai, Califorina. Today this home is likely worth close to $3 million.
