# Happy Days question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 19, 2004, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760 "2004-07-19T02:38:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/1 "2004-07-19T02:38:34Z")
Why was the cafe called \*\*Arnold’s \*\* when the owner was called **Al?** I never understood that. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/2 "2004-07-19T02:42:10Z")
> [@Peter Morris](#): > > Why was the cafe called \*\*Arnold’s \*\* when the owner was called **Al?** I never understood that. There was a different owner in the earlier seasons named Arnold, played by Pat Morita. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/3 "2004-07-19T02:43:06Z")
The original owner on the series was “Mr. Takahachi” (Pat Morita), as we would later find out. Everyone thought he was “Arnold” all that time. When they found out his real name, they asked him why the sign said “Arnold’s.” He said something like, “Sign already there. Sign very expensive to replace. Wax on! Wax off!” (OK, I made up that last part.) Later Pat Morita would play a different Mr. Takahachi in the 70s classic series “Mr. T and Tina.” Yep, Pat Morita was the original “Mr. T.” Al Molinaro took over the restaurant after Pat Morita left. His character was “Al.” ---
**Author:** ![aaslatten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@aaslatten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaslatten)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/4 "2004-07-19T02:52:06Z")
To expand on Tucker’s reply, IMDB gives Pat Morita’s character’s full “real” name as Matsuo Takahashi. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/5 "2004-07-19T10:43:24Z")
I seem to remember he said something like “Hey, you buy place that have big sign on say “Arnold’s”, you call yourself Arnold.” ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/6 "2004-07-19T13:00:27Z")
I can’t believe I’m going to expand on the answers already given. I can’t believe I know this. It was the episode where Ritchie was getting beaten up and, in an effort to be able to defend himself, decided to take karate lessons at Arnold’s, given by a “Matsuo Takahashi.” The whole gang signed up, and when the instructor showed up it was Arnold. He said that was his real name, they asked why he called the restaurant “Arnold’s” and that’s when he made the comment about signs being expensive and if you buy place that have big sign on say “Arnold’s”, you call yourself Arnold. I’ll crawl back in my hole and die of embarrassment now. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/7 "2004-07-19T13:19:01Z")
When you consider that the show featured a family whose teenaged son utterly disappeared with no mention whatsoever, the fact that Arnold’s wasn’t owned by a guy named Arnold seems rather trivial in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/8 "2004-07-19T13:31:41Z")
Wasn’t he at college, and called home occasionally during the first couple seasons? ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/9 "2004-07-19T14:29:42Z")
See, this is why you people need to pay more attention to me. I posted, many moons ago, my surprise at learning that Chuck Cunningham (Gavin O’Herlihy, if memory serves) grew up to be a gang leader who faced Charles Bronson in “Death Wish 3”. That thread sank without a single response. But now, of course, there’s all this mystery and drama. “Whatever happened to Chuck? Where did Chuck go?” I gave you all the answer **MONTHS** ago, but did anyone listen? Noooooo. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/10 "2004-07-19T14:35:27Z")
I believe Chuck’s character appeared in a few episodes for the first two seasons, then was written off with no further mention. Fonzie MAY have referred to him in a Christmas episode where he reminisced about earlier years. However, Howard in one of the final episodes spoke of his TWO children. I think they discovered that Chuck’s role was unneeded since Fonzie filled in the older brother role for Richie. What happened to Chuck? I think Joanie killed him. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/11 "2004-07-19T14:55:58Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > However, Howard in one of the final episodes spoke of his TWO children… > > What happened to Chuck? I think Joanie killed him. As **Sauron** indicated, Chuck ran away from home, only to end up leading a street gang. In a way, he was Fonzie’s antithesis. Where Fonzie originally ran with a street-gang, and then reformed his way, Chuck went from straight laced white bread to street gang leader to dead street gang leader when Charles Bronson caught up with him. Sure there were rumors about how the Cunningham family secretly replaced Chuck with Some guy from fudal Japan, but it has never been confirmed. Howard, in deep shame, disowned Chuck. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/12 "2004-07-19T17:46:33Z")
Chuck tried Fonzie’s “jumping the shark” stunt, but he failed and was eaten. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/13 "2004-07-19T21:00:05Z")
Since Arnold’s had been sold off to Al by the time of the shark jumping episode, no new exotic food items were put onto the menu. Shame. Jumping the shark is one thing, eating it is something else. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/14 "2004-07-19T21:30:56Z")
Man who catch shark with chopstick accomplish anything. ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/15 "2004-07-19T21:49:45Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > IIt was the episode where Ritchie was getting beaten up and, in an effort to be able to defend himself, decided to take karate lessons \ and when the instructor showed up it was Arnold. So, Ritchie was the original Karate Kid? A. Can’t believe I went there B. Can’t believe no one beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/16 "2004-07-19T23:21:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Later Pat Morita would play a different Mr. Takahachi in the 70s classic series “Mr. T and Tina.” Yep, Pat Morita was the original “Mr. T.” > > Al Molinaro took over the restaurant after Pat Morita left. His character was “Al.” Of course even so-called “Al” was just a pseudonym. His real name was Murray Greshler and he, along with Roger Healey, were whistleblowers in the infamous NYPD/NASA guns-for-aliens scandal of the early 70s. They each entered the Witness Protection Program, Healey relocated to Chicago, changed his name to Howard Borden and became an airline pilot (via his Air Force background). Greshler was sent to Milwaukee (and back in time via Healey/Borden’s knowledge of NASA’s secret ‘Jeanie’ anomoly) and became Alfred Delvecchio. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/17 "2004-07-19T23:31:51Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > See, this is why you people need to pay more attention to me… Well, had I _had_ internet access way back when, I certainly would have said “Hmm, didn’t know that!”, most likely in the in the same mildly-interested surprised tones as I did right now. Much thanks for the info. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/18 "2004-07-20T11:27:17Z")
Oh yeah, by the way, seeing as you are bringing Chuck into the equation… In the first few episodes, _Arnold’s_ was called _Arthur’s_. Because all it had was the big revolving ‘A’ sign. (Also, Fonzie didn’t have a leather jacket in the first season) ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-days-question/255760/19 "2004-07-20T12:30:51Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I think they discovered that Chuck’s role was unneeded since Fonzie filled in the older brother role for Richie. I discovered that my older brother’s role was unneeded years ago, and yet he is still around. :rolleyes: