Happy Days is one of those feel-good comedies of the 1970’s, and to a lesser extent, so is its spin-off Laverne & Shirley. Having met virtually all of the principal actors and actresses of both shows (excepting Ron Howard, Scott Baio, and Michael McKean – unfortunately), it is now time to shift my attention to some of the lesser-knowns who has parts in the show. At the Hollywood Show in Burbank on April 21, 2012, I was able to add two such encounters to my repertoire.
First up, there is Melinda Naud, an attractive and tall (at least next to Fonzie) young lady who played two different roles – alternating between the two in a total of four episodes. So depending on which one you tune into, you might see her as “Roberta” or “Paula Petralunga,” but always as a love interest for Fonzie. As he described her, “She’s so tall, but she’s worth the climb!”
Melinda had a limited career in TV, making appearances in such shows as The Love Boat, The Six Million Dollar Man, and The Dukes of Hazzard. She was a regular on the two seasons of the show Operation Petticoat, starring alongside Jamie Lee Curtis and John Astin. She was a nice gal and willing to pose for a picture along with the $20 signed photo that I got from Happy Days.
Living on the other side of the Happy Days universe is Carole Ita White, who starred in twelve episodes of Laverne & Shirley as the hefty Rosie Greenbaum. She inherited her comic performance attributes from her father Jessie White. She made an appearance early in her career on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and would go to make further appearances in the sitcoms Who’s the Boss, Ned & Stacey, and Diff’rent Strokes, plus a part in the Jack Nicholson film The Witches of Eastwick, and of course numerous others.
Carole Ita was exceptionally friendly, to the point of being sweetly flirty. She also posed for a photo for free after I bought one of her nice $20 signed photos as well.
For autograph collectors, meeting more obscure and super-nice celebrities such as these, happy days are here again…
Celebrity encounters of the Spring 2012 Hollywood Show will continue…
OMG!!!!!! Carole Ita White is the mean cashier in WITCHES OF EASTWICK!!! (“Are you buying the paper?”) My friend and I love her and were just talking about her the other day. I’m jealous!!!!
Pete
October 5th, 2013
How fun to find this blog of yours! A small correction…I never did a “Diff’rent Strokes!” And you’re a handsome guy! Who wouldn’t flirt with you… Happy Holidays! Carole Ita White
Carole Ita
November 18th, 2018