Thanks to his role on “Happy Days” – and its spinoff “Joanie Loves Chachi” – Scott Baio became a very famous television actor. These roles and several others have also made him wealthier than most other Americans.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, as of 2020, the “Charles in Charge” actor has a net worth of $4 million. He has spent some of his wealth on real estate. For example, he spent almost $1.4 million on a home in Encino, California, in 1994. He owned this property until 2010. That year, he sold it for $2.5 million.
Soon after that, the “Happy Days” actor spent $1.85 million on another home in Woodland Hills, California. This property was 6,300 square feet and it was located in the gated community of Westchester County Estates.
His Role on ‘Happy Days’ Was One of the First of Scott Baio’s Acting Career
Scott Baio was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Italian immigrant parents on Sept. 22, 1960. His given name was Scott Vincent James Baio.
Prior to joining the cast of “Happy Days,” Baio first acted in a 1976 film titled “Bugsy Malone.” This movie also starred Jodie Foster. Interestingly, he and Foster worked together again four years later. This project was a drama titled, “Foxes.”
It was during 1977 that Scott Baio appeared on “Happy Days.” He was only 16 years old when he started playing the character, Chachi Arcola. As fans of the classic sitcom are aware, Chachi was the cousin of main character Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli. Fonzie, as he was also known, was played by Henry Winkler.
According to IMDb, Baio’s tenure on “Happy Days” lasted from 1977 through 1984. During this time, he also acted alongside Erin Moran in the spinoff, “Joanie Loves Chachi” during 1982 and 1983. Moran, of course, played Joanie Cunningham in this series and on “Happy Days.” Somewhat surprisingly, this spinoff did not have much success at all. In fact, only 17 episodes were released.
Around the time he was playing Chachi on “Happy Days,” Scott Baio appeared in two television films that led to Emmy Award nominations for him. These two films were “Stoned,” which was released in 1981. The other was “All the Kids Do It,” which was released in 1985.
Scott Baio Sitcom ‘Charles in Charge’ Hit Small Screens in 1984
Another significant role in Baio’s career came in 1984. It was during that year that he began the tile character of Charles in the popular sitcom “Charles in Charles.” This show stayed on the air until 1990. In it, the actor plays the housekeeper and babysitter of the Powell family while he is in college.
Since the 1990s, Baio has appeared in many television shows. These include “Diagnosis Murder,” “Full House,” “Touched By an Angel,” and “Veronica’s Closet.”
One of his more memorable roles came in a show that also starred one of his “Happy Days” costars. This role was that of the lawyer Bob Loblaw in “Arrested Development.” Playing another attorney in this show was Henry Winkler. As fans are aware, this sitcom also featured narration by Ron Howard – another “Happy Days” star.
