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‘Happy Days’: Marion Ross Described the Unfortunate Creepy First Audition She Had in Hollywood

Most actors will tell you that they have had their share of pretty bad auditions. You can count “Happy Days” actress Marion Ross on this list. And, her story is pretty creepy.

The woman famous for playing Mrs. Marion Ross – the wife of Howard and mother of Richie and Joanie – shared details about this terrible audition during a 2018 interview with EverythingZoomer.com. And based on what she shared, it’s surprising that she moved forward with her acting career. To make matters worse, the creepy story she shared reportedly took place at her very first audition!

So, what happened?

Well, according to the “Happy Days” actress, she was nearing the end of her collegiate studies. She wanted to be an actress and was working as a waitress to support herself. One night at work she was approached by a man who shared his contact information with her.

“… I was finishing up college at UCLA and I was working as a waitress when this man comes over to the kitchen area (after finding out I wanted to be an actress) and gives me his business card,” Ross recalled during the 2018 interview. “He says, ‘Come see me.’ On the card it said Studio B, so I thought, ‘Wow! Studio B!’

What Ross didn’t realize was “Studio B” was not a television or movie studio at all.

“But it was actually his apartment,” the “Happy Days” actress said.

Things Got Worse for ‘Happy Days’ Actress During First Audition

The man at the center of Marion Ross’s creepy audition story then got even more creepy.

“He says to me, ‘How do you think you’re going to get anywhere in Hollywood?’,” Ross recalled during the interview. “So I said, ‘Well, I’m 21 and a college graduate and I want to become an actress.’”

Then, the man shared a few things with the future “Happy Days” star that took her some time to understand. Needless to say, what he shared was more than inappropriate – and it demonstrated the dark side of Hollywood.

“And he said, ‘Well, if there are 10 girls all lined up for the same part, which one do you think they (the producers) will choose?’ I said, ‘Well, the one they like the best!’ And he said, ‘Well, why would they like one better than the others?’ Well, this took me forever to figure out his meaning,” Ross said with a laugh. “Once I realized what he meant, I punched him in the shoulder and said, ‘You have no character!’”

And, she’s not wrong at all about that!

Despite that creepy first audition, Marion Ross was able to get her career going, according to EverythingZoomer.com. Before she was 22 years old, Ross had signed a contract to work for Paramount Studios.

“Only now do I look back and I think, ‘Wow! That was a pretty good career!’” she added.

“Happy Days” originally aired from 1974 until 1984.