R.I.P. Tom Bosley (1927-2010)

It's a sad day for the Happy Days family. The man who portrayed patriarch Howard Cunningham on the long-running show passed away at the age of83. Tom Bosley died of heart failure after a brief battle with lung cancer. Although he had many television roles during his tenure in Hollywood, it was his role as Mr. C on Happy Days that made him a household name. Bosleyspent at least seven years on the hit show and then returned for the show's swan song season. But Bosley's career hardly ended there. He went on to play Sheriff Amos Tupper on Murder, She Wrote and Father Dowling on Father Dowling Mysteries. He was last seen in the movie The Back-Up Plan with Jennifer Lopez. Bosley was also famous for being the face of Glad trash bags back in the '80s. He is survived by wife Patricia, daughter Amy and stepdaughters Kimberly and Jamie, as well as seven grandchildren. His television family are speaking out about Bosley's death. Henry "The Fonz" Winkler told TMZ, "I saw him before I ever got to Hollywood on Broadway, and he was great. And then I got to act with him for 10 years and he was great. Tom Bosley was our mentor. He was a true artist ... a great husband, and a fabulous father and grandfather. He will be sorely missed, but never forgotten." Scott "Chachi" Baio also spoke highly of Mr. C saying, "He was a good man who taught me a lot about the business and business itself. He was a professional guy ... I'm sad." Director Ron Howard, who played Richie Cunningham on the show, gave Bosley rave reviews. Howard gave the following statement to TMZ, "I'm so saddened by the loss of our wonderful Tom Bosley. Remarkable on so many levels, Tom's insight, talent, strength of character and comic timing made him a vital central figure in the Happy Days experience. A great father and husband, and a wonderful artist, Tom led by example, and made us all laugh while he was doing it. My last conversations with Tom reflected the love of life and peace of mind that he always maintained throughout his full and rewarding life. I miss him already." Bosley's rep told TMZ, "In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made to the American Cancer Society."