Anson Williams
He turned a naive, sweater-vest-wearing singer into one of television's most endearing and enduring sidekicks on 'Happy Days'.
Born 1949 (age 77)·American actor (b. 1949)·Birthday: September 25·Baby Boomers
Biography
Anson Williams will forever be Potsie Weber, the eternally optimistic, slightly hapless best friend to Ron Howard's Richie Cunningham. Cast in his mid-twenties, Williams infused Potsie with a genuine sweetness and earnest desire to be a rock 'n' roll star, often belting tunes at Arnold's Drive-In. The role made him a household face throughout the 1970s and earned him a Golden Globe nomination. But Williams's story extends far beyond Milwaukee. After 'Happy Days' ended, he largely stepped away from acting, redirecting his focus toward directing for television and entrepreneurship. He became a successful director for series like 'Beverly Hills, 90210' and 'Melrose Place,' and later founded a consumer products company. His journey reflects a savvy transition from beloved TV personality to a multifaceted career behind the camera and in business.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Anson was born in 1949, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anson Was Born
The biggest hits of 1949
#1 Movie
Samson and Delilah
Best Picture
All the King's Men
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Anson's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1949Born
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1954Started school
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1962Became a teenager
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Could drive
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1967Could vote
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Turned 21
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1979Turned 30
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 40
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 50
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 60
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 70
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 77 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed Warren 'Potsie' Weber for the entire 11-season run of the iconic television series 'Happy Days'.
- Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Potsie Weber in 1979.
- Directed numerous episodes of popular 1990s television series, including 'Beverly Hills, 90210' and 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch'.
Did You Know?
He is a first cousin once removed to renowned composer and conductor John Williams.
He co-founded a successful hair care product company, 'A.W. Productions,' which created the popular 'Hair Vivos' brand.
His birth name is Anson William Heimlich, and he is a nephew of Dr. Henry Heimlich, who invented the Heimlich maneuver.
“I'm not just Potsie; I directed over 300 hours of television after Happy Days.”
