Happy Days Star Cathy Silvers meets Debbie Newsome of Fee/Hedrick Entertainment at the Happy Days diner in Pigeon Forge.

    Diners at the Happy Days Diner in Pigeon Forge got a chance to meet one of the stars of the long running hit TV sit-com for which the diner is named. Cathy Silvers, who played Joanie Cunningham’s best friend, Jenny Piccolo, was in town Thursday at the popular diner where she met with fans of the popular TV series, discussed her book and an upcoming “Happy Days Musical” tour.

   Silvers signed autographs, posed for photos and answered questions about the iconic show. She presented Jim Hedrick of Fee/Hedrick Entertainment with a signed copy of her book as well as a copy of producer Garry Marshall’s book and some materials relating to the upcoming Happy Days musical on Broadway.

 “This is the first time I have ever been to Pigeon Forge,” Silvers said. “I love this area. I told my husband ‘let’s bring the kids when we visit our friends in Orange, Virginia.’”

  Since Happy Days left the air in the early 1980s, Silvers has made several appearances on TV and movies. She made a cameo appearance in the Steve Martin film “Sergeant Bilko”, a role made famous by her late father, Phil Silvers. Currently she is promoting her new book that details her life after Happy Days and her quest for better health.

   “My book is called “Happy Days, Healthy Living,” and it’s about my life story growing up as Phil Silvers’ daughter, being cast as Jenny Piccolo, and the second half of the book is my path to a healthy living diet. We basically learned how to eat healthfully and my company, Healthy Living, now has the Healthy Living Show. We do dinner shows across the country and throughout the world where we literally go into people’s homes with our salad master machine and teach people how to eat healthy.”

  After Happy Days, Silvers gradually began to gain weight.  Concerned for her health she soon got her weight under control.

  “I lecture and speak all over the country using titanium type cookware that doesn’t leak any toxins and cooks food at a lower temperature which preserves the nutrients, vitamins and minerals in the food,” she said.

    Her show is the healthylivingshow.com. Guests to her site can sign up on the e-mail list and have Silvers  come to their home and cook a five-course gourmet meal at no charge to the family.

   “We bring the cookware and teach you how to cook in low temperatures to eat healthy. That is what my book is about, changing lives and sharing what I learned. I weighed 165 pounds and had two kids in my 40s and the weight wouldn’t come off until I learned how to cook better foods,” Silvers said.  

   Silvers will produce the Happy Days Musical with Marshall.  She discussed her former co-stars of Happy Days but declined to say if any of the original cast will be part of the Happy Days musical.

 “It’s too soon to tell if any of them will be in the show,” Silvers said. “I still see them frequently. I saw Marion Ross when we did the photo shoot for my book. I still see Henry Winkler, Erin Moran, Scott Baio, Anson Williams. I spoke to them on the phone last week. Everyone is doing great.”

  Silvers is married to an immigration attorney and makes her home in California. She reflected on her famous father and what it was like growing up in his shadow.

   “I never had a problem living in my Dad’s shadow,” Silvers said. “I loved my Dad. How amazing it is to be able to say Phil Silvers was my dad. He was such an icon, a great man and a great comedian. I am honored he was my Dad. I got to play Jenny Piccolo on “Happy Days,” I don’t find that to be too much of a shadow. I feel I lived up to what I needed to.”

  Although Happy Days has been off the air for more than 20 years, Silvers still meets fans of the show who have discovered the show on cable networks and have become dedicated fans.

  “It doesn’t surprise me. Wholesomeness is what America should be all about,” Silvers said. “When these wholesome kids find Happy Days, I thank goodness. Thank the Lord.”