He’s better known these days for his conservative opinions and online rants. But to those who grew up in the Seventies, Scott Baio will forever be remembered as Fonzie’s cousin Chachi on Happy Days and its spin-off Joanie Loves Chachi.
The Brooklyn-born actor made his screen debut opposite Jodie Foster in the 1976 kiddie gangster flick Bugsy Malone, and graduated to teen idol status with starring roles in afterschool specials and TV movies like The Boy Who Drank Too Much. His stint on Happy Days was followed by another successful sitcom, Charles in Charge, and a supporting role on the drama Diagnosis Murder.
Recent years have seen him doing TV guest spots (as Arrested Development’s Bob Loblaw) and indie film roles (Very Mean Men), while establishing himself as a reality TV staple (Confessions of a Teen Idol, Scott Baio Is 45 … And Single) and stirring up controversy with his hard-right politics and angry posts on Twitter.
VisionTV’s UNSCRIPTED profiles teen idol turned reality TV star turned celebrity right-winger SCOTT BAIO: Monday May 10 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT