Erin Moran: 'Happy Days' Actress Autopsy Results

CORYDON, IN — Erin Moran, the adorably freckle-faced little sister Joanie Cunningham on the 1970s sitcom "Happy Days," was found dead in an Indiana trailer park Saturday. The actress was 56. The cause of death was likely cancer, according to a statement issued Monday by the Harrison County Sheriff's Department.

The Daily Mail, citing local sources, said there were indications she died of a possible heroin overdose. The sheriff said there was no evidence of illegal drugs in the residence.

An emergency 911 call was placed shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday, according to the sheriff, and Moran was found deceased in a small-town trailer park about 130 miles south of Indianapolis.

Moran was born in Burbank, California, on Oct. 18, 1960, and was guided into an acting career while most kids were just beginning kindergarten. She signed with an agent at the age of 5. By 13, she was signed to join the cast of "Happy Days," and the sitcom would go on to become one of the most popular shows in TV history.

"Happy Days" was a top-rated show on TV for many years, peaking in popularity between 1976 and 1979. Set in the mid-1950s, "Happy Days" debuted in 1974 and aired on network television for 11 seasons. Moran co-starred with Ron Howard as her her older brother Richie, Tom Bosley as their father, and Henry Winkler as Fonzie, the coolest cat in Milwaukee, who lived above her parents' garage. Fonzie would affectionately refer to Moran as "Shortcake" on the show.

In 1982, a 22-year-old Moran joined Scott Baio in a spinoff, "Joanie Loves Chachi," and she won a "Best Young Actress" award for her role in 1983's Young Artist Awards. But they only filmed 17 episodes before the show was cancelled. Moran would later guest star on "The Love Boat" and "Murder, She Wrote," but her acting career for the most part fizzled after "Happy Days." In 2008, she appeared on "Celebrity Fit Club," a reality TV show. In 2013, her name was attached to another reality TV show project, "Celebrity Swan," in which has-beens would compete for free plastic surgery and a makeover.

She referred to the "Happy Days" cast as her "family" in a 2009 interview: “What happened with all of us was like we were this family,” Moran told Xfinity. “It was so surreal with all the cast members. … They were my family, get it?”

The year after that, she made her final appearance as an actor with a part in "Not Another B Movie."

Members of her TV family remembered and mourned Moran on Twitter Saturday.

In a 2012 interview with the Huffington Post, Winkler reflected with sadness on her life and her problems.

"My thoughts are that she has a twinkle in her soul. She is a delightful person and needs to really take responsibility for herself before she can come out of the darkness," Winkler said. Asked if he would help her if Moran were to call him, Winkler replied. "Show her some love ... but it’s a hard thing to help someone who doesn’t think they need to be helped."

Donny Most and Anson Williams, who played Richie Cunningham's pals Ralph and Potsie, issued statements published by Variety.

“I am so incredibly sad to hear about Erin. She was a wonderful, sweet, caring, talented woman. As I write this I can’t really comprehend this right now. A very painful loss," said Most. "It gives me some comfort to know that she’s with Tom, Al, Pat and Garry. Rest In Peace, sweet Erin.”

“Erin was a person who made everyone around her feel better. She truly cared about others first, a true angel. I will miss her so much, but know that she is in God’s hands. RIP sweet angel," Williams said.

Erin Marie Moran was the youngest of five daughters born to Sharon and Edward Moran. A little brother came next. She attended North Hollywood High School. Her first acting job was in a TV commercial. Moran made her first TV show appearance as a 6-year-old in 1966. She had parts in "Gunsmoke," "My Three Sons," "Death Valley Days," and "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" before she was cast in "Happy Days."

Other friends, also child stars of that era, posted their thoughts on Twitter, too, including Erin Murphy, who played Tabitha on "Bewitched" and Willie Ames, who was in the cast of "Eight Is Enough."

In 2010, she joined her "Happy Days" castmates, Most, Williams and Marion Ross, who played her mother on the show, in suing CBS for merchandising revenue. The show licensed dozens of toys and products. (Today, a Joanie doll is listed on eBay for $149.) She received a $65,000 settlement.

Tabloid news reports suggested she blew her way through that money in the ensuing years. Also in 2010, she lost her California home to foreclosure, according to the Mercury News, and moved to Corydon, Indiana with her second husband, Steve Fleischmann, whom she married in 1993. Her first marriage, to Rocky Ferguson, ended in divorce that year. She told People magazine Ferguson was uncomfortable with her fame.

She was a familiar face at local bars, including the local Beef O'Brady's where she would sometimes pose for photos with patrons, according to IndyStar.com.

In recent years, Moran was reputedly a heavy drinker and hard partier who'd fallen on hard times. She was kicked out of an Indiana trailer park in 2012, according to a Huffington Post report, where she and Fleischmann lived with his ailing mother. But his mom kicked them out. She and her husband also were reportedly booted out of a Holiday Inn Express for her behavior.

Five years later, she was found dead in a small trailer park in New Salisbury, Indiana, just a tiny crossroads outside the small town of Corydon, population 3,500.

This article, posted April 22, will be updated as new information is learned.