That guy!

Ted McGinley probably doesn’t receive the recognition he deserves, after all, he’s the “go to” guy when a popular cast member needs to be replaced on a show that has long since jumped the shark. Some actually call it the Ted McGinley curse because when he shows up on a show it signifies impending cancellation.

Let’s take a look, shall we?

Happy Days



In 1980 Happy Days was sinking faster than the Titanic and with the announcement that Ron Howard (Ritchie) and Donny Most (Ralph Malph) were bailing, Ted McGinley was brought in to play “Roger Phillips” a schoolteacher and a “Ritchie”-like character. The show was cancelled shortly after he was hired.


"I'm quitting Happy Days to move on to bigger things!"

The Love Boat



Luck would shine on Ted McGinley once again in1984. Lauren Tewes, who played cute/nerdy cruise director “Julie McCoy” on the popular Love Boat series, was fired due to a nasty nose candy habit that interfered with her ability to work. Did Aaron Spelling hire another cute girl to replace her? Heck no! He hired his Happy Days pal, Ted, for ship duty. Ted played ship photographer Ace Evans. The Love Boat was cancelled shortly after.

"I like coke!"

Married With Children



Ted “I kill TV series” McGinley was tapped again in 1991 for the popular (*cough dreadful cough*) show Married With Children. Al Bundy’s neighbor, Steve Rhoades (David Garrison) quit the show for reasons I’m too lazy to Google. Was Married With Children cancelled? Of course not, why would you cancel a show when you have good old Ted McGinley to save your butt? Ted played the slick Jefferson D’Arcy. The show lasted a few more years but people apparently say that he ruined the show.


"I don't need Married With Children anymore!"

Ted also replaced someone on Dynasty; however soap operas are none of my business and I believe my next patient will be arriving shortly. So there you have it folks, the long, strange career path of Ted McGinley. This post was made possible due to my jerk-patient no-showing on me. I’m certain it holds little interest to you ‘Thonners but I thought it was a fun/stupid slice of television history and I was bored.