Ron Howard and Henry Winkler talk “Happy Days” reunion at Steel City Con

By Christopher DeRose

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    PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — It’s the Pittsburgh mecca for all things fandom. Steel City Con is back at the Monroeville Convention Center.

At 10 a.m. on Friday, the doors to Steel City Con opened to thousands of pop culture fans, who were coming to do everything from a little shopping for vintage toys and art to showing off their unique outfits and costumes.

The Kayla family, who came all dressed as different versions of Superman, say that this event is, well…super!

“This has been kind of our tradition since he was little, little,” said J.W. Kayla. “We started working on little costumes and then it grew into where we would just plan out a nice family costume and go do a quick change at the hotel, come back and do something different the rest of the day. I love it. It keeps you young and it’s fun!”

And part of the fun for a lot of people at these types of conventions is meeting their favorite celebrities.

This weekend, over 30 stars from film and TV have made the journey to western Pennsylvania to connect with fans. And this Steel City Con is especially big because for the first time since the hit TV show “Happy Days” wrapped in 1984, its core cast members Henry Winkler, Ron Howard, Anson Williams and Don Most are all back together.

KDKA-TV’s Chris DeRose met up with both Ron Howard and Henry Winkler backstage.

Chris DeRose: “What’s so great about coming to these conventions and meeting fans?”

Howard: “First of all, it’s great, when you are working on film sets all the time, you are working more for each other and yourself, and you might to a primer or something, but it’s all kind of formal,” Howard said. And here, you just get that direct energy. But look, I got to say, largely we are here to have a reunion. And we all stay in touch, all of us. And here we are all going to be together and hang and have dinner.”

Winkler: “For the first time ever, we are all together. I have been with Don and Anson before, but this is Ron’s second convention in history. I am overwhelmed that we are here all together.”

DeRose: “What makes ‘Happy Days’ withstand the test of time? It is still going; you can still turn on the TV and watch it.”

Winkler: “I will tell you why. Our leader, the genius of Garry Marshall set it in the 50s so it would be timeless, so that no matter when you turn it on, it was never dated and that was his thought, and the stories are human, wonderful stories.”

Howard: “They are about family, they are about friendship and those themes just endure.”

DeRose: “Well if Michael Keaton were here, another great Pittsburgher, we would have a ‘Night Shift’ reunion!”

Howard: “We sure would. We sure would.”

Winkler: “Yes.”

DeRose: “Next time!”

Howard: “Next time, you bet.”

DeRose: “Thank you guys!”

Steel City Con runs through Sunday, April 6.

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