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'You're Not Funny Anymore': Director's Shocking Note
15 Jun
Summary
- Actress Ellen Travolta received harsh criticism from director Jerry Paris.
- Paris's comments left Travolta questioning her future on the show.
- Other instances of Paris's harsh directing methods were recalled.
Actress Ellen Travolta disclosed a harsh on-set critique from "Happy Days" director Jerry Paris. During a reunion with Scott Baio, Travolta recounted Paris telling her, "You're not funny anymore," a comment that caused her significant distress and doubt about her future with the show. Although the episode was successfully filmed, the remark left a lasting impression.
This incident is part of a larger pattern of reportedly difficult directing by Jerry Paris. Scott Baio recalled Paris could be "mean as a rattlesnake" and sometimes delivered harsh feedback publicly to actors. Travolta also shared an instance where Paris rejected a young actress outright, stating, "I don't want you... I want the other girl."
Further anecdotes highlight Paris's unconventional and harsh methods, particularly with child actors. Baio described Paris instructing a young actress to "think of how fat you are. Think of how ugly you are" to elicit a sad expression for a scene, which resulted in the child crying. The beloved sitcom "Happy Days" ran for 11 seasons from 1974 to 1984.
