Al Molinaro was an actor best known for his role as Al Delvecchio, the owner of Arnold’s Drive-In, on the classic ABC sitcom Happy Days, as well as its spin-off Joanie Loves Chachi.
Molinaro joined the cast of Happy Days in 1974, for the show’s second season. He accrued nearly 150 credited episodes with the series, and 17 more for Chachi. Created by Garry Marshall, Happy Days followed the Cunningham family through the 1950s and starred Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Tom Bosley and Marion Ross. Molinaro reprised his role as Al for a third time in the Weezer music video for their song “Buddy Holly,” featuring the band performing at the drive-in.
Molinaro also had a recurring role on the series The Odd Couple as Murray the cop, the poker-playing friend to Felix Unger (Tony Randall) and Oscar Madison (Jack Klugman). Randall and Madison played two mismatched roommates who had to live together despite their differences on the ABC ‘70s sitcom also created by Marshall.
His final recurring role came in the early ‘90s with the character Joe Alberghetti on the CBS comedy The Family Man. Molinaro played the main character’s father-in-law and housekeeper over the course of 22 episodes.
Additionally, Molinaro had roles on the television series Get Smart as Agent 44; Green Acres; That Girl; Bewitched; Love, American Style; Doc; Laverne & Shirley; The Love Boat; Fantasy Island; Punky Brewster and Step by Step. Other credts included the television movies It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman!, Mayday at 40,000 Feet!, Great Day, A Christmas for Boomer, Gridlock and The Ugily Family.
He also had small roles in the films Love Me Madly and 1976's Freaky Friday.
Molinaro died October 29, 2015, in Glendale, California. He was 96.
