Donny Most,
bestknown as Ralph Malph from “Happy Days,” will sing with the Orlando Jazz Orchestra on Friday.
When “Happy Days” star Donny Most performs this week at Full Sail University, he will reflect on the ABC hit that debuted in 1974.
“I don’t always do this, but I’m going to be showing some fun photos and clips,” said Most, who played Ralph Malph on the sitcom set in the 1950s. “The main memory for me is the incredible working relationship and personal relationship that I had with those fabulous cast and producers and directors.”
Most, 64, praised series creator Garry Marshall as “a great mentor,” saluted co-stars Marion Ross and Tom Bosley as “tremendous role models” and spoke fondly of star Ron Howard.
“He set a great example for us,” Most said. “He was so grounded, and his work ethic was so good. If he was like that, we had no reason to get too full of ourselves.”
Most brings that work ethic to his celebration of Big Band music, which he will perform at 8 p.m. Friday with the Orlando Jazz Orchestra. Phil Crosby, grandson of Bing Crosby, will be a guest. Tickets are at Eventbrite.com. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Full Sail University Scholarship Fund and the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
“My wife was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 17 years ago,” Most said. “We have a personal connection to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.”
Most praised the foundation for raising large sums for research. “They have a great team of people, great scientists, the whole crew there,” Most said. “So we’re very happy to help in any way we could to advance their research and find a cure for this dastardly disease.”
Most was a singer before he was an actor and played nightclubs in the Catskills when he was 15. He shifted gears to focus on acting, but said he knew one day he’d get back to the music.
“I didn’t do my full act until five years ago,” he said. “It hit me if I was ever going to do it, I should do it now.”
He always loved the standards and cited Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and especially Bobby Darin as influences. Most has a new CD, “D Most, Mostly Swinging,” and has earned rave reviews for his singing. Most likes the Huffington Post review: “What a (singing) voice!! What energy! Who knew? (Move over, Michael Bublé).”
Most, who just finished acting in a film, estimated that he performs on average once a month. He said he was thrilled to be working with the 17-piece Orlando Jazz Orchestra for the first time.
“It’s a force of nature,” he said. “The music that I do, it’s some of the greatest songs ever written with some amazing arrangements. I’m a stickler for the arrangements to be great. And it swings … It’s joyous music, it’s infectious, it’s something we all need.”