“Happy Days” actress Erin Moran, who lit up TV screens as the lovable Joanie Cunningham, died in 2017 at just 56 — penniless, homeless, and heartbreakingly far from her Hollywood glory.

After years in the spotlight — appearing in hit shows like The Waltons, Murder, She Wrote, and even the cult flick Not Another B Movie — Moran’s fame faded fast. By 2010, she’d lost her California home to foreclosure, burned through her savings, and ended up living in a trailer park in Indiana with her husband, Steve Fleischmann, and his mother.

Neighbors remembered her as kind but withdrawn. “She always waved or stopped to say hello,” friend David Holt told People. “But I hadn’t seen her for a couple of months. She kind of hibernated at the end. It’s so sad. She was a good person.”

Behind closed doors, Moran battled alcoholism and personal turmoil. RadarOnline once reported late-night bar outings that strained her relationship with her in-laws — eventually leading to her eviction.

Hollywood friends tried to help her make a comeback. Henry Winkler, who played “The Fonz,” even attempted to get her a part on Arrested Development. But tragedy struck first.

Despite rumors of a drug overdose, Moran’s official cause of death was stage four throat cancer. Authorities confirmed no drugs were found in her system.

It was a devastating end for a star who once embodied small-town innocence and sitcom joy — a reminder of how quickly fame can fade, and how quietly heartbreak can follow.

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