Tony Danza
Who’s the Boss?
V.
Scott Baio
Charles in Charge

Who came first?
Tony: “I thought they came on after us. Imitation is the purest form of flattery. It happens every once in a while, people say to me, ‘Hey, Charles!’ I say, ‘Sorry, wrong show.’”

Scott: “I think we came first, but I really don’t care one way or the other. We were both fairly popular actors, and they were both pretty good ideas.”

Edge: Tony

Coolest “How I got the role” story?
Tony: “These TV execs said, ‘We have three show ideas: In one you’re a helicopter pilot. In another you’re a tough cop. In the third you’re a housekeeper. My agent said ‘I like the housekeeper one.’ ”

Scott: “A TV producer asked the girls from The Facts of Life who they thought would be good for Charles in Charge, and, supposedly, they unanimously said me.”

Edge: Scott

Who was the better housekeeper?
Tony: “People would say, ‘You’re such a good actor, you look like you really know how to clean.’ And I said, ‘Are you kidding? My mom wouldn’t let me go out until the bathrooms were clean.’ ”

Scott: “Charles didn’t clean much—he was a ‘manny.’ He just took care of the kids, you know, made sure they were alive.”

Edge: Tony

Hotter girl: Alyssa Milano or Nicole Eggert?
Tony: “Some schmo would go, ‘I really like your daughter.’ I’d say, ‘I’ll smack ya. She’s 12!’ As she got older, Alyssa would say, ‘I already have an Italian father. I don’t need another one!’”

Scott: “I had guys come up and tell me I was lucky to work with Nicole. I said, ‘Yeah, 
I agree.’ And don’t forget the 
other girl, Josie Davis, who grew into 
a beautiful woman.”

Edge: Scott

Trash Talk
Tony: “I’d clean Scott Baio’s ass with a vacuum cleaner, are you kidding me?

Scott: “I never really watched Tony’s show. Maybe I was out that night. I’m sure I caught a couple minutes. I don’t think Danza was home saying, ‘Hey, let’s see what Charles in Charge is doing.’”

Edge: Tony


Winner: Tony takes the title of 1984’s Best Manny! “1984 was one of the best years,” he says. “It was the one that changed my life.