By Michael Lyons
Long before “retro” and “throwback” were “Cool-a-Mundo!” There was “Happy Days.”
Created by the legendary master of TV sitcoms, Gary Marshall, “Happy Days” took audiences of the ‘70’s back in time to two decades earlier, to the innocent ‘50’s.
The show came along at a time when America was immersing itself in all things from the “Doo-Wop Decade.” Movies like “American Graffiti” and singing groups like “Sha-Na-Na” paved the way for “Happy Days.”
The show about a significant moment in pop culture time became one of the most significant moments in pop culture time for the ‘70’s.
“Happy Days” became a hallmark of TV at it’s time with the character of The Fonz soaring into the zeitgeist of our culture. The show not only captured the spirit of the ‘50’s, it became exactly what TV audiences at the time needed, as we headed out of the tumultuous start of the ‘70’s.
Debuting on January 15, 1974, this month marks the 45th Anniversary of “Happy Days,” which makes it the perfect time to go back in time and celebrate the middle class Cunningham family.
“Happy Days” started life as a segment of the anthology show, “Love American Style.” Set in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the 1950’s, the series focused on clean cut teenager Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard), his best friends Postie (Anson Williams) and Ralph (Donny Most), as well as the Cunninghams, parents Howard and Marion (Tom Bosley and Marion Ross), kid sister Joanie (Erin Moran) and older brother Chuck( played by Gavin O’Herlihy and later by Randolph Roberts) a character who seemingly disappeared in later seasons.
The show languished until “Happy Days” brought a recurring character more to the forefront. Arthur Fonzarelli, a/k/a The Fonz a/k/a Fonzie, a street smart, leather jacket wearing “hood,” rented a room from the Cunninghams and shifted to supporting player and soon the centerpiece of the show.
With his trademark thumbs up and sayings like “Heeeey!” And “Whoaaa,” The Fonz soon became one of TV’s most popular (and overtly merchandised) players. To this day, he is one of televisions most iconic characters.
Fonzie also made a superstar out of a relatively unknown actor named Henry Winkler. In fact, so popular was the actor and the character that there was talk of a possible “Fonz” spin-off show, which Winkler and the producers wisely declined.
However, “Happy Days” did give life to a number of other spin off shows such as “Laverne and Shirley,” “Mork and Mindy” and when teen heartthrob Scott Baio joined the show, the now cult favorite “Joanie Loves Chachi.”
Like so many, long-running TV Shows, “Happy Days” did suffer from searching for new story ideas and trying to top the previous season. This led to multi-part episodes and the entire cast traveling to new locations.
One of these was Hollywood, where, in a now infamous episode, Fonzie, on a dare, dons water skis and jumps over a shark.
The episode went on to provide TV fans with a catchphrase. To this day, when a TV show stays on the air too long, or has run out of good story ideas, it’s said that the show has “jumped the shark.”
Ironically, even after the shark jumping episode, “Happy Days” stayed on the air through May of 1984. Through more strange story choices and cast changes, the show continued to remain popular through its final episode.
For today’s audiences, “Happy Days” may seem corny or kitschy, but for those who grew up during the prime time of “Fonz-mania,” the show is a perfect look back at a time of innocence, made during a more innocent time.
It’s also a show that combined Marshall’s quick, urban and very funny comedy style with an always positive tone. The show seemingly projected this to audiences each week.
This even carried through to the final line of the final episode in which Joanie and Chachi get married. Tom Bosley, as Howard Cunningham, lifts a glass of champagne to the camera and says: “Thank you all for being part of our family. To Happy Days.”
Sources:
“The Great TV Sitcom Book” by Rick Mitz
Wikipedia
