Clockwise from top left: Henry Winkler, Tom Bosley, Anson Williams, Marion Ross, Ron Howard, Erin Moran, and Donny Most. ABC/Photofest ©ABC
Overview
What can accurately be called the Nostalgia Movement began with a 1973 film entitled American Graffiti, which critics have rated as one of the best ever. It depicts with great realism and sentimentality the thoughts, feelings, and actions of several high school seniors in the early 1960s, as they wax philosophic about their futures and embark on adventures one fateful night to the most memorable tunes of the era. It features a brilliant young cast, led by Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, Cindy Williams, and Mackenzie Phillips. Only Howard, through his years playing the unforgettable Opie in The Andy Griffith Show, had already gained fame. The others were budding stars.
And only Howard would land in the bandwagon when a program began airing that took advantage of the nostalgia craze started by American Graffiti (although the pilot for the show had already been shot before the movie was released). Show creator Garry Marshall jumped back a few years into the 1950s, when rock and roll was in its infancy, to nail the ideal time frame for a sitcom about teenagers living in a far more innocent and carefree era in the nation’s history. It was a time of a burgeoning suburbia in which Americans embraced the notion of strong families and the importance of friendship.
These were indeed happy days, hence the title of one of the biggest hits in American television history. The biggest star of the show, which was set in Milwaukee, was supposed to be Howard, who played sensible Richie Cunningham, but a surprising bit character named Arthur Fonzarelli emerged not only as a costar, but as a household name better known as “Fonzie.” Replete with leather jacket, greased-back hair, and a harem of pretty girls following him around, the greaser played by Henry Winkler took the country by storm. One still recalls “The Fonz” about to take comb to hair and then putting it down as he stared at himself in the mirror and uttered his trademark line: “Aaaaaaaaaay!” Why mess with perfection, right? The switch from a laugh track to filming before a studio audience allowed fans to cheer Fonzie upon his arrival and gave Happy Days a theater feel and energy.
Despite the emergence of Fonzie as an integral player (he eventually moved into the Cunningham attic), the early years of the show still revolved around Richie. They spotlighted equally his family and personal life with intriguing and humorous characters and colorful personalities. Howard Cunningham (Tom Bosley) was an understanding, lenient father, conservative yet cool enough to earn the nickname “Mr. C” from Fonzie. Wife and mother Marion (Marion Ross) never played the role of subservient to her husband, as did the spouses of star characters in the sitcoms of that era. And little sister Joanie (Erin Moran) performed her role with realism and spirit, particularly before she reached high school age.
That realism extended to the trio of Richie and best buddies Ralph Malph (Donny Most) and Potsie Weber (Anson Williams). Their interaction and dialogue rang authentic as they joyfully careened through their teenage years with a sense that, indeed, more serious times in their lives lay ahead, while displaying personalities unique to their characters. Ralph was the clown of the group who worked to mask his insecurities. Potsie didn’t feel compelled to mask insecurities; he seemingly had none.
The quintessential 1950s environment required music and a hangout. Such tunes as “Blueberry Hill” (Fats Domino), “Splish Splash” (Bobby Darin), and “Chantilly Lace” (The Big Bopper) blared from the jukebox at Arnold’s Drive-In, whose namesake proprietor (Pat Morita) welcomed the teenagers that patronized his business. It was where Fonzie was in his element. No need for him to put money in the jukebox; he simply slammed his magical fist on it and it played.
One and all remained happy on Happy Days, but as the 1950s turned into the 1960s, the show itself took a fall so profound that the precipitous drop gave birth to an insult used forever more about the moments programs take a turn for the worse from which they never recover. It jumped the shark. The line came quite literally from an episode in which Fonzie jumped a shark while water skiing; it wasn’t enough that a greaser from Milwaukee could water ski in the first place.
New characters brought new and unrealistic story lines, including the appearance of an alien named Mork (Robin Williams) that spawned spin-off Mork & Mindy and a relationship between Fonzie’s nephew “Chachi” Arcola (Scott Baio) and Joanie that led to another (Joanie Loves Chachi). The 1950s feel was replaced with a modern flavor that killed the charm of Happy Days. Soon Howard and Most had quit the show, and largely unappealing characters like Jenny Piccalo (Cathy Silvers, daughter of comedian Phil Silvers) and Roger Phillips (Ted McGinley) joined the cast. When Fonzie took a job as an auto mechanic instructor at the school and became an adopted father, it was time to pull the plug, which was mercifully done in 1984.
Television viewers with a “glass half-empty” outlook will recall with sadness the last several seasons of a once-great show. The “glass half-full” types will only remember the Happy Days that made them happy.
Chuck Was There, Chuck Was Gone
There were three Cunningham kids when Happy Days hit the airwaves in 1974. Two years later, there were two. Older brother Chuck was gone and never mentioned again. Seen mostly dribbling a basketball around, Chuck was played by Gavan O’Herlihy in nine episodes of the first season, and Randolph Roberts in just two episodes of the second. He never made another appearance.
Before “Schlemiel, Schlimazel, Hasenpfeffer Incorporated”
Happy Days spawned several spin-offs, but only one highly successful one. The occasional appearances of Cindy Williams (who costarred in American Graffiti) and future top-flight director Penny Marshall (sister of show creator Garry Marshall) led to their pairing in Laverne and Shirley, which was launched in 1976.
Did You Know?
Suzi Quatro, who played a singer with the unforgettable name of Leather Tuscadero in seven episodes of Happy Days, was a star rocker in Great Britain and Australia, with such hits as “Can the Can” and “48 Crash.”
They Said It
Marion: Richie just hasn’t got the appetite that Chuck has.
Howard: Marion, Argentina hasn’t got the appetite that Chuck has.
Fonzie: [after Marion yelled at him and stormed out of the room] I’m gonna hit her.
Howard: No, you’re not gonna hit my wife.
Fonzie: [to Richie] Then I’ll hit you!
Howard: You’re not gonna hit my son.
Fonzie: Then I’ll hit you.
Richie: You’re not gonna hit my father either.
Fonzie: Well I gotta hit somebody. You know where Potsie is?
Richie: There must be girls somewhere that think of us as men.
Potsie: There are, but Joanie’s friends are too short.
Major Awards
Emmy Award Win (1)
1978 (1): Outstanding Film Editing in a Comedy Series (Ed Cotter for “Richie Almost Dies”)
Emmy Award Nominations, in addition to win (8)
1976 (1): Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Henry Winkler)
1977 (1): Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Henry Winkler)
1978 (3): Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Henry Winkler); Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Tom Bosley); Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series (Jerry Paris for “Richie Almost Dies”)
1979 (1): Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Comedy-Variety or Music Series (Marion Ross)
1981 (1): Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series (Jerry Paris for “Hello Mrs. Arcola”)
1984 (1): Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Marion Ross)
Golden Globe Wins (3)
1977 (1): Best TV Actor, Musical/Comedy (Henry Winkler)
1978 (2): Best TV Actor, Musical/Comedy (Henry Winkler); Best TV Actor, Musical/Comedy (Ron Howard)
Golden Globe Nominations, in addition to wins (3)
1977 (1): Best TV Series, Musical/Comedy
1978 (1): Best TV Series, Musical/Comedy
1983 (1): Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for TV (Anson Williams)
Further Reading
Marshall, Garry. My Happy Days in Hollywood: A Memoir. New York: Crown Archetype, 2012.
Rich, Frank. “HEROES: Fearless Fonz.” Time Magazine, November 21, 1977. Available online at www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,915741,00.html.