Happy Days!

As a huge fan of the movie “American Graffiti”, I was skeptical about a TV series based on the flick’s premise and main characters.

I was right----and wrong---all at the same time.

“Happy Days” could never approximate the powerful script and acting that made “American Graffiti” a classic. A young George Lucas cast then unknown actors like Richard Dreyfus and Harrison Ford into roles alongside Ron Howard, Cindy Williams and Suzanne Somers—to create what to some is a “cult classic”, but a movie that I believe is a mainstream appeal look at the coming of age of several California teenagers at the crossroads of high school and college.

“Happy Days” –once past the comparisons made to the movie—took on a life and identity of its own, becoming a HUGELY popular TV series. The first episode was aired on this date in 1974. Those who remember the old TV show “Love American Style” may be surprised to know that the “original” “Happy Days” episode was actually a segment on this show, which, on a weekly basis, created the TV version of several “short stories”. Here is the opening of that first episode, known as "Love and Happy Days"—with characters who would soon stand on their own in a TV program that was all theirs :



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNHuI0Pw0m8

Interestingly, even though the “Happy Days” TV show came AFTER the release of the movie “American Graffiti”, the pilot of the TV show was produced first—and George Lucas used it as the basis of his decision to cast Ron Howard in the lead role of his movie!

“Happy Days” left a bigger footprint on American pop culture, lasting for ten years on television. A minor character, The “Fonz” (played by Henry Winkler) soon became the star of the show. This was, in part, due to the audience reaction that occurred the minute that the show’s producers decided to film the show in front of a studio audience. Here is a clip of the ending of that FIRST show performed in front of a live audience:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYovsz_Y9y4

If spinoffs are an indication of a TV series’ success, then “Happy Days” ranks near the top. “Laverne & Shirley”, “Mork & Mindy” and “Joannie Loves Chachi” were all spawned from “Happy Days”.

It was pure escapism, pure frivolity—and many laughs. Although no one will mention “Happy Days” in the same breath as other landmark television shows, it deserves a measure of respect for the genre it existed in---and the sheer entertainment it provided millions of Americans for a decade.

The Tim Moore blog is carefully crafted (and sometimes hastily slapped together) every weekday—if you’d like to receive it via e-mail ($0 U.S. Dollars), let me know! Tim.moore@citcomm.com