Garry Marshall: Father of "Happy Days"

Garry Marshall, creator of "Happy Days" in the back middle.

Source: https://www.latimes.com

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It was a question we had to wait a week to answer: What was the Fonz going to do to the Malachi Brothers after they inadvertently hurt Pinky Tuscadero, his demolition teammate and girlfriend?

Every Tuesday night in the 1970s and into the 1980s, we could not wait to tune into see "Happy Days" and the exploits of The Fonz, Richie Cunningham, Ralph, Potsie and the rest.

For me, it was that two-part demolition derby episode entitled “Fonzie Loves Pinky” that captured my attention and got me hooked. There would be other big moments, like the Fonz jumping 13 garbage cans in the parking lot of Arnold’s restaurant; the Fonz riding a bull on a dude ranch; and infamously now, the Fonz jumping a shark on water skis.

Yet, for a five or six-year span, Happy Days was all the talk on the school bus on Wednesday mornings, and must-see TV even before the term existed.

Garry Marshall the man credited with creating “Happy Days”, died two years ago, but earlier this spring ABC did a tribute to Garry Marshall. Hearing about it reminded me of his impact on TV and movies.

The TV quasi-trilogy

Garry Marshall entered the decade as the driving force behind three shows that were all connected – “Happy Days”; “Laverene and Shirley”; and “Mork and Mindy”.

It all started with “Happy Days”, which started in 1974 and ran until 1984, chronicling the exploits of high school student Richie Cunningham, his friends Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli, Ralph Malph, and Potsie Webber, as well as his younger sister Joanie and parents Howard and Marion.

“Laverne and Shirley”. was spun off in 1976 and ran until 1983. The title characters, Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney, were first introduced as friends of the Fonz’s in an episode of “Happy Days”. They were roommates who worked in a brewery in Milwaukee, where “Happy Days” was also set. The show chronicled their exploits with family and friends.

For “Laverne and Shirley”, Marshall cast his sister Penny Marshall as Laverne.

Set in the 1950s, Marshall took viewers back to a simpler time where guys and girls still got in to trouble, but got out of it somehow, and learned something in the process.

“Mork and Mindy” was spun off in 1978, after Robin Williams guest starred in an episode playing Mork, an alien from the planet Ork. Unlike “Happy Days” and “Laverne and Shirley” which were set in the 1950s, “Mork and Mindy “ was set in modern times, profiling the exploits of Mork as he learns more about Earth with the help of his friend and roommate Mindy. The show ran until 1982.

You oughta be in pictures

Garry Marshall would take his talents to the big screen, directing a number of movies in the 1980s, including, “Young Doctors in Love” in 1982; “The Flamingo Kid” in 1984; “Nothing in Common” in 1986; “Overboard” in 1987; and “Beaches” in 1988.

His biggest hits would come in the years to follow with “Pretty Woman”; "Runaway Bride”; and “The Princess Diaries”

In front of the camera

Throughout his career, Marshall would also appear on screen in some of these shows. He made appearances on “Happy Days”; “Laverne and Shirley”; and other TV shows.

His biggest role came on “Murphy Brown” as the memorable head of the fictitious TV network the cast worked for. Although the show debuted in 1988, Marshall did not start appearing as Stan Lansing until 1994. He always seemed to be vexed by someone on the show, usually producer Miles Silverberg.

Meanwhile, he appeared in a lot of movies from “A League of Their Own”, directed by his sister Penny Marshall, to “Beaches”; “Pretty Woman”; “Soapdish”; and “Runaway Bride”.

Parting thoughts

The morning after Pinky Tuscadero’s accident, me and Mike Uytdewilligen spent the entire ride on the school bus talking about what the Fonz should pull behind his car to get even with the Malachi Brothers.

Such was the attraction we had with “Happy Days”

Garry Marshall had created a world that was kind of like a live-action comic book, but it was fun and light-hearted. Yet there were episodes that were more serious with a message or at least a little something to think about.

He would go on to do all these other things, but “Happy Days” will stand out for me because it was the thing to watch on TV every Tuesday night.

Still, after more than 40 years, reaching beyond the 1980s, I can still remember so many episodes of “Happy Days”.

So thanks Garry, for sharing a little bit of yourself with us.