When Happy Days was a hit, Fred Silverman, president of ABC was pushing Gary Marshall to create another show because he felt the network needed it badly. Silverman was pushing for a Happy Days spinoff and wanted to give Fonzie his own show but Gary Marshall didn't want him to leave Happy Days. Then Silverman told Marshall if you give me another show I will give it a very good timeslot. And that's how Laverne and Shirley got the 8:30pm slot right after Happy Days because of Silverman's deal.

Interview with Gary Marshall, from "One Season in American Television", by Marc Elliot, 1983

Laverne and Shirley was very popular from thier Happy Days appearances

Laverne and Shirley was very popular from thier Happy Days appearances


Marshall felt that the main reason for their popularity was the fact that the American viewing public had never seen lower class women on TV before.

Marshall felt that the main reason for their popularity was the fact that the American viewing public had never seen lower class women on TV before.
i always thought it was kind of a throwback to I Love Lucy - with all the crazy antics it was similar to Lucy and Ethel

When Happy Days was a hit, Fred Silverman, president of ABC was pushing Gary Marshall to create another show because he felt the network needed it badly. Silverman was pushing for a Happy Days spinoff and wanted to give Fonzie his own show but Gary Marshall didn't want him to leave Happy Days. Then Silverman told Marshall if you give me another show I will give it a very good timeslot. And that's how Laverne and Shirley got the 8:30pm slot right after Happy Days because of Silverman's deal.

Interview with Gary Marshall, from "One Season in American Television", by Marc Elliot, 1983

The funny thing was, Silverman had tried to have Happy Days canceled back when he was vice president of programming at CBS in 1974, by moving newly debuted Maude spinoff Good Times opposite it. Of course, as we all know, Silverman became president of ABC Entertainment in 1975, thus throwing him in the awkward quagmire of saving Happy Days.

i always thought it was kind of a throwback to I Love Lucy - with all the crazy antics it was similar to Lucy and Ethel


Yeah he admitted they had similar comedy styles to Lucy and Ethel but was still lower class while Lucy and Ethel represented the housewife

The funny thing was, Silverman had tried to have Happy Days canceled back when he was vice president of programming at CBS in 1974, by moving newly debuted Maude spinoff Good Times opposite it. Of course, as we all know, Silverman became president of ABC Entertainment in 1975, thus throwing him in the awkward quagmire of saving Happy Days.


So basically he helped Good Times fall in the ratings-LOL