Hello, I'm David Reo. I wrote the Potise Quits School episode. I also worked on about 20 Happy Days episodes as an apprentice writer in the 1978 season. I did not get credit for writing because I was a non union apprentice at the time however, I was there every week on the writing staff that year. My reward for writing under the Paramount Pictures apprentice program was to get a writing credit which in turn allowed me to get a union card. If you have any Happy Days questions for that 1978 season feel free to ask. I can't promise that I know everything. I just know I was there.

Oh wow!! Thats soo cool! Hmm...I cant really think of any questions though. Hey- did you ever hear the Laverne & Shirley cast screaming? I know they argued a lot! I already know the Happy Days cast was pretty close, so I dont really know what to ask! What did they do during breaks? I read in my TVGUIDE Ron said he played basketball, but what other things did they do? If I can think of anything else, Ill ask!!

Oh...and welcome to the boards!!:wave:

Cool! Hi I Can't Think Of Any Questions Right Now, But I Will Soon I Sure, Well Welcome To The HD Board!

Hello, I never heard the Laverne and Shirley set brawling or anything. The writers and producers were in different buildings from the actors. The actors were on stage 19 about a block away. The Happy Days writers were next to the Laverne and Shirley writers and I know they were doing a lot of re-writing and putting in long hours. Yes, there was a basketball court behind the writers building and Ron Howard was usually there on his break. I can remember seeing Erin Moran riding around on her bicyle. Usually on breaks I was at the commisary eating lunch next to Vulcans and the Little House On The Praire cast. During breaks sometimes I would go onto the Happy Days set and there seemed to be a lot of card games going on with the film crew. Once in a while Penny Marshall would stop by the Happy Days office and hang. I remember watching the world series with her and a bunch of the office staff when Regie Jackson was hitting the homers. She didn't really know me or anything. Most of the time you would see people walking on the lot and just say hi.

Here's a question: In the Hollywood episode3 Fonzie wears his leather jacket while jumping the shark, determined not to come home a double loser. Why was the jacket used here? It just seemed out of place at a warm beach in Southern California. By the way which beach was used in the filming?

patriot: God bless America!

I Don't know. I didn't work on that episode. I only worked on the 1978 shows. The only location show that I worked on was where they went to a dude ranch. I think that was filmed up in Malibu Canyon. I didn't get to go. I was back at the office working. I think only Bob Brunner and Brian Levant went to the location. The rest of the writers were working on The kissing bandit episode. They are usually two scripts ahead. I would imagine that the writers thought it would be funny to have Fonzie wearing his leather jacket at the beach. To keep him in character. Whoa.
Most beach scenes that I know of in sit com location scenes are done at Will Rogers State Beach in Santa Monica, Malibu beach or Zuma Beach. Due to the area. Los Angeles.

Thats so cool!:D

Originally posted by David77
Hello, I'm David Reo. I wrote the Potise Quits School episode. I also worked on about 20 Happy Days episodes as an apprentice writer in the 1978 season. I did not get credit for writing because I was a non union apprentice at the time however, I was there every week on the writing staff that year. My reward for writing under the Paramount Pictures apprentice program was to get a writing credit which in turn allowed me to get union card. If you have any Happy Days questions for that 1978 season feel free to ask. I can't promise that I know everything. I just know I was there.

I heard on the Mork episode, most of the Happy Days cast members were really trying hard tokeep a straight face because Robin Willams was so funny. Is that true?

I didn't work on the Mork episode. I only worked on Season 6.
Mork and Mindy was already in production by the time I was there. I heard stories that Robin Williams was incredible.
I saw Robin Williams prior to his Happy Days debut at the Comedy Store in Westwood, CA. in 1977. He was amazing.
I never worked with him.

Hi David77, this is so cool that you are posting. Did you work on the Westward Ho episodes? I heard Henry was pretty good at riding horses. That episode looked liked everyone had a lot of fun. It must have been a great experience working on HD.

I worked on the Westward Ho scripts. That was the first assignment that I had at Happy Days. I didn't get to go to the actual location where it was filmed. By the time those episodes were being filmed the staff was working on other episodes.
The thing I remember most about Westward Ho was when the cast and writers and producers all got together to read it. The actors were all back from Hiatus. The writers had been working about a month before on Westward Ho. All the major players were there including Gary Marshall and Miller, Milkus, Boyett. I remember how excited the cast was to all see eachother again for the new sixth season. They were all hugging eachother. This was the first time I actually met the actors so for me it was like, "Wow am I really here?" I was only twenty years old and fresh from Rhode Island. Just being in Los Angeles was amazing let alone to be working with the likes of Ron Howard and Henry Winkler. It was really exciting. Lots of fresh fruit on the snack table too.

Originally posted by David77
I didn't work on the Mork episode. I only worked on Season 6.
Mork and Mindy was already in production by the time I was there. I heard stories that Robin Williams was incredible.
I saw Robin Williams prior to his Happy Days debut at the Comedy Store in Westwood, CA. in 1977. He was amazing.
I never worked with him.

But Mork did make another appearance on Happy Days in March of 1979 and that was season 6?????

Wow! I Bet It Was Cool To Work On REAL Happy Days Episodes!

It could have been the end of season six. I didn't work on all twenty six episodes that year. I never did work with Robin Willaims. I worked on about twenty episodes. From July through December. It goes like this..
Around Christmas time 1978, Bob Brunner the head producer at the time, adapted the movie, The Bad News Bears for television. He left Happy Days at that time and took Brian Levant and Ron Leavit to work with him. They were on a low budget and they couldn't hire any more writers. A new producer came in to Happy Days named Gary Menteer. They then brought in new writers Ketchem & DiMarco. They also did away with the apprentice writers for 1979. Which meant me. So by Christmas 1978 my time at Happy Days was over. I did get the Potise Quit School credit which got me in the union and I worked on other television shows later in my life. We're talking twenty four years ago so yeah, Life went on.

David77, can you give us HD fans some idea what it was like working on HD and what the cast and Garry Marshall and Jerry Paris were like? Are you still writing? Thanks!

Working on Happy Days was awesome. It was a great experience especially at that time of my life. Every week there was this exciting build up for showtime on Friday night when they filmed the episode. Not tape. Film. The production booth was right above the studio audience on the set. I only have good things to say about the cast and the Producers. Gary Marshall didn't actually work on a daily basis with the writing staff. He was usually over seeing everything from his office which was across the street. I only remember Gary Marshall coming in on one episode. I think it was the Thanksgiving episode. It wasn't going well and I can remember Gary Marshall coming in and everyone had to stay extra late and re-write the entire script. That only happened once! Which is amazing. The good thing about staying late was they sent out for dinner next door at a restaurant called Nickodell's. So I ate well on Table nights. Table nights were usually Wednesday night. I didn't really socialize with the cast. I was more with the writers, Fred & Brian mainly. I used to have breakfast with Ron Leavit in the commisary. I can remember hanging out back stage and talking with Henry Winkler. He said, "You always have to have a gesture like Thumbs up" and then he did his Thumbs Up. He told me to always remember that when I write. Years later like 1984, I was recording music so I sent Henry Winkler my demo. He was nice enough to call me back and tell me he liked it. I thought that was cool. I did go to Anson Williams Bachelor Party at this fancy Chinese restaurant in Beverly Hills. I got there early and it was just me and Tom Bosley so we went for a walk all around Beverly Hills. We just talked general talk. He was very nice. A mellow Mr. C. I can remember Marion Ross being and looking a lot younger than Mrs. C. Just general stuff. I can remember that Gary Marshall had a milk shake machine in his office. Jerry Paris was cool. He was in high gear on Friday nights. Now a days the Producers and Directors have their own booths off stage during the tapings. Everything is tape and monitors. Back then it was the old days. Jerry Paris was on the floor with the actors and camera crew. It was cool to be on the floor during filming. I kind of felt like I was in the way though. Like yo there is a camera coming at me at fifty miles an hour. Usually I was in the booth. I can remember being on the floor for the Fonzie goes blind episode and Joanie smoking episodes. Like right on the floor as they filmed. It was cool. Friday nights were a blast. At this time in my life I am writing music now. The last show I wrote scripts for was The Blossom show.

David77, thank you soooo much for the informative behind the scenes at HD. I'm looking forward to catching up on the season six episodes that you were involved with.

Isn't it true that the scenes from Arnolds & the Cunningham household were used during the same scene, but actually one was next door to another? It would make sense, because many scenes involved either one or the other! Alsio, what outtakes from the show stick out in your mind? I know there were several!

Yes, Thank You SO Much!

Originally posted by David77
It could have been the end of season six. I didn't work on all twenty six episodes that year. I never did work with Robin Willaims. I worked on about twenty episodes. From July through December. It goes like this..
Around Christmas time 1978, Bob Brunner the head producer at the time, adapted the movie, The Bad News Bears for television. He left Happy Days at that time and took Brian Levant and Ron Levit to work with him. They were on a low budget and they couldn't hire any more writers. A new producer came in to Happy Days named Gary Menteer. They then brought in new writers Ketchem & DiMarco. They also did away with the apprentice writers for 1979. Which meant me. So by Christmas 1978 my time at Happy Days was over. I did get the Potise Quit School credit which got me in the union and I worked on other television shows later in my life. We're talking twenty four years ago so yeah, Life went on.

Well that makes sense if you left in christmas of 78 there was no way you was around for the Return of Mork-were there any crossover episodes during the fall of 78 with laverne and shirley?

This is all facinating stuff! What I'm wondering, especially where you said (David) that you were from RI, and I'm from Mass., how did you end up in LA writing sitcoms! Did you go to school for it and if so where? I'm very facinated with the whole l'il guy (or girl) from New England goes to Hollywood and makes it big thing - especially in writing or production as opposed to acting. I would LOVE to get into something like that. How did you do it?

The Cunningham's house set and the Arnold's set were right next to eachother. Arnold's was in the center and the Cunnigham's was to the right if you faced the stage. They were separate sets on the same floor. Any other sets that were used or built for the week were to the left of the stage. Sometimes they used the Arnold's area for big scenes. The bathroom set was on wheels and it was rolled in. Fronzie's Bedroom was to the left of Arnold's but it wasn't always up. Next question: How did I do it?
Will power. I have a very successful brother who has created many hit tv shows. Back in those days he had gone from Rhode Island on to work in tv as a writer in Hollywood. He is twelve years older than I am. So he left for Hollywood and became succesful. I was still a kid. My father really wanted me to follow in my brothers footsteps. It was his dream to see both our names together on tv. I felt that I had to prove to my father that I could do it. All along I was doing music too. So when I was eighteen I left for Hollywood. I wrote about twelve speculation scripts and sent them to agents all over Hollywood. Luckily for me big talent agencies also had apprentice agent programs at that time and this apprentice agent from Creative Artists Agency picked up on my scripts. She was just starting out and was hungry to work and so was I. They signed me onto Creative Artists and She sent my scripts over to Happy Days. Walter Kempley read a Fish episode that I wrote on spec and they set up an appointment to meet with me. When I went to the meeting he hired me on the spot. They hired me, Alan Goldstien, who wrote the Halloween episode, and Jeff Franklin went to Laverne & Shirley. Jeff later went on to create Full House. I did it without my brother's help. That was huge for me personally because I had this shadow over me most of my teen years. Walter Kempley had no idea who my brother was at that time even though he was producing Mash that year. However my father had past away and never saw any of this happen. Later on in life I worked for my brother on Blossom and both our names were up there on the screen so My Dad did get his wish. It just took fifteen years.

http://artists.iuma.com/IUMA/Bands/THE_DAVID_REO_BAND/


If you go to my website and click on a song title there are more stories. Not Happy Days stories though. Those are more in the Blossom era.

Corner booth, dark restaurant, be there, whoa.

Out takes? There were so many. The one that sticks out in my mind this very second is when Ron Howard had to kiss this Actress in Arnold's and it was a real long kiss. I remember they had to do that scene over a few times. I remember him reacting when they had to do it over. Like Oh man, again?? It must be tough, huh?

No I never went to school for writing. I was into music. I went to school for music. The writing just happens when I write.

Wow, That Is Cool!!!

Originally posted by David77
Out takes? There were so many. The one that sticks out in my mind this very second is when Ron Howard had to kiss this Actress in Arnold's and it was a real long kiss. I remember they had to do that scene over a few times. I remember him reacting when they had to do it over. Like Oh man, again?? It must be tough, huh?
www.mp3.com/davidreo

Yeah!

General Memories:
I remember joining the Happy Days baseball team but I never did get to play. I have a Happy Days baseball shirt with my name on it in my closet. I remember Happy days played Star Trek out on some small baseball field in Burbank. No huge crowd of press or fans were there. Just friends and the casts. It was pretty amazing seeing Captain Kirk and Sulu up to bat. I think Marion Ross pitched. I can remember going to Baseball practice at North Hollywood Park and I hung out with Donny Most. Out of all the Happy Days cast he was the one (in my opinion) that was not at all like his character. He was very serious.
Did you know Gary & Penny Marshall have a sister who was a producer on Happy Days? Her name is Ronnie Hallin. She looks just like Penny Marshall.
Did you know Suzi Quatro has a birth mark right under her left eye that makes her look like she has a shiner?
I remember getting a Christmas Card from Ron Howard that year.
Is that a nice guy or what?
Did you know I sold a story to Happy Days that never got filmed?
It was called, " Fonzie's Jacket". Someone stole his jacket and for his birthday Richie decided to get him a new one but they needed his exact measurements because Fonzie was so fussy about it, so they had to sneak into his apartment and try to get his measurements while he was sleeping. The producers liked it, they bought it and it never saw the light of day.
My first joke that got in was a sight gag on the Tornado show where someone says, "Grab Something Heavy" and Ralph grabs proffessor Himmel. Also when Richie says, "Ah". That was mine. I did it once. Ron Howard liked it and he kept doing it.
Did you know Jerry Paris was Jerry the dentist on the Dick Van Dyke show? Dick Van Dyke's neighbor?
Did you know Walter Kempley was a writer on The Dick Van Dyke Show and if I am not mistaken so was Gary Marshall.
Walter Kempley had moved to Paris, France. They called him back to work on Happy Days. He looked like a German/French guy. Tall, gray hair, glasses. I remember he smoked Dunhill cigarettes with a cigarette holder at the table. I could picture him in a smoking jacket like Hugh Heffner. Bob Brunner was the opposite. He wore jeans and a blue t-shirt. He was on a liquid diet. I never saw him eat. Bob Brunner reminded me of Fonzie. Those two sat together at the head of the table. Holly White was Bob's secretary and sometimes she sat in with us. She was very funny and attractive. Blonde hair. Built. She had a nice laugh that made everyone else laugh. She later went on to write quite a few episodes.
I sat between to Brian and Ron and across from Fred Fox Jr. and Michael Loman. Fred also did the warm up act with the studio audience on Friday nights. He was really funny. Quick witted. Brian Levant was amazing too. He could come in late to a meeting and know exactly what page and what line we were on and not only did he know that, he would have a joke or a change to put in. He had the scripts memorized within an hour. We worked on three scripts a week. Brian always brought toys and gadgets to the table. Fred had a nerf ball basketball set up in his office and we played a lot of nerf basketball while Ron Howard was out back playing real basketball. Just out the door and down the back stairs.
Henry Winkler only came in on Fridays to work. During the week they had a stand in. He learned the scripts at home. Paramount Studios had a cottage that they used for an exercise room. This was before personal trainers and high tech gyms. All they had in there was a weight bench with weights and some mats. I used to walk through there at lunch. Sometimes Scot Baio was in there, most of the time no one was in there. I remember one day I couldn't get in because Cindy Williams was meditating. And yes Henry wore a black t-shirt to appear slimmer. He also zipped his jacket up. That was an issue for him that year. I can remember Anson Williams telling him to work out in his car while driving by leaning side to side. Henry just looked at me with an expression like, "Yeah right". A few years later I was living at my brother's guest house and all the show business people were hooked on Body By Jake. It was Jake, Andy & Pete. They were brothers and they all looked alike. They had routes. They came right to the house and worked out. Andy did Jerry Mathers, My brother's wife and then Henry Winkler. So I guess Henry got a grip and was able to get back into the white t-shirt. They filmed my show on January 26th, 1979.
It was bitter sweet for me. I went to the filming but I had been laid off at Christmas. Laid off by Gary Marshall himself. There I was at my Hollywood writing & film debut and I was collecting unemployment. It was still a great experience. I still got it, even on unemployment. Ah, yep yep yep.

:eek: :eek2: :eek3: :eek4: :eek: :eek2: :eek3: :eek4: :eek: :eek2: :eek3: :eek4: :eek: :eek2: :eek3: OH MY GOSH! An Ep Where Fonzie Lost His Jacket I Would LOVE To See An Ep About That! I Wish They Would Have Made It (That Would Have Been My ALL TIME FAVORITE Episode) AND Ah, THAT IS MY FAVE Richie Quote! You Made That? WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry! I'm Going A Little Crazy Here!

Someone Call An Ambulance I Think I'm Having A Heart Attack Over Here! lol.

Thanks Fonz.

You're Welcome!

It sounds like it was never a dull moment. And I think the Jacket episode would have been great! Dang! I feel bad you didn't get to play when you were with the team. Well thanks David77 for HD scoop.

You're welcome. No problememo. Yeah, I wish they filmed that other episode also. Not just for the money, I thought it was a good idea. Classic Happy Days. Can't you just picture Richie, Ralph & Potise trying to get Fonzie's measurements while he tossed and turned? Ralph yelps when Fonzie grabs his head instead of his pillow? Oh well. I got paid for it.
I still get a check every time they play Potsie Quits School. $36.00 after taxes. You can't beat that.
Today in my memory banks: that's the name of my new book!
Ha ha. That's not a bad idea either! See how it works Camera Girl?? One thing leads to another. Just keep the ideas flowing on paper. A steady stream. Edit later. Don't feel bad about the baseball team. I was never good at baseball. I was just happy to get the shirt.

I Sure Can Picture That! I Would Have LOVED That Episode! I Sure Wish They Would Have Made It!

David77, yesterday TVLand aired 'Sweet Sixteen'. I was a little shocked when Fonzie grabbed Joanie's PJ top. I did laugh, but I was a little surprised by it.

I don't remember it ever being an issue at any writing meetings.
If anything it was probably a form of humor and affection on Fonzie's part. Grabbing the jacket was another gesture like thumbs up. Remember a few posts back I told you how Henry was big on gestures? He may have just done it on the spot.
They had a network censor in the booth every Friday afternoon at dress rehearsal and Friday night also. Between dress rehearsal and filming they had time to make writing changes if there were any issues or notes from the network. If it seemed at all out of line they would have called the producers on it. Those censors were very strict at that period in time. Nothing like Tv in today's world.

Hey does anyone remember a soda commercial which aired during Happy Days that had a girl in shorts roller skating down a sidewalk drinking a pepsi or dr pepper? That was Erin Moran's sister! Whoa.

David, here's a question about Season 6: why wasn't Chachi used for the first half of the season? Scott Baio had been a regular all throughout Season 5 and even appeared in the opening credits. He was missing for the first half of Season 6 until he suddenly was back, on both the show and in the opening credits. Any idea why? Thanks for posting on here!

Hey HappyDays Dude55! You Haven't Been Here In A While! Welcome Back!

BTW Thank You SO Much For The Happy Days Scoop David77!

To answer your question HappyDaysDude, I am pretty sure Scott Baio was offered another series for the '78-'79 season, and it was canceled mid-season.. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me.

Yeah, I also just wanted to thank David77; it's really cool to hear from someone who was actually there behind the scenes.. thanks.

Originally posted by Restless
To answer your question HappyDaysDude, I am pretty sure Scott Baio was offered another series for the '78-'79 season, and it was canceled mid-season.. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me.

I think baio was on the show Out of the Blue-the fall of 79-which lasted 4 months-i may be wrong but let me check

Originally posted by Restless
To answer your question HappyDaysDude, I am pretty sure Scott Baio was offered another series for the '78-'79 season, and it was canceled mid-season.. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me.

Yes it was Out of the Blue-1979

Yeah, Scott Baio was out the first few months. I don't know where he was. He was around the lot somewhere. I didn't really get to know him. I know he and Erin Moran were very close at that time.

David, thanks for your reply. Here is another question about Season 6: were you in any way involved in the episode titled "The Magic Show?" Did the cast members really perform their own magic? And do you know how any of the tricks were done? The "Milk Can" trick looked pretty dangerous and I doubt if the producers would have risked Henry Winkler's safety if any real danger was involved. How did Henry learn to perform all those magic tricks, especially since you say he only came in to work 1 day a week? Another really good trick in the epidode was when the magician (Amazing Randi) made Al's radio disapear.

Again, thanks a lot and any insight you have into this episode would be much appreciated!

Hello, yes, I remember the magic show. Walter Kempley was friends with The Amazing Randi. That is how they got him. Yes, there was an element of risk for Henry to do the milk can trick.
Inside the can was a large empty glass jar with a lid on it. You sit with it between your legs. When it is unscrewed it fills up with water enough to leave air for the person in the can to breathe. The risk factor was what if Henry could not get the lid off the jar once he was in there. So it was exciting for everyone! He did it once at dress rehearsal and was confident he could pull it off that night. I can remember seeing him come out of it and everyone in the booth was like, "Yes!" It was great.
I know the cast did their own tricks. I don't remember how The Amazing Randi made the radio disapear. Gary Marshall's kids were in that show too.
Another thing I remember about that show is Bobby Hoffman cast George Fenneman as the MC. and at that time George Fenneman and Tom Bosley had been rivals for broadcasting jobs.

So Scot & Kathy Marshall were Garry's son & daughter? I always wondered about that. They were in other episodes weren't they?
The Amazing Randi is James Randi a real life magician who lectures about the occult & has a bet about ufo's, right?

Yeah those were Gary Marshall's kids. James Randi was The Amazing Randi. He was the only guest star that I ever saw come to the writer's table. Not to write, just to hang out for a while with Walter Kempley and talk about magic tricks. I'm trying to remember how he did that radio trick. I think it folded up. That was a fun show to work on.

Those kids were adorable...did Henry Winkler really love kids or something? He was always with kids, like on the magic show, and the show where he plays with that little boy who wears his leather jacket, and also the tonsils episode with those three kids, and the last episode of course where he adopts the little boy. Henry looked like he was great with kids...he was so cute with them, always playing with them, kissing them, and picking them up and stuff. Did Henry have any kids of his own do you know?

Originally posted by David77
Hello, yes, I remember the magic show. Walter Kempley was friends with The Amazing Randi. That is how they got him. Yes, there was an element of risk for Henry to do the milk can trick.
Inside the can was an large empty glass jar with a lid on it. You sit with it between your legs. When it is unscrewed it fills up with water enough to leave air for the person in the can to breathe. The risk factor was what if Henry could not get the lid off the jar once he was in there. So it was exciting for everyone! He did it once at dress rehearsal and was confident he could pull it off that night. I can remember seeing him come out of it and everyone in the booth was like, "Yes!" It was great.
I know the cast did their own tricks. I don't remember how The Amazing Randi made the radio disapear. Gary Marshall's kids were in that show too.
Another thing I remember about that show is Bobby Hoffman cast George Fenneman as the MC. and at that time George Fenneman and Tom Bosley had been rivals for broadcasting jobs.

Wow! That's So Cool!

Originally posted by David77
Yeah those were Gary Marshall's kids. James Randi was The Amazing Randi. He was the only guest star that I ever saw come to the writer's table. Not to write, just to hang out for a while with Walter Kempley and talk about magic tricks. I'm trying to remember how he did that radio trick. I think it folded up. That was a fun show to work on.

Really? Wow I Was Wondering Who Those Kids Where!

Thank You So Much For Sharing All Of That With Us!

I remember that Henry had a step son. He was on the set a few times. That is all I know. I can't remember his name. That kid is in his thirties now.

Thanks Fonz.

The radio trick was really amazing. I even slowed down the tape while watching the episode during that part, but couldn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

David, thanks for the info about Gary Marshall's kids being in the episode. I noticed a blooper at the end of the episode involving the kids - when they run out at the end to congratulate Fonzie after he gets out of the milk can, the girl almost slips & falls! (There must have been water on the floor due to the milk can trick). She catches herself at the last second - did you ever notice this before?

Again, thanks for your posts & keep `em coming!

Yeah, I remember that. They didn't want to do the scene over again. If I remember right Henry was not comfortable the second time in the milk can. I guess they didn't film the first try at the run thru.

Originally posted by HappyDays Dude55
I noticed a blooper at the end of the episode involving the kids - when they run out at the end to congratulate Fonzie after he gets out of the milk can, the girl almost slips & falls! (There must have been water on the floor due to the milk can trick). She catches herself at the last second - did you ever notice this before?!

I Was Gonna Post The Same Thing! I Was Waching It Yesterday and Saw That!

Originally posted by TheFonz
I Was Gonna Post The Same Thing! I Was Waching It Yesterday and Saw That!

Sharp eyes there, Fonz!

Thanks!

I Also Noticed A Mistake In Another Episode (I Can't Remember The Name Right Now) But Riche Was Playing The Saxophone, The Saxophone Was Playing, But Richie Didn't Start Playing It Till A Half A Second Later!

Originally posted by SOLOMON
Yes it was Out of the Blue-1979

This was called Who's Watching the Kids. Scott Baio was never on Out of the Blue.

David, are you still out there? TV Land just aired "Potise Quits School." Some questions ...

1) Did you write the music & lyrics to the song "Pump Your Blood?" That was a fun musical sequence ... goofy, but it worked. Were you in any way involved in the choreography of that scene? Interesting use of instruments w/Richie on the harmonica, Lori Beth on the kazoo, ect. Fun stuff!

2) That guy who played the anatomy professor was one scary- looking dude ... made a good antagonist in the episode. Were involved in the casting in any way?

3) What was the deal w/Fonzie wearing those paper bags on his feet? :-)

David, I'm not saying this because you post here, but "Potsie Quits School" was excellent! It was one of the best episodes. Plus it was one of the rare episodes where Potsie wasn't an idiot. And the scene where Fonzie wore the bags on his feet was very funny. Dang, the HD people should have hired you on.

David77,

I think it's so cool that you came here to share all your memories.
it's fascinating to find out what goes on behind the scenes of such a great show. I was wondering, was writers block ever a problem on the show and how was it remedied.

Originally posted by animalcrackers
David, I'm not saying this because you post here, but "Potsie Quits School" was excellent! It was one of the best episodes. Plus it was one of the rare episodes where Potsie wasn't an idiot. And the scene where Fonzie wore the bags on his feet was very funny. Dang, the HD people should have hired you on.

Yes, That Was An Excellent Episode! I Love It! VERY Funny!

BTW I Watched That Episode Yesterday

Hello, thank you, alright, yeah, another $36.00 on the way. I will try to answer everyone's questions all in one shot. The Potsie Quits School song scene: No, I had nothing to do with it. For me, being a serious musician, I was a little embarrassed over how it came out. Originally I had to pick a song from a list of tunes that were public domain. Meaning Happy Days would not have to pay for the rights. I picked the song, Mack The Knife, and wrote words with that tune in mind. (Singing to Mack The Knife) Oh the heart pumps….. Anson Williams had a music career going at that time and he wanted to write his tune which turned out to be Pumps Your Blood. He vetoed my tune. The bags on Fonzie’s feet came from Fred Fox Jr. Fred was really great with visual comedy. He was like a little kid. We needed one more scene to get Fonzie into the bathroom. That was it. I wish they hired me on too!! Ha ha. I was only twenty at the time. When Walter Kempley found out I was twenty it kind of rubbed him the wrong way for some reason. I don’t know why. After he found out how old I was it was very hard for me to get anything passed. Fortunately Brian, Fred and Bob Brunner liked me. I was lucky to get the Potise Quit School episode on the air. When Bob Brunner and Brian left to do Bad News bears they ended the apprentice writers. I didn’t get hired on.. It took two years to get back into writing which leads up to writers block. I deal with it by writing letters to my friends. Letters I don’t even send for the most part. It just keeps me in the flow of writing. I always write with the idea that I am writing to someone or writing for someone to make them laugh. It is all about making someone laugh. When it gets on TV, that someone becomes everyone. That is the cool part.

Very cool, Thank you for answering my question. :)

You're welcome Lil Kelso. I like your graphics. I like the one with the flag the best so far.

Thank You So Much For Sharing All Of This With Us David77!!!

You're welcome Fonz.

Casting? I almost missed that question? Did I have anything to do with the casting? No way Jose. Casting was a department all unto itself. Just like the writers dept and the actors dept.
That was Bobby Hoffman's dept. Casting was across the street from the stage and across another street from Gary Marshall's office on the same side. Bobby Hoffman was a great guy. He passed away. Walter Kempley passed away also. Bobby Hoffman had grey hair and always always always wore a greek sailors cap and a light blue denim jacket. He was very friendly. I can remember him standing in the doorway looking out to the street on the lot. He always stood in the doorway saying hello to anyone who walked by. Always had a big smile on his face. Casting is an art just like writing. Casting, coaching. It is very close to directing.
There were a lot of steady extras on Happy Days. The Arnold's gang. The guy in the scene driving the car where the girl's wig is pulled off by the convertable? In the titles? He was/is Walter Von. He was in tons of scenes. That girl with the wig, Her name is Heather. The real tall kid in the background always wore a high school sweater, his name is Carrie Schuman. They never had talking lines because they would have to join a whole other union and get paid. There is the screen extra's guild and the screen actors guild. Two different things. Once an actor speaks it means
more money has to be paid out by the studio. That is why so many actors on Happy days did not speak. Like most of Fonzie's girlfriends. They didn't have the budget. And thanks to Bobby Hoffman Fonzie had his girlfriends! A lot of the girl's in the pictures on Fonzie's bedroom wall were the writer's girlfriends and wives. Al Molinaro owned a credit union in Sherman Oaks, CA in real life. There was a cowboy town right behind my office. I could walk through Dodge city on my lunch break. I did many times. Most of the outdoor sets were actually filmed outside the set builders building. It looks like Fonzie's garage but if you actually go inside there are guys with saws cutting wood for sets. That was one building up from the writers building. Richie, Richie, Richie....Ah yep, yep, yep.

That Is So SUPER Cool! It Would Have Been So Fun Have Been There! Yep Yep Yep Yep Yep Yep! That's SO Cool!

Thanks Fonz.

You're Wecome!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!! All these facst about this hsow I enjoy reading this topic everyday! Too bad I cant be a part of it cause Im in school and he isnt on on Fridays or the weekends, Well David77, so youll know who I am Im Istillgotit a huge ralph and Potsie fan If you have nayinfo aobut if there are Ralph and Potsie bloopers or just random Ralph and Potsie stuff email at fallonfan01@yahoo.com


PS : I wish I could be a part of this thread :(

Originally posted by David77
Hello, thank you, alright, yeah, another $36.00 on the way. I will try to answer everyone's questions all in one shot. The Potsie Quits School song scene: No, I had nothing to do with it. For me, being a serious musician, I was a little embarrassed over how it came out. Originally I had to pick a song from a list of tunes that were public domain. Meaning Happy Days would not have to pay for the rights. I picked the song, Mack The Knife, and wrote words with that tune in mind. (Singing to Mack The Knife) Oh the heart pumps….. Anson Williams had a music career going at that time and he wanted to write his tune which turned out to be Pumps Your Blood. He vetoed my tune.

Hey David, TV Land aired "Potise Quits School" twice yesterday .. does this mean you get $72.00? Hey, just think, you could take us all out to lunch! :-) It's too bad you didn't get to write the lyrics to the song ... I thought the one used was good, but "Mack The Knife" would have been funny as well ("Oh the blood flows/and the heart pumps ... "). I noticed that someone else was credited with "Story By" and you were credited with "Teleplay by," does this mean that someone else came up with the basic plot idea & you fleshed out the story and wrote all the dialogue? Were you on the set during the taping? Man, that would have been cool, seeing the actors deliver lines that you wrote!

Originally posted by David77
There were a lot of steady extras on Happy Days. The Arnold's gang. The guy in the scene driving the car where the girl's wig is pulled off by the convertable? In the titles? He was/is Walter Von. He was in tons of scenes. That girl with the wig, Her name is Heather. The real tall kid in the background always wore a high school sweater, his name is Carrie Schuman. They never had talking lines because they would have to join a whole other union and get paid. There is the screen extra's guild and the screen actors guild. Two different things.

It's too bad you couldn't have been an extra in "Potsie Quits School" ... they could have stuck you in the classroom scene or something. But I guess then you would have had to join the union & it would have been too complicated.

Speaking of extras, there's one girl I always notice who's in tons of episodes ... she was the drummer for the band in many shows (particularly when Chachi was not around), and in some shows she's one of Fonzie's girlfriends. She was a really good-looking brunette. Do you know the one I'm talking about?

Thanks again for your participation on here!

Potsie Quits School & Extras:
The main idea of Potsie having to think up a song in his head to remember his anatomy was my idea. Being a musician most of the TV shows that I wrote have a music theme. Like Blossom "Guns in school" episode "38 special" which I wrote and I got a part in too (I'm in the band scene playing guitar) Sometimes one person has an idea and it is given to another person. Like the Christmas show where they all bring a tree in to the Cunnigham's? . That was my idea although Beverly Bloomberg got credit. Most of the writers were under contract for 3 scripts a year plus a weekly salary (and to get a parking space on the lot was a whole other big deal where your agent has to actually negotiate it.) I had to park outside the lot across the street and pay. (But that is another story.) Show Biz. "The slimey underbelly of the show business world" Anyway, people crank out story ideas and they are all delegated to different writers. The networks want certain story lines, the producers want different story lines, etc etc. So when it says "written by" or "story by" or "teleplay by" it really doesn't mean squat. They have to assign storys. It is a team effort.
Sometimes a writer will pitch an idea based on a theme or direction the producers want to go and it connects and he or she gets to write it. Other times a writer will pitch and idea and they like it and give it to another writer on the staff who is due under contract to get a script that season. Maybe the other writer already did his three scripts. So that being clear, I had already sold the Fonzie Jacket "Story by" that never got filmed. So in the total picture I did get a story and a teleplay.
There were other people that were Production Assistants like Jim Dunne who got "Story By" on Potsie Quits School. Jim Dunne was an all around guy on the Happy Days Crew. Originally I heard he was Gary Marshall's tennis pro. Gary liked him. So He worked with the actors, he wrote music, he came to writing meetings once in a while. He was just an all around guy. Gary Marshall wanted him to write and his first writing assignment was "Story by". It got him in the union.
He was close with the actors. I didn't have the chance to get
too involved like that on the stage. I was hired stictly to be an apprentice writer. In fact I didn't even have my own typewriter. I had to share one with Allen Goldstien. My agent didn't negotiate a typewriter. Now a days you have to have an agent to get an agent. So that is how it works. I liked the idea of being an extra but it never happened. I didn't push for it. I was a musician. I brought my guitar in and Brian and Fred would hear me play and bring me up to Bob Brunner's office. Bob would say, "I don't know what to do with that, go talk to Anson". It just didn't connect for me at that time. I later worked on other shows but it took years and years. That is just the way it went down. That girl drummer was a steady extra. I don't remember her name but when they say her name on the show, that is her real name. Sometimes Richie will say her name. She was cute, yeah. I talked more with Heather. (The girl with the wig). She would come to the booth and hang out on Friday nights. The other girl was kind of shy.

I guess most of us have no idea what goes on behind the scenes. It doesn't sound like too much job security. Another question David, whenever we see the extra's in the background and they are talking, are they just mouthing anything or quietly talking? Years ago a extra was being interviewed and she said she just says, "watermelon & cantelope" over and over.

I think they just talk about whatever. I was an extra on the Blossom "Paris" episode that I wrote. I was in the final scene at the airport. I am holding a guitar. I was waiting in line with my ticket and they hooked me up with this Blonde girl for the trip. So we just talked while we were in line about the show, about when to move, how long she was working that day, like that, just whispers. When I got up to the ticket lady I just made jokes about the imaginary trip to Paris. Usually you just talk about the scene. Sometimes people work for weeks other times it is just one afternoon. Extras know extras. I worked on one show with my brother called Wizards & Warriors and all the extras were midgets dressed in lizard suits. Talk about strange. Then I found out that some of them had actually worked on the Wizard of Oz as Munchkins. I was talking with The Lolipop King and I didn't even know it. He looked like a lizard to me.
http://www.wizardsandwarriors.org/index.htm

Also when there are dance scenes. The extras are not really dancing to music. The music is usually added in later.

I remember hanging out with the Head Magnet on the Joanie smoking show. She was an actual actress though, not an extra.

Here's a present.

That's me, Al, Bobby Hoffman, Fred Fox jr. & Ron Howard.

Yeah lunch is on me.

www.lostoros.com

Originally posted by David77
You're welcome Lil Kelso. I like your graphics. I like the one with the flag the best so far.

Oh cool, Thank you. I can never stay with the same graphics for very long. I tend to get bored. :)

Originally posted by David77
Potsie Quits School & Extras:
The main idea of Potsie having to think up a song in his head to remember his anatomy was my idea. Being a musician most of the TV shows that I wrote have a music theme. Like Blossom "Guns in school" episode "38 special" which I wrote and I got a part in too (I'm in the band scene playing guitar) Sometimes one person has an idea and it is given to another person. Like the Christmas show where they all bring a tree in to the Cunnigham's? . That was my idea although Beverly Bloomberg got credit. Most of the writers were under contract for 3 scripts a year plus a weekly salary (and to get a parking space on the lot was a whole other big deal where your agent has to actually negotiate it.) I had to park outside the lot across the street and pay. (But that is another story.) Show Biz. "The slimey underbelly of the show business world" Anyway, people crank out story ideas and they are all delegated to different writers. The networks want certain story lines, the producers want different story lines, etc etc. So when it says "written by" or "story by" or "teleplay by" it really doesn't mean squat. They have to assign storys. It is a team effort.
Sometimes a writer will pitch an idea based on a theme or direction the producers want to go and it connects and he or she gets to write it. Other times a writer will pitch and idea and they like it and give it to another writer on the staff who is due under contract to get a script that season. Maybe the other writer already did his three scripts. So that being clear, I had already sold the Fonzie Jacket "Story by" that never got filmed. So in the total picture I did get a story and a teleplay.
There were other people that were Production Assistants like Jim Dunne who got "Story By" on Potsie Quits School. Jim Dunne was an all around guy on the Happy Days Crew. Originally I heard he was Gary Marshall's tennis pro. Gary liked him. So He worked with the actors, he wrote music, he came to writing meetings once in a while. He was just an all around guy. Gary Marshall wanted him to write and his first writing assignment was "Story by". It got him in the union.
He was close with the actors. I didn't have the chance to get
too involved like that on the stage. I was hired stictly to be an apprentice writer. In fact I didn't even have my own typewriter. I had to share one with Allen Goldstien. My agent didn't negotiate a typewriter. Now a days you have to have an agent to get an agent. So that is how it works. I liked the idea of being an extra but it never happened. I didn't push for it. I was a musician. I brought my guitar in and Brian and Fred would hear me play and bring me up to Bob Brunner's office. Bob would say, "I don't know what to do with that, go talk to Anson". It just didn't connect for me at that time. I later worked on other shows but it took years and years. That is just the way it went down. That girl drummer was a steady extra. I don't remember her name but when they say her name on the show, that is her real name. Sometimes Richie will say her name. She was cute, yeah. I talked more with Heather. (The girl with the wig). She would come to the booth and hang out on Friday nights. The other girl was kind of shy.

That's Cool! I Was Always Wondering About That! I Have A Question, Did All The Actors Like Playing The Charactors They Did?

Thanks Fonz.

I can't say for sure but I think they all liked the characters they played. They did them so well. They must have enjoyed it.

I'm sure they didn't always like the scripts.
Actors and writers are like cats and dogs. If the actor has a problem with the script he goes to the director who goes to the producer who goes to the writers.

When all else failed the director and the producer would meet with Gary Marshall. When Gary Marshall came to the writer's table it was serious business. That only happened once while I was there.

Wow! Cool, Thanks!

Originally posted by David77
Thanks Fonz.

I can't say for sure but I think they all liked the characters they played. They did them so well. They must have enjoyed it.

I'm sure they didn't always like the scripts.
Actors and writers are like cats and dogs. If the actor has a problem with the script he goes to the director who goes to the producer who goes to the writers.

When all else failed the director and the producer would meet with Gary Marshall. When Gary Marshall came to the writer's table it was serious business. That only happened once while I was there.

Your Welcome!

David I notice "Christmas Time" & "Fearless Malph" are from the 78 era. Great episodesI feel. Were you involved in either of them? Also Fred Fox's face looks famaliar, could he have been in Stolen Melodies?

Yes. yes, yes. (or should I say, yep, yep, yep) Fred Fox was the band leader who got his wig pulled off. Yes, Chistmas Time, I had a lot to do with it. It was my idea about the trees. Also Fearless Malph yes. My first joke was in Fearless Malph. The tornado set was really something.

David, do you get paid $36.00 every time it airs on ANY station (like if it airs locally on a station in Boston) or just on one of the major cable networks like TV Land or Nick at Nite?

Originally posted by David77
Yes. yes, yes. (or should I say, yep, yep, yep) Fred Fox was the band leader who got his wig pulled off. Yes, Chistmas Time, I had a lot to do with it. It was my idea about the trees. Also Fearless Malph yes. My first joke was in Fearless Malph. The tornado set was really something.

That's Soooo Cool! Fred Fox Was The Leader Of Freddy And The Red Hots? Cool! And Like TJ Said Do You Get Paid Everytime Any Station Plays Potsie Quits School? Or Do You Just Get Paid When Nick At Night Or Tvland Airs It?

Usually I get $36.00 take home after taxes. Sometimes half that but not too often. I have to look at the check stubs next time to figure out what is what. They don't show exactly when or where it is played. It just says cable. When I get less than $36.00 it's a real let down. It also takes four months after it airs to get paid.
It seems to be a quarterly. No lunch until February!

Originally posted by David77
Usually I get $36.00 take home after taxes. Sometimes half that but not too often. I have to look at the check stubs next time to figure out what is what. They don't show exactly when or where it is played. It just says cable. When I get less than $36.00 it's a real let down. It also takes four months after it airs to get paid.It seems to be a quarterly. No lunch until February!


David, do you know what the actors get for payment after an episode is rerun? If they all get $36.00 per episode, that's a pretty good deal. TV Land seems to air like 3 different episodes a day now ... that comes out to like $826.00 per week! Not a bad take for work completed over two decades ago!

I thought I heard that back in the 50's and 60's, TV actors, writers, ect. did not get royalties when shows were rerun (I remember hearing, for example, the cast of "Gilligan's Island" never cashed in on the success of the show's reruns). Did this change in the 70s or something?

I think the actors get more than $36.00 for a re-run. ha ha! They get a certain percentage of what they were making at the time I'm sure. What is in their contracts etc. I was just paid scale for a teleplay. Writers get paid for a script in four parts usually. Story, teleplay, first draft, final draft. If it all works out and gets filmed it says, "written by". It can stop anywhere along the line though for whatever reason. The term for that is, "It got eaten". Like my Fonzie's Jacket story. Yeah, tv is big bucks. In the old days there were no residules. I think the residules started in the early seventies. Most of the old timers just got a flat fee. That must be hard to take.

David, do you ever watch any of the other episodes and think 'I could have wrote something better than that'? Because some of the later episodes were 'so-so'.

Yeah I did. It was hard for me to watch Happy Days for quite a while. I felt bad when I was let go. From Hero to Zero. Yeah, The show really went down hill after I left! HA HA HA!! Laverne and Shirley kept Jeff Franklin on as an apprentice writer and he went on to create Full House. I kind of wished that I was sent over to Laverne and Shirley in the first place. I kept wondering why Happy Days let people go and not Laverne and Shirley. I never did find out. It was hard to deal with yeah. I thought my life had ended. That is just the way show business is. I had to learn that. Now, today, I am happy that I was there for whatever contributions I got to make and I did get to make some. Credit or no credit I was there. In hindsight it was a fantastic experience. I worked again too on other shows but never with any of the Happy Days writers. They were all great guys. I really bonded with Fred & Brian and I missed them for a long time. Ron Leavitt also. Ron Leavitt was one cool dude. They were all a huge influence on me.
So yes, I know I could have done better on some of the post 78 shows. Definately. It is what it is. It's kind of like sports when you think of it.

Originally posted by David77
I remember hanging out with the Head Magnet on the Joanie smoking show. She was an actual actress though, not an extra.


Hey David, did you ever hang out with Suzi Quatro (Leather Tuscadero)? That would have been cool, I'd bet. How about Lynda Goodfriend? She was a favorite, I'm glad they finally made her a full-fledged regular during the 1980-81 season (although with Ron Howard gone by then she had very little to do). How about Lorrie Mahafrey (I thought I heard she was married to Anson Williams in real life)? It's too bad they never used her character again after the 1978-79 season.

Yes, That Is Too Bad, I Think Jennifer Should Have Married Potsie On The Show BTW She Was Married To Him In Real Life

I didn't hang out with Suzi Quatro but I did go to a meeting with her on the production of the music for Stolen Melodies. I sat right across from her and her husband who was also her manager. She lived in England. I got called into that meeting by Ronnie Hallin to discuss the music to Pumps Your Blood. I think they recorded them at the same time. Yes, Lorrie was married to Anson. They had a country music band. I remember they played at the Palomino Club. (Refer to my song, "Bombs Away" on my mp3 site about the Palomino) The Palomino Club was the place to play at that time. I think they were not married too long. Maybe that is why she didn't come back? I don't know. Suzi Quatro was really nice. Nice to get along with. Easy going.

Originally posted by David77
I didn't hang out with Suzi Quatro but I did go to a meeting with her on the production of the music for Stolen Melodies. I sat right across from her and her husband who was also her manager. She lived in England. I got called into that meeting by Ronnie Hallin to discuss the music to Pumps Your Blood. I think they recorded them at the same time.

David, any idea what Suzi Quatro is doing now? Is she still in the music biz? Thought maybe with your music connections you might know ...

Suzi Quatro is big in Australia and Japan. I know she still acts.
She was in Annie Get Your Gun and she has been on the show
Absolutely Fabulous.

Wow..thats weird how they kept getting rid of writers and not L&S because it was said on TV that the L&S cast often argued about scripts.

Which brings me to my question......did the Happy Days cast ever argue over scripts?? I know they had to have their different opinions, but any blowups or anything?

While I was there there were never any arguments between the writers. Sometimes a writer would get frustrated with the producers for not using a joke or a story. If it really got serious they would have a meeting in private to discuss it further. Everything was very professional. Sometimes we would hear that a cast member was not happy with something in the script and there were changes made. Never any agruments. I never even heard Laverne & Shirley arguments. I just know that their writing staff was working late a lot. The writers and the actors were not in direct contact during the work day. We worked together as separate teams. All changes were made through the director and the producers.

David, do you know Judy Pioli? She is an actress/writer.

No I don't know her. Do you? I am sure she must know my brother, Don Reo. He's the man in Hollywood now.

No, but I noticed her name alot in the 70's sitcoms as an actress and writer and director. I was just curious.

Yeah, she worked. I think she was involved with Happy Days later. I only knew Beverly Bloomberg during my Happy Days days.
Holly White, that's about it in the female writing dept. I know Brenda Hampton. She created Seventh Heaven. I knew her before that though on Blossom.

What were your hours, along with the actors? I know that the L&S people stayed much later because of arguing..and they said on the TVOgraphy that theyd see the Happy Days crew all leaving while they were still stuck @ work.

I worked from 10am to noon. Two hour lunch. 2pm to 6pm.
Wednesday night until 9pm or 10pm with a dinner. Friday night was the show. That went late.

I am not sure what the actors did during the week. They had rehearsals. I usually only saw them on Monday mornings to read the new scripts and Friday nights when they filmed the show. Sometimes at lunch they'd be walking around the lot. There were basketball games. Like that. Writers and actors are two separate camps.

Originally posted by David77
I worked from 10am to noon. Two hour lunch. 2pm to 6pm.
Wednesday night until 9pm or 10pm with a dinner. Friday night was the show. That went late.

I am not sure what the actors did during the week. They had rehearsals. I usually only saw them on Monday mornings to read the new scripts and Friday nights when they filmed the show. Sometimes at lunch they'd be walking around the lot. There were basketball games. Like that. Writers and actors are two separate camps.
Cool. Too bad the actors didnt really hang out with the writers. Ohh!! I have a question!!

Did the actors ever talk to writers or producers about their OWN story-line ideas?? I know on the Brady Bunch Greg (Barry Williams) wanted to get into a fistfight...with his TV Dad!! and Jan (Eve Plumb) wanted more serious story-lines.

I don't ever remember the actors coming up with story ideas while I was there. I know it has happened. If they did, it came through the director and they didn't get credit. Most everyone is under contract and usually scripts are limited. I know as writers we had to come up with different story lines for each character involving one episode. Like a Joanie smoking show or a Fearless Malph etc. Every actor got at least one episode that they were featured in. Sometimes an actor would come up with a line or a joke. Ron Howard was really good at that. It was then added into the script. Other times they switched lines. It all had to be approved by the producers first. I remember Donny Most wanting the writers to do an episode where he was serious and not funny.
Most of the time if there were any ideas or changes it would have to go from the actor to the director to the producer to the writers.

Originally posted by David77
I don't ever remember the actors coming up with story ideas while I was there. I know it has happened. If they did, it came through the director and they didn't get credit. Most everyone is under contract and usually scripts are limited. I know as writers we had to come up with different story lines for each character involving one episode. Like a Joanie smoking show or a Fearless Malph etc. Every actor got at least one episode that they were featured in. Sometimes an actor would come up with a line or a joke. Ron Howard was really good at that. It was then added into the script. Other times they switched lines. It all had to be approved by the producers first. I remember Donny Most wanting the writers to do an episode where he was serious and not funny.
Most of the time if there were any ideas or changes it would have to go from the actor to the director to the producer to the writers.
OMG thats so cool! Ahhh Ron Howard made jokes...lol. Yeah...now that you mention it, each season they had an episode featured on one character. Except Chuck..poor guy... unless you count the episode where Richie moves in with him. If I think of anything else, Ill ask you. I wish you had written throughout the whole series because Id have a lot more questions!!! lol

Anyways..thanks for answering!!!!:thumbsup:

After the show was shot in front of the audience, did any of the actors do any mingling with them or did they just go back stage?

Originally posted by David77
I remember Donny Most wanting the writers to do an episode where he was serious and not funny. Most of the time if there were any ideas or changes it would have to go from the actor to the director to the producer to the writers.

There actually was an episode where Ralph acted serious. It was "Marion: Fairy Godmother," where Ralph went on a date with Leather Tuscadero to a military ball. Guess Don Most's idea was used after all? ...

:wave: omg!!! i have you to thank for helping me pass biology! see, back when i was a freshman in high school( a long time ago- 20 years) i failed biology the first time because i found it so boring. well, since i flunked i had 2 options.1) go to summer school or 2) retake the course my sophmore year. i'm sure you guessed which option i picked. anyway, back in the late '70's i use to tape all the shows with my tape recorder. vcr's weren't out yet i don't think. but all i know was we didn't have one. so each tuesday night i would sit in my room, put the recorder up next to the tv, and record while i would watch the show. boy was it hard to record while i held in my laughter just so i wouldn't mess up the tape. ok now to the reason why i have you to thank!!! years after that episode aired and i had it on tape is when i failed the class the first time. when i retook the class i studied hard but still had trouble with tests that covered the anatomy sections. but just before i was about to take my final exam at the end of the school year i remembered this episode with potsie and that i had it taped. the night before the big exam, i found it, put it in the player, put on my earphones, and played it over and over until i fell asleep like i did with other episodes i had. when it came to the time when i had to take the anatomy portion of the exam i just started to tap my feet and hum the song to myself to help me remember what i had learned from listening to potsie's song. of course the boy sitting next to me had no clue to what i was doing and he kept shooting me dirty looks and telling me to quit humming.i PASSED the class. so you see, if you had not written that episode dealing with potsie's difficulty in trying to pass anatomy and then having him come up with a method to help him pass the class i never would have passed either!!! i totally related to that show. i learned alot of things from watching HAPPY DAYS. as i look back now i just wished i had remembered that i had that particular show taped when i was a freshman so then i wouldn't of had to sit through another year of that subject. thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! again

Most of the time the actors stayed back stage unless they had personal friends in the audience or charitable things going on.
Usually they waited until the studio audience was gone to socialize on the stage. By that time it was late and most people just wanted to go home. I think most mingling was done between the afternoon run-thru and the evening filming.

It is nice to know that something I thought up has helped someone in someway. Thank you. I'm glad you passed. They used part of my episode on MTV Divas live a few years back for some music education theme. Grades ain't cool, learning is.
(No I didn't get $36.00 for that one. I think I got half. ha ha.)
I filled up my jeep with gas and made it to my gig. Whoa.

Ohh that so cool! Hey HappyDazeForever--do you still have those tapes?? Thatd be really cool!

Oh Ive got a question!! Did you guys ever have any story ideas turned down? Im sure everyone had an idea not used at some point because you cant please everyone...but do you remember any of them? Or any ideas from other people you thought were stupid etc.?

I can't remember any specific story ideas that were turned down.
My jacket story. Ha ha! They bought that one though. Lots of times a writer would come up with a line or a joke and Bob Brunner would just say, "No" in a funny kind of way. Really loud like. Sometimes they would say, "That doesn't fit the character" or "That doesn't fit in with the script" or "I don't think Fonzie would say that" or "That is more of a Potsie line than a Ralph line". Like that....I can't remember the exact lines or stories at the moment. Usually the stories are broke in the beginning of the season. They make what is called "An Ark". The ark of the season or the ark of the show that year. They write each story that they are going to use on a little card and pin that up onto a clip board in the sequence it is to be filmed. Then it is all broken down as to who is going to write it. How much will it cost. Sets, wardrobe, etc etc. There is a science to it. Once the ideas are there and the budgets are approved the scripts are like filling in the blanks.
Everything is changed and rewritten up until the filming and even then some. Sometimes things are added in after. Voice overs. Inserts of say a hand or whatever. It is a constant work until it is fully edited and finalized. Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production.

COOL!

Hey just a question


What were Donny Most and Anson Williams like in real life?

I Have A Question, How Do You Spell Richie's Ha Ha Ha's? Do You Know? Is It Spelled Hah Ha ha?

Good questions!

I have another one, did Ron Howard, Anson Williams and Donny Most get along really good ? I mean as much as their characters did?

Originally posted by TheFonz
I Have A Question, How Do You Spell Richie's Ha Ha Ha's? Do You Know? Is It Spelled Hah Ha ha?
:lol:



Lets hope he knows...its driving BOTH of us:crazy:

I think they got along well but probably not as well as thier characters did. Everyone had thier own lives and families etc.
It is just like working with people on your job. It's a job.
They just happen to be on TV. I think Ha ha ha was spelled Ha ha ha if I remember right. I know Ah was spelled Ah. Whoa was spelled Whoa. Later, Whoa.

Oh cool..thanks! Oh wow..so who got along best?

Yeah, who got a long best?

Oh, and David77, do oyu know what Anson Williams and Donny Most were like offscreen when not playing Ralph and Potsie?

From my view point I would say Ron & Henry got along best.
Donny Most was serious. Anson was most like his Character than anyone else in my opinion. I didn't get to know them personally really. These are just my observations.

How did Anson and Donny get a long? I know they got along extremely well as Ralph and Potsie, but how did they get alnog offscreen, whne not playing my two favorite characters, Ralph and Potsie?

And, did Anson and Donny ever break character while being Ralph and Potsie cause their characters are so goofy and silly that whne one of them said a line, they both broke character? Did that ever happen?

David, did you do any episodes with Ed Peck? I always wondered if his personality was anything like Officer Kirk. I'm betting it wasn't. Am I Right?

Originally posted by David77
[B]From my view point I would say Ron & Henry got along best./B]
Oh good! Thats what I had figured!:) Its good to hear that they were all able to get along so well. Oh ok, I have a question. Well, we know Erin & Scott kinda had a relationship..were you around when they were together...or AFTER they broke up? Did you witness any tension? I also heard that they didnt get along well with *Pinky* because she was hard to deal with and she kept imitating the Fonz--too bad you werent around to see that! LOl.

They swapped lines sometimes. Somtimes a line was split and Donny would get half and Anson would get half. I don't remember exactly which lines though. Sometimes an actor would get a big laugh and the other actor wanted a big laugh. So on the next script that would be in mind. I think everyone got a long. From what I saw anyway. When I was there Erin & Scott were an item. I was not there for their break up. Season 6 was a peaceful experience. Everything went smooth as silk. Except for that one time when Gary Marshal came in for a re-write. The Thanksgiving show. It was a turkey. I don't have any stories of fights and tension between the cast. Anson and his wife were busy with their country western band. Donny was serious all the time and quiet for the most part. I sat with him at the baseball practice once. He was just a serious guy. Not like Ralph. They all had their own lives off camera. I never hung out with them socially except for Anson Williams bachelor party and that was just a fancy dinner in Beverly Hills. No wild stories. Just a work party.
Season six was harmonious.

Oh okay

Cool!

Just another ?


Did anyone any of the cast knew visit one of the cast memebers and stuff like that?

I have know idea who knew who off the lot. After my Happy Days experience I saw Henry Winkler at a gas staion once in Studio City. I bumped into Bob Brunner at the Northridge Mall. Other than that I never saw anyone outside of work ever again. I don't know if they socialized or what they ate or what their favorite colors were. In my opinion I would imagine that they hung out once in a while. Probably like you would hang out with someone you worked with once in a while.

Oh Okay



Also hpw was Anson like his character

I'd say Anson was most like his Character and Donny was most not like his Character. In my opinion.

Originally posted by HappyDays Dude55


It's too bad you couldn't have been an extra in "Potsie Quits School" ... they could have stuck you in the classroom scene or something. But I guess then you would have had to join the union & it would have been too complicated.

Speaking of extras, there's one girl I always notice who's in tons of episodes ... she was the drummer for the band in many shows (particularly when Chachi was not around), and in some shows she's one of Fonzie's girlfriends. She was a really good-looking brunette. Do you know the one I'm talking about?

Thanks again for your participation on here!
That good-looking Brunette Drummer Girl is named Daphne and is played by Hillary Horan, and is mine (And Chad's) HD crush! :loveya:

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/attachment.php?postid=528710

Thank you Fonz.

Originally posted by David77
I'd say Anson was most like his Character and Donny was most not like his Character. In my opinion.

Anson was really like Potsie?!?!?! (stares dreamily) Wow!

Sorry, went too far in the dreaming there!

I don't think I was a member when this thread started, so I'm prb asking you something you've already been asked....How was it working on the HD set? If I was there, I know I'd be following Anson around everyday...and get fired in the process, but...wow!!

Did anything incredibly funny happen?!?!?! I'm just too excited, this is amazing!!

Did anything funny happen? That is pretty funny. Every day was funny. Just hanging out with Fred Fox Jr was funny. Brian Levant.
Ron Leavitt. That was major funny. The commisary was funny because there were actors from all different shows dressed up in their wardrobe for the show. So you had vulcans and cowboys waiting in line for lunch. I always got a kick out of that. Happy Days was funny on Monday mornings when the had the reading.
It is the first time the actors read the new script for the following week and they have to read it cold. When there was a funny joke or a funny line and everyone cracked up laughing that was funny. When they didn't like something you would hear about it later.
Ron Howard was funny. I remember him laughing and having a good time more than anyone on the cast. At the moment I can't think of any specific funny incident though.

Originally posted by David77
Did anything funny happen? That is pretty funny. Every day was funny. Just hanging out with Fred Fox Jr was funny. Brian Levant.
Ron Leavitt. That was major funny. The commisary was funny because there were actors from all different shows dressed up in their wardrobe for the show. So you had vulcans and cowboys waiting in line for lunch. I always got a kick out of that. Happy Days was funny on Monday mornings when the had the reading.
It is the first time the actors read the new script for the following week and they have to read it cold. When there was a funny joke or a funny line and everyone cracked up laughing that was funny. When they didn't like something you would hear about it later.
Ron Howard was funny. I remember him laughing and having a good time more than anyone on the cast. At the moment I can't think of any specific funny incident though.

Oh wow!!! I would love to sit there and listen to them read the script. Have you talked to anyone from Happy Days since the show? If you could talk to anyone from the show and ask them anything, what would you do?

I'd ask Anson to marry me....:blush:

Were there any ill feelings when Ron Howard and Donny Most decided to leave?

Originally posted by TheFonz

That good-looking Brunette Drummer Girl is named Daphne and is played by Hillary Horan, and is mine (And Chad's) HD crush! :loveya:

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/attachment.php?postid=528710

Yep! I Still wonder whatever happened to her.

I was gone by the time Ron & Donny left. You will have to go back and read my posts. The only person I spoke with after was Henry Winkler. I sent him a demo of my music and he called me to say he liked it but he had no work for me. I spoke with Fred Fox Jr quite a bit and I called Brian Levant and Ron Leavit from time to time. They all went on to have serious careers. Mine was more like from Hero to Zero. I met Gary Marshall in a drug store once. He told me to call Fred & Brian. That's about it.

Hey David77, what was Hillary like? You said she was shy, but do you know anything else about her? :happyface :) :D

Originally posted by TheFonz
Hey David77, what was Hillary like? You said she was shy, but do you know anything else about her? :happyface :) :D

Yeah, Like what shes doing now.

David77, Just to let you know, these two won't let you go till you give them a COMPLETE description of Hillary, including her address, stats and more.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Originally posted by White_Daisy
David77, Just to let you know, these two won't let you go till you give them a COMPLETE description of Hillary, including her address, stats and more.

:lol: :lol: :lol:
You know it, man! :cool:

:lol:

Originally posted by White_Daisy
David77, Just to let you know, these two won't let you go till you give them a COMPLETE description of Hillary, including her address, stats and more.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Hey hey we're not stalkers :lol:


...Or Are We? :eek:

Originally posted by Chad Doody


Hey hey we're not stalkers :lol:


...Or Are We? :eek:

:lol: :D :cool:

Just a question....what'll you guys do if she's married?

Originally posted by White_Daisy
Just a question....what'll you guys do if she's married?

Than the HD Mafia will have to make an example of her husband....


:joke:

Originally posted by Chad Doody


Than the HD Mafia will have to make an example of her husband....

http://www.gamers-forums.com/smilies/contrib/blackeye/AR15firing.gif



:lol:

What if she's married....with kids?

Originally posted by White_Daisy
What if she's married....with kids?

http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0RgDdAtQUZdpozEr!h03j28SkVN!M9KBC87gBBs68JjwraPRTuQb1S1ja8!yQQb*9mw1EgTNC9hIeyN0cooXSDFFwC2nk11Dtex99jXdJvfo/9.gif?dc=4675407484080227197

Originally posted by White_Daisy
What if she's married....with kids?
I'm with Chad...
http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0RgDdAtQUZdpozEr!h03j28SkVN!M9KBC87gBBs68JjwraPRTuQb1S1ja8!yQQb*9mw1EgTNC9hIeyN0cooXSDFFwC2nk11Dtex99jXdJvfo/9.gif?dc=4675407484080227197

What if she's married with kids....and grandkids

Anyway, David77, I have a question for you. It's prb been asked, but who wrote the lyrics to "Pump Your Blood"?

Originally posted by White_Daisy
What if she's married with kids....and grandkids

Anyway, David77, I have a question for you. It's prb been asked, but who wrote the lyrics to "Pump Your Blood"?
What if they're all adopted?

Originally posted by White_Daisy
Anyway, David77, I have a question for you. It's prb been asked, but who wrote the lyrics to "Pump Your Blood"?

MC Hammer!

Originally posted by Chad Doody


Hey hey we're not stalkers :lol:


...Or Are We? :eek:

I think we are...:grineyes:

Originally posted by Chad Doody


MC Hammer!

:lol: :lol:
MC Hammer and Potsie don't mix well...
Oh dear (gets image of Potsie dancing).....
We never did see Potsie dance, did we? Great singer, but he never danced....he never even slow danced!!!

Originally posted by Chad Doody


MC Hammer!
:woohoo:!!!! What time is it?:confused:


















































HAMMER TIME!:dance:

Originally posted by ¤MsConanOBrien¤

:woohoo:!!!! What time is it?:confused:
HAMMER TIME!:dance:


Yaaaay :woohoo: :dance:

Now for the first time ever togteher!!!!!!

MC HAMMER AND POTSIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Potsie cnat touch this! LOL































:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

OMG! A real screenwriter! :faint: This is too cool! David77 I know I don't know you, but I love you! I can't believe you got to write for Happy Days. What a dream come true! If you need a groupie, let me know. Anything you want is yours: a million dollars, your own personal jet; complete world domination......just name it. ;) (Yeah, I can get a tad overly zealous. I want to be a screenwriter!:woohoo: )



So, was Happy Days the only show you wrote for or were there others? How did you get the opportunity to write for them?

Welcome back, David77!!

Okay, Geez, yeow, Okay, I have no idea what happened to Hillary.
I think she went on to do monster movies.
I liked her too. If I could go back in time I would walk right up to her and ask her to go with me to inspiration point. She was quiet, kind of shy. I remember that much. She never came up to the booth like Heather did. She was always on the stage.
I haven't seen those people since 1978.
Who wrote the lyrics to Pumps Your Blood? I am 99.9% sure it was Anson Williams. (Or he got credit for it) I am sure he had help.
I know his Dad was a doctor. I wrote the original lyrics but they never saw the light of day. Happy Birthday college girl. Corner both, dark restaurant, be there, whoa. Call me.

I wrote for Happy Days, a pilot called, A Rock & A Hard Place,
Double Trouble, Blossom and The Laroquette Show. I got work on Happy Days on my own. The other shows I worked for my brother, Don Reo, who created those shows.

Originally posted by David77
I wrote for Happy Days, a pilot called, A Rock & A Hard Place,
Double Trouble, Blossom and The Laroquette Show. I got work on Happy Days on my own. The other shows I worked for my brother, Don Reo, who created those shows.

Sounds Awesome. Must be cool to see something on TV knowing you wrote a part of it.

Originally posted by David77
Okay, Geez, yeow, Okay, I have no idea what happened to Hillary.
I think she went on to do monster movies.
I liked her too. If I could go back in time I would walk right up to her and ask her to go with me to inspiration point. She was quiet, kind of shy. I remember that much. She never came up to the booth like Heather did. She was always on the stage.
I haven't seen those people since 1978.

believe me I would have too! :grineyes:
:D
Thanks for the Info. She sounds like a nice girl, and incase you didn't know, she was also in an episode in the 8th season too, it was called "Welcome to my nightmare".:D :D

Originally posted by David77
I wrote for Happy Days, a pilot called, A Rock & A Hard Place,
Double Trouble, Blossom and The Laroquette Show. I got work on Happy Days on my own. The other shows I worked for my brother, Don Reo, who created those shows. thats soo cool that yo write for these shows :) thats like My DREAM How would a person like me get involved in something like that just curious :)

Hi David!!!:wave: welcome to the boards :D sorry this is so late. Are you on the happy days yahoogroup?

If you want to be a writer you have to write. Here is a good link with lots of other links.

www.wga.org

These days they have some mighty nice software all formatted in tv or movie formats. Not like the old days with a pad and a pencil.

It helps to be in Hollywood. I do not advise anyone to move to Hollywood though. It is not what it appears to be on tv. It is better to live in Ojai, CA. Take the metro rail in. Stop at the
Cafe Figuero on Melrose then head on into the pits. (That would take about three hours in reality.)
Where Paramount is, it is like a third world nation.
Gower & Melrose. Gross.

http://www.nbc4.tv/




I have not been on the yahoo board. I will have to check it out.
Where exactly is it?

thanks for the Info David :) I do Love to write and I"ve got a few stories, scripts things like that written already
and as for me I dont care that much for Hollywood either I prefer either Anahiem (hence the user name) or Huntington Beach myself thats where I'd like to live

Originally posted by AnahiemPMWitch
thats soo cool that yo write for these shows :) thats like My DREAM How would a person like me get involved in something like that just curious :)


OKAY. Here's the plan. I'm working on my professor. Eventually, he'll cave in and take me to LA with him. I'll bring you along and we'll all go to CA and become successful writers together. Don't worry, I've got it all planned out. :D


OH! I've got a back-up plan, too. On Feb. 5th, the director of the upcoming movie Gods and Generals is coming to my college to give a conference. I figure if I can devise a plan to brainwash him and make me the star of his next movie, we can all go out to CA. Then, we'll use our "connections" to get screenwriting jobs. (A guy in my screenwriting class actually has a speaking part in this movie. I was like, "OMG! You're my new best friend! :woohoo: ")

What was Lynda Goodfriend like??? I had a crush on her legs as a kid. I never saw her do anything else after the show was gone. Was she a fox in person?

Originally posted by DominosPizza
What was Lynda Goodfriend like??? I had a crush on her legs as a kid. I never saw her do anything else after the show was gone. Was she a fox in person?
Hey there! Welcome to SO, you'll have lots of fun here! :D :welcome:

Yups!

:welcome:

Linda Goodfriend seemed like a nice person. I never spoke with her. I just saw her on the set usually in front of the camera.
I know the writers got a kick out of the way she talked. Kind of drawn out words. I can remember sitting at writer's meetings and everyone was talking like Linda goodfriend. Hiiiii Richieee. In fact that was a funny moment! I still got it.

David77, here's a question. Why did Potsie, Ralph, and Richie not have 50's style hairstyles? They looked they were were in the 70's.


What was Erin Moran's relationship like to Ron, Henry, Anson, Don, and the rest of the cast?


And, was it just me, or did Happy Days cast A LOT of red heads. So many of the main characters had red hair...and then if you look closely, so many of the extras did too! Being a red head, I pay close attention to little details like this. I'm not used to seeing so many people with my hair color.

I didn't really spend a lot of time with the actors. Writers and actors are two separate camps. Think of cats and dogs. From my perspective everyone seemed to get along just fine. Erin seemed happy to me. I would see her riding around the lot on her bicycle all the time. You have to go back and read my posts. I don't want to repeat the same stories over and over. The hair? That's a good question. Most people had longer hair at that time. 70's. I think they just kind of worked around it. Red Hair? I think it has to do with being on camera. I know when I was on Blossom I was told never to wear white or black. To always wear colors. Maybe Bobby Hoffman in casting knew that and worked along those lines. I am sure they cast the show with a family resemblence in mind knowing Ron Howard was the main character. The networks may have wanted that clean cut all american look. There are lots of factors. All in all I would say for the color and casting. Happy Days was done with 3 camera/film. Imagine that? Film rolls, film editing, splicing, etc.

Originally posted by CollegeGirl



OKAY. Here's the plan. I'm working on my professor. Eventually, he'll cave in and take me to LA with him. I'll bring you along and we'll all go to CA and become successful writers together. Don't worry, I've got it all planned out. :D


OH! I've got a back-up plan, too. On Feb. 5th, the director of the upcoming movie Gods and Generals is coming to my college to give a conference. I figure if I can devise a plan to brainwash him and make me the star of his next movie, we can all go out to CA. Then, we'll use our "connections" to get screenwriting jobs. (A guy in my screenwriting class actually has a speaking part in this movie. I was like, "OMG! You're my new best friend! :woohoo: ") :lol: that sounds like a Plan to me we'll Hang out work for some movies and shows ( I mean write for) I'll find me Some HOT famous rich guy *coughs* Erik *coughs* and move to anahiem or HB and STILL WRITE and we'll all still hang out :lol: WHO said theres ANYTHING wrong with DREAMING

ahhh the director of Gods and Generals came to your school?!?!?!?! I cant wait to see that movie! LOL CG Ill be the set decorator for the films you direct!! :D

Originally posted by AnahiemPMWitch
:lol: that sounds like a Plan to me we'll Hang out work for some movies and shows ( I mean write for) I'll find me Some HOT famous rich guy *coughs* Erik *coughs* and move to anahiem or HB and STILL WRITE and we'll all still hang out :lol: WHO said theres ANYTHING wrong with DREAMING



:happyface Absolutely nothing wrong with dreaming. I live to dream. There's no way that I could survive without doing it. All great writers dream.





ahhh the director of Gods and Generals came to your school?!?!?!?! I cant wait to see that movie! LOL CG Ill be the set decorator for the films you direct!!

Yep, he'll be there on Feb. 5th. With my luck, I will be so starstruck that I'll be scared to talk to him. But, I'm going to go see him anyhow.

:woohoo: Yippee! Now, I've got myself a set director. Everything is falling into place so well.

"Absolutely nothing wrong with dreaming. I live to dream. There's no way that I could survive without doing it. All great writers dream. " ( I couldnt get the write part of your Post to quote so I just copy pasted it)
anyways YES I SO AGREE I tell everyone that because People tell me I dream to much



:rolleyes:

I love to dream! Ain't nothing wrong with that!

well as long as you do something about the dream then dreaming is just fine. Dreams cant happen over night.. unfortunatly!! It would be a heck of alot easier if they did! LOL

My dream is kinda big. I want to become an actress. But i'm really working for it. I'm taking acting classes and in my school theater company. I want to make it big someday.

Originally posted by AnahiemPMWitch
"Absolutely nothing wrong with dreaming. I live to dream. There's no way that I could survive without doing it. All great writers dream. " ( I couldnt get the write part of your Post to quote so I just copy pasted it)
anyways YES I SO AGREE I tell everyone that because People tell me I dream to much



:rolleyes:


Ugghh....sometimes people can be so shallow. Everyone-- including my own parents-- have always told me that I have too big of dreams and too big on an imagination. But, I don't agree at all. If we didn't have dreams, what would we live for? We'd have no goals, ambitions, drives to propel us through life. I grew up as an only child, and my parents were always working, so I quickly learned the fascinating art of imagining. At an early age, I started acting-- only, at the time, I never realized I was acting. Most vividly I remember pretending to be a witch (I was an odd child, I guess). I remember collecting berries, leaves, nuts, various types of soil and mixing them in water in hopes to form some sort of apothecary. I would also take seeds and throw them onto bushes while making up some chant that obviously made no sense whatsoever. I would imagine that I turned the bush into a white horse, and then ride off into the sunset. Maybe I watched too much television, or saw too many movies.


Imaginations are healthy and productive. Don't let anyone try to take your imagination away from you. You just need an outlet to use it.

Originally posted by YoliUSA
My dream is kinda big. I want to become an actress. But i'm really working for it. I'm taking acting classes and in my school theater company. I want to make it big someday.


That is an awesome dream. I also enjoy acting (though, have no plans to pursue it professionally). I just bought a book on auditions and how to audition effectively. I found it tremendously helpful and insightful. One thing it recommends is to audition every chance you get, even if you don't think you fit the part. The experience in itself will help you immensely. The more you read, the more your skill will improve. Keep taking those classes. And above all else, believe in your ability to excell. Even when you receive rejection after rejection, remember your dream and have confidence that you will acheive it. Acting is a fical business-- you may be extremely talented, but it may take you forever to land the role that catapaults your career off to stardom. On the other hand, even if you decide later that you don't want to be an actress, you can still use all your training to your advantage in whatever field you decide to enter.

Originally posted by *ShortCake*
well as long as you do something about the dream then dreaming is just fine. Dreams cant happen over night.. unfortunatly!! It would be a heck of alot easier if they did! LOL



Oh, I completely agree! :D

Originally posted by CollegeGirl



Ugghh....sometimes people can be so shallow. Everyone-- including my own parents-- have always told me that I have too big of dreams and too big on an imagination. But, I don't agree at all. If we didn't have dreams, what would we live for? We'd have no goals, ambitions, drives to propel us through life. I grew up as an only child, and my parents were always working, so I quickly learned the fascinating art of imagining. At an early age, I started acting-- only, at the time, I never realized I was acting. Most vividly I remember pretending to be a witch (I was an odd child, I guess). I remember collecting berries, leaves, nuts, various types of soil and mixing them in water in hopes to form some sort of apothecary. I would also take seeds and throw them onto bushes while making up some chant that obviously made no sense whatsoever. I would imagine that I turned the bush into a white horse, and then ride off into the sunset. Maybe I watched too much television, or saw too many movies.


Imaginations are healthy and productive. Don't let anyone try to take your imagination away from you. You just need an outlet to use it. oh I know I always had quite the imagination for me it wasnt the fact that I was the Only but it was the fact that I was the youngest and my older siblings are QUITE a bit older then me so by the time I came around it was like being the Only because they were in college and out of the house (with the exception of my sister Corinna but she was so busy with her friends she had no time for me) so I use to make up imaginary friends,or Pretend i'm some kind of princess or something like that Personally now though I think I belong in California I soo completely hate Oregon its not even funny if I had the money to I'd move there in a heart beat and Just start writing
:lol: On Your Pretending to be a Witch thing THATS FUNNY I do that now sort of I frighten My enemies (like my Exes new girlfriends or My enemies in Real life) by making them THINK I AM one I'm NOT but they dont have to know that right :D
by the way I LOVE your new Avatar Pretty Woman is one of my all time fave movies

Originally posted by AnahiemPMWitch
Personally now though I think I belong in California I soo completely hate Oregon its not even funny if I had the money to I'd move there in a heart beat and Just start writing
:lol:



by the way I LOVE your new Avatar Pretty Woman is one of my all time fave movies


Thanks! I LOVE Pretty Woman too! Julia Roberts is so pretty. And Richard Gere is just one hot tomale! :grineyes:

Hmmmmm.....about the writing thing. That's a question that's been lurking in my mind. I keep wondering how to break into the business. By what I hear, 'tis better to just write and gather a portfolio together, then try to sell your work (make sure it's copyrighted first, though, before you show it to anyone). My screenwriting professor advises us to write everyday, no matter what we write. Just writing, learning how to format, getting the basics down enhances your skill. What you want to do is create your own personal writing voice. Something that people will read and be able to idetify you as the author.


You want to write? Then choose a show(s), start analyzing your characters, and begin writing scripts. You have to know your characters inside and out. You have to know their fears/concerns/dreams. And above all else, you must make the actors look good (actors have egos that need feeding into). I think it's difficult to write for television merely on the premise that you have to take someone else's character and learn him/her. When writing a screenplay for a movie, you can create your own character, and since he/she is yours, you know him/her well.




But, ack.....I am a nobody. Who am I to give advice? Perhaps David77 can give advice on this, since he's actually made it through the process.

Originally posted by CollegeGirl



Thanks! I LOVE Pretty Woman too! Julia Roberts is so pretty. And Richard Gere is just one hot tomale! :grineyes:

Hmmmmm.....about the writing thing. That's a question that's been lurking in my mind. I keep wondering how to break into the business. By what I hear, 'tis better to just write and gather a portfolio together, then try to sell your work (make sure it's copyrighted first, though, before you show it to anyone). My screenwriting professor advises us to write everyday, no matter what we write. Just writing, learning how to format, getting the basics down enhances your skill. What you want to do is create your own personal writing voice. Something that people will read and be able to idetify you as the author.


You want to write? Then choose a show(s), start analyzing your characters, and begin writing scripts. You have to know your characters inside and out. You have to know their fears/concerns/dreams. And above all else, you must make the actors look good (actors have egos that need feeding into). I think it's difficult to write for television merely on the premise that you have to take someone else's character and learn him/her. When writing a screenplay for a movie, you can create your own character, and since he/she is yours, you know him/her well.




But, ack.....I am a nobody. Who am I to give advice? Perhaps David77 can give advice on this, since he's actually made it through the process. thats actually all good advice :) and what I pretty much do already I've got folders and folders and folders of my scripts I pretty much chose the shows I was into at the time I've got scripts I've written (For the heck of it) for FRIENDS,Spin City and the most recent being Becker and I've got just plain stories as well :)
yeah I know Julia is one of my fave actresses and Richard YUMMMMMMMMMY thats all I have to say

Dreams don't come true without dreamers!

You have to really want it. Just leaving home and moving to Los Angeles alone is not an easy task on many levels. Especially when you have family far away. It is not like going to college where you are gone for four years. It is the rest of your life. As time goes by there are many life and family considerations. People get sick, people die, your friends get married and have families, etc and you are not there for any of it. You are in your own new life in California. It is a huge adjustment. Not only are you in a new crazy lifestyle, you also have to survive in the mean time until you find work in show business. Meaning a regular day job. Unless you are wealthy. Finding work in show biz doesn't mean it will become steady work either. Even the best shows don't last. I didn't work in show business for two years after Happy Days. You have to survive inbetween too. You have to get your work to producers through agents usually. That is how I did it. That is called the proper channels. All in all what I am saying is if you really want it you can have it. You just have to be willing to leave behind everything. You have to have the drive and you have to have a product and you have to be willing to keep cranking out more product (for free) until someone hires you. Once you sell something it is not easy to keep writing on spec either when you are unemployed again. You think you should be paid, you are in the union and no one will hire you. Back then if you wrote for Happy Days you were looked down upon. Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, those shows were not considered quality writing. So I had to go back to writing specs like MASH or Mary Tyler Moore and send those out along with a Happy Days. You have to be on the phone every day and basically cram it down their throats. Hollywood is not a pretty place. There is outrageous crime, horrible yellow smog in 110 degree heat, traffic, decadence on every corner. It is not what you see on tv. Sure there are glamorous homes and glamorous events but the day to day working grind of Hollywood (Fountain Street & Gower)is not glamorous at all. It does however have the Tv and movie industry and if you really have the talent and you really have drive, chances are you will find work because the work is there. It is not a dream. It is a reality. You just have to want that reality and you have to be willing to give up everything and be there. If you get lucky and work steady or create your own tv show you can make enough money to live somewhere else anyway even if it is a couple of hours away. Anything is possible. Be careful what you want because you just may get it. Keep dreaming, keep writing, Write on spec, follow your heart, Register your work with the WGA west. Send scripts to agents listed on the WGA website. Most of all don't move blindly to Hollywood. Be prepared. Visit a few times. Everything takes time. I moved there and I did it in one year. Without my brother's help. I was lucky. I was collecting unemployment, I had time, rents were low back then, I sat home and wrote all day, every day. I wrote every tv show that was on the air. I had twenty spec scripts written before I had an agent. I was like a machine.
I was also lucky or blessed to find the right agent at the right time. (April 1978-Pre-78 season)and I got hired by Happy Days in June from a speculation Fish episode that I had written. You just never know. The main thing was I was there and I had the time to network and take meetings. By the time I saw my name on TV with Happy Days. May 1979. I was unemployed again. I had the Happy Days script money and my unemployment checks to get me to my next gig. I was a hero in my home town and a zero in Hollywood. Ah yep yep yep. Nice weather though.

HERE IS SOME WGA INFORMATION FOR ALL YOU WRITERS OUT THERE. GOOD LUCK.


Above The Line Agency
9200 Sunset Blvd #804
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 859-6115 [References Required]

Acme Talent & Literary Agency
4727 Wilshire Blvd #333
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(323) 954-2263 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

Agency For The Performing Arts (LA)
9200 West Sunset Blvd #900
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(310) 888-4200 [References Required]

Agency, The
1800 Avenue of the Stars #400
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310) 551-3000 [References Required]

Alice Fries Agency, Ltd.
1927 Vista Del Mar Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90068
(323) 464-1404 [References Required
Letter of Inquiry Required]
Alpern Group, The

15645 Royal Oak Road
Encino, CA 91436
(818) 528-1111 [References Required]

Bohrman Agency, The
8899 Beverly Blvd #811
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 550-5444 [References Required]

Brant Rose Agency
6671 Sunset Blvd
Suite 1584 B
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 460-6464 [No Unsolicited Material]

Broder Webb Chervin Silbermann Agency
9242 Beverly Blvd #200
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 281-3400 [References Required]

Camille Sorice Talent Agency
13412 Moorpark St #C
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
(818) 995-1775 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

Candace Lake Agency, Inc., The
9200 Sunset Blvd #820
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(310) 247-2115 [References Required]

Career Artists International
11030 Ventura Blvd #3
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 980-1315 [No Unsolicited Material]

Cary Kozlov Literary Rep
11911 San Vicente Blvd #348
Los Angeles, CA 90049
(310) 843-2211 [No Unsolicited Material]

Catalyst Literary & Talent Agency
(818) 597-8335 [No Unsolicited Material]

Cavaleri & Associates
178 S Victory Blvd #205
Burbank, CA 91502
(818) 955-9300 [References Required]

CEO Creative Entertainment Office
1801 S Catalina Ave #103
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 791-4494 [References Required]

Charlotte Gusay Literary Agency
10532 Blythe Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 559-0831 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

Chasin Agency, Inc., The
8899 Beverly Blvd #716
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 278-7505 [References Required]

Cindy Romano Modeling & Talent Agency
414 Village Square West
Palm Springs, CA 92262
(760) 323-3333 [No Unsolicited Material]

Contemporary Artists, Ltd.
610 Santa Monica Blvd #202
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 395-1800 [No Unsolicited Material]

Coppage Company Inc., The
5411 Camellia Avenue
North Hollywood, CA 91604
(818) 980-8806 [References Required]

Coralie Jr. Theatrical Agency
4789 Vineland Ave #100
North Hollywood, CA 91602
(818) 766-9501 [References Required]

Dale Garrick International
8831 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(310) 657-2661 [References Required]

David Shapira & Assoc., Inc.
15821 Ventura Blvd. #235
Encino, CA 91436
(818) 906-0322 [No Unsolicited Material]

Diverse Talent Group, Inc.
1875 Century Park East #2250
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310) 201-6565 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

Don Buchwald & Associates (LA)
6500 Wilshire Blvd #2200
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 655-7400 [References Required
Letter of Inquiry Required]

Douroux & Co.
1009 8th Street
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 379-3435 [References Required
Letter of Inquiry Required]

Dytman & Associates
9200 Sunset Blvd #809
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(310) 274-8844 [References Required]

Ellechante Talent Agency
231 W 75th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90003
(323) 750-9490 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

Endeavor Agency, The
9701 Wilshire Blvd
10th Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 248-2000 [References Required
Letter of Inquiry Required]

Epstein-Wyckoff-Corsa-Ross
280 South Beverly Dr #400
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 278-7222 [No Unsolicited Material]

ES Agency, The
6612 Pacheco Way
Citrus Heights, CA 95610
(916) 723-2794 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

Field-Cech-Murphy Agency, The
12725 Ventura Blvd #D
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 980-2001 [References Required]

Film Theatre Actors Exchange
390 28th Ave #3
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 379-9308 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

Fred R. Price Literary Agency
14044 Ventura Blvd #201
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
(818) 763-6365 [No Unsolicited Material]

Gage Group, Inc., The
14724 Ventura Blvd #505
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
(818) 905-3800 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

Geddes Agency
8430 Santa Monica Blvd #200
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 848-2700 [No Unsolicited Material]

Genesis (fka Major Clients)
8530 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 300
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310) 967-0200 [References Required]

Gerald K. Smith & Associates
(323) 849-5388 [No Unsolicited Material]

Hart Literary Management
5686 Antelope Trail
Orcutt, CA 93455-6066
(805) 937-3342 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

Hohman, Maybank, Lieb
9229 Sunset Blvd #700
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(310) 274-4600 [References Required]

HWA Talent Representatives, Inc.
3500 W Olive Ave #1400
Burbank, CA 91505-4630
(818) 972-4310 [References Required]

Identity Talent Agency, Inc.
2050 S Bundy Drive #200
West Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 943-8130 [New Writers OK]

Innovative Artists
1505 Tenth Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 656-0400 [References Required]

Irv Schechter Company, The
9460 Wilshire Blvd #300
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 278-8070 [References Required]

Jack Lenny Associates
9454 Wilshire Blvd #600
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 271-2174 [No Unsolicited Material]

Jack Scagnetti
5118 Vineland Ave #102
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 762-3871 [References Required]

Jana Luker Talent Agency
1923 1/2 Westwood Blvd #3
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 441-2822 [No Unsolicited Material]

Jerome S. Siegel Associates
1680 North Vine St #617
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 466-0185 [No Unsolicited Material]

Jon Klane Agency
120 El Camino Dr #112
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 278-0178 [References Required
Letter of Inquiry Required]

Kaplan-Stahler-Gumer Agency
8383 Wilshire Blvd #923
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(323) 653-4483 [References Required]

Larchmont Literary Agency
444 N Larchmont Blvd #200
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 856-3070 [References Required
Letter of Inquiry Required]

Larry Grossman & Associates
211 South Beverly Dr #206
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 550-8127 [No Unsolicited Material]

Laya Gelff Agency
16133 Ventura Blvd #700
Encino, CA 91436
(818) 996-3100 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

Leading Artists
800 S Robertson Blvd #5
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(310) 855-0565 [References Required]

Lenhoff & Lenhoff
830 Palm Avenue
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 855-2411 [No Unsolicited Material]

Leslie Rose Agency
222 West 64th Place
Inglewood, CA 90302
(310) 671-0000 [No Unsolicited Material]

Lichtman/Salners Company
12216 Moorpark St
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 655-9898 [No Unsolicited Material]

Lynn Pleshette Literary Agency
2700 North Beachwood Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90068
(323) 465-0428 [References Required]

Lynne & Reilly Agency
10725 Vanowen St
North Hollywood, CA 91605-6402
(323) 850-1984 [No Unsolicited Material]

Maggie Roiphe Agency
1721 South Garth Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(310) 876-1561 [References Required]

Marion A. Wright Agency
4317 Bluebell Ave
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 766-7307 [References Required]

Maris Agency
17620 Sherman Way #213
Van Nuys, CA 91406
(818) 708-2493 [No Unsolicited Material]

Markwood Company, The
1813 Victory Blvd
Glendale, CA 91201
(818) 401-3644 [References Required]

Media Artists Group/Capital Artists
6404 Wilshire Blvd #950
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 658-7434 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

Metropolitan Talent Agency
4526 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(323) 857-4500 [References Required]

Michael D. Robins & Associates
23241 Ventura Blvd #300
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
(818) 343-1755 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

Michelle Gordon & Associates
260 South Beverly Dr #308
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 246-9930 [References Required
Letter of Inquiry Required]

Mitchell K. Stubbs & Associates
8675 West Washington Blvd. #203
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 838-1200 [No Unsolicited Material]

Natural Talent, Inc.
3331 Ocean Park Blvd #203
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 450-4945 [References Required]

Omnipop, Inc. (LA)
10700 Ventura Blvd
2nd Floor
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 980-9267 [No Unsolicited Material]

Orange Grove Group, Inc., The
12178 Ventura Blvd #205
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 762-7498 [References Required]

Original Artists
9465 Wilshire Blvd #840
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 277-1251 [No Unsolicited Material]

Panda Talent Agency
3721 Hoen Ave
Santa Rosa, CA 95405
(707) 576-0711 [No Unsolicited Material]

Paul Gerard Talent Agency
11712 Moorpark St #112
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 769-7015 [References Required]

Paul Kohner, Inc.
9300 Wilshire Blvd #555
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 550-1060 [References Required]

Preferred Artists
16633 Ventura Blvd #1421
Encino, CA 91436
(818) 990-0305 [References Required]

Privilege Talent Agency
14542 Ventura Blvd #209
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
(818) 386-2377 [References Required]

Qualita Dell' Arte
5353 Topanga Cyn Rd #220
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
(818) 598-8073 [New Writers OK]

Quillco Agency
3104 West Cumberland Ct
Westlake Village, CA 91362
(805) 495-8436 [References Required]

Richard Herman Talent Agency
124 Lasky Dr, 2nd Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 550-8913 [New Writers OK]

Sanford-Gross & Associates
1015 Gayley Ave #301
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 208-2100 [References Required]

Sarnoff Company, Inc., The
3500 West Olive Ave #300
Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 973-4555 [References Required]

Shafer & Associates
9000 Sunset Blvd #808
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(310) 888-1240 [References Required]

Shapiro-Lichtman, Inc.
8827 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 859-8877 [References Required]

Shirley Wilson & Associates
5410 Wilshire Blvd #227
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 857-6977 [References Required]

Stars, The Agency
23 Grant Ave, 4th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 421-6272 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

Starwil Productions
433 N Camden Dr, 4th Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(818) 761-3213 [No Unsolicited Material]

Stein Agency, The
5125 Oakdale Ave
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
(818) 594-8990 [References Required]

Stuart M. Miller Co, The
11684 Ventura Blvd #225
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 506-6067 [References Required]

Summit Talent & Literary Agency
9454 Wilshire Blvd #203
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 205-9730 [References Required
Letter of Inquiry Required]

Susan Johnson Agency
13321 Ventura Blvd, Suite C-1
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
(818) 986-2205 [References Required]

Susan Smith Company, The
121 N San Vicente Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(323) 852-4777 [No Unsolicited Material]

Triumph Literary Agency
3000 W Olympic Blvd #1362
Santa Monica, CA 90404
(310) 264-3959 [No Unsolicited Material]

Turtle Agency, The
7720 B El Camino Real #125
Carlsbad, CA 92009
(760) 632-5857 [References Required]

United Artists Talent Agency
14011 Ventura Blvd #213
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
(818) 788-7305 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

United Talent Agency, Inc.
9560 Wilshire Blvd
5th Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 273-6700 [References Required]

Vision Art Management
9200 Sunset Blvd
Penthouse 1
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(310) 888-3288 [References Required]

Whatever...Talent Agency
20917 Gorgonia Street
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
(818) 884-2209 [References Required]

Working Artists Talent Agency
13525 Ventura Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
(818) 907-1122 [Letter of Inquiry Required]

Writers & Artists Agency (LA)
8383 Wilshire Blvd #550
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(323) 866-0900 [No Unsolicited Material]

I HOPE THIS HELPS! THIS IS OFF WWW.WGA.ORG



Writers Guild Material can be submitted by mail or in person at our Los Angeles office.

Click here for information on procedure for deposit by mail or in person.

Purpose and Coverage

The WGA Registration Service has been set up to assist writers in establishing the completion dates of material written for the fields of radio, film, television, video cassettes/discs, and interactive media.

Registration provides a dated record of the writer's claim to authorship of a particular literary material. If necessary a WGA employee may produce the material as evidence if legal or official Guild action is initiated.

The Intellectual Property Registry does not make comparisons of registration deposits, bestow any statutory protections, or give legal advice. Submitted material is not read by the Intellectual Property Registry or WGAw staff.

Please be aware registration with the Guild does not protect titles.

Registerable Material

Registerable material includes scripts, treatments, synopses, outlines, written ideas specifically intended for radio, television and film, video cassettes/discs, and interactive media.

The WGA Registration Office also accepts stageplays, novels and other books, short stories, poems, commercials, lyrics, and drawings.

Procedure for Deposit by Mail or In Person

The Registration Office must receive:

1) One (1) unbound loose-leaf copy of material on standard, 8 1/2" x 11" paper.
2) Cover sheet with title of material and all writers' full legal names.
3) Social security number (or foreign equivalent), return address, and phone numbers of authors.
4) Registration fee(s): WGAw and WGAE members in good standing - $10, non-members - $20.

Click for a convenient title page to use when registering by mail or in person.

When the material is received, it is sealed in an envelope and the date and time are recorded. A numbered certificate is returned which serves as the official documentation of registration. Because the certificate is your proof of registration, it should be kept in a safe place.

Notice of registration may consist of the following wording on the title page:

"REGISTERED WGAw No.____."

Duration and Expiration

Registration is valid for a term of five (5) years. Upon expiration registration may be renewed for an additional five-year period at the current registration rate. Renewals will be accepted up to three (3) months prior to the expiration of the original registration. A grace period will be extended allowing renewals as late as three (3) months following the expiration of the original registration.

At the time of registration, or renewal, you authorize the WGA to destroy the material without further notice to you on the expiration of the first term of registration or any renewal period.

Access to Registration Information

Only the writers listed on the registration receipt may request confirmation of registration, the registration number, date of deposit, or any other information.

The WGA will honor such written requests from writers regarding the registration of their own work(s) only if accompanied by photo identification. All verification or confirmation requests from a writer should contain as much specific information as possible, such as registration number, title of material, effective date, and social security number of writer, and may be submitted by facsimile, mail, or in person. The fax number for the Intellectual Property Registry is (323) 782-4803.

Access to Copies of Deposited Material

Because the deposited material cannot be returned to the writer without defeating the purpose of registration, registered material may not be withdrawn. It is therefore important to always retain a separate copy of the material being registered.

If a writer finds it necessary to obtain a copy of deposited material, duplicates may be purchased for the price of registration upon written request by one or more of the listed authors, identified by photo identification. In the event an author is deceased, proof of death and consent of the representative of the heirs and/or estate must be presented in order to obtain a copy of the material.

Requests for duplication of deposited material must be submitted by 5 p.m. Thursday of any week. Duplicates will be available Wednesday of the following week.

In no event, except under these provisions, shall any deposited material, copies of deposited material, or information regarding deposited material be provided unless an official guild action, court order, or other legal process has been served.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does registration take the place of copyright?

No. Any questions regarding copyright should be directed to the U.S. Copyright Office in Washington, D.C. at 1-800-688-9889 or to an attorney specializing in that area of law. Copyright application forms are available to walk-in customers only. Or click for more information www.loc.gov.

Does registration with the Writers Guild protect titles?

No. For more information, go to www.uspto.gov.

Does registration help a writer become a member?

No. Questions concerning the rules for admission to membership in the guild should be referred to the WGA's Membership department at (323) 782-4532. Or click for more information: www.wga.org/manuals/admission.html.

Does registration help in determining writing credits?

Generally, no. If there is a dispute as to authorship or sequencing of material by date, then registration may be relevant. Questions concerning the WGA credit determination procedures should be directed to the Credits department at (323) 782-4528. Or click here for more information www.wga.org/credits/index.html.

For questions and answers about online registration, visit our FAQ page or contact the Intellectual Property Registry at (323) 782-4500.

REGISTRATION HOURS
9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday

For your added convenience, a 24-hour drop box is available,
located after hours in the main lobby of the Writers Guild.

TELEPHONE NUMBERS
(323) 782-4500 Information
(323) 782-4803 Fax

ADDRESS
WGAw, Intellectual Property Registry
7000 West Third St.
Los Angeles, CA 90048

I hope to all of you who want to follow your dreams into showbiz, I wish you all the best. David77's description is reality and if you really want it don't let anybody tell you different. Success comes in cans, not can'ts!

David:
thanks for all your info it really helps us alot I"m DETERMINED to do this for me moving wont be that hard because I live in Oregon its not that far away from California I However would rather live in either Anahiem or Huntingtonbeach rather then Hollywood
anyways I have a few things written already and those sites you've given have helped alot I may send one to them
thanks
Melissa

[QUOTE]That is an awesome dream. I also enjoy acting (though, have no plans to pursue it professionally). I just bought a book on auditions and how to audition effectively. I found it tremendously helpful and insightful. One thing it recommends is to audition every chance you get, even if you don't think you fit the part. The experience in itself will help you immensely. The more you read, the more your skill will improve. Keep taking those classes. And above all else, believe in your ability to excell. Even when you receive rejection after rejection, remember your dream and have confidence that you will acheive it. Acting is a fical business-- you may be extremely talented, but it may take you forever to land the role that catapaults your career off to stardom. On the other hand, even if you decide later that you don't want to be an actress, you can still use all your training to your advantage in whatever field you decide to enter.[QUOTE]

Thanks for your advice. My parents aren't very happy with my career choice, but that's my dream and I'll do anything to make it come true. I'm also planning to take a drama course in college, and maybe even going to college in California. I hope that you also make your dream of becoming a writer come true.

I've heard that show business is a very rough business, & even if one does make it its not all peaches & cream. Good luck! Like Fonzie said "If I had a dream I would let nothing stop me." He said that to Ritchie in Welcome Home.

David77, thanks for all the valuable information!:D

Hopefully, one day this dream will be a reality. I'm still hoping to get accepted into New York University's screenwriting program, then maybe I'll have the confidence it'll take to start a career in writing. The dream is growing. :woohoo:

That sounds like a good plan. New York. If you can make it there you can make it anywhere. Ha ha.

Hi David I have a few questions? Are you on the Happy Days yahoo group? and secondly was there a writer on the show nicknamed Bosco or anything? Cause I talked to him a few times and then he wanted off the list and to disappear so I was just wondering if

Stupid thing cut me off again! I was going to say if you knew of a guy named Bosco. He said he had worked for Garry Marshall as well. He was also on the yahoogroup but I was not sure if he really was a writer or not!

Yes, Boscoe McGowan? No never met him. I think he was there later.
Where is the link to Happy Days Yahoo?

Originally posted by David77
Yes, Boscoe McGowan? No never met him. I think he was there later.
Where is the link to Happy Days Yahoo?


oh ok cool!! Cause we were all like "hmmm" LOL.. and the yahoo group is on this site I think! I will PM it to you later on!