Interesting Happy Days Facts

[CliffClavin]

FOOK YU!

[robyrob]

Originally posted by CliffClavin
The only person to ever refer to Fonzie by his proper name was Mrs. Cunningham.

she may have been the only one to routinely call the Fonz "Arthur", but certainly not the ONLY one

Bill Haley and The Comets' classic "Rock Around The Clock" served as the theme song for the first season of the show. For the first series episode, the original 1955 recording was used, but for the remaining shows' opening credits of season one Haley and the Comets recorded a special version of their famous song.

when did they do this?

Fonzie always referred to Joanie Cunningham as "Shortcakes".

not trying to be picky but wasn't it "Shortcake" ?

Anson Williams' voice was the one heard when songs like "Hound Dog" were playing on the juke box.

Anson Williams did sing for all the songs they did with the band, but the original artists were used when music was played on the jukebox, which has been used as a partial explanation for the length of time taken to get HD out on DVD, to clear music rights

Originally Fonzie had a younger cousin named Spike that would show up occasionally during the first few seasons. He was written out after the third season.

Spike only appeared in one episode inthe second season: Episode#24 - Not With My Sister, You Don't, and two episodes in the third: #57- Football Frolics, and #61- Bringing Up Spike

Its ratings were so low at the end of its first season that it came close to being cancelled. Then Henry Winkler's "Fonzie" character started to catch on with viewers, the ratings took a turn for the better, and "Happy Days" wound up running ten years.

it was on for eleven seasons, i think that probably meant that it wound up running for "ten more years"

The name of the garage that Fonzie worked in was Bronko's.

There were at least 3 different names of the garage. First it was Herb's Auto Repair, then Bronko's Auto Repairing, and finally Fonzie's Auto Repairing when The Fonz became the operator of the garage.

Most of these facts can be found in various places on Happydays Online: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/happydays.html

[wayne]

Actually Al's "twin" Anthony called Fonzie Arthur. Al Molinaro played both parts.

Erin Moran wasn't the original "Joannie." She was played by someone else, but I can't remember her name. It was a blonde girl. Erin's name wasn't in the credits of the first episode "All the way." It may have been because she either didn't have a speaking role, or her contract wasn't signed yet.

Spike was played by "Danny Butch" but that was just a made up name. Maybe someone could look it up, its in the cast list. I think its Aldopho.

Ritchie never really played the sax, the notes were dubbed in by studio musicians. I wonder if that was true of Ralph too. Ron was an expert guitarist & played "Johhny b. Goode" in "Rules to Date By."

The girlfriend posters you see in Fonzie's apartment are actually the producer's wives.

Scot & Kathi Marshall who appeared in sever episodes are the children of Garry Marshall. Penny Marshall (Laverne) is his sister.

[anglemark10]

Some more corrections:

"Rock Around The Clock" was used for the first two seasons, not just the first.

I thought there was only one episode in the second season that was filmed before an audience, "Fonzie's Getting Married."

Joanie's middle name was Louise, not Marie (it was said by Father Delvecchio during the wedding ceremony).

It's "Lynda Goodfriend," not "Linda."

Linda Purl played Gloria during the second season, not the first.

All of Robin Williams's dialogue was improvised.

I doubt all of it was improvised - maybe some, or even most, but not all.

Erin Moran's name was in the credits for "All the Way."

[Cactus Jack]

Interesting facts! Thanks!

[CliffClavin]

If you're not satisfied with my facts go away , man.

[FonzFan]

posted by CliffClavin
Among the differences between the "Love and the Happy Day" episode on "Love American Style" and its premiere a two years later is that the role of Howard Cunningham originally was played by William Schallert instead of Tom Bosley and that there was no Fonzie on that episode.

actually, Harold Gould played Howard Cunningham on the pilot episode of Happy Days, not William Schallert, and Susan Neher played Joanie.

posted by CliffClavin
ABC at first feared Fonzie would be perceived as a hoodlum or criminal, and prohibited his wearing a leather jacket. In the first few episodes Henry Winkler wears an incredibly non-threatening gray windbreaker. Fortunately the network saw the light and a 70s icon was born.

the reason they prohibited the character wearing a leather jacket, was because ABC throught that a gang related character being on after 8 pm was not what parents wanted their children to see. AND Fonzie's windbreaker was light blue not gray.

plus Garry Marshall actually tricked ABC into the leather jacket. ABC allowed Fonzie only to wear his leather jacket around the cycle because Garry told them that it was a safety hazard to wear the windbreaker while riding the motorcycle. so then Garry had the motorcycle put in every shot with the Fonzie and by the time ABC realized what he was doing, the character had become so big that they couldn't change it.

posted by CliffClavin
Joanie Cunningham's middle name was Marie.

Joanie's middle name was Louise

posted by CliffClavin
Fonzie always referred to Joanie Cunningham as "Shortcakes.

It was Shortcake, not Shortcakes

posted by CliffClavin
During his first appearance, Mork is looking at television and the show he is looking at is "Andy Griffith Show, The" (1960), which featured Ron Howard. He even makes a comment to that he really liked the show especially Opie, who was played by Howard..

When was this???

[CliffClavin]

I said if you're not satisfied by my facts go away!!!!

[Stormtracker TF]

Originally posted by CliffClavin
I said if you're not satisfied by my facts go away!!!!

They're just correcting some of the facts... Dont flip out. They arent really "Facts" if they arent in fact, a fact.

[TheGreatPretender]

Originally posted by wayne


Erin Moran wasn't the original "Joannie." She was played by someone else, but I can't remember her name. It was a blonde girl. Erin's name wasn't in the credits of the first episode "All the way." It may have been because she either didn't have a speaking role, or her contract wasn't signed yet.

.

really i didn't know that some one else played Joanie. lol sry im not a big Happy Days expert like you guys are.

[robyrob]

Originally posted by skyhigh25789
lol sry im not a big Happy Days expert like you guys are.

i dont claim to be a Happy Days expert at ALL - but i come here because i KNOW that if there is a question about Happy Days that i dont know, someone here WILL - and be able to back it up.

this place is the definitive source for Happy Days info.

[TheGreatPretender]

Originally posted by robyrob


this place is the definitive source for Happy Days info.

yeah i found SO by looking for Happy Days sites.

[Cactus Jack]

Originally posted by skyhigh25789
yeah i found SO by looking for Happy Days sites.

Me too!

[Mr. Television]

Interesting facts.

[CliffClavin]

I got all these facts from IMDB.com