Schlemiel! Schlimazel! 'Laverne & Shirley' Turns 50

[TMC]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcber...rley-turns-50/

Fifty years ago, TV viewers were introduced to Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams in the iconic sitcom "Laverne & Shirley."

Tuesday, January 27, 1976 - 'Laverne & Shirley' premiered on ABC at 8:30 pm, following the hit comedy 'Happy Days' in which the new comedy was spun-off. Penny Marshall played 'Laverne DeFazio' and Cindy Williams played 'Shirley Feeney', best friends from high school who became room-mates in Milwaukee. The show was an immediate hit placing #3 in the ratings for the season, and topped the Nielsen ratings for their third and fourth seasons. In September, 1979 for the fifth season, ABC decided to move the program to Thursday nights at 8 pm (opposite CBS' 'The Waltons' and NBC's 'Buck Rogers') and the show took a hit in the ratings. In December, 1979, ABC moved the show to Monday nights at 8 pm, and the ratings continued to fall.

In February, 1980 ABC moved the show back to Tuesdays at 8:30 pm, and ratings improved a bit - but the show was never as popular as it once was. The ratings dive was blamed on the fact that the writers moved 'Laverne and Shirley' from Milwaukee to Burbank, CA where the girls worked in the gift-wrapping department at a department store. By the eighth season, Cindy Williams (pregnant with her first child) filmed two shows in August, 1982 and then left the series. Williams left the show and filed a $20 million lawsuit against Paramount after they demanded Williams work on her scheduled due date. The case was later settled out of court and Williams was released from her contract. Penny Marshall was left to carry the show on her own in what would be their final season. The show aired its final episode on May 10, 1983.

[Chocolate Moose]

Ah .... good times!!!!!

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by Chocolate Moose

Ah .... good times!!!!!

No, that's a different show.

I'll show myself out.

[Chocolate Moose]

I KNEW SOMEONE WOULD SAY THAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!