I love “Happy Days.” It is an incredibly uneven sitcom that I enjoy because of, and in spite of, the wildly varying tone from episode to episode.
The foundation of the series was the Cunningham family–occasionally frisky parents Howard and Marion, son RIchie, daughter Joanie and sometimes-son Chuck. Richie’s friend Potsie was there from the start (he was the first character to call Richie’s parents “Mr. and Mrs. C”) to be joined soon thereafter by wisenheimer Ralph “I Still Got It” Malph and, of course, The Fonz. Other characters would join the gang as the years went by.
“Happy Days” can be neatly divided into two distinctly different series. Seasons one and two were filmed single-camera, like many classic sitcoms including Ron Howard’s first comedy series, “The Andy Griffith Show.” Starting in season three (after a one-episode tryout in season two) “Happy Days” became what’s known as a multicamera sitcom. Filmed, as a member of the cast would intone each week, before a live studio audience, it was this iteration of the series that finally overcame tough timeslot competition from the CBS Norman Lear comedy “Good Times.”
The change to shooting with a live audience was not the real catalyst for the series’ explosive popularity in 1975 and 1976. That credit goes to Henry WInkler’s characterization of Arthur Fonzarelli. That ’75-’76 season began by moving Fonzie in the apartment above the Cunningham’s garage. Thus The Fonz could believably show up at the Cunningham house with greater frequency, and play an increased role in the plotlines.
Also in that first season, “Happy Days” did its first multi-part episode. I have a conspiracy theory that somebody at Paramount Television absolutely loved multi-part episodes. “The Brady Bunch”, a Paramount series, did two legendary three-part epics. “Taxi” and “Cheers”, both Paramount series, produced multiple cliffhangers, as did “Webster”. (Which brings me to my other conspiracy theory: someone at Paramount Television absolutely loved the plotline of a home or business destroyed by fire. On “Happy Days” that dullard Chachi burned down Arnold’s; on “Cheers” that dullard Rebecca burned down the bar; on “Webster” that dullard Webster burned the apartment down.)
Anyway, I’m getting off subject.
Multi-part episodes! Nobody did them like “Happy Days”, and in the coming weeks (months?) this blog will summarize and review the “Happy Days” epics. Let’s start with the very first.
“Fearless Fonzarelli” Part One
Original Air Date September 23, 1975
As Richie, Potsie and Ralph bemoan the charge of a 50-cent booth minimum at Arnold’s. Fonzie has bigger issues: He fears he may be losing his cool. Anecdotal evidence: Paula Petrolonga (“When she walks even the Jell-O stands still!”-Potsie) refuses Fonzie’s finger-snap, Potsie gives him back-talk and he can’t start the jukebox in his usual manner.
Meanwhile, at the Cunningham house, the family settles in to watch that popular television series “You Wanted To See It” that presents stories and events requested by viewers. (Based on an actual 50’s series called “You Asked For It.”) Fonzie, convinced his slump is over, asks Richie to write in to request something.
TV HOST: “Next week, we’ll going live from Arnold’s Drive-In…Fearless Fonzarelli will attempt to leap his motorcycle over a world record 14 garbage cans, beating the old record of 12 set by the late Big Daddy Baylor, rest his soul.”
MR. C: “And you say there’s nothing good on television.”
As the TV crew arrives at Arnold’s, and information leaks out about the number of daredevils who tried and failed to jump 13 cans, we see Fonzie begin to show cracks in his tough exterior. We see him on the phone with the Milwaukee Journal asking precisely how many of the previous guys attempting this record perished. At this stage in the series moments like this developed the Fonzie character…eventually the writers and producers would push this kind of thing too far and virtually remove all the danger (and a lot of the “cool”) from the character.
In the final moments of Part One we switch from the studio audience filming to footage shot in front of the Arnold’s Drive-In exterior, which I have to assume was on the Paramount backlot. New footage was frequently shot of the restaurant–different angles, different characters entering and exiting–I’m not sure if the restaurant was a “standing set” or something that could be easily slapped together in the front of a building.
Fonzie rides his motorcycle up the ramp aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand…..freeze-frame. “CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.”
“Fearless Fonzarelli Part Two”
Original Air Date September 30, 1975
After rerunning the last couple minutes of part one we finally, at long last see Fonzie’s big jump–which goes beautifully, until he runs into Arnold’s fried chicken stand. What’s that? You didn’t know Arnold sold fried chicken in the parking lot? Neither did any of the other characters. It’s a running gag in Part One that pays off here.
Unfortunately, those crispy wings and drumsticks pack a punch, and Fearless Fonzarelli is hurt. This episode, which quickly moves back to the traditional studio interiors, follows The Fonz to the hospital for knee surgery where, under truth serum, he admits to Richie and Mr. C that….shock of shocks…he is cool! (It’s funnier in viewing than in retelling.) Then, after being discharged, he becomes a live-in patient of the Cunninghams, where he is spoiled rotten by Joanie and Mrs. C to the consternation of Mr. C and Fonzie’s doctor.
Eventually The Fonz reveals the real reason he’s hesitant to get up and walk around. Pain, you see, isn’t cool. Henry Winkler does a brilliant job in this scene.
The Richie/Fonzie relationship develops another shade here, as RIchie is willing to risk angering the Fonz to do something to help him. Another great example from this season is when Richie and Mr. C tie up Fonzie so he won’t beat up Ralph Malph for trashing his cycle.
This was the first multi-part episode of “Happy Days” and there would be many more. Most of the multi-parters also featured extensive use of exterior shooting and other elements that set them apart from typical episodes.
Random Notes:
-Arnold, as played by Pat Morita, was a very popular but very short-lived character on “Happy Days”. He was seen throughout season three and even had an episode focused on his character, “Arnold’s Wedding”. Morita left the series for his own starring vehicle, “Mr. T and Tina”, which did not survive the 1976-’77 season. Pat Morita as Arnold made cameo appearances in later seasons and even returned to “Happy Days” as Arnold towards the end of the series run. (I thought Big Al, as played by Al Molinaro, was a funnier character than Arnold…they seemed to be able to create a good backstory for Al and he became friends with the Cunningham family in a way Arnold didn’t stick around long enough to achieve.)
-The aforementioned Paula Petrolonga appears to assist Fonzie in punch-starting the jukebox by smacking him in the butt with her purse.
-Ralph Malph has written in frequently to the “You Wanted To See It” show but they never present his request: a human sacrifice.
-Speaking of “You Wanted To See It”, Jack Smith (the announcer on the actual “You Asked For It” series) appears here as the show’s host. This kind of nostalgia stunt casting happened from time to time on “Happy Days”; season two featured Howdy Doody, Buffalo Bob and Clarabelle; later seasons would see visits from Frankie Avalon, Dr. Joyce Brothers, Danny Thomas, Phil Silvers (whose daughter Cathy played bad influence Jenny Piccolo) and–in an epic 3-parter!–Lorne Greene.
Next Time: Beware the Malachi Crunch!