If there were a Sitcom Hall of Fame, "Happy Days" would surely have a cherished spot there. The show recovered from mediocre ratings after its debut on January 15, 1974 and became one of the most popular programs of the late 1970s. And it survived until mid-1984--an  astonishing ten and a half years. In 1980, the Smithsonian Museum of American History honored the series' role in America's popular-culture history by putting one of the Fonz's leather jackets on display.
"Happy Days" was set in the 1950s in Milwaukee, the heart of middle-class America, and told the story of the Cunningham family. Mr. Cunningham (Tom Bosley) ran the local hardware store and  Mrs. Cunningham (Marion Ross), like all good TV Moms, spent her time in the kitchen. Their son, Richie (Ron Howard), hung out at Arnold's Drive-In with his pals Ralph Malph (Donny Most) and Potsie (Anson Williams), trying to be as cool as the coolest greaser in town, the Fonz (Henry Winkler). Richie's sister, Joanie (Erin Moran), tagged along whenever she wasn't at her friend Jenny Piccolo's house. The Cunninghams also had an older son, Chuck, but he mysteriously disappeared after the first season. When the series started, Richie and his pals were using fake ID's to sneak into bars and struggling to find dates. By the time the show ended, their teenage problems had given way to decidedly adult topics like marriage and children. |