the Pilot episode of the Happy Days franchise originally debuted on CBS' Romantic comedy anthology series, Love, American style season 3 episode "Love and the Television Set" / "Love and the Newscasters" (later retitled "Love and the Happy Days") released on-screen and aired on ABC-TV in February 25, 1972.
The pilot itself was written directly for television by Garry K. Marshall, this was the pilot episode for the television series of the same name. It also inspired the George Lucas film American Graffiti.
the segment would later serve as inspiration for Marshall to develop an idea for a new sitcom series based upon the characters from the episode, which would become Happy Days.
The characters introduced in the episode that would later appear in Happy Days were Richie Cunningham, Marion Cunningham, Howard Cunningham, Joanie Cunningham, Potsie Weber, and Chuck Cunningham.
Footage from this episode was repurposed for flashback scenes in the Happy Days episode "Who's Sorry Now," in which Tannis G. Montgomery reprises her role as Arlene Nestrock.
Plot & Synopsis[]
Plot[]
An American family of the 1950s gets their first television; teenage son Richie and his friend Potsie assume it can be used as a chick magnet.
Synopsis[]
The Cunninghams, an American family in the mid-1950s in Milwaukee, Wiscosin, get their first television. The teenage son Ritchie and his friend Potsie assume it can be used as a chick magnet. This was a forerunner (and a pilot) to the Happy Days series.
Cast[]
- Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham
- Marion Ross as Marion Cunningham
- Anson Williams as Warren "Potsie" Weber
- Harold Gould as Howard Cunningham
- Susan Neher as Joanie Cunningham
- Nellie Burt as Grandma Cunningham
- Ronda Copland as Teresa
- Virginia Gregg as Mrs. Nestrock
- Sheila Jo Guthrie as Corrine Delarosa
- Ric Carrott as Chuck Cunningham
- Jackie Coogan as Uncle Harold
- Peggy Rea as Aunt Bessie
- John Astin as Rex Bickers
- Carl Ballantine as Chicken Little
- Ruta Lee as Louise Freeman
- Reva Rose as Thelma Digby
Behind the scenes[]
- In the original title, this pilot was known as Love and the Happy Days/Love and the Newscasters.
- Before the show was picked up, it was initially filmed in 1971 as a pilot for New Family in Town.
- The pilot's inspiration for the Happy Days franchise is mostly based the George Lucas film American Graffiti.
External links[]
Happy Days (pilot episode) on IMDb- Happy Days wiki
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Love,_American_Style_episodes#Season_3_(1971–1972)
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