| Happy Days | |
|---|---|
| Season 1 | |
 Kathy O'Dare and Ron Howard in the premiere episode, "All The Way" | |
| No. of episodes | 16 |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Original release | January 15 – May 7, 1974 |
| Season chronology | |
The first season of Happy Days , an American television sitcom, originally aired on ABC in the United States between January 15 and May 7, 1974. The show was created by Garry Marshall, under the production company Miller-Milkis Productions, in association with Paramount Television.
Before the show was picked up, it was initially filmed in 1971 as a pilot for New Family in Town. However, it was rejected by most networks at the time. However, a year later, ABC picked it up and the pilot for the series was aired it as part of an episode of Love, American Style in a segment titled "Love and the Television Set", originally aired on February 25, 1972. For syndication reruns, this was retitled "Love and the Happy Days." The role of sister Joanie was played by 12-year-old Susan Neher; while father Howard was played by Harold Gould; and brother Chuck (Charles) was played by Ric Carrott. [1]
The story opens with the Cunninghams buying their first television set, an expensive novelty in the 1950s. Potsie convinces Richie to use that as an enticement to get a girl to agree to a date, which he does but in the end Richie gets crushed. His father uses his wisdom of experience to console him. Howard is so entranced by his new TV that he sits alone in the living room watching nothing but a test pattern and tone.
A newly recorded version of "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets was used as the opening theme song for this and the following season; while the show's closing theme song was a fragment from "Happy Days" (although in a different recording with a different lyric from that which would become the standard version used since season three), whose music was composed by Charles Fox and whose lyric was written by Norman Gimbel.
The series premiered at mid-season during the 1973-74 television season, replacing The New Temperatures Rising Show which was faltering on ratings during its second season. The first season of the show, which consisted on 16 episodes, proved to be a hit for the network, ending at the 16th most-watched show in the US for that season. Airing on Tuesdays at 8:00 PM, it remained on that timeslot for ten consecutive seasons until 1983.
Main cast | Recurring cast
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| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "All the Way" | Mel Ferber | Rob Reiner & Philip Mishkin and Garry Marshall | January 15, 1974 | |
Potsie fixes Richie up with Mary Lou Milligan, a girl with a "reputation" around town. Richie doesn't get far with her but leads Fonzie and the others to believe he did. Notes:
Guest starring: Kathy O'Dare as Mary Lou; Danny Jacobson as Pat; Richard Hurst as Cook. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "The Lemon" | Jerry Paris | Dick Bensfield & Perry Grant | January 22, 1974 | |
Richie and Potsie spend their hard-earned savings on their first car in an attempt to impress and attract girls; but although the car looks impressive, it soon becomes apparent that it's not the most roadworthy of vehicles. Notes:
Guest starring: Cindy Eilbacher as Betty Wilkens. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Richie's Cup Runneth Over" | Jerry Paris | William S. Bickley & Bob Brunner | January 29, 1974 | |
Richie gets drunk at a stag party. Notes:
Guest starring: Louisa Moritz as Verna LaVerne; Lennie Weinrib as Duke; Tim Haldeman as Arnold; Tom Harris as Vince. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Guess Who's Coming to Visit?" | Jerry Paris | Lowell Ganz & Mark Rothman | February 5, 1974 | |
Potsie talks Richie into sneaking out of his house to watch Fonzie compete in a midnight drag race. Howard pursues Richie when he hears about this illegal activity. A police officer (Herb Voland) has the teenagers arrested and taken them to the local police station. He informs the teenagers about the recent law about drag racing being illegal in Wisconsin. He subsequently calls the parents of all teenagers except Richie and Potsie. The next day, all participants of the illegal midnight drag race have the requirement to go home after school for their penalty. Notes:
Guest starring: Alan Abelew as Skizzy; Herb Voland as Sergeant; Laura Michaels as Jean; Julie Graham as Cheerleader; Carey Williams as Girl. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Hardware Jungle" | Jerry Paris | Frank Buxton & Michael Leeson | February 12, 1974 | |
Richie has to miss a rock concert to take care of his dad's hardware store. Guest starring: George Ives as Dr. McKay; Peter Brocco as Mr. Egan; Robert Casper as Customer; Richard Doran as Bert. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "The Deadly Dares" | Herb Wallerstein | Steve Zacharias | February 19, 1974 | |
Richie and Potsie want to become members of a local gang called the Demons. But before being accepted as full-fledged members, they must perform the "six deadly dares". Notes:
Guest starring: Ed Begley Jr. as Hank; John Riley as O'Reilly; Lou Tiano as Rocky; John Wheeler as Mr. Crenshaw. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Fonzie Drops In" | Mel Ferber | William S. Bickley & Bob Brunner | February 26, 1974 | |
Fonzie decides to re-enroll in high school. After rearranging the seating plan to his satisfaction, he asks Richie to do his homework and cheat for him. Guest starring: Jessica Myerson as Miss Pratt; Stuart Nisbet as Mr. Faraday; Jean Fraser as Sandy; Richard Doran as Kid. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "The Skin Game" | Mel Ferber | William S. Bickley | March 5, 1974 | |
Richie and Potsie go to see a stripper named Bubbles McCall (Barbara Rhoades). Guest starring: Barbara Rhoades as Bubbles McCall; Arthur Batanides as Eddie; Lee Paul as Mory; Billy Sands as Waiter; Frank Sivero as Pockets. | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" | Jerry Paris | William S. Bickley | March 12, 1974 | |
Richie and his girlfriend Arlene (Laurette Spang) decide to break up. Since it is too late to secure new dates for the upcoming high school prom, Richie and Arlene attend as friends. Notes:
Guest starring: Laurette Spang as Arlene. | ||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Give the Band a Hand" | Jerry Paris | Dick Bensfield & Perry Grant | March 26, 1974 | |
Richie and the boys form a band to raise money, but Potsie loses it all in a poker game and Howard has to win it back for him. Notes:
Guest starring: Bruce Kimmel as Murf; Don Carter as Brian; Ding Dingle as Waitress. | ||||||
| 11 | 11 | "Because She's There" | Peter Baldwin | Jack Winter | April 2, 1974 | |
For Ralph's costume party, Potsie sets Richie up on a blind date with Phyllis (Diana Canova), who towers over him. Also starring: Beatrice Colen as Marsha Simms.Guest starring: Diana Canova as Phyllis Denton; Gracia Lee as Hazel; Mike Monahan as Harry Mel; Karen Duitsman as Susan Denton; Barry Greenberg as Moose. | ||||||
| 12 | 12 | "In the Name of Love" | Don Weis | Jack Winter | April 9, 1974 | |
Potsie and Ralph are in love with Cindy Shellenberger, an attractive new girl at school, who asks Richie to study with her. Guest starring: Mary Cross as Cindy Shellinberger; Dick Balduzzi as Joe; Robert Karvelas as Man | ||||||
| 13 | 13 | "Great Expectations" | Jerry Paris | Story by : Peggy Elliott & Ed Scharlach Teleplay by : Bob Brunner & Michael Leeson | April 16, 1974 | |
Richie meets a beatnik named Deidre at the movies and gets caught up in her lifestyle. Note: This was the first of two episodes under the same title, the other one was from season 9, which was also titled "Great Expectations".Guest starring: Udana Power as Deidre; Danny Goldman as Lawrence; Valerie Curtin as Poetess. | ||||||
| 14 | 14 | "The Best Man" | Jerry Paris | Joel Kane | April 23, 1974 | |
Howard lets a black army buddy have his wedding at the Cunningham home, and faces racial prejudice from their neighbors. Guest starring: Robert DoQui as Fred Washington; Bill Henderson as Mr. Davis; Gail Cameron as Carol; Amzie Strickland as Mrs. Finley; Wonderful Smith as Reverend; Edward Marshall as Officer Kincaid. Absent: Anson Williams as Potsie; Donny Most as Ralph. | ||||||
| 15 | 15 | "Knock Around the Block" | Jerry Paris | Ben Joelson & Art Baer | April 30, 1974 | |
| Richie and the gang try to get Potsie's bike back from the gang who stole it. | ||||||
| 16 | 16 | "Be the First on Your Block" | Jerry Paris | Richard Morgan | May 7, 1974 | |
Howard decides to build a bomb shelter; but when Richie tells his friends, problems quickly arise when each assumes they will have a spot reserved in the shelter for them too, should the need arise. Guest starring: Ronnie Schell and Christina Hart. | ||||||
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