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Alphabet has
given the thumbs up -- Heyyyyyy! -- to "The Happy Days 30," a two-hour
reunion special marking the 30th anniversary of Garry Marshall's classic
laffer. All of the show's original cast -- including Ron Howard (Richie)
and Henry Winkler (the Fonz) -- have signed on to appear in the special,
which Winkler will exec produce with Michael Levitt.
No airdate has been set, though special seems a natural for a sweeps
appearance, possibly as soon as November.
Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams, aka "Laverne & Shirley," also will
take part in the reunion. And, in a "Happy Days" first, Gavin O'Herlihy
and Randolph Roberts -- the two actors who played long-lost Cunningham
sibling Chuck -- will appear together on the same show.
Also set to appear: Garry Marshall, Tom Bosley, Marion Ross, Erin Moran,
Anson Williams, Don Most, Scott Baio, Pat Morita, Crystal Bernard, Linda
Purl and Cathy Silvers.
"It was an absolute no-brainer," said ABC alternative topper Andrea
Wong. "We've wanted to do this for a long time, and Henry Winkler
recently called up and said the whole cast is willing to do it."
In addition to the usual assortment of clips and interviews, "Happy Days
30" will feature footage from a cast/crew softball game to be played
this weekend (Sept 11). Tradition was initiated by Marshall 30 years ago
to foster a sense of family on the set; highlights from the game will
help introduce clips.
The games "were so much a part of our culture that we felt it would be a
great centerpiece for the reunion," Winkler told Daily Variety.
Winkler said the softball games grew so big that the "Happy Days" gang
began playing games for charity, even taking their softball act on the
road.
"We played for the troops in Germany and Okinawa," he said. "We just
moved as a unit. Garry felt that it could not help but make the team
that worked together on the show stronger."
Winkler and Levitt, who teamed to produce the final two seasons of the
recent "Hollywood Squares" revival, are also set to produce CBS'
upcoming "Dallas" reunion.
Another portion of the special will be shot in front of a studio
audience at CBS Television City, where the original series was produced.
"Happy Days" bowed in January 1974 and ran for 11 seasons, exiting ABC's
sked in 1984. It gave birth to three spinoffs: "Laverne & Shirley," "Mork
& Mindy" and "Joanie Loves Chachi."
In addition to Winkler and Levitt, Greg Sills will serve as supervising
producer for the special, with Gary Tellalian, Fred Fox and Stephen
Pouliot onboard as producers. Linda Mendoza will direct.
Returning for the special are ... "Happy Days"
creator/executive producer Garry Marshall and original series cast
members Scott Baio as ChaChi, Tom Bosley as Howard "Mr. C" Cunningham,
Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham, Erin Moran as Joanie Cunningham, Don
Most as Ralph Malph, Marion Ross as Marion "Mrs. C" Cunningham, Anson
Williams as Warren "Potsie" Weber and Henry Winkler as Arthur "Fonzie"
Fonzarelli. Also appearing are special guest stars Crystal Bernard as
K.C. Cunningham, Danny Butch as Spike, Lynda Goodfriend as Lori Beth,
Clint Howard as Junior, Ted McGinley as Roger Phillips, Pat Morita as
Arnold, Gavin O'Herlihy and Randolph Roberts as Chuck, Linda Purl as
Ashley Pfister and Cathy Silvers as Jenny Piccalo. Penny Marshall and
Cindy Williams will appear as well; they later starred in their own
spin-off comedy series (1976-1983), after the title characters Laverne
DeFazio and Shirley Feeney made their debut as Fonzie's quirky friends. |
