Stories

Laverne And Shirley: 12 Fascinating Things You Never Knew About This Beloved Sitcom

by K. Gitter

Published September 7, 2017

3. THE SERIES WAS ACTUALLY PITCHED BEFORE THE HAPPY DAYS EPISODE HAD AIRED.

Garry Marshall bumped into ABC chief Fred Silverman at an industry event not long after “A Date with Fonzie” had shot, who asked Marshall if he had any new show ideas to help build a solid Tuesday night comedy block for the network. Never one to be caught off-guard, Marshall replied that he had an idea about two single blue-collar girls who worked as bottle-cappers at a brewery. Silverman liked the concept and ordered a pilot on the spot.

Marshall had Rothman and Ganz write a 10-minute scene, which was later filmed in Fonzie’s apartment on the Happy Days set immediately after the taping of the “Arnold’s Wedding” episode. In fact, Marshall personally stepped on stage and asked the studio audience to remain in their seats to watch “a scene from a new show” that he hoped they’d like. Despite “A Date with Fonzie” not having aired yet and thus the Laverne and Shirley characters being totally unknown, the audience reaction was very positive, and everyone involved sensed that they had a hit in the making.

4. ANOTHER WILLIAMS ALMOST PLAYED SHIRLEY

Cindy Williams started to have second thoughts about signing on for a TV series once it looked like the show might be greenlit. She still had her eye on a film career, plus she was leery about working with so many of her co-star’s relatives in charge. Other actresses were tested for the role, with one, Liberty Williams, making it as far as filming the 10-minute pilot scene with Penny Marshall. But the chemistry between Cindy and Penny had been so strong that producers ultimately agreed to Cindy’s high salary demand and request for equal, but staggered, billing: Penny’s name appeared first, but Cindy’s name appeared higher onscreen.

5. THE OPENING “SCHLEMIEL, SCHLEMAZEL” CHANT CAME FROM PENNY’S CHILDHOOD

Penny Marshall has no recollection of where it originally came from, she just knows that it was something she and her sister, Ronny, used to chant during their seven-block walk to school in the mornings when they were kids.

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