Garry Marshall Movies
The career of producer/director Garry Marshall has been marked by many peaks, the highest of which include such classic television sitcoms as The Odd Couple (1970-1975), Happy Days (1974-1984), and Mork and Mindy (1978-1982), and the phenomenally popular feature film Pretty Woman (1990). A Brooklyn native, Marshall (born Gary Marsciarelli) is the son of an industrial filmmaker and a dance instructor. His sister, Penny Marshall, is a comic actress and noted film director. Marshall majored in journalism at Northwestern University and subsequently served a stint in the army before becoming a reporter for the New York Daily News. He was also a jazz drummer in a band before becoming a television comedy scriptwriter for such artists as Joey Bishop and Phil Foster and the writer for Jack Parr on The Tonight Show.Marshall moved to Los Angeles in 1961, but he didn't make it big until he teamed up with writer Jerry Belson. Together, they penned numerous episodes for several sitcoms, notably The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Lucy Show. In 1970, Marshall produced The Odd Couple, which starred Jack Klugman and Tony Randall and was based on a popular Neil Simon play and movie. He reached his apex as a television producer during the '70s, with such hits as Laverne and Shirley (1976-1983) (a Happy Days spin-off starring sister Penny) and Mork and Mindy. In addition to his producing and television directorial efforts, Marshall occasionally appeared as a supporting actor.
In features, Marshall co-produced and co-wrote (with Belson) his first film, How Sweet It Is!, in 1968. A year later, the two produced and penned The Grasshopper. Marshall made his directorial feature film debut in 1982 with Young Doctors in Love, a comic look at daytime serials. As a film director, Marshall's output has received uneven critical reviews. Films such as the Goldie Hawn/Kurt Russell vehicle Overboard and the Bette Midler/Barbara Hershey melodrama Beaches (1988) had good box-office business, but were considered of average quality. 1990's Pretty Woman was Marshall's first big movie hit. Following its tremendous success, he tried his hand at a serious drama with Frankie and Johnny (1991) starring Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer. Since then, Marshall's films have tended more toward sentimental and straight dramas such as The Twilight of the Golds (1997) and The Other Sister (1999). Marshall returned to comedy -- and to his teaming of Julia Roberts and Richard Gere -- in 1999 with Runaway Bride.
In addition to his work behind the camera, Marshall has occasionally appeared as an actor in films and television shows alike. During the mid-'90s, many TV audiences came to recognize him for playing Candice Bergen's ratings-crazy boss, Stan Lansing, on Murphy Brown. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
In the comedic farce Soapdish, the behind-the-scenes lives of several soap opera actors are just as melodramatic as those of their television counterparts. Sally Field stars as Celeste Talbert, the star of a declining TV show. To make matters worse, Talbert's career is thrown into turmoil when her rival, Montana Moorehead (Cathy Moriarty), tries to persuade producer David Barnes (Robert Downey Jr.) to write Talbert off the show. Smitten by Moorehead, Barnes comes up with a scheme to get Talbert off the show by hiring her niece Lori (Elisabeth Shue) and then Jeffrey (Kevin Kline), an old flame and cast member who was written out of the show 20 years prior. Soon, mayhem rules on the set as the cast and crew tangle, culminating in a special episode, broadcast live. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sally Field, Kevin Kline, (more)
Terrence McNally's stage play Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune was a two-character piece, which starred Kathy Bates and F. Murray Abraham on Broadway. Garry Marshall's film version of the McNally play streamlines the title to Frankie and Johnny, expands the dramatis personae to include at least a dozen fascinating characters, and "glamorizes" the decidedly unglamorous Frankie and Johnny in the forms of Michelle Pfeiffer and Al Pacino (their first co-starring stint since Scarface). Purists carped at the changes, but overall the film is likeable enough to transcend these carps. While serving an 18-month sentence on a forgery charge, Johnny (Al Pacino) discovers the joys of cooking and classical literature. Upon his release, he is hired by gruff but good-hearted New York diner owner Nick (played by Garry Marshall "regular" Hector Elizondo). Also working for Nick is a waitress named Frankie (Michelle Pfeiffer). When Johnny expresses interest in Frankie, she keeps him at arm's length, her mistrust of men stemming from an unmentioned but obviously traumatic experience in her past. Eventually, however, Frankie and Johnny do get together, their curious relationship setting the stage for a dramatic denouement wherein both lovers bare their souls. The bulk of the original McNally play is concentrated in the film's final 20 minutes; the rest of the picture is a kaleidoscope of comic and poignant vignettes and quick-sketch character studies. Of the newly minted characters, the standout is Nathan Lane in the traditional "gay best friend/severest critic" role: he plays the character so effectively that one forgets he's essentially a cliché. As for the stars, Al Pacino is ideally cast as Johnny, but Michelle Pfeiffer, superb though she is, seems a bit ill at ease as the emotionally tattered Frankie; she totally wins the audience's hearts, however, in the film's memorable bowling-alley sequence. Smoothing over the rough spots in Frankie and Johnny is the evocative musical score by Marvin Hamlisch. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, (more)
Self-involved corporate raider Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) has recently split up with his girlfriend. Seeking directions to the Beverly Hills Hotel, he makes the acquaintance of free-spirited hooker Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) and decides to put her on a 3,000-dollar retainer as his "date." He Cinderellarizes her by bankrolling a full wardrobe and cosmetic makeover. Of course, the setup will be strictly platonic. A disarming modern-day fairy tale, Pretty Woman was the picture that made Julia Roberts a superstar. As charming as she is in her "giggling" sequences, Roberts' best scene is her triumphant return to a posh Rodeo Drive shop where she'd been previously snubbed. Keeping Pretty Woman afloat throughout is the buoyant direction of Garry Marshall and the always welcome presence of Marshall's stock company of actors, including Hector Elizondo as a stuffy but golden-hearted concierge. Pretty Woman began its life as a much darker story of prostitutes and homicidal drug dealers, but more box-office-savvy heads ultimately prevailed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, (more)
Based on a novel by Iris Rainer Dart, Beaches traces the 30-year oil-and-water friendship between free-spirited Bronx Jew CC Bloom (Bette Midler) and uptight San Francisco WASP Hillary Essex (Barbara Hershey). The two meet as children in Atlantic City (played by Mayim Bialik and Marcie Leeds) and are reunited in the 1960s, when CC is a struggling singer and Hillary is trying to break free from her staid upbringing by becoming an activist. The two ladies room together, then fall out when both are attracted to off-Broadway producer John Pierce (John Heard). CC wins John, but she quickly outgrows him as she matriculates into a bawdy performer. The recently patched-up friendship between CC and Hillary is torn asunder again when Hillary and her new husband express distaste for CC's performing style. Comes the 1970s, and CC and Hillary are reunited after shedding their respective spouses. Broke again, they once more become Manhattan roommates. Their bond strengthens, but there is tragedy in store for the duo. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey, (more)
- 1988
Making its first appearance on November 14, 1988, the long-running, Emmy-winning CBS sitcom Murphy Brown starred Candice Bergen as the title character, the driving, driven, often overbearing but essentially likable star reporter of the Washington, D.C.-based TV magazine "FYI." A thorough professional, Murphy never gave less than her best before the cameras -- but behind the cameras, it was a different story. Constitutionally incapable of doing anything by halves, Murphy told her colleagues exactly what she thought of them at all times, seldom made a comment that wasn't laced with sarcasm, and was addicted to tobacco and, for a while, booze (this last shortcoming required her to do some time at the Betty Ford Clinic). Though the rest of the "FYI" staffers were accustomed to Murphy's mood swings and idiosyncrasies, outsiders tended to be scared off by our heroine: indeed, one of the series' most famous running gags was the fact that Murphy had a different secretary in practically every episode! Also in the cast were Charles Kimbrough as "FYI"'s uptight, humorless anchorman Jim Dial; Joe Regalbuto as the show's gonzo (and obviously toupeed) investigative reporter Frank Fontana, Faith Ford as "FYI"'s voluptuous, somewhat vacuous cub reporter and ex-Miss America Corky Sherwood, who considered Murphy to be her role model (often to Murphy's dismay) and who eventually married staff writer Will Forest (Scott Bryce), thereby becoming -- are you ready? -- Mrs. Corky Sherwood Forest; and Grant Shaud as "FYI"'s nebbishy executive producer Miles Silverberg, not exactly what one would call a born leader of men (or of Murphy!).
When not on the set of her show, Murphy could be found in her townhouse apartment, often conversing with quirky, philosophy-spouting house painter Eldin Bernecky (Robert Pastorelli), who spent day and night trying to finish redecorating Murphy's living room -- a job he still hadn't entirely completed when he left the series in season seven. Murphy also hung out with her co-workers at a neighborhood bar owned by another erstwhile philosopher named Phil (Pat Corley), at least until he reportedly died, whereupon Murphy and company purchased the bar themselves (as it turned out, reports of Phil's death were slightly exaggerated -- by Phil!). Additionally, Jay Thomas appeared intermittently as Geraldo-like journalist Jerry Gold, with whom Murphy frequently clashed -- when they weren't romancing one another, that is. As the series progressed, the basic throughline, and the characters, underwent a few changes. After her divorce from Will Forest, Corky eloped with Miles Silverberg, though she stayed in Washington when he left to run a CNN-style news service in New York. Murphy's brief fling with her ex-husband, Jake (Robin Thomas), produced a baby named Avery (who apparently grew up rather quickly, since he was played during the final season by Haley Joel Osment) -- and also stirred up a controversy when no less than Vice President Dan Quayle chastised Murphy Brown for eroding "family values" in America by bearing a child out of wedlock. Later on, dashing international reporter Peter Hunt (Scott Bakula) joined the "FYI" staff, sweeping Murphy off her feet and ultimately asking her to marry him (she didn't). Other additions to the cast included Garry Marshall as new network president Stan Lansing, who waged an ongoing war with Murphy over her non-PC attitude; Paul Reubens (aka Pee-Wee Herman) as Stan's whiny nephew Andrew, who was forced upon Murphy as her secretary -- and actually kept the job for more than a single episode; Christopher Rich as "FYI" co-anchor Miller Redfield, just the sort of gorgeous-looking, empty-headed TV personality whom Murphy despised with every fibre of her being; and Lily Tomlin as Kay Carter-Shepley, "FYI"'s imperious, and not altogether competent, new executive producer. In addition to the main and supporting cast, the series featured a number of real-life news personalities as "themselves," among them Walter Cronkite, Connie Chung, Larry King, Katie Couric, and Paula Zahn. The series' tenth and final season found Murphy undergoing treatment for breast cancer, an outwardly grim situation that, amazingly enough, never intruded upon the laughter. Murphy Brown ended its network run on August 10, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
When not on the set of her show, Murphy could be found in her townhouse apartment, often conversing with quirky, philosophy-spouting house painter Eldin Bernecky (Robert Pastorelli), who spent day and night trying to finish redecorating Murphy's living room -- a job he still hadn't entirely completed when he left the series in season seven. Murphy also hung out with her co-workers at a neighborhood bar owned by another erstwhile philosopher named Phil (Pat Corley), at least until he reportedly died, whereupon Murphy and company purchased the bar themselves (as it turned out, reports of Phil's death were slightly exaggerated -- by Phil!). Additionally, Jay Thomas appeared intermittently as Geraldo-like journalist Jerry Gold, with whom Murphy frequently clashed -- when they weren't romancing one another, that is. As the series progressed, the basic throughline, and the characters, underwent a few changes. After her divorce from Will Forest, Corky eloped with Miles Silverberg, though she stayed in Washington when he left to run a CNN-style news service in New York. Murphy's brief fling with her ex-husband, Jake (Robin Thomas), produced a baby named Avery (who apparently grew up rather quickly, since he was played during the final season by Haley Joel Osment) -- and also stirred up a controversy when no less than Vice President Dan Quayle chastised Murphy Brown for eroding "family values" in America by bearing a child out of wedlock. Later on, dashing international reporter Peter Hunt (Scott Bakula) joined the "FYI" staff, sweeping Murphy off her feet and ultimately asking her to marry him (she didn't). Other additions to the cast included Garry Marshall as new network president Stan Lansing, who waged an ongoing war with Murphy over her non-PC attitude; Paul Reubens (aka Pee-Wee Herman) as Stan's whiny nephew Andrew, who was forced upon Murphy as her secretary -- and actually kept the job for more than a single episode; Christopher Rich as "FYI" co-anchor Miller Redfield, just the sort of gorgeous-looking, empty-headed TV personality whom Murphy despised with every fibre of her being; and Lily Tomlin as Kay Carter-Shepley, "FYI"'s imperious, and not altogether competent, new executive producer. In addition to the main and supporting cast, the series featured a number of real-life news personalities as "themselves," among them Walter Cronkite, Connie Chung, Larry King, Katie Couric, and Paula Zahn. The series' tenth and final season found Murphy undergoing treatment for breast cancer, an outwardly grim situation that, amazingly enough, never intruded upon the laughter. Murphy Brown ended its network run on August 10, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Candice Bergen, Charles Kimbrough, (more)
This screwball comedy casts real-life couple Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn in a film that finds the latter returning to her roots in a role reminiscent of Private Benjamin (1980). Hawn stars as Joanna Stayton, a snooty heiress who summons carpenter Dean Proffitt (Russell) to her lavish yacht, where she wants an expanded closet constructed that will house her valuable wardrobe. When Dean fails to build the closet out of cedar, Joanna haughtily dismisses him without payment. Later, Joanna falls overboard and is struck by another boat, causing amnesia. Seeing her story on the news, Dean constructs an elaborate scheme to pretend that Joanna is his wife Annie. Soon, the former rich snob is cleaning Dean's home and babysitting his four rambunctious boys. Although at first she's a disaster, "Annie" grows into her role and begins to love being a mom and middle-class wife. When her real husband Grant (Edward Herrmann) comes looking for her, however, her memory is jogged, and she must decide between a life of privileged ease and a life of happy housework. Overboard was the feature film debut of writer Leslie Dixon, the granddaughter of famed photographer Dorothea Lange. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, (more)
Penny Marshall in her feature film directing debut, four screenwriters, and a ebullient Whoopi Goldberg join forces to make Jumpin' Jack Flash, a modern espionage comedy. Goldberg plays Terry Doolittle, a computer operator in a large New York City bank who picks up a cry of help on her computer. The signal is from a man who signs off as Jumpin' Jack Flash. Based on the Rolling Stones tune of that name, she figures out his secret password and opens up a Pandora's box of international intrigue. It seems Jack Flash is a pseudonym for a British agent who is trapped in Russia and desperate for information from the British Embassy that will help him escape. When Terry agrees to help him, the CIA, the KGB, British intelligence, and sundry other law enforcement organizations are all hot on her tail as she tries to help the beleaguered British agent. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Whoopi Goldberg, Jonathan Pryce, (more)
Garry Marshall directed this film which starts as a light comedy but moves into heavy-duty drama later on. David Basner (Tom Hanks in a good performance) works in an ad agency, where he enjoys bantering with his co-workers and meets a lot of women. He hasn't been especially close to his father (Jackie Gleason) and never thought about him much until his Dad is left devastated when his wife of 36 years walks out on him. He is soon faced with serious health problems as well. This propels the elder Basner on a downward slide that affects David and their relationship. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Jackie Gleason, (more)
Bored with their cushy suburban existence, yuppie David (Albert Brooks) talks his wife Linda (Julie Hagerty) into selling everything they own and hitting the road to "see America." As a starting-over gesture, David and Linda are romantically remarried in Las Vegas -- which, ironically, proves to be the beginning of the end of their idyll. In short order, Linda loses their life's savings, the couple nearly self-destructs at Hoover Dam, they take blue-collar jobs in a go-nowhere Arizona town, and....Well, if you know your Albert Brooks, be prepared for a steady stream of manic social satire. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Albert Brooks, Julie Hagerty, (more)
Set in 1963, The Flamingo Kid finds 18-year-old Brooklynite Matt Dillon, the son of blue-collar Hector Elizondo, getting a taste of the Good Life by joining several of his friends at "El Flamingo", a swank Long Island beach club. Wealthy car salesman Richard Crenna, the uncle of Matt's girl friend Janet Jones, befriends the boy and takes him under his wing. Thanks to Crenna's influence, Matt secures a good job at the Flamingo. The boy is bedazzled by Crenna's sumptuous lifestyle, and most especially by the older man's reputation as the Flamingo's reigning gin rummy champ. Dillon begins taking on airs, which alienates his down-to-earth father. Watch for a scene in which, while channel-surfing with his new remote control, Richard Crenna watches a fleeting clip from the old TV sitcom The Real McCoys--featuring Richard Crenna. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matt Dillon, Richard Crenna, (more)
- 1983
This unique episode features only one of the series' regulars--namely, Lavrne (Penny Marshall). Depressed over recent events in her life, Laverne retreats to a monastery in hopes of getting her head together. Under the watchful eye of the Mother Superior (Fran Ryan), Shirley does her best to fit in with the other pilgrims, tackling duties ranging from pottery-molding to bell-ringing. But our usually loquacious heroine has a lot of trouble--a LOT of trouble--adhering to the monastery's strict vow of silence. Also appearing in this episode is former Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman star Louise Lasser as Sister Margaret. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
Laverne & Shirley was Laverne & Shirley in name only as the series entered its eighth and final season. For a variety of reasons, chief among them her feelings that she was being overshadowed by co-star Penny Marshall (Laverne) and that the producers were insensitive to the work limitations imposed by her pregnancy, Cindy Williams had walked off the series after completing only two season-eight episodes. Providentially, the first of these, the season opener of September 28, 1982, had contrived to marry off Shirley to an army medic named Walter Meany (making her Shirley Feeney Meany!), thereby explaining away the many absences that Williams was expected to take before giving birth. No one (except perhaps the actress herself) could have suspected that the next episode telecast, "Window on Main Street, would constitute Williams' last appearance on the series. Thus, Laverne soldiered on throughout the rest of the season without Shirley, as the writers tried to recapture the old magic by briefly teaming Penny Marshall with such guest stars as Julie Brown, Carrie Fisher, Laraine Newman, Carol Kane, and Vicki Lawrence, the latter reprising her role as bombastic WAC sergeant Plout. And in an unrelated distaff development, series co-star David L. Lander, normally cast as the goofy Squiggy, shows up in drag as Squiggy's sister Squendolyn! Perhaps the highlight of the season is future Tonight Show host Jay Leno's guest appearance as duplicitous radio DJ Bobby Bitts in the episode "Do the Carmine." Ranking 25th in the ratings during its terminal season -- not bad, but far below its onetime ranking as America's Number One series -- Laverne & Shirley concluded with the unremarkable episode "Here Today, Hair Tomorrow." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, (more)
The Escape Artist represents the laudable directorial debut of cinematographer Caleb Deschanel. Griffin O'Neal, the real-life son of Ryan O'Neal, plays Danny Masters, the offspring of a famed magician. Determined to match his dad's accomplishment, Danny runs into nothing but trouble. His biggest mistake is picking the pocket of the son of a corrupt town mayor. When not running from adults, the boy is being exploited by them. A critic's favorite, Escape Artist has slowly built up a cult following over the years, thanks largely to its eclectic supporting cast, including Raul Julia, Desi Arnaz Jr., Joan Hackett, Teri Garr, Jackie Coogan, Huntz Hall and M. Emmet Walsh. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Griffin O'Neal, Raul Julia, (more)
- 1982
Here's the status quo as Laverne & Shirley enters its seventh season. Ex-Milwaukeeans Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) are still living in Burbank, CA, still working at Bardwell's Department Store, and still trying to break into the movies. The girls' zany pals Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander) are trying their luck as talent agents; Laverne's sometime boyfriend Carmine (Eddie Mekka) is still tap-dancing around the notion of marriage, though he very nearly makes it to the altar in the episode "I Do, I Don't." And although Laverne's dad, Frank (Phil Foster), continues to manage the Burbank eatery Cowboy Bill's, his wife, Edna, is nowhere to found (longtime regular Betty Garrett has left the series). Although ostensibly set in the mid-'60s, Laverne & Shirley is now emphatically "early '80s" in its look and attitude: for example, "Friendly Persuasion" features actor Charles Grodin as his successful movie-and-TV personality "self" of the 1980s, not as the struggling young character actor that he was 20 years earlier. At least Joey Heatherton is pretty much the same person she was "back in the day" in the episode "Night at the Awards." In other season-seven highlights, former semi-regular Carole Ita White returns briefly as Laverne and Shirley's high-school nemesis Rosie Greenbaum in "Class of '56"; and Squiggy's father (Wynn Irwin) shows up out of nowhere in "Helmut Weekend." Although Laverne & Shirley was no longer America's top-rated series, it remained in a respectable 20th place through its seventh season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, (more)
In this comedy, a group of randy young interns turn City Hospital upside down with their romantic liaisons and their blunders. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael McKean, Sean Young, (more)
- 1981
To counteract a precipitous drop in its ratings during its previous season, Laverne & Shirley launched season six by shifting the series' locale from Milwaukee, WI, to Burbank, CA. Fired from their jobs when Shotz Brewery decides to switch to automation, Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) pack their bags and leave Beertown in favor of the Golden State, where Laverne's dad, Frank (Phil Foster), and his new bride (and the girls' former landlady), Edna (Betty Garrett), have already resettled and opened a restaurant called Cowboy Bill's. In the interests of continuity, Laverne and Shirley are soon joined in California by their zany ex-co-workers Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander), and by Laverne's erstwhile boyfriend Carmine (Eddie Mekka). Moving into an apartment managed by part-time stuntman Sonny St. Jacques (Ed Marinaro), Laverne and Shirley immediately come into contact with their new neighbor, airheaded model-dancer Rhonda Lee (Leslie Easterbrook), and not long afterward the girls land jobs in the gift-wrapping section of Bardwell's Department Store. They also launch an ongoing effort to break into the movies, beginning with the famous episode in which Troy Donahue appears as himself. Evidently, several years have passed between season five, which was ostensibly set in the very early '60s, and season six. How else can one explain how Lenny and Squiggy end up as guests on TV's The Dating Game, which didn't debut until December of 1965, or how Frank and Edna, who were married in the early months of season five, are suddenly celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary? Highlights this season include the return of Vicki Lawrence as the redoubtable Sgt. Plout of the WACS, now seeking help from her former "grunts" Laverne and Shirley as she goes AWOL; Eric Idle and Peter Noone, showing up as pot-smoking rock singers in the episode "I Do, I Do"; Lenny and Squiggy imagining themselves as silent movie stars in "Born Too Late"; and "Laverne's Broken Leg," which may well have been the first sitcom episode inspired by the 1946 feature film It's a Wonderful Life (but certainly not the last)! The move from Milwaukee to Burbank did wonders for Laverne & Shirley's ratings: not even showing up in the Top 30 during season five, the series shot up to 20th place for season six. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, (more)
- 1980
Season five of Laverne & Shirley begins with the conclusion of a two-part story inaugurated on its "sister" series Happy Days: "Shotgun Wedding, Part 2," wherein big-hearted Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) become engaged to hapless teenagers Richie (Ron Howard) and Potsie (Anson Williams) to rescue the boys from a forced marriage to a pair of toothsome farmer's daughters. Other memorable episodes this season include "Upstairs, Downstairs," in which our heroines imagine themselves in the hereafter, with Shirley in Heaven and Laverne in a hot place not called California; "What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor?," guest-starring Ed Begley Jr. as Shirley's alcoholic brother, Bobby; the unforgettable two-part "You're in the Army Now," directed by Joel Zwick of thirtysomething fame and introducing Vicki Lawrence in the role of shrill WAC sergeant Plout; another two-parter, "Murder on the Moosejaw Express," with Charlene Tilton of Dallas fame as "herself" (and never mind that Charlene would have been a toddler in the early '60s!); "The Beatnik Show," featuring Art Garfunkel as a hipster called "The Mighty Oak"; and "Antonio the Amazing," co-starring Ed Marinaro as the title character, one year before he would join the series in the role of Sonny St. Jacques. Arguably the most famous of the year's episodes is the telecast of November 1, 1979, in which Laverne's father, Frank De Fazio (Phil Foster), finally marries the girls' landlady, Edna Babish (Betty Garrett). Traditionally, a popular sitcom relies upon a "wedding" episode only when its ratings are faltering, and Laverne & Shirley was no exception: rated as America's most popular series during season four, the show's viewership plummeted disastrously during season five. Clearly, what was called for was a radical change in format -- which in this case translated as a change of locale, from Milwaukee to California. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, (more)
Season four of Laverne & Shirley found the series' time frame progressing from the late '50s to the early '60s. The season opener is the two-part "Festival," wherein Laverne (Penny Marshall), Shirley (Cindy Williams), and the other series regulars leave their familiar Milwaukee environs for a trip to New York. In a related development, Laverne aspires to get into a Broadway show in "Chorus Line," featuring a guest-starring turn by famed dancer/choreographer Tony Basil. Speaking of guest stars, future Tonight Show emcee Jay Leno turns up as a character named Joey in "The Feminine Mistake." And after scoring excellent ratings with its one "serious" episode of its third season, "The Slow Child," the series served up another superb blend of comedy and drama, "A Visit to the Cemetary," in which an embittered Laverne at last settles accounts with her deceased -- and much despised -- mother. For the second year in a row, Laverne & Shirley ended its season as America's number one-rated program. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, (more)
When Laverne & Shirley signed on in January of 1976, America's top-rated program was Happy Days -- of which Laverne & Shirley was, of course, a spin-off. By the time the last-named series entered its third season, it had climbed to the coveted number one slot, while Happy Days had retreated to number two. Season three opens with a typically slapsticky entry, "Airport '59," wherein Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Penny Marshall) end up at the controls of a passenger plane. Later on, in the series' first two-parter, "Cruise," our heroines take a vacation on a luxury liner, only to be saddled with a pair of stowaways -- none other than their Shotz Brewery co-workers Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander). In a subsequent installment, 1950s singing idol Fabian shows up as Laverne & Shirley's first era-appropriate guest star. And in a brace of physical-humor tours de force, "The Obstacle Course" and "2001: A Comedy Odyssey," the girls (a) become police recruits and (b) imagine what their lives will be like in old age. But for all its hilarious hijinks, the third season's most memorable episode is also its most moving and poignant: "The Slow Child," guest-starring Linda Gillen as Amy Babish, the mentally challenged daughter of Laverne and Shirley's landlady, Edna Babish (Betty Garrett). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, (more)
In exchange for being allowed to make his directorial debut in Grand Theft Auto, Ron Howard agreed to take no salary as a director, merely as star and co-screenwriter (with his dad Rance). The plot finds Sam Freeman (Howard) eloping with his heiress girlfriend Paula Powers (Nancy Morgan). Her mob-connected dad Bigby Powers (Barry Cahill) vehemently opposes the marriage, and isn't about to change his mind now that Sam has stolen his Rolls-Royce and sped off to Las Vegas with his daughter in tow. Marion Ross, Howard's Happy Days mom, turns in an offbeat supporting characterization. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ron Howard, Nancy Morgan, (more)
Ending its first season as America's second most popular TV series (its "inspiration," Happy Days, was the first), Laverne & Shirley held fast to the second-place slot throughout season two. Still set in the late '50s, the series continues to star Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams as Milwaukee brewery workers and best friends/roommates Laverne De Fazio and Shirley Feeney, with Phil Foster as Laverne's pizzeria-owner dad, Frank, Eddie Mekka as Laverne's off-and-on boyfriend Carmine, and Michael McKean and David L. Lander as the girls' zany co-workers Lenny and Squiggy. New to the series this season are Betty Garrett as Laverne and Shirley's warmhearted landlady, Edna Babish, and in a recurring role, Carole Ita White as the girls' overbearing high-school chum Rosie Greenbaum. Highlights this season include the episodes "Bachelor Mothers" and "Excusie Me, May I Cut In?," both crossovers with Happy Days featuring Henry Winkler as Fonzie in the first episode, Ron Howard and Anson Williams as Richie and Potsie in the second; "Brother Can You Spare a Father," in which Shirley has an uncomfortable reunion with her ne'er-do-well dad (played by Scott Brady); and "Christmas Eve at the Booby Hatch," the first of the series' several "let's put on a show" outings, showing off the musical talents of the regulars. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, (more)
Exploiting the overwhelmingly positive audience response to the 1975 Happy Days episode in which Richie (Ron Howard) and Potsie (Anson Williams) found themselves on a riotous date with brash but lovable "older women" Laverne De Fazio (Penny Marshall) and Shirley Feeney (Cindy Williams), executive producer Garry Marshall obligingly whipped up a spin-off series showcasing these two supporting characters, logically titled Laverne & Shirley. Most of the familiar pieces are already in place during the series' 15-episode inaugural season: roommates Laverne and Shirley work at Milwaukee's Shotz Brewery along with zany beer-truck drivers Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander); the girls occasionally hang out at the Pizza Bowl, owned by Laverne's widowed father, Frank (Phil Foster); and while long-suffering Shirley bounces from one loser boyfriend to another, Laverne has a fairly steady relationship with the preening, self-consciously macho Carmine (Eddie Mekka). All that is missing from season one is the girls' landlady Edna Babish, though Helen Page Camp is seen in a handful of early episodes as apartment manager Mrs. Havenhurst. In order to assure Laverne & Shirley a well-attended launching, Happy Days star Henry Winkler appeared as "The Fonz" in the new series' first two episodes. By the time the season-one finale "Mother Knows Worst" (featuring Pat Carroll in her only appearance as Shirley's mom) rolled around, Laverne & Shirley was America's second most popular series (just guess what was number one!). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, (more)
- 1976
Laverne DeFazio (Penny Marshall) and Shirley Finney (Cindy Williams) are promoted from their memorable Happy Days guest appearance to their own spinoff series as Laverne and Shirley launches its first season. In the opener, the girls--lifelong friends and fellow "bottle-cap technicians" at Milwaukee's Shotz Brewery--have just settled down in their new apartment when Shirley is invited to a ritzy party held by the nephew (Richard Stahl) of their boss. Though Shirley is thrilled at the prospect, Laverne is upset that she wasn't invited as well. Of course, both girls ultimately show up at the facilities wearing gowns borrowed from a wax museum, courtesy of their wacky would-be suitors Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander). Happy Days' resident cool guy Fonzie, aka Henry Winkler, makes a guest appearance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
Having lost the grand prize at four previous Shotz Brewery talent shows, Laverne (Penny Marshall) are determined to make the fifth time the charm. Unfortunately, the girls' spirited "Cabana" calypso number may never make it through the tryout process thanks to their main rival, former Rockette Gloria Lubitz (Leland Palmer). Eddie Mekka (Carmine) did the choreography for this episode, and also sings a medly of Tony Bennett tunes. Other highlights include Laverne and Shirley's rendition of "I Believe", and Lenny and Squiggy's performance of the original tune "Star Crossed", written by Michael McKean (Lenny). And yes, that's series producer Garry Marshall as one-third of the girls' backup trio. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Moving from Fridays to Thursdays for its fifth and final season, The Odd Couple opens the proceedings with "The Rain in Spain", featuring a surprise appearance by All in the Family's Rob Reiner as the boyfriend of Myrna Turner (played by Reiner's then-wife Penny Marshall), the secretary of sportswriter--and confirmed slob--Oscar Madison (Jack Klugman). Thereafter, it's business as usual, with Oscar getting on the nerves of his neatnik roommate Felix Ungar (Tony Randall), and vice versa, yet remaining best friends all the same. The celebrity guest stars continue to parade past the series' cameras during Season Five, beginning with Bob Hope in "The Hollywood Story". Gossip columnist Rona Barrett is seen in "The Dog Story", newscaster Howard K. Smith in "The Odd Candidate", Richard Dawson in "Laugh Clown Laugh", and, in a true "hit the jackpot" situation, sportscaster Howard Cosell, ABC executive Roone Arledge and Metropolitan Opera soprano Martina Arroyo in "Your Mother Wears Army Boots". Interestingly, while singer-composer Paul Williams plays "himself" in "The Paul Williams Show", country star Roy Clark is seen as "Willie Boggs" in "The Roy Clark Show" (though he still gets to play guitar). Episodes of special interest include "The Frog", in which Leif Garrett takes over from Willie Aames in the role of Felix's son Leonard; and "Our Fathers", a flashback to the 1920s wherein Felix and Oscar are "cast" as their own fathers. And let's not forget the series finale "Felix Remarries", with Felix and his ex-wife Gloria (Janis Hansen) reunited even while Oscar (Jack Klugman) joyously celebrates his "liberation" from Felix' fastidiousness! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
