Joel Zwick Movies

Well, folks, here's the moment you've all been waiting for: the obligatory Laverne and Shirley "amnesia" episode. Having lost her memory thanks to a bump on the noggin, Shirley (Cindy Williams) thinks that she is actually a famous stripper named Roxy. Taking advantage of the situation, Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander) book "Roxy" to perform at a lodge smoker. Rushing to her roommate's rescue, Laverne (Penny Marshall) ends up "taking it off"--purely by accident! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) flash back to 1956, when the two lifelong friends first decided to become roommates. It's the first time either girl has lived on her own, so the period of adjustment is a bit longer and more grueling than normal. Most of the fun is manifested in the viewers' glimpses of what our heroines looked like when they were still in the "teeny-bopper" stage, poodle skirts and all. This episode was originally slated to air on November 21, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Entertaining dreams of overnight stardom, Laverne heads to Chicago to audition for a regional production of "West Side Story." Not surprisingly, the audition is less than stellar--and certainly far less memorable than the "specialty" act cooked up by another pair of budding thespians, Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander). Celebrated dancer-choreographer Toni Basil appears more or less as herself in this, the first Laverne & Shirley episode directed by Joel Zwick (My Big Fat Greek Wedding). Originally slated to air on November 28, 1978, "Chorus Line" was ultimately pushed forward to November 21. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Third time may not be the charm when it comes to the annual Shotz Brewery Talent Show. At least that's the opinion of Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams), who are having second thoughts about performing a "human puppet" routine. Could things get worse? You bet they could: directing the show this year are Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander)! Musical highlights include "The Wedding of Jack and Jill" and "All I Need is the Girl". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the conclusion of a two-part story (originally telecast as a single one-hour episode), Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) have come to regret their impulsive decision to quit their brewery jobs and join the WACS. Now the girls are in the hands of merciless drill sergeant Alvinia T. Plout (Vicki Lawrence). The situation reaches the crisis stage during a series of staged combat games, with L&S caught in the crossfire between the "Red Team" and the "Blue Team". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

As a favor to their landlady Edna (Betty Garrett), Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) arrange for Edna's niece Vicki (a young Michelle Greene) to join their old high school club, the Angora Debs. Alas, unbeknownst to our heroines, times and circumstances have changed--and now the Debs are a gang of larcenous juvenile delinquents. Voice actress Elizabeth Daily, best known for her work on such cartoon series as Rugrats and The PowerPuff Girls, is seen as Rita, while series star Penny Marshall's daughter Tracy Reiner, later cast as "Betty Spaghetti" in her mom's feature film A League of Their Own, shows up as Carole. This episode was originally slated to air on October 11, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

It's job evaluation time at the Shotz Brewery, and Mr. Shotz has hired a psychiatrist, Dr. Gentry (Charles Michael Thomas), to test the work aptitudes of the various employees. This prospect sends chills up the spines of Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams), to say nothing of Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander). Will Dr. Gentry's interviews reveal "too much" and cost the jobs of our heroines and heroes? ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

For several years, landlady Edna (Betty Garrett) has been surrogate mother to tenant Laverne (Penny Marshall). Now, it looks like the "surrogate" qualifier will be dropped, as Edna accepts a long-delayed marriage proposal from Laverne's dad Frank (Phil Foster)--who had already reserved the church even before getting Edna's answer. This results in a brief "freak-out" for both Laverne and her roommate Shirley (Cindy Williams), but all ends happily as the girls join an all-black gospel choir in a wedding-day songfest. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Laverne (Penny Marshall) is certain that she has seen an industrial spy snooping around in the brewery, but she can't get anyone to believe her. To prove that she's not hallucinating, Laverne talks Shirley into making a nocturnal foray into the plant to catch the spy in the act--and as result, the girls not only get dunked into a foamy beer vat, but alson nearly end up in jail! Dick Yarmy, the brother of Get Smart star Don Adams, appears as "secret agent" Ludwig Stenger. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Thanks to a corporate clerical error, Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) receive a wrongly issued--and enormous--check. Shirley insists that the girls return the check forthwith, but Laverne draws up plans to spend the unexpected windfall. All this culminates in a wild dream sequence wherein Laverne descends to Hell and Shirley ascends to Heaven--with zany comedian Dick Shawn as the all-purpose gatekeeper! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Long, long ago in a sitcom galaxy far, far away, Shirley's erstwhile boyfriend Carmine (Eddie Mekka) wrote a love note to Laverne (Penny Marshall). Now, while cleaning the apartment, Shirley (Cindy Williams) has stumbled upon the romantic missive. Needless to say, Carmine's careless scribblings result in a huge and seemingly irreparable rift between Laverne and Shirley. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Ed Begley Jr. returns in the role of Shirley's brother Bobby Feeney. Evidently Bobby's years in the Navy have not been altogether beneficial; during her sibling's shore leave, Shirley becomes painfully aware that Bobby has developed into a full-fledged alcoholic. Featured in the supporting cast of this surprisingly somber episode is future 24 and The Unit star Dennis Haysbert. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

With dreams of stardom dancing in their heads, Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) audition for a movie being filmed in Milwaukee. The girls are thrilled when they land the leading roles--unaware that they have been cast as hookers in an Army hygiene film! And just when it seems that the situation could not get any worse, Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander) manage to attend the film's "premiere". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi