Laverne & Shirley

Lore & Background

The series originated as a spin-off of Happy Days, where Laverne and Shirley were introduced as acquaintances of Fonzie. The original working title was Laverne DeFazio & Shirley Feeney. The characters were initially conceived as 'two girls who date the fleet,' but were mellowed for family hour, which Cindy Williams felt gave the show more depth. The timeline started in approximately 1958 and ended in 1967. The show was produced by Paramount Television, created by Garry Marshall along with Lowell Ganz and Mark Rothman, and executive produced by Garry Marshall, Edward K. Milkis, and Thomas L. Miller from Miller-Boyett Productions.

According to former Paramount president Michael Eisner, Cindy Williams initially refused to do the spin-off, so her role was recast with Liberty Williams for a screen test. However, Cindy Williams was eventually talked into the role and re-filmed the scene that night with Penny Marshall. Executives wanted to see both versions, but Eisner hid the first reel of film and claimed it was lost, so only the performance of Cindy Williams with Penny Marshall was screened.

For the first five seasons, the show was set in Milwaukee. In the sixth season, the setting changed to Burbank, California, after the girls lost their brewery jobs due to automation. The final season continued without Cindy Williams after she left due to a contract dispute, leaving Penny Marshall as the only main character. The series ended in May 1983 after ABC opted not to renew for a ninth season.

Reader's Guide

Laverne & Shirley holds a significant place in television history as one of the most popular sitcoms of the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was the most-watched American television program during its third and fourth seasons, a testament to its broad appeal. The show received six Golden Globe nominations and one Emmy nomination, reflecting its critical recognition. Its spin-off from Happy Days and its connection to the larger 'Happy Days universe' helped solidify the era's nostalgic fascination with the 1950s and 1960s. The series is also notable for its physical comedy, which became a hallmark of the show. The characters of Lenny and Squiggy, created by Michael McKean and David Lander while they were theater students at Carnegie Mellon University, became iconic comic foils. The show's legacy includes its influence on later sitcoms and its enduring popularity in syndication. The move to Burbank in the sixth season and the eventual departure of Cindy Williams marked a significant shift, but the series maintained a loyal audience until its end.

Did You Know?

• Michael McKean and David Lander created the characters of Lenny and Squiggy while high on marijuana as theater students at Carnegie Mellon University.
• Cindy Williams filed a $20 million lawsuit against Paramount after they demanded she work on her scheduled due date; the case was settled out of court.
• The opening credits feature a Yiddish-American hopscotch chant from Penny Marshall’s childhood: '1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!'