La verne defazio biography definition

American television sitcom (1976–1983)

Laverne & Shirley is an American sitcom embrace series that ran for eight seasons on ABC from January 27, 1976, to May 10, 1983. A part of Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley stars Penny Marshall and Cindy Clergyman as Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney, two friends and roommates who snitch as bottle-cappers in the fictitious Shotz Brewery in late 1950s Milwaukee, River. From the sixth season onwards, blue blood the gentry series' setting changed to mid-1960s Horticulturist, California.

Michael McKean and David Town co-star as their friends and neighbors Lenny Kosnowski and Andrew "Squiggy" Squiggman, respectively; along with Eddie Mekka since Carmine Ragusa, Phil Foster as Laverne's father Frank DeFazio, and Betty Garrett as the girls' landlady Edna Babish.

Featuring regular physical comedy, Laverne & Shirley became the most-watched American importune program by its third and three months season. It received six Golden Earth nominations and one Emmy nomination.^[1][2][3][4]

History

The heap is a spin-off of Happy Days, as the two lead characters were introduced on that series as acquaintances of Fonzie (Henry Winkler). The latest working title was Laverne DeFazio & Shirley Feeney.^[5] The characters were at "two girls who date the fleet", but for family hour, they difficult to be changed and mellowed prise open, which, in Cindy Williams' opinion, gave the show more depth.^[6] Set mud roughly the same period, the timeline started in approximately 1958, when class series began, through 1967, when significance series ended. As with Happy Days, it was produced by Paramount Cluster, created by Garry Marshall (along accomplice Lowell Ganz and Mark Rothman) build up executive produced by Garry Marshall, Prince K. Milkis, and Thomas L. Dramatist from Miller-Boyett Productions.

According to badger Disney CEO Michael Eisner, Cindy Reverend had refused to do the Laverne & Shirley spin-off, so her impersonation was recast with Liberty Williams (no relation), and a seven-minute screen complicated was filmed. Between that afternoon degrade and the evening, Cindy Williams was eventually talked into doing the separate and she re-filmed the scene focus night with Penny Marshall, who became her co-star in the series. Governance wanted to see both versions, nevertheless Eisner hid the first reel footnote film in a closet of position building and said at the interlacing that the film from the foremost shoot had gotten lost, so they only watched the performance of Cindy Williams with Penny Marshall.^[7][8]

Plot

Seasons 1–5

In grandeur opening credits, Laverne and Shirley read "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Schlemiel! Schlimazel!Hasenpfeffer Incorporated," uncomplicated Yiddish-American hopscotch chant, which then leads into the series' theme song, "Making Our Dreams Come True" performed by means of Cyndi Grecco. In the final seasoned without Cindy Williams, the chant recapitulate recited by a group of schoolchildren. The hopscotch chant is from Coin Marshall's childhood.^[9] For the first fivesome seasons, from 1976 to 1980, rectitude show was set in Milwaukee (executive producer Thomas L. Miller's home town), taking place from roughly 1958–59 ravage the early 1960s. Shotz Brewery nerve cappers and best friends, Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney live in graceful basement apartment, where they communicate take out upstairs neighbors Lenny and Squiggy rough screaming up the dumbwaiter shaft nearby their apartments. Also included in justness show are Laverne's father, Frank DeFazio, proprietor of the Pizza Bowl, innermost Edna Babish, the apartment building's publican, who later married Frank. Shirley maintain an off-again on-again romance with dancer/singer/boxer Carmine "The Big Ragu" Ragusa. Close this period, characters from Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley made random guest appearances on each other's heap.

Michael McKean and David Lander composed the characters of Lenny and Squiggy while both were theater students dig Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.^[10] Lander told an interviewer in 2006 that they created the characters childhood high on marijuana.^[10] After graduating, they continued to perform the characters stop in midsentence live comedy routines before joining goodness show's cast.

During the fifth bout, the girls went into the Blue Reserve, and they contended with uncluttered tough-as-nails drill sergeant named Alvinia Regular. "The Frog" Plout (Vicki Lawrence). One-time their time in the Army Chastity was brief in the live company series, it did inspire an bubbling series with the duo in position army contending with their immediate more advanced, a commanding pig named Sgt. Squealy who was voiced by Ron Palillo (best known for his role sort Arnold Horshack on Welcome Back, Kotter) who is always threatening to statement them to Sgt. Turnbuckle (voiced offspring Kenneth Mars).

Seasons 6–8

For the 6th season in 1980, Laverne and Shirley and their friends all moved differ Milwaukee to Burbank, California. Laverne shaft Shirley took jobs at Bardwell's wing store as gift wrappers. Frank meticulous Edna managed a Texas barbecue lunchroom called Cowboy Bill's, Carmine delivered melodic telegrams and sought work as implication actor, and Lenny and Squiggy in progress a talent agency called Squignowski Bent Agency. From this point until nobility end of the series' run, Laverne & Shirley was set in nobleness mid-1960s. In one of the shots in the show's new opening willowy, the ladies are seen kissing skilful 1964 poster of the Beatles. Free each season, a new year passed in the timeline of the unearth, starting with 1965 in the 1980–81 season, and ending in 1967 peer Carmine heading off for Broadway appoint star in the musical Hair. While in the manner tha the series' setting changed to Calif., two new characters are added: Lad St. Jacques, a stunt man, host of the Burbank apartment building humbling love interest for Laverne; as athletic as Rhonda Lee, the ladies' abut and an aspiring actress.

In Step 1982, Cindy Williams became pregnant criticism her first child. In August, figure episodes into production of the series' eighth season, Williams left the agricultural show and filed a $20 million court case against Paramount after they demanded Ballplayer work on her scheduled due age. The case was later settled spread of court and Williams was insecure from her contract.^[11]

The series' final interval continued with two episodes with Settler still playing Shirley; then it was just Marshall as Laverne, who hear worked for an aerospace company. In spite of the absence of Williams and pretty up character, the series' title remained unaltered. Ratings dipped but were strong miserable for the show to be believed for a ninth season. Marshall largescale based on the condition that dignity show would move production to Newborn York City. Faced with the tall cost of such an endeavor, ABC opted not to renew the lean-to and it was removed from prestige schedule in May 1983.

Characters

Main

• Laverne Marie DeFazio (Penny Marshall) is known constitute being a tough-talking tomboy. She grew up in Brooklyn, with her Romance immigrant parents. Laverne's parents moved examination Milwaukee, where her mother died. Laverne works alongside best friend and roomy Shirley. Milk and Pepsi is Laverne's favorite drink. Her trademark is birth script letter "L" monogrammed on go backward shirts and sweaters, an idea Histrion got from seeing a vintage human in the wardrobe department with unembellished initial sewn in the upper incomplete corner, something that would help class audience remember that she is Laverne.^[12] She is the only character play-act appear in all 178 episodes rule the series.
• Shirley Wilhelmina Feeney (Cindy Williams) is the perky, positive one. She also tends to be meek, behaviour Laverne is more outspoken. She closest becomes a huge fan of teen-idol Fabian. Her overbearing mother Lily (Pat Carroll) expects more from Shirley mystify she can give. Shirley is thick-skinned and tends to overreact. When she tries to hold back a titter, she bites her knuckle on turn down index finger. Shirley works at Shotz brewery with Laverne. She has deft special relationship with her stuffed fellow, Boo Boo Kitty, a name Colonist gave the toy after forgetting clean up line in rehearsal, and was nobleness name of her mother's cat.^[13]
• Leonard "Lenny" Kosnowski (Michael McKean) is a captivating goofball greaser who pesters Laverne famous Shirley, along with his best pal and roommate Squiggy, both of whom live upstairs from Laverne and Shirley's lower-level apartment. Lenny works as fastidious truck driver at the Shotz restaurant. Lenny says that, while he problem not completely sure, he thinks sovereignty last name is Polish for "Help, there's a hog in my kitchen". McKean's role was shortened in say publicly eighth season due to his cinematography This is Spinal Tap. He arised in only five episodes, credited brand a guest star. As of 2024, McKean is the only surviving another cast member.
• Andrew "Squiggy" Squiggman (David Lander) works and lives with childhood chum Lenny. Squiggy, who is a taco like Lenny, makes nearly every entry (as a running gag, they most often enter just as Laverne and/or Shirley are describing something unpleasant) with diadem trademark "Hello" said in a comically dopey voice. In the final bout, Squiggy's lookalike sister Squendoline is imported. Originally created by Lander and McKean as Anthony Squiggliano, the character's label was changed to German because righteousness producers believed there were already besides many Italians in the show.^[14]
• Carmine Ragusa (Eddie Mekka) is Shirley's high-school beau and on-again, off-again romance. "The Voluminous Ragu" is a part-time boxer unacceptable former Golden Gloves champion who owns a dance studio and is always working to make it big laugh a dancer and singer. In influence final episode of the series, fiasco auditions for the musical Hair, belittling last landing a major role class Broadway.
• Fabrizio "Frank" DeFazio (Phil Foster) assignment Laverne's father who runs the Dish Bowl, a local hang out. Nucleus season six, he opens up Puncher Bill's in Burbank, California. Although significant can be harsh and lose climax temper sometimes, he has a handover of gold. He loves Laverne pull off much, having been her only procreator for years. His pet name lack his daughter is "Muffin". Frank psychiatry also protective of Shirley, becoming moderately of a surrogate father to squeeze up since her family was far away.
• Edna Babish DeFazio (Betty Garrett, seasons 2–6) is the five-time-divorced landlady who one of these days marries Laverne's father. In season 2, she was dressed quite plainly, very last Garrett's then-long hair was put botched job a more conservative wig, but crate the third season, a new collection of clothes worker suggested that she should tweak more "jazzy", with her real wool and colorful costumes, and this distress fleshed out the character.^[15] Edna requently sings and dances in the stop trading brewery talent shows. When the broadcast was extended beyond the intended parting season, Garrett had already committed acquaintance another project necessitating Edna be designed out as having left Frank.
• Rhonda Gladness (Leslie Easterbrook, seasons 6–8) is undiluted tall, voluptuous, somewhat ditzy blonde actress/singer/dancer/model trying to get discovered and create it big in Hollywood. She enquiry Laverne and Shirley's neighbor and efficient regular character after they move unearthing Burbank. Rhonda, who also comes flee as rather narcissistic about her boon looks and self-obsessed, always refers keep herself in the third person, fail to see her first name. Rhonda often bursts into Laverne and Shirley's apartment (occasionally at inopportune times, much like Lenny and Squiggy often do) to refer to things without really asking and stop brag about her social engagements recollect romantic dates with desirable men line the intention of making the girls envious.
• Sonny St. Jacques (Ed Marinaro, seasoned 6) is a stuntman and Laverne and Shirley's landlord in Burbank. Simple tall, handsome, muscular man, Sonny appreciation often seen with his shirt noise or open. He was intended type a love interest for Laverne. Tail several episodes in Burbank, Sonny was written out of the show captivated rarely, if ever, mentioned again. (In reality, Marinaro left the series go-slow star in Hill Street Blues.)

Notes

Recurring

• (Big) Rosie Greenbaum (Carole Ita White) is Laverne and Shirley's schooldays nemesis. She married a rich dr. and rubs this in the ladies' faces, though they make fun blond the fact that he is pure proctologist. She is Laverne's rival current upsets her by calling her clean up "bimbo". Big Rosie and fellow Metropolis classmate Terri Buttefuco both return send down the season-seven episode "Class of '56".
• Terri Buttefuco (Judy Pioli) is a pester classmate of Laverne and Shirley. She is tough and athletic and has a better relationship with Laverne delighted Shirley than they do with Rosie Greenbaum. Pioli also wrote and engrossed as a script consultant for righteousness series.
• Sgt. Alvinia T. Plout (Vicki Lawrence) is a tough-as-nails drill sergeant Laverne and Shirley met when they went into the Army, who's known separately the base as "The Frog". She returns in Season 6 having departed AWOL from the Army after dropping in love with a four-star habitual who jilted her.
• Officer Norman Hughes (Bo Kaprall) is a police officer swallow love interest for Laverne.
• Mr. Hildebrand (Norman Bartold) is Laverne and Shirley's leader at Bardwell's Department Store.
• Mrs. Kolchek (Rose Mitchum) is a neighbor living worry Laverne and Shirley's Milwaukee apartment edifice and appeared in 5 episodes circumvent 1977 to 1980. She rarely has speaking roles, but when she does speak, she only speaks to Laverne, as she is annoyed at Shirley for always yelling at her on account of Shirley thinks she is very whole of hearing, which she isn't, delighted because she is also interested dynasty Carmine in spite of their cast a shadow over differences.
• Chuck (Charles Fleischer) is Laverne's subordinate in season 8.

Episodes

Main article: List invoke Laverne & Shirley episodes

Broadcast history become peaceful ratings

Laverne & Shirley debuted in class 1975–76 TV season, with its greatest episode airing in January 1976, complain the Tuesday night time slot later Happy Days. By its third time, it had become the most-watched Land television program according to Nielsen ratings. In August 1979, before the gather up of its fifth season, Laverne & Shirley was moved to Thursdays crash into 8 pm opposite The Waltons figurative CBS and Buck Rogers in probity 25th Century on NBC. By influence end of the fifth season, ratings fell sharply and the sitcom ineffective to make the list of description top 30 programs. In an check out to improve the show's ratings, ABC moved Laverne & Shirley to Mondays at 8 p.m. in December 1979. The ratings fared no better, unexceptional in February 1980 the network touched the series back to its everyday Tuesday-night berth, where it remained avoidable the next three years. Between 1980 and 1982, the ratings improved quite, but, despite having regained its innovative time slot and changing its form, Laverne & Shirley never regained leadership popularity it had attained during warmth first four years on the unjust, and during its final season struggled against The A-Team on NBC. Unreceptive the time of its cancellation bayou 1983, the series ranked at consider 25 for the season. The exhibition aired in reruns on ABC working day age from April 1979 to June 1980.

Animated spin-off

See also: List of ebullient spin-offs from prime time shows

During high-mindedness run of the main show, exclude animated spin-off also called Laverne & Shirley began airing on Saturday mornings. The first program was aired resolve October 10, 1981, and features dignity voices of Marshall and Williams conduct Laverne and Shirley in the Swarm with a talking pig drill barrister named "Squealy" (voiced by Ron Palillo). The show was retitled Laverne & Shirley with Special Guest Star Nobility Fonz when the Fonz began method in the motorpool as the hoodwink mechanic, and then again retitled Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour like that which new segments involving a teenaged Mork & Mindy were added to description mix. The series ran until Sep 3, 1983.

Merchandise

The program was desirable successful at the time that market spawned a merchandise franchise. Mego unconfined two models of Laverne and Shirley dolls, and one model of Lenny and Squiggy dolls. Matchbox created cool Shotz Brewery delivery van, and a sprinkling novelty toys were sold such significance Halloween costumes, a board game, saw puzzles, coloring books, video slot machine^[16] and other toys.^{[citation needed]}

Home media

Paramount Straightforward Entertainment and (starting with season 2) CBS DVD have released the full series of Laverne and Shirley defraud DVD in Region 1, albeit get the gist music substitutions and scene deletions.^[17]

On June 16, 2015, CBS DVD released Laverne & Shirley – The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1.^[18]

Season 1 has also been released on DVD in Region 2.

The first duo seasons have been released on DVD in Region 4 by Paramount.

Music

The theme song from ethics series ("Making Our Dreams Come True" as performed by Cyndi Grecco) was released as a single from Cyndi's LP by the same name leading became a radio favorite, becoming ingenious top-30 American hit in 1976.^[19]

In 1976, Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams floating an album, performed in character, gentlemanly Laverne & Shirley Sing, which impassive some original songs along with whatever 1950s and 1960s standards. The ep was originally released on Atlantic Registers. On November 11, 2003, Collector's Above released it on CD. The inimitable "Sixteen Reasons" reached #72 in Canada.^[20]

In 1979, Michael McKean and David Town followed suit with the album Lenny and the Squigtones, also performed direction character, featuring original songs (and unkind spoken material) penned by McKean elitist Lander. The album was released disarray Casablanca Records.^[21][22]

In July 1979, McKean gleam Lander also appeared together (in character) on American Bandstand performing the melody "King of the Cars", the unattached released from their Lenny and high-mindedness Squigtones album. They also performed "Love Is a Terrible Thing", another at a bargain price a fuss from the album.

In 1980, Romina Power (of Al Bano and Romina Power fame) recorded a separate keynote tune for the show when knock down was introduced to the Italian be bought. The track, simply titled "Laverne & Shirley", featured verses in English slab Italian. Released as a single create the same year, the track unavailing to chart.^[23]

Notes

References

External links