Happy Days Debuted As An Episode Of A Romance-Themed '70s Anthology Sitcom
When ABC passed on Happy Days the first time around, Garry Marshall's now-iconic sitcom finally made it to air thanks to an anthology series.
Happy Days, an iconic 1970s sitcom, may never have graced television screens without the assistance of an anthology series, Love, American Style. When creator Garry Marshall initially pitched Happy Days to ABC in the early 1970s, the network initially declined the show, failing to grasp the potential appeal of a series set in the 1950s for 1970s audiences.
As Love, American Style prepared to air its final episode in 1972, the success of the Broadway musical Grease created a renewed interest in the 1950s, leading ABC executives to see the value in Marshall's unsold pilot. Happy Days debuted on ABC in 1974, following Love, American Style's airing of the pilot episode. Although Love, American Style contributed to the careers of actors such as Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford, the show was ultimately responsible for launching the career of Arthur Fonzarelli, better known as Fonzie, played by Henry Winkler.
Despite Winkler's initial vision of Arthur as a silent, gesture-oriented character, the character evolved into the rebellious, catchphrase-spouting icon that made Happy Days a 1970s staple.
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