Even behind the scenes of the squeaky-clean 1950s based spin-off of the classic sitcom “Happy Days,” there were some moments that the cast and crew would have liked to have kept quiet. From feuds to off-screen rivalries, the cast of this show didn’t always get along like their famous characters.
Things aren’t always as they appear on TV, and the crew of “Laverne & Shirley” actually kept some secrets hidden about the production of the iconic show for years. But now, those secrets are out in the open and the truth about this classic show is ready to be known.
“Happy Days” Bad Girls
In the ‘50s, culture was a lot more clean-cut that it is today. Even wearing a skirt that bared a woman’s knees was cause for concern! So, although the characters Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney may seem tame by today’s standards, they were truly wild women of the ‘50s.
Shirley Couldn’t Do a Midwestern Accent
California native Cindy Williams had some trouble nailing the Wisconsin accent that her character needed to have. All she could muster up was a New York accent that didn’t fit the show’s location. Ultimately, creator Garry Marshall decided to let her scrap the accent altogether before the show aired.
The Original Upstairs Neighbors
Before there was Kramer on “Seinfeld,” there was the lovable duo Lenny and Squiggy on “Laverne and Shirley.” The pair wore their hair in ducktails, a style for bad boys of the era, but they couldn’t have been more harmless when interacting with their female counterparts.
The Set Was Recycled From Another Classic Show
“Laverne & Shirley” filmed at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, California, which is the same studio where a lot of other television shows are filmed. “The Odd Couple” wrapped in 1975 and their set was repurposed for use on “Laverne & Shirley” in 1976. The layout of the furniture even stayed the same!
The Set Was Recycled Again
In the final season of “Laverne & Shirley,” the show followed the two main characters moving to Los Angeles, during which the set was changed to reflect this move. Eagle-eyed television viewers might notice that the interior layout of the set is very similar to the one used on “Two and a Half Men,” although the two shows filmed at different studios.
The Show’s Writers Butted Heads
Shouting matches were common in the writers room of the series, and sometimes these fights included the actors of the show. Throughout the series’ run over 140 different writers were hired, meaning many writers got replaced from season to season.
Cindy Williams Nearly Turned Down Her Role
Before taking on the part of Shirley, Cindy Williams quickly made a splash in Hollywood as a film actress in movies like George Lucas’s “American Graffiti” for which she earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She was hoping to continuing her film career, so she almost turned down the chance to act on the series because she didn’t want to make the switch to television acting.
Williams Counted Her Lines— And Her Co-Star’s
Because Cindy Williams wanted her airtime to be equal to her co-star Penny Marshall’s airtime, she carefully counted each character’s lines in every script. This lead to some of the fights in the writers room when Williams demanded more lines.
Nepotism Ran Rampant
It’s no question how Penny Marshall got her role on “Happy Days” or “Laverne & Shirley.” Her brother is Garry Marshall, who created both classic shows, so he gave his sister her big break. But it was ultimately the audience’s love of the actress that made the show a success.
The Set Was Heated
The cast of the show often pointed out each other’s mistakes in less than kind ways during filming, which gave the set a reputation for being volatile. Penny Marshall and David Landers were two actors who frequently made remarks about others’ performances.
Pepsi Milk Disgusted Viewers
Many viewers of the show will remember Laverne’s odd drink choice of milk and coke. The concoction was actually a favorite of actress Penny Marshall. Don’t turn your nose up until you try it!
An Odd Animated Spin-Off Became Popular
In 1981, an animated spin-off of the show was created titled “Laverne & Shirley in the Army.” Although it was based on the popular characters, it also made a lot of changes to the live-action show’s format. Episodes were made that included appearances from Bigfoot, werewolves and aliens.
The Theme Song Was a Massive Hit
Sung by Cyndi Grecco, the theme song, “Making Our Dreams Come True” made its singer a one-hit wonder. The song peaked at #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976 following the debut of the series.
Shirley and Squiggy Were an Item
Behind the scenes, real romance was brewing between two of the show’s leads. Cindy Williams and David Landers dated on-and-off for the first few years of the series before Williams met her soon-to-be husband Bill Hudson.
A Failed Spin-Off Didn’t Make it to Air
Eddie Mekka appeared on 150 episodes of “Laverne & Shirley” and his character of Carmine “The Big Ragoo” Ragusa was a big hit among fans. So much so that the series finale was intended as a pilot of a series that would star Mekka, but the show never got past the pilot.
No Kids Were Allowed On Set
The ban on children behind-the-scenes started because of the intense bickering between the crew on the set. These fights included fowl language and heated arguments often, so creator Garry Marshall warned parents on the set that kids would not have a good time there.
Laverne & Shirley Recorded an Album
The theme song was such a hit that executives thought that the show’s stars should try their hands at recording an album, too! The lead actresses performed songs from the ‘50s as their characters and it was successful enough to get a CD release in 2003.
Lenny and Squiggy Made an Album, Too
Lenny and Squiggy’s actors had more of a knack for music because every song on their original album was written by Lenny actor Michael McKean. Their songs were so popular that they were asked to perform on “American Bandstand,” which lead to more opportunities for McKean.
A Star Was Born
The “Lenny and the Squigtones” album that was released in 1979 featured more than one familiar face for Spinal Tap fans. It featured McKean on vocals and a young Christopher Guest on guitar, who used the pseudonym Nigel Tufnel as he would again later in the “Spinal Tap” film. Another Spinal Tap member, Harry Shearer, also made appearances on the sitcom with his future bandmate.
Cindy Williams’ “Star Wars” Connection
Cindy Williams had worked with George Lucas on the film “American Graffiti,” so it was no surprise that she was asked to audition for the role of Princess Leia in the original “Star Wars” movie. Of course, she didn’t get the role, but her audition reel has since been released online for everyone to enjoy.
Carrie Fisher Made a Risqué Apparence
The “Star Wars” connections don’t stop there, because Carrie Fisher ended up winning Cindy Williams’ role yet again when she left the show in its final season. Fisher appeared in one episode as Laverne’s sidekick instead (and she was a great friend of Penny Marshal’s in real life) and the two appeared in Playboy outfits that would have been very risqué in the ‘50s.
Shirley Leaves the Show
During the show’s final season, Cindy Williams, one half of the famous duo, was only present for two episodes. Her character was written out with the reason that Shirley had moved overseas with her husband, who was in the army. But the real reason that the actress left the show was far stranger.
Cindy Williams Sued the Studio
In March of 1982, Cindy Williams was pregnant with her first child while filming the eighth season of “Laverne & Shirley.” She left the show when the studio demanded that she be scheduled to work on her due date. Because of this, Williams filed a $20 million lawsuit, which was settled out of court. The studio then released her from her contract.
Ultimate Cancelation
The show’s ratings were high enough for a ninth season without Shirley actress Cindy Williams, but Penny Marshall only agreed to appear if the production moved filming to New York City. Because this move would have been too costly, ABC instead decided to not renew the show.
A Happy Reunion
Even though there was a lot of bickering on the set of “Laverne & Shirley,” it didn’t ruin the relationship between the two stars of the show. Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams reunited to appear on an episode of Nickelodeon’s “Sam & Cat” in 2013 before Marshall sadly passed away in 2018.