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Oh, Happy Day! We Have A Winner (Lots, Actually)

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By WALT BELCHER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 20, 2007

The Couch Spud's eyeballs are bugging out because more than 50 readers really know their "Happy Days" history.

Last week's trivia question, submitted by M.D. Jones of Brandon, was: "What program provided the basis and inspiration for 'Happy Days'?" Some people guessed "American Graffiti" (probably because Ron Howard was in "Graffiti" and "Happy Days"). One person guessed "The Love Boat." And several thought that the question was too easy.

The answer is "Love, American Style."

Picking a winner was not easy. I took all the telephone calls and all the e-mails, mixed up all the names and pulled out Marjorie Nemeth of Zephyrhills, who gets points for starting out by saying that she always enjoys reading my columns. She also gets a recently released DVD of "Love, American Style."

Marjorie recalls that the "Happy Days" segment of the anthology series "was a skit about a family from the '50s having a conversation while gathered for a meal at the dining room table."

I like people who try to answer trivia answers without using Wikipedia.

Barbie Ann Fournier of Lutz gave the most detailed answer, noting that the original 1971 pilot, "New Family in Town," contained some of the same characters (Richie, Howard, Marion and Potsie). ABC passed on this version but used some of it for a segment of "Love, American Style" in 1972.

In reader Liz Waiberman's memory, Ron Howard was trying to get a kiss good night from his date but kept leaning on the family's doorbell.

And Keith Silas is embarrassed to recall details such as Richie getting dumped by the date because "when she's in love, she'll hear The Platters singing 'My Prayer.'"

Ernestine Eisenhauer clearly remembers Richie as "an awkward teenager on a date, trying to, uh, put the moves on the girl." And Gary L. Jones remembers Richie trying to score by letting his date watch the family's new TV but ending up having to hold the antenna.

Caller Guyton Thompson of Tampa answered the question and asked another: "Of the four prime time spinoffs from "Happy Days," what was the least successful?" If you know the answer, e-mail me at wbelcher@tampatrib.com.

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