"Laverne & Shirley" (1976) TV series 1976-1983

Creators:

Garry Marshall
Lowell Ganz
Mark Rothman
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Release Date:

27 January 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

The misadventures of two single women in the 1950's and '60's.

Plot Keywords:

Brewery | 1950s | Roommate | 1960s | Happy Days Spin Off

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Golden Globes. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Penny Marshall	...	Laverne DeFazio (178 episodes, 1976-1983)
Cindy Williams	...	Shirley Feeney (159 episodes, 1976-1983)
David L. Lander	...	Andrew 'Squiggy' Squiggman (155 episodes, 1976-1983)
Michael McKean	...	Leonard 'Lenny' Kosnowski / ... (149 episodes, 1976-1983)
Eddie Mekka	...	Carmine 'The Big Ragoo' Ragusa / ... (147 episodes, 1976-1983)
Phil Foster	...	Frank DeFazio (146 episodes, 1976-1983)
Betty Garrett	...	Edna Babish / ... (96 episodes, 1976-1981)
Leslie Easterbrook	...	Rhonda Lee (50 episodes, 1980-1983)

Series Directed by
Tom Trbovich		(36 episodes, 1981-1983)
Joel Zwick		(33 episodes, 1978-1980)
Alan Rafkin		(22 episodes, 1977-1978)
Alan Myerson		(12 episodes, 1976-1981)
Ray DeVally Jr.		(9 episodes, 1977-1981)
Howard Storm		(8 episodes, 1976-1978)
James Burrows		(8 episodes, 1976-1977)
John Tracy		(5 episodes, 1980)
Jack Winter		(5 episodes, 1981-1982)
Dennis Klein		(4 episodes, 1976-1978)
John Thomas Lenox		(4 episodes, 1976-1977)
Penny Marshall		(4 episodes, 1979-1981)
Frank Alesia		(3 episodes, 1980-1981)
Phil Perez		(3 episodes, 1981-1983)
Garry Marshall		(2 episodes, 1976-1983)
Maurice Bar-David		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)
Linda McMurray		(2 episodes, 1980-1981)
Gary Menteer		(2 episodes, 1981-1982)
Cindy Williams		(1 episode, 1981)

Series Writing credits
Mark Rothman		(32 episodes, 1976-1981)
Shelly Goldstein		(17 episodes, 1981-1982)
Judy Pioli		(14 episodes, 1977-1983)
Paula A. Roth		(13 episodes, 1976-1982)
Jeff Franklin		(13 episodes, 1979-1981)
Roger Garrett		(11 episodes, 1977-1983)
Marc Sotkin		(11 episodes, 1977-1983)
Al Aidekman		(11 episodes, 1978-1983)
Barry Rubinowitz		(9 episodes, 1976-1982)
Chris Thompson		(9 episodes, 1977-1979)
Deborah Leschin		(6 episodes, 1976-1980)
David W. Duclon		(5 episodes, 1976-1978)
Anthony DiMarco		(5 episodes, 1981-1982)
David Ketchum		(5 episodes, 1981-1982)
Arthur Silver		(4 episodes, 1976-1978)
Monica Mcgowan Johnson		(4 episodes, 1977-1982)
Jack Lukes		(4 episodes, 1980-1983)
Nick LeRose		(4 episodes, 1982-1983)
Lowell Ganz		(3 episodes, 1976-1977)
Garry Marshall		(3 episodes, 1976-1977)
Jack Winter		(3 episodes, 1976-1977)
William Bickley		(3 episodes, 1976)
Michael Warren		(3 episodes, 1976)
Stephen Nathan		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Paul B. Price		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Cindy Begel		(3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Lesa Kite		(3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Bob Perlow		(3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Jill Gordon		(3 episodes, 1982-1983)
Ed Solomon		(3 episodes, 1982-1983)
Laura Levine		(2 episodes, 1976-1978)
Bo Kaprall		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
David L. Lander		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Michael McKean		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Bob Sand		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Bob Brunner		(2 episodes, 1976)
Judy Skelton		(2 episodes, 1976)
Babaloo Mandel		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Eric Cohen		(2 episodes, 1977)
Phil Foster		(2 episodes, 1978-1983)
Kenny Rich		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)
Ruth Bennett		(2 episodes, 1980-1981)
Charlotte M. Dobbs		(2 episodes, 1980-1981)
Ria Nepus		(2 episodes, 1980-1981)
Joanne Pagliaro		(2 episodes, 1980-1981)
Deborah Raznick		(2 episodes, 1980-1981)
Richard Rosenstock		(2 episodes, 1980)
Cheryl Alu		(2 episodes, 1981-1983)
Gene Braunstein		(2 episodes, 1981-1982)
Dana Olsen		(2 episodes, 1981)
Susan Jane Lindner		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Ken Sagoes		(2 episodes, 1983)

Series Produced by
Garry Marshall	....	executive producer (178 episodes, 1976-1983)
Edward K. Milkis	....	executive producer (178 episodes, 1976-1983)
Thomas L. Miller	....	executive producer (178 episodes, 1976-1983)
Tony Paris	....	associate producer (70 episodes, 1980-1983)
Nick Abdo	....	associate producer / producer (61 episodes, 1976-1978)
Jeff Franklin	....	producer (60 episodes, 1979-1981)
Marc Sotkin	....	supervising producer / producer (49 episodes, 1978-1983)
Jeffrey Ganz	....	associate producer (48 episodes, 1976-1978)
Gary Menteer	....	supervising producer / producer (47 episodes, 1979-1982)
Anthony W. Marshall	....	producer / supervising producer (43 episodes, 1976-1980)
Lowell Ganz	....	producer (38 episodes, 1976-1977)
Mark Rothman	....	producer (30 episodes, 1976-1977)
Arthur Silver	....	producer (24 episodes, 1977-1978)
Milt Josefsberg	....	producer (22 episodes, 1980-1981)
Marty Nadler	....	supervising producer / producer (22 episodes, 1980-1981)
Jeff Melman	....	producer (22 episodes, 1982-1983)
Chris Thompson	....	producer (8 episodes, 1978-1979)
Phil Mishkin	....	supervising producer (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Ronny Hallin	....	associate producer (4 episodes, 1979)
Richard Correll	....	associate producer (4 episodes, 1980)
David W. Duclon	....	producer (4 episodes, 1980)
Ron Leavitt	....	producer (4 episodes, 1980)
Al Aidekman	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)
Robert L. Boyett	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Howard Pearl		(69 episodes, 1980-1983)
Dan Foliart		(25 episodes, 1981-1983)
Jack Hayes		(24 episodes, 1977-1978)
Charles Fox		(6 episodes, 1976)

Series Cinematography by
William Norton		(46 episodes, 1977-1981)
Lester Shorr		(38 episodes, 1976-1977)
Edward E. Nugent		(25 episodes, 1979-1983)

Series Film Editing by
Robert James Kern		(42 episodes, 1976-1979)
Daniel P. Hanley		(15 episodes, 1980-1982)
Ed Cotter		(3 episodes, 1976-1977)
Carl Mahakian		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Larry Breslow		(2 episodes, 1982)

Series Casting by
Bobby Hoffman		(64 episodes, 1978-1983)
Pat Harris		(37 episodes, 1976-1977)
Marsha Kleinman		(37 episodes, 1976-1977)
Michael Brown		(22 episodes, 1982-1983)
Ronny Hallin		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Monty Elliott		(178 episodes, 1976-1983)

Series Set Decoration by
Anthony D. Nealis		(178 episodes, 1976-1983)

Series Costume Design by
Gail Viola		(22 episodes, 1982-1983)
Dianne Kennedy		(3 episodes, 1977-1978)

Series Makeup Department
Bruce Hutchinson	....	makeup artist (141 episodes, 1976-1983)
Shirley Gilbert	....	hair stylist (84 episodes, 1976-1979)
Delree F. Todd	....	hair stylist (22 episodes, 1982-1983)
Janis Clark	....	hair stylist (18 episodes, 1979-1982)
Carol Mercatoris	....	hair stylist (4 episodes, 1979)
Frank Griffin	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1979)

Series Production Management
Paul Rapp	....	unit production manager (31 episodes, 1977-1978)
Henry J. Lange Jr.	....	unit production manager (31 episodes, 1980-1983)
John Thomas Lenox	....	unit production manager (28 episodes, 1976-1977)
Rusty Meek	....	unit production manager (16 episodes, 1978-1980)
Robert James Kern	....	post-production supervisor (15 episodes, 1979-1982)
Norm Gray	....	unit production manager (4 episodes, 1976)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Linda McMurray	....	assistant director / first assistant director (50 episodes, 1976-1982)
Jules Lichtman	....	first assistant director / second assistant director (25 episodes, 1981-1983)
Sheila Stewart	....	second assistant director (22 episodes, 1982-1983)
Susan Norton	....	second assistant director (11 episodes, 1979-1980)
Bruce Solow	....	second assistant director (6 episodes, 1980-1981)
Barbara Searles	....	assistant director (5 episodes, 1976)
John Thomas Lenox	....	assistant director (4 episodes, 1976)
John C. Thomas	....	second assistant director (4 episodes, 1979)
Harriette Regan	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1978)

Series Art Department
Eugene S. Kelley	....	construction coordinator (71 episodes, 1976-1979)
Louis Zamora	....	labor foreman (14 episodes, 1979-1983)
Margaret Mazzola	....	set dressing (4 episodes, 1979)
Erik L. Nelson	....	property master (unknown episodes, 1977-1978)
Douglas Forsmith	....	property master (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Wayne O'Brien	....	re-recording mixer: restoration (178 episodes, 1976-1983)
Richard Adams	....	sound effects editor (42 episodes, 1976-1979)
Jim Ford	....	production mixer (36 episodes, 1980-1983)
Jack A. Finlay	....	sound effects editor (22 episodes, 1982-1983)
George D. Dutton	....	sound effects editor (9 episodes, 1979-1980)
Fred Stafford	....	sound effects editor (3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Denis Dutton	....	sound effects editor (3 episodes, 1981-1982)
Bill Henderson	....	sound re-recording engineer (2 episodes, 1979-1980)

Series Special Effects by
Kevin Pike	....	special effects technician (1 episode, 1979)

Series Stunts
Donna Garrett	....	stunt double: Penny Marshall (1 episode, 1978)
Leslie Hoffman	....	stunt double: Cindy Williams (1 episode, 1978)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Gary Armstrong	....	assistant camera (62 episodes, 1976-1978)
Michael Hofstein	....	assistant camera / first assistant camera (51 episodes, 1977-1980)
Ray DeVally Jr.	....	camera coordinator (15 episodes, 1976)
Sam Rosen	....	camera operator (15 episodes, 1976)
Richard Debolt	....	camera & mechanical design (10 episodes, 1976)
Cliff Concialdi	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Don E. FauntLeRoy	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)
Henry Minski	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Gerald B. Wolfe	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Ronny Hallin	....	casting consultant / casting coordinator (44 episodes, 1979-1983)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Wes Echert	....	costumer: men (48 episodes, 1977-1983)
Adrianne Levesque	....	costumer: women (22 episodes, 1982-1983)
Gerry Puhara	....	costumer: women (10 episodes, 1979-1980)
Justine Brady	....	costumer: women (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Karen Kaufman	....	costumer: women (5 episodes, 1980-1981)
Lee Peters	....	costumer: women (3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Gail Viola	....	costumer: women (3 episodes, 1981-1982)

Series Editorial Department
Donald Freeman	....	final colorist (157 episodes, 1976-1983)
Ed Cotter	....	assistant editor (2 episodes, 1976)

Series Music Department
Charles Fox	....	composer: theme music / music conductor / ... (178 episodes, 1976-1983)
Norman Gimbel	....	lyricist: theme music (178 episodes, 1976-1983)
Cyndi Grecco	....	singer: theme music (178 episodes, 1976-1983)
Chips Swanson	....	music editor (144 episodes, 1976-1983)
Frank Comstock	....	composer: additional music (26 episodes, 1976-1978)
Bennett Salvay	....	music coordinator (25 episodes, 1981-1983)
Robert Bain	....	musician: guitar (12 episodes, 1976)
Martin Weiss	....	music editor (5 episodes, 1976)
Robert Krueger	....	music editor (4 episodes, 1976)
Ike Cole	....	musician: Recording artist contributing to the series are (3 episodes, 1976-1977)
Fats Domino	....	musician: Recording artist contributing to the series are (3 episodes, 1976-1977)
Connie Francis	....	musician: Recording artist contributing to the series are / musician (3 episodes, 1976-1977)
Johnnie Ray	....	musician: Recording artist contributing to the series are (3 episodes, 1976-1977)
Eddie Mekka	....	musician / musician: Recording artist contributing to the series are (2 episodes, 1977)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (2 episodes, 1976)
Alan Kaminsky	....	transportation (2 episodes, 1982)

Series Other crew
Gabrielle James	....	script supervisor (105 episodes, 1977-1983)
Anthony W. Marshall	....	production executive / executive production consultant (65 episodes, 1978-1983)
Lowell Ganz	....	executive script consultant / creative consultant / ... (62 episodes, 1976-1978)
Judy Pioli	....	story editor / script consultant / ... (54 episodes, 1977-1983)
Mark Rothman	....	executive script consultant / creative consultant / ... (43 episodes, 1976-1979)
Phil Perez	....	technical coordinator / technical director (43 episodes, 1978-1983)
Al Aidekman	....	executive script consultant / story editor (35 episodes, 1980-1983)
Paula A. Roth	....	story editor / executive story editor / ... (32 episodes, 1977-1979)
Chris Thompson	....	story editor / executive script consultant (32 episodes, 1977-1979)
Roger Garrett	....	executive story consultant / executive story editor (32 episodes, 1979-1983)
David W. Duclon	....	executive story consultant / executive script consultant / ... (30 episodes, 1976-1980)
Marc Sotkin	....	story editor / executive script consultant (29 episodes, 1977-1979)
Ray DeVally Jr.	....	technical coordinator (26 episodes, 1976-1978)
Arthur Silver	....	executive story consultant / story editor (26 episodes, 1976-1978)
Milt Josefsberg	....	executive consultant (25 episodes, 1981-1983)
Susan Jane Lindner	....	story editor (23 episodes, 1977-1983)
Bo Kaprall	....	story editor (22 episodes, 1976-1977)
Bob Sand	....	story editor (22 episodes, 1976-1977)
Jill Gordon	....	story editor (22 episodes, 1982-1983)
Deborah Leschin	....	executive story editor (22 episodes, 1982-1983)
Jeff Franklin	....	executive story consultant / executive script consultant / ... (16 episodes, 1979-1981)
Robert L. Boyett	....	creative consultant (13 episodes, 1979-1981)
Marty Nadler	....	story editor / executive script consultant (12 episodes, 1976-1981)
Frank Alesia	....	executive consultant (10 episodes, 1980-1981)
Bob Brunner	....	executive story consultant (7 episodes, 1976)
Anthony DiMarco	....	executive story consultant (5 episodes, 1980-1981)
David Ketchum	....	executive story consultant (5 episodes, 1980-1981)
Ron Leavitt	....	executive script consultant (5 episodes, 1980)
Richard Rosenstock	....	executive story editor / executive story consultant (5 episodes, 1980)
Susan Seeger	....	story editor (5 episodes, 1980)
Harvey Miller	....	executive consultant (4 episodes, 1979)
Barry Rubinowitz	....	consultant (4 episodes, 1979)
Gary H. Miller	....	consultant (3 episodes, 1979)
Wally Dalton	....	script consultant (3 episodes, 1981-1982)
Laurie Gelman	....	story editor / executive story editor (3 episodes, 1981-1982)
Dana Olsen	....	program consultant (3 episodes, 1981-1982)
James Cranna	....	story editor (2 episodes, 1976)
Ronny Hallin	....	assistant to executive producer (2 episodes, 1977)
Jordan Tabat	....	intern (2 episodes, 1977)
Tony Paris	....	assistant to producer / assistant to producers (2 episodes, 1979-1980)
Ruth Bennett	....	story editor (2 episodes, 1980)
Joanne Pagliaro	....	story editor (2 episodes, 1980)
Terry Hart	....	executive story consultant (2 episodes, 1981-1982)
David L. Lander	....	original consultant (unknown episodes)
Michael McKean	....	original consultant (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Miller-Milkis Productions
• Henderson Productions
• Paramount Television (in association with)

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1976-1983)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (complete first season)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (second & third seasons)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (fourth season)

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound Company  recorded by (as Glen Glenn Sound)
• Howard Anderson Company, The  titles & opticals (1976-1983) (as Howard Anderson Co.)

Also Known As:

"Laverne & Shirley & Company" - USA (syndication title)
"Laverne & Shirley & Friends" - USA (syndication title)
"Laverne DeFazio & Shirley Feeney" - USA (first season title)

Runtime:

30 min (178 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Singapore:PG | USA:TV-G | Australia:PG (some episodes)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Miller-Milkis Productions

Trivia:

In 1976 Cindy Williams briefly walked off the show to protest Penny Marshall getting all the good lines. She returned two days later.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The show was originally set in Milwaukee, famed for its brewing history. The title characters were bottlecappers in the fictional Schotz Brewery, so they are shown working along a brewery's bottling line during the opening titles. However, this sequence was obviously shot in an Anheuser-Busch facility, as the bottles shown streaming along the conveyor are the iconic 'teardrop' bottles used for Michelob beer in the 1970s. Anheuser-Busch, the St. Louis-based maker of Budweiser, never had a facility in Milwaukee.

Quotes:

Shirley Feeney:Laverne, I'm telling you, flying is safer than driving! Nobody has ever crashed into a cloud!
Laverne De Fazio:Yeah well nobody ever fell 40,000 feet from a DeSoto either.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Sonny and Cher Show: Episode #2.13" (1976)

Soundtrack:

Making Our Dreams Come True

Shlameel, Shlamazel...

In the seventies, so many sitcoms were making an effort to change something, to make a point. And this show did it without anybody really ever realizing it. Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney are hardworking girls, out on thier own, putting up with men, work, neighbors, and other life problems. Laverne had her "L", on every single item of clothing that she owned, Shirley had her security Boo-Boo-Kitty, and wrote in her diary. The annoyance and sometimes utter stupidity of Lenny Kosnowski and Andrew Squiggmann just made you have to love the guys. Lenny was the soft one, who looked up to his best friend, had a toy lizard, a slight crush on Laverne, and a tough childhood. Squiggy seemed to be above the world, yet he did show emotions, if you only looked. He loved Lenny more than anything. Laverne and Shirley had their quarrels, but they were always best friends, and Shirley did finally achieve her dream: she married a doctor and lived happily ever after (much to the downfall of the series, but none the less). Laverne and Shirley is my favorite show, as you may have noticed, and there is so much to be seen in it, as there is with many comedies, if we only try to look hard enough!