"Happy Days" Guess Who's Coming to Visit (1974)

Director:

Jerry Paris

Writers:

Garry Marshall (creator)
Lowell Ganz (written by)
(more)

TV Series:

"Happy Days" (1974)

Original Air Date:

5 February 1974 (Season 1, Episode 4)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Music

Plot:

Ritchie sneaks out after dark with Potsie Weber to watch Fonzie drive Ralph Malph's newly souped up ride in a midnight drag race against challenger Skizzy Scollick. |

Plot Keywords:

1950s | College | Marriage | Milwaukee Wisconsin | Greaser

Cast

Ron Howard	...	Richie Cunningham
Marion Ross	...	Marion Cunningham
Anson Williams	...	Potsie Weber
Tom Bosley	...	Howard Cunningham
Henry Winkler	...	Arthur 'Fonzie' Fonzarelli
Don Most	...	Ralph Malph (as Donny Most)
Herb Voland	...	Police Sergeant
Alan Abelew	...	Skizzy
Gavan O'Herlihy	...	Chuck Cunningham
Erin Moran	...	Joanie Cunningham
Laura Michaels	...	Jean
Beatrice Colen	...	Marsha Simms
Julie Graham	...	Cheerleader
Barry Greenberg	...	Moose
Carey Williams	...	Girl

Directed by
Jerry Paris

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lowell Ganz		written by
Garry Marshall		creator
Mark Rothman		written by

Produced by
William Bickley	....	producer (as William S. Bickley)
Claude Binyon Jr.	....	associate producer
Garry Marshall	....	executive producer
Edward K. Milkis	....	executive producer
Thomas L. Miller	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Pete King		(music scored by)

Cinematography by
Richard A. Kelley		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jerry Dronsky

Casting by
Pat Harris

Art Direction by
Serge Krizman

Set Decoration by
Ira Bates

Production Management
William Cairncross	....	post-production supervisor
Jack Lannan	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bill Lukather	....	assistant director

Art Department
Eugene S. Kelley	....	construction coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Debolt	....	camera & mechanical design
Sam Rosen	....	camera operator

Casting Department
Millie Gusse	....	casting supervisor (as Mildred Gusse)

Editorial Department
Hal White	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Bob Bain	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)

Other crew
Nick Abdo	....	assistant to producer
Patti Bereyso	....	assistant to executive producer
Bruce Lansbury	....	vice president: creative affairs

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Garry Marshall		creator

Production Companies

• Miller-Milkis Productions
• Henderson Productions
• Paramount Television

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1974) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound Company  recorded by (as Glen Glenn Sound)

Runtime:

30 min

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Miller-Milkis Productions

Trivia:

The title comes from the movie Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The Cunninghams watch an episode of "The Untouchables". However, that show did not air until 1959 and the first season of Happy Days occurs circa 1955.

Movie Connections:

References Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)

Soundtrack:

The Little White Cloud That Cried

The family that drag races together, stays together...

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Fortunately, the first season DVD set has not had its music tampered with like the second season DVD. So Season One is worth getting. And no spoiler can spoil this episode. I could watch this one over and over again and still crack up laughing!

Fonzie has just been challenged to a drag race. But it is decided that the race be moved late at night. The only problem is that Richie and the gang now have to sneak out late at night to see the Fonze in his glory. And this is where the trouble starts.

Howard gets word (Joanie squealed on Richie) so he shows up at the scene and grabs the starting flag just as the police arrive. So he, too gets arrested and must face a sarcastic chief of police.

The final moments of the episode features the whole gang hanging out at AL's. Suddenly, one of the guys yells "It's 5 O'clock!" and everybody vacates the place (as everybody is obviously grounded), except for a fat boy with glasses and a not-so-attractive girl, also with glasses. Both gaze into each other's eyes, both get up and the two tenderly dance alone to Johnny Ray's "Little White Cloud that Cried" (as Marsha mutters that she doesn't like drag races because they are bad for business).

And countless viewers got hooked on Johnny Ray that night, like me, for example...