| Season Number: | 1 |
| Bgcolour: |
|
| Num Episodes: | 16 |
| Network: | ABC |
| Next Season: | Season 2 |
| Episode List: | List of Happy Days episodes |
The first season of Happy Days, an American television sitcom, originally aired on ABC in the United States between January 15 and May 7, 1974. The show was created by Garry Marshall, under the production company Miller-Milkis Productions, in association with Paramount Television.
Before the show was picked up, it was initially filmed in 1971 as a pilot for New Family in Town. However, it was rejected by most networks at the time. However, a year later, ABC picked it up and the pilot for the series was aired it as part of an episode of Love, American Style in a segment titled "Love and the Television Set", originally aired on February 25, 1972. For syndication reruns, this was retitled "Love and the Happy Days." The role of sister Joanie was played by 12-year-old Susan Neher; while father Howard was played by Harold Gould; and brother Chuck (Charles) was played by Ric Carrott.[1]
The story opens with the Cunninghams buying their first television set, an expensive novelty in the 1950s. Potsie convinces Richie to use that as an enticement to get a girl to agree to a date, which he does but in the end Richie gets crushed. His father uses his wisdom of experience to console him. Howard is so entranced by his new TV that he sits alone in the living room watching nothing but a test pattern and tone.
A newly recorded version of "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets was used as the opening theme song for this and the following season; while the show's closing theme song was a fragment from "Happy Days" (although in a different recording with a different lyric from that which would become the standard version used since season three), whose music was composed by Charles Fox and whose lyric was written by Norman Gimbel.
The series premiered at mid-season during the 1973-74 television season, replacing Temperatures Rising which was faltering on ratings during its second season. The first season of the show, which consisted on 16 episodes, proved to be a hit for the network, ending at the 16th most-watched show in the US for that season. Airing on Tuesdays at 8:00 PM, it remained on that timeslot for ten consecutive seasons until 1983.
The season aired Tuesdays at 8:00-8:30 pm (EST).[2] [3]
See also: List of Happy Days episodes.