*****CATHODE-RAY TUBE SPOILERS!!*****

As I did with legendary TV producer Norman Lear’s recent passing, I’m taking a brief break from this site’s usual sci-fi/fantasy/horror fare for a look at a classic episode of the old sitcom, “Happy Days.” Happy Days began as a 1972 segment of the then-popular TV comedy anthology series, “Love, American Style” called “Love and the Happy Days.”  This backdoor pilot was written by writer/producer Garry Marshall, and starred three future cast members from Marshall’s eventual series; Ron Howard (“Richie Cunningham”), Anson Williams (“Potsie” Webber) and Marion Ross (“Marion Cunningham”). “Love and the Happy Days” was arguably inspired by then-novice director George Lucas’ sleeper teen comedy, “American Graffiti” (1972), which was Lucas’ ode to growing up in Modesto, California of 1962 (still visibly close in look and feel to the late 1950s). The “Love…” pilot even cast “Graffiti” lead actor (and future filmmaker), Ron Howard, as well as the late Cindy Williams (1947-2023), who’d later star in the Happy Days spinoff “Laverne & Shirley.” Unlike its feature film inspiration, the pilot and subsequent TV series was set in mid-1950s Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

As a kid, I was a huge fan of Happy Days, and its breakout character of Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler); the slick biker and garage mechanic who was an idol to so many kids of my generation.  “The Fonz” was cool, the ladies loved him, and he rode motorcycles—what’s not to like for an impressionable preteen, right?  Happy Days had a long (arguably too long) run, from 1974-1984, with the last few seasons of the show being nearly unrecognizable from its core concept as a simple coming-of-age comedy.  Before long, Fonzie became nearly invincible; forever saving his friends’ hides just in the nick of time, with no town bully or other foe brave enough to challenge him. Fonzie also began to demonstrate near superhuman powers and abilities too, including the infamous episode where he successfully jumped over a killer shark on water skis (water skiing was a skill actor Henry Winkler possessed in real life, interestingly enough). Eventually, “The Fonz” settled down to become a high school auto shop teacher a couple of years before the series was mercifully ended.

Happy Days, much like Norman Lear’s “All in the Family,” became a spinoff-generating machine; giving birth to “Laverne & Shirley,” “Mork & Mindy,” “Joanie Loves Chachi,” and I’m sure I’m forgetting one or two failed pilots. Despite the unrecognizable mutations of its later years, the show’s first two seasons (before it began filming in front of a live audience) were simple, ensemble family comedies that felt more akin to 1983’s “A Christmas Story” than the shark-jumping, alien-defeating juggernaut that followed. 

“Guess Who’s Coming to Christmas?”

On December 17th 1974, in the middle of Happy Days’ memorable second season, “Guess Who’s Coming to Christmas?”  debuted. Written by Bill Idelson and directed by Frank Buxton, this was one of the first episodes to take a deeper look into the character of Fonzie (Henry Winkler), showing how the outwardly cool and carefree character was masking a painful life of loneliness.  

The story opens in the home of lead character Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard) seen at the dinner table with father Howard (Tom Bosley), mother Marion (Marion Ross) and kid sister Joanie (Erin Moran).  Howard tells his family that this Christmas Eve will be spent only with each other and no one else.  Joanie is upset that she can’t invite her friends, and even Marion gently rebukes her husband as a ‘Scrooge.’  Older brother Chuck (Randolph Roberts) is also dropping by from college for the holidays, leaving a dirty sweat sock on the Christmas tree as an accidental ornament. 

Note: The character of Chuck Cunningham was ignored after the second season.  The final episode even saw Howard toasting his “two children,” at Joanie’s wedding, completely forgetting about poor Chuck (I’ve only caught the final episode on YouTube since I’d stopped watching the series long before it ended in 1984).  Chuck was played by three actors, with Ric Carrott playing him in the series’ pilot, while Gavin O’Herlihy alternated with Randolph Roberts until the end of season 2.  By season 3, the character was completely forgotten in what later became known as “Chuck Syndrome,” where a TV character goes away and is never seen or mentioned ever again. 

Howard and Richie try to set up their family’s robotic Santa Claus decoration; a life-sized automaton that repeatedly tosses the same package over its shoulder.  When activated, the arm swings too slowly, so  Richie turns the knob on the robot’s back, only to have it break off in his hand! The maniacal automaton then swings the package repeatedly—furiously hitting Richie in the head several times before it’s unplugged. Leaving Santa alone for now, Howard leaves for work at his hardware store, while Richie heads to Arnold’s diner to hang out with his buddies; Warren ‘Potsie’ Webber (Anson Williams) and Ralph Malph (Donny Most). 

Note: While the Santa-bot is a nice sight gag, it’s utterly implausible as a believable piece of 1950s Christmas decor. While I could easily imagine seeing a life-sized, automated Santa on someone’s lawn in 2023, it would’ve been beyond the reach of technology (let alone affordability) for a middle-class American family to own in 1956. The Santa robot was played by an unknown actor/stuntman wearing a Santa suit and a plastic mask to disguise his features. 

At Arnold’s, Richie and Potsie take part in class clown Ralph’s lecherous ploy to lure unsuspecting girls under a handheld piece of mistletoe in order to steal a kiss.  After Richie sees Ralph get away with the stunt, he decides to try it out himself on pretty blonde waitress Wendy (Misty Rowe), who manages to squirm away, telling the boys they’re holding a snip of parsley, not mistletoe. 

Note: This is one of the episode’s gags that doesn’t work in 2023, and rightly so, since forcibly kissing someone against their will is never a good idea. This practical ‘joke’ is a holdover from an era when movie/TV characters would often humiliate others sexually for ‘laughs’ (like lifting a  girl’s skirt, snapping a bra, or pulling clothing off), but today it just feels like what it is; unwanted sexual assault, and it’s not funny. Also of note; in the establishing exterior shot of Arnold’s (in 1956 ‘Milwaukee’), you can see palm trees off in the distance behind the parking lot, betraying the show’s Southern California filming locations.

Fortunately, Ralph’s unfunny gag ends when Fonzie (Henry Winkler) walks in with presents for everyone, including matching necklaces with an inscription (“You’re the ginchiest”) to waitresses Wendy and long-suffering Marsha (Beatrice Colen)—who each assume the gifts were unique. To Richie, Potsie and Ralph, he gives matching handkerchiefs.  The boys then feel bad about not getting anything for Fonzie, but he assures them it’s okay; Christmas is about giving, not receiving.  When the boys ask about his own plans for Christmas, Fonzie suddenly becomes uncharacteristically nervous, even stammering a bit, as he spins a too-good-to-be-true story about his cousins in nearby Waukesha with a huge tree, a large house, and a delicious Christmas buffet. 

Note: One of the things I loved about the first two seasons of the show was the single-camera format, before the show was filmed before a live audience.  Those earlier seasons allowed for more nuanced acting from the ensemble, with generous use of strategic lighting, reaction shots and closeups—something not afforded in the stagier later seasons, which tended to be more broad and farcical. You can see examples of this subtler style when Fonzie nervously lies about his family in Waukesha. 

Richie later meets his dad at the hardware store, as Howard closes early for Christmas Eve, but not before hosting a small holiday party for his employees; elderly Mrs. Harrison (Marjorie Bennett), middle-aged Orville (Robert Casper), and a young employee who stares unblinkingly into nothingness…having gotten drunk on just a few swigs of eggnog.  Richie stays to help his father close up.

Note: This is one of the rare times we actually see Howard’s often-mentioned hardware store in the series. Series costar Tom Bosley (1927-2010) was one of the few cast members of the show who sounded authentically Midwestern, having hailed from Chicago. In addition to voicing another father in the animated series “Wait Till Your Father Gets Home” (1972-1974), Bosley also costarred in two segments of Rod Serling’s “The Night Gallery” (Pilot, “Make Me Laugh”) as well as the titular priest character of “The Father Dowling Mysteries” (1987-1991).  Bosley was an underrated talent on Happy Days, grounding the cast with his lovably exasperated but warm father figure. The character of Howard Cunningham was originally played by actor Harold Gould (“The Sting,” “Silent Movie”) in the “Love American Style” pilot.

Leaving the hardware store together, Richie and Howard find their DeSoto is hissing steam.  Richie says that Fonzie’s auto shop is still open, and that he’s willing to take a look at the car, if they can push it there. Once at the garage, Fonzie quickly fixes the leaky radiator hose for free, in keeping with the spirit of the holiday.  Howard offers to pay for the repair, but Fonzie insists.  Realizing Fonzie’s in danger of missing his bus, Howard and Richie offer to drive him to Waukesha, since he fixed their car, but Fonzie snaps—telling the Cunninghams not to make a ‘federal case’ over a ‘little favor.’ Knowing he was out of line, Fonzie then apologizes to Howard for his minor outburst, and sends the two on their way, wishing them a Merry Christmas before closing the garage’s main doors…

Note: Fonzie’s uncharacteristic loss of cool with the Cunninghams stems from his fear of his Waukesha lie being exposed, of course, since he’s afraid of exposing a vulnerable side of himself. Once again, this is a wonderful episode for Henry Winkler, and it’s easy to see why the producers went all in on the character, who became a national phenomenon soon after. Since Happy Days, almost every major US sitcom featured a ‘Fonzie’; a catchphrase-spouting breakout character whom audiences loved, and whom writers could use to save weaker episodes by their presence alone.

Once in the car, Richie suddenly remembers he had a three-way wrench he meant to give Fonzie as a Christmas gift. Returning to the side door of the garage, Richie sees Fonzie sitting alone, eating a can of ravioli by himself—in no hurry to catch any bus. Richie realizes that Fonzie was lying about his waiting family in Waukesha.  The tough young mechanic who’s so upbeat about doling out Christmas cheer to his friends is spending the holiday alone.  Richie can’t bring himself to break Fonzie’s solitude and risk embarrassing him. Returning to the car, Richie tries to tell his dad what he saw, but a grinning Howard is oblivious, telling Richie how much he’s looking forward to their “family Christmas” together. 

Note: The haunted look on Richie’s face when he sees his friend, alone and vulnerable, eating canned food on Christmas Eve is an unforgettable TV moment which adds to this episode’s deserved status as a sitcom holiday classic. Terrific acting from both Ron Howard and Henry Winkler, as well as some underrated cinematography from Richard A. Kelley (“The Ghost and Mrs. Muir,” “MASH”), which evokes a subtle feeling of winter cold and isolation.

After returning home, Richie is finally able to tell his dad about what he saw at the garage, with Marion, Joanie and even Chuck feeling badly for Fonzie. Their looks alone prompt Howard to abandon his plans for a ‘family-only’ Christmas in order check in on Fonzie.  Richie and Howard then drive to Fonzie’s apartment, where they hear music playing.  After Richie’s repeated knocks at the door, Fonzie answers carrying a suitcase—still pretending to catch a bus for Waukesha.  Howard offers to carry Fonzie’s suitcase, which is clearly empty. Caught in a lie, a prideful Fonzie says with no humor whatsoever, “I travel light.” Once inside the small apartment, they see Fonzie’s motorcycle, which he keeps indoors during inclement weather.  Summoning any excuse to invite Fonzie over without his losing face, Richie remembers the wrench, which Fonzie puts under a tiny, tabletop tree. Howard then appeals to the problem-solving mechanic in Fonzie, saying that their decorative Santa is broken, and if they could impose on him to take a look at it. With face saved, Fonzie agrees and leaves with the Cunninghams.

Note: Once again, we see Fonzie vulnerable, as he doubles down on his now pathetic Waukesha lie. Howard and Richie smartly find a way for him to leave with them, while appealing to his vanity.  It’s a carefully written scene, wonderfully acted as well. 

Once at the Cunningham house, Fonzie’s skills are put to use, and he repairs the malfunctioning Santa-bot.  Once inside, he also helps the Cunninghams fix their Christmas tree when he tells Chuck that the bulb he’s using to find the bad one on the strand might also be defective.  Needless to say, Fonzie gets the tree lights working as well, but as Howard points out, he’s missed the 9 o’clock bus to Waukesha…the last one of the evening.  Once again, Howard offers to drive Fonzie to Waukesha, but Marion insists that he spend Christmas Eve with them, and that’s final. Touched by her insistence, Fonzie says “Mrs. C” reminds him of his mother.   He accepts her invitation. 

Note: Every member of the Cunningham ensemble gets their moment, and Marion’s firm insistence on Fonzie staying at her home belongs to character actress Marion Ross. Ross (still alive at 95 years old) has an IMDb list of credits as long as my arm, including roles in “Mission: Impossible,” “The Outer Limits” and “Paradise Bay.” She’s best known for her role as Marion Cunningham on “Happy Days,” of course; the same-named role she first played on the “Love American Style” backdoor pilot for the series, as only one of three returning actors when the pilot was picked up as a series.

Later, as Fonzie coaches Howard—aka “Mr. C”—on his technique for popping popcorn over the fireplace, he comes clean about his earlier ruse by looking Howard in the eye and quietly stating, “I know you’re hip to Waukesha,” to which Howard humbly replies that it was Richie who figured it out.  Fonzie then teases Richie about keeping his freckles in the right place; his way of thanking Richie for his tenacity and insight. Later, we see Fonzie and young Joanie checking out images on her 3D Viewmaster; a future hint of the bond these two characters would have later on in the series, when Fonzie would nickname her “Shortcake.”

Note: Sadly, actress Erin Moran (1960-2017) would only find sporadic work in her post-“Happy Days” career, when her spinoff series “Joanie Loves Chachi” (1982-3) was cancelled after one season.  After prior struggles with substance abuse, the actress found sobriety and was clean at the time of her untimely death at age 56 from cancer. 

As the festivities come to a close before dinner, Fonzie offers to read “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” by Clement Clarke Moore, and putting his own unique spin on it (“Not even a mouse…can you dig it?”). The family sit around and listen as Fonzie reads the poem, and it snows outside.  Fonzie saved the Cunningham’s robotic Santa Claus and tree lights, but more importantly, the Cunningham family saved Christmas for the Fonz as well. 

Note: Of all the Christmas episodes in 1970s sitcoms, this is one of the coziest.  Even today, nearly 50 years later, streaming it on my iPad is like putting on a warm pair of slippers and sipping a cup of hot cocoa. Other than the earlier cringey scene of Ralph sexually harassing strangers, this is one of the better vintage Christmas-themed sitcom episodes. Season 2 of Happy Days was also the last before the show’s runaway success began to change it, and subsequent seasons became increasingly outlandish and ridiculous. It’s no wonder that season 2 is the only season of the show currently streaming on Paramount+.

The following day, Fonzie is seated at the Cunningham table for Christmas dinner. As Marion tells Howard to say grace for the family, he proposes that guest Fonzie should have that honor. Moved by the gesture, Fonzie looks skyward and humbly says, “Hey God? Thanks!”  With that, Howard prepares to carve the turkey.  Fade out. 

Note: I had the pleasure of meeting actor Henry Winkler in 1976 when I was all of 9 years old, at an autograph signing event in Los Angeles that my dad read about in the newspaper.  After waiting in a lengthy line full of fellow fans, I finally got to meet Henry Winkler, who signed my autograph book and admired the fine-tipped felt pen that I brought with me.  He offered to trade his blue marker for my pen, and I gladly accepted.  My dad then took a Polaroid of Winkler and I, which I took to school and happily showed to all of my friends.  Henry Winkler was my first celebrity encounter, and he couldn’t have been nicer.  He really seemed to like kids, and was very patient, as I nervously shook his hand afterward.  I wish I held onto that pen and Polaroid, but sadly, they got lost after many moves. Now they exist to me only as a fond memory. Perhaps this column is my own way of saving that moment from oblivion.

The End.

Summing It Up

“Guess Who’s Coming to Christmas?” remains an example of Happy Days doing what it did best; offering warm, feel-good (albeit sanitized) family comedy served with insight into its most popular character.  Happy Days was a lot more subtle in its earlier single-camera seasons, with the actors giving finer shadings to their characters. Later seasons featured a broader, less-nuanced, theatrical style when the show began filming before a live studio audience. All the same, the first two seasons’ mix of coming-of-age comedy peppered with occasional drama was Happy Days at its peak, with a handful of those earlier episodes remaining TV classics (the 1974 Halloween episode “Haunted” is another personal favorite of mine).

Actor Henry Winkler gives a brilliant performance of understated insecurity and pathos for this episode, and he’s given excellent support by castmates Ron Howard, Tom Bosley, Erin Moran and Marion Ross. All the same, the ABC network fed audience demand by promoting Fonzie as the show’s big star, causing Happy Days to lose some of its earlier ensemble feeling. While success often sours as much as it sweetens, “Guess Who’s Coming to Christmas?” still serves as a reminder of just why we first fell in love with the Fonzie character—and this series—for as long as we did. 

Happy Days wasn’t topical, controversial or socially important like other shows of that era. The show was consciously designed as entertainment for its own sake.  Its strength didn’t necessarily come from exceptional writing or innovative ideas, but rather from the show’s charming core cast. “Guess Who’s Coming to Christmas?” stands the test of time as a sweet-natured period piece as well as a snapshot of both mid-1950s and mid-1970s Americana. Even today, this cozy little Christmas episode is well worth a watch.

With that, I’d like to wish the happiest of holiday seasons to the valued readers of this column. “Aaaaaaayyyyyyy!”

Where to Watch

“Happy Days” Season 2 (only) is available to stream on Paramount+; other episodes of the series are randomly available to stream via YouTube (be careful of channels that stream the series without the rights; those episodes might be pulled without warning). Multiple seasons of “Happy Days” are available to own on DVD via private sellers on eBay and Amazon.  The series is also available to stream/rent on Prime Video (with a subscription) and Tubi (free).