Surprising Stories from the Set of Happy Days

When Happy Days was first being developed in 1972, the network was actually leaning toward setting it in the 1920s. At the time, ’20s nostalgia was hotter than ’50s nostalgia. Flappers, jazz, and speakeasies seemed like the safer bet for a retro-themed series.

But Garry Marshall had a different vision. He convinced ABC to take a chance on the 1950s instead. He and the writing staff had grown up during that era and felt more confident telling authentic stories from it. Plus, the ’50s hadn’t been heavily explored on television yet. It was fresh, relatable, and wide open — the perfect recipe for Happy Days.