| Happy Days - The Complete First Season | 
 enlarge | List Price: $29.98 (€23.68)
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 91 reviews)
Sales Rank: 799
Category: DVD
Actors: Ron Howard, Henry Winkler
Directors: Art Fisher, Joel Zwick, George Tyne, James Tayne
Publisher: Paramount
Studio: Paramount
Brand: Paramount
Label: Paramount
Format: Box Set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Dolby, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 383 minutes
Number Of Items: 3
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.5 x 0.9
MPN: PARD053774D
ISBN: 1415700761
UPC: 097360537741
EAN: 9781415700761
ASIN: B000291Q3Y
Release Date: August 17, 2004
Theatrical Release Date: January 15, 1974
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Description
Set in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the 1950?s, HAPPY DAYS revolves around Richie Cunningham and his family and friends. A "wholesome" young man, Richie is a Jefferson High School student who would do anything to get a date and he spends plenty of time with his friends at Arnold?s, the local burger joint. Contrasting with his wholesome nature is Arthur Fonzarelli, best known as Fonzie, a rough-around-the-edges motorcycle riding high school dropout famous for his slicked hair, leather jacket, and the catchphrase "aaayyyy!" Fonzie is a regular around the Cunningham house, with Mrs. Cunningham doting on him and Richie turning to him for advice on how to attract girls.
Amazon.com
Less than a year after Ron Howard played a college-bound adolescent enjoying a final, summer-of-1962 romp with old friends in American Graffiti, he turned up as high school innocent Richie Cunningham in the memorable, ABC television network debut of Happy Days, set a few years earlier in Milwaukee. The show would last a decade and go through many changes in tone, cast, and character development, but that first season got a boost from the natural perception that it had some things in common with Graffiti: Howard, of course, but also fumbling teenage sex, drag races, drive-in food, pesky little sisters, and laconic greasers. Happy Days: The Complete First Season is a sweet trip back to the Garry Marshall-produced sitcom's 1974 entry in primetime television, before political correctness would make stories about clean-cut boys fixated on seducing girls unthinkable, and long before older kids were defined by angst on the WB and Fox TV. At least in its first year, before Happy Days developed more of a comic-book feel and energy, the show was about Richie's all-too-human inclination to grow up too fast, to bite off more than he could chew and learn poignant lessons in the process. He was a sympathetic naif, not the charming braggart he later became, and major characters appear to have been created to provide both ballast and motivation. Among them is best friend Potsie (Anson Williams), a superficial hustler who typically incites Richie's enthusiasm for booze, reputed nymphomaniacs, and sophisticated, older girls, and fast-talking Ralph Malph (Donny Most), owner of a fantastic, yellow hot rod. More important are counterparts Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler), a vaguely dangerous drop-out, and Richie's exasperated father, Howard Cunningham (Tom Bosley), each of whom provides Richie the validation of an experienced male: Fonzie's raw worldliness versus Mr. C's seasoned view of a man's responsibilities. First-season highlights include the pilot episode (co-written by Rob Reiner), "All the Way," in which Richie's typical decency allows him to see past the sex-mad reputation of an amiable girl from school. Season closer "Be the First on Your Block" finds the Cunninghams' plans to build a bomb shelter turning into a popularity contest as Richie's friends vie for a guaranteed spot in the event of nuclear war. --Tom Keogh
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| Customer Reviews: Read 86 more reviews...
 Great to remember! October 14, 2008
I purchased (3) of this for our son (age 10) & nephews! After our son met Henry Winkler at a "Hank Zipzer" book signing in Vero Beach,FL - he was hooked on the Fonz! So not only does he love the book series "we" can relive the 80's!
 Nostalgic Teen Show September 3, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
A funny story of teenage pupils played by much older actors in tight jeans, tight shirts and black leader jackets, exercising sex on the doorsteps of the post-sexual revolution seventeens.
Happy Days Season 1, Better Than Later Seasons August 15, 2008
Before I had bought Season 1 of Happy Days I had watch a couple episodes from later seasons, and I have to say that I prefer these episodes from season 1. Here are my reasons: these season 1 episodes were filmed with a single camera setup which I think gives the show a more 50's feel which is the time period in which the show is based, also these episodes were made before the show was almost changed to "Fonzie's Happy Days" and therefore the main characters are a little more balanced. Also instead of being filmed in front of live studio audience like the later seasons, these episodes were filmed with laugh tracks, so you don't hear a scream every time Fonzie enters a scene.
A Great Show Fondly Remembered From Childhood August 12, 2008
I remember this series and a few others very fondly and with great joy to see them released on dvd finally. To those of us who watched the show growing up with the Cunningham's,Fonzie,Ralph the mouth Potsie, and the rest of the cast we will always see this show as one of the true classics in our lives. Of course I just remember most of the show after I think it was season six since I was still just a little kid at the time I saw the other seasons in repeats after words the show was both funny and at the same time with some seriousness with a deep inside morale about family and friendships I feel. The show also caused some other great shows to be made I feel like Laverne&Shirley and Mork&Mindy two other great classics. The picture quality is decent but not the greatest to be fair the show was made in the mid 70's so some of the picture quality won't be up to par like we see with the new t.v. series like C.S.I Las Vegas or Smallville.
Still to all those who either grew up with this series or to people looking for a great classic show this is the one to go for...
Please Come Forth, Fourth Season! July 19, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Being a naive 8-year old in a late-30s body, I tend to forget the business aspect of releasing Happy Days seasons. I know it's about money. That said (if I'm not mistaken), Season Three ranked much, much higher in terms of sales on Amazon's ranking system than Seasons 1 and 2. I thought for sure Season Four would come along in quick fashion. It hasn't... and no explanation, anywhere.
I had the thrill of meeting Henry Winkler at a Hank Zipzer book signing in May (2008). He was as electric, and gracious, as everyone has said he is (although I think he was somewhat cautious around a delirious fan who was neither female or a kid). Whatever the case, one of his handlers (for lack of the right word) said he would not be signing Happy Days merchandise (so much for bringing my Season 1 along), and it got me wondering just what is going on behind the scenes (granted it might simply be for the reason Mr. Winkler was there for the purpose of his book). I also wonder if all of us who are die-hard fans who criticized the DVD releases for lack of obtaining music rights from original episodes, lack of any "extras", and occasional poor print quality have done a disservice to the whole thing. We can't have everything the way we'd like it, but if CBS/Paramount pulls the plug on this, we might never see Happy Days in a home-playable form again in our lifetimes (so, yes, I would take what I can get in this case!).
After watching Season Three, I had forgotten how funny the show was at that point (and wildly electric and live). There is a palpable energy that is unmistakable. Yes, the "film" effect of one-camera/no-audience Seasons 1 and 2 are admirable, but Season 3 is like watching Elvis on Ed Sullivan. Pandemonium. And, Season 4 is probably the last "laugh-out-loud-funny" season of all eleven. Don't get me wrong: HD had many layers, but some of the later seasons are heavy on sentiment (like a video Valium pill for the mind) and high 70s TV drama (who can forget a blind Fonzie shaking his fists at God while crying in a Brando-esque way, "How could you do this to ME? I thought I was your favorite person."). But, even as a little kid I remember thinking, "HD that opens with Ron Howard's Richie in his blue high school letter jacket meant "funny"; HD that opens with Ron Howard's red college jacket meant, well, cleaner and often more schlocky fun." Season 4 is that classic "high school senior" season. No Fonzie black t-shirts here. Just edgy, often risque humor.
This was the height of Fonzie Mania before they felt the weight of little kids. Before episodes were built around Fonzie saying smoking wasn't cool, and eyeglasses were. Before the great Garry Marshall went all P.T. Barnum ("see the Amazing Fonzie Battle with the Woman of Catmandu!). ... Hey, it was the 70s. Everyone gets a free pass there.
I'm just pleading with Paramount (hell, anyone): tell us why the hold up? I'll buy five Season Tens (arguably the only really questionable season, whereas the final Season Eleven was brilliant, I think) if we can just get to the classic Season Four! Let's put it this way: Happy Days Season Four was the #1 show of ALL of American television in that 1976-1977 season (yes, above everything; MASH, All in the Family, you name it). And for great reason!
An answer, please. Somebody. Anybody! I'll be the guy trying to burn his 1984 Happy Days finale ("Passages") to DVD in the hope the tape doesn't unravel after 24 years if you're looking for me.
Please keep it going CBS/Paramount and TV gods that be...
Todd
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