DVD : Happy Days - The Complete First Season
List Price: $29.98Amazon.com's Price: $21.99 You Save: $7.99 (27%)Prices subject to change.
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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Paramount
EAN: 9781415700761
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Dolby, NTSC
ISBN: 1415700761
Label: Paramount
Manufacturer: Paramount
Number Of Items: 3
Publisher: Paramount
Region Code: 1
Release Date: August 17, 2004
Running Time: 360 minutes
Sales Rank: 2476
Studio: Paramount
Theatrical Release Date: January 15, 1974
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Editorial Review:
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
Average Rating: 
Rating: -
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!
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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.
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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.
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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...
Rating: -
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 ... Read More
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starring: Ron Howard, Henry Winkler directed by: Art Fisher, Joel Zwick, George Tyne, James Tayne
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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Paramount
EAN: 9781415700761
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Dolby, NTSC
ISBN: 1415700761
Label: Paramount
Manufacturer: Paramount
Number Of Items: 3
Publisher: Paramount
Region Code: 1
Release Date: August 17, 2004
Running Time: 360 minutes
Sales Rank: 2476
Studio: Paramount
Theatrical Release Date: January 15, 1974
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