For years during its' run, producer Garry Marshall was fond of joking that Love, American Style was where failed sitcom pilots went to die, a remark to which there was considerable truth. At the time, if a TV producer could not interest a network in a sitcom pilot, the producer would then sell the unused script to Spelling, who would extract the funniest bits of the pilot and use them as a segment on Love, American Style.
But when Marshall came up with a sitcom concept originally titled New Family In Town, shot a pilot for it in 1971, and couldn't get any of the three major networks to become interested in a show about teenagers growing up in the 1950s, he finally had to humble himself and take advantage of the well-known anecdote for Hollywood writers and producers.
Selling the completed pilot to Spelling, the show was aired in February 1972 as one-half of the episode known as "Love and the Happy Days", starring Ron Howard as Richie, Marion Ross as Richie's mother, and Anson Williams as Potsie, Richie's friend, along with Harold Gould, Susan Neher and Ric Carrott in supporting roles as Howard, Richie's father, Joanie, Richie's sister, and Chuck, Richie's older brother, respectively.
However, when American Graffiti became another huge hit in Hollywood the following summer, everybody was in love with the 50's again, leading CBS to pick up the show for a second season, beginning an eleven-year reign as the longest running and most successful sitcom in the history of American television.
Location: All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz and I'm fine. Joined: 03.15.2009
Feb 2 @ 2:22 PM ET
You can't say Tim & Anthony don't know the game, Sarah does fine, Franks just a kid and Sam... well there's no defense of his mistakes nor will I ever attempt to stand up for just about anything he does. I don't even read his stuff anymore. - mayorofangrytown
If Tim knows the game, then he does a terrible job displaying it in articles, on twitter, and in interviews. Maybe I just don't like this style, but I can't stand him anymore. Tim writes like he's a fan upset with his team instead of a professional writing an objective article about them. That's just my opinion.
Can't stand Sam.
The rest I don't really read or I haven't had big issues with.
Cunninghams' eldest child and Richie's older brother. Went out for basketball practice one day and was never heard from or of again. - rockychocbill
I had forgotten all about that. They just "disappeared" him. From the Wiki page...
Minor characters:
Charles "Chuck" Cunningham (Gavan O'Herlihy, Randolph Roberts): Elder son, college student and basketball player. Chuck's rarely-seen character disappeared without explanation in season two, giving rise to the pejorative term "Chuck Cunningham Syndrome" to describe TV characters simply disappearing from shows, to the point where later episodes of the show are scripted as if the character never existed. For example, in the last Happy Days episode, Howard comments that he is proud of his "two kids". Fonzie's character took on the role of big brother to Richie and his friends.
Bet we'd all like to see Shelley come down with a case of Chuck Cunningham Syndrome.
I had forgotten all about that. They just "disappeared" him. From the Wiki page...
Minor characters:
Charles "Chuck" Cunningham (Gavan O'Herlihy, Randolph Roberts): Elder son, college student and basketball player. Chuck's rarely-seen character disappeared without explanation in season two, giving rise to the pejorative term "Chuck Cunningham Syndrome" to describe TV characters simply disappearing from shows, to the point where later episodes of the show are scripted as if the character never existed. For example, in the last Happy Days episode, Howard comments that he is proud of his "two kids". Fonzie's character took on the role of big brother to Richie and his friends.
Bet we'd all like to see Shelley come down with a case of Chuck Cunningham Syndrome.
- BringBack25
Chuck actually died of a drug overdose. But those were simpler, more innocent times. My 11 year old brain wouldn't have been able to compute that I don't think.
Luke Schenn is struggling, JvR is hurt. I would sure hate for Luke Schenn to struggle here and JvR become healthy just in time to rip it up. - Schenn2shine
I think the Flyers would need more to make a trade for Schenn. JvR is too much for Schenn straight up imo. Toronto really likes JvR then you have to force the GM to give alittle more.
Location: the lone wolf of hockeybuzz Joined: 07.31.2009
Feb 2 @ 2:36 PM ET
We're five months into the season. Carter and Richards are gone. Other than reporting that Brygalof is bizarre, like every other media outlet in Canada including the Hockey News who set aside a half page for his quotes in the Goalie issue, what drama have they stirred? - mayorofangrytown
They've stirred the annoying "Flyers are lying about concussions" thing when Claude Giroux was not yet diagnosed with a concussion. They've put quite an effort into highlighting Bryzgalov's struggles, after their "victory" in the whole fiasco over the Flyers asking Bryz to tone it down. They punctuate shootout losses with a routine of blame assignment. Even when Laviolette does something as simple as try different lines, you get this stupid articles like "Why blow it up?"
And it's not just the articles. It's the dramatic tweets, the opinionated obervations at things like practice, and it's the second questioning at least half of every announcement the brass makes. It's made worse by a sore lack of thoughtful hockey analysis.
EDIT: To clarify, I do not hold ASF in this opinion.
They've stirred the annoying "Flyers are lying about concussions" thing when Claude Giroux was not yet diagnosed with a concussion. They've put quite an effort into highlighting Bryzgalov's struggles, after their "victory" in the whole fiasco over the Flyers asking Bryz to tone it down. They punctuate shootout losses with a routine of blame assignment. Even when Laviolette does something as simple as try different lines, you get this stupid articles like "Why blow it up?"
And it's not just the articles. It's the dramatic tweets, the opinionated obervations at things like practice, and it's the second questioning at least half of every announcement the brass makes. It's made worse by a sore lack of thoughtful hockey analysis.
EDIT: To clarify, I do not hold ASF in this opinion. - BulliesPhan87
Well said. Put simply the amount of times they're off base or simply wrong, happens at an embarrasing level. Not to mention the high school drama.
If Tim knows the game, then he does a terrible job displaying it in articles, on twitter, and in interviews. Maybe I just don't like this style, but I can't stand him anymore. Tim writes like he's a fan upset with his team instead of a professional writing an objective article about them. That's just my opinion.
Can't stand Sam.
The rest I don't really read or I haven't had big issues with. - funmaster18
To be fair, Tim's role changed when he left PNI. He's not a newspaper reporter anymore. His beat is still the Flyers but he's working for what's primarily a sports entertainment network. He's required to be more columnist/personality than hard core reporter. I can see the change and I understand why that would turn people off.
Most of the complaints I hear are more about the way news is being reported now as opposed to the traditional way things were done. I don't like the shift either but I understand it. Reporters are interjecting themselves into stories now but you have to ask yourselves why. Is it because a reporter with an opinion and a personality has more opportunities in various other media outlets regionally and across the nation or is it because of ego? Then make your judgement.
Look at Bob McKenzie and, closer to home, Al Morganti. Both of them were staunch newspaper men, writers and reporters. Do you think either of them would go back to the beat and take the pay cut and lose the opportunities that their national personality has afforded them?
Location: the lone wolf of hockeybuzz Joined: 07.31.2009
Feb 2 @ 2:48 PM ET
Well said. Put simply the amount of times they're off base or simply wrong, happens at an embarrasing level. Not to mention the high school drama. - MJL
And I was only commenting on this season alone. It'd be too easy to go off on their influence on the era of Frick and Frack.
There's a constant implication that the team isn't honest with the media, or that they're resistive or holding back. Frankly, if I'm the team I don't feel comfortable giving anything more than official announcements and diagnoses to that bunch.
And I was only commenting on this season alone. It'd be too easy to go off on their influence on the era of Frick and Frack.
There's a constant implication that the team isn't honest with the media, or that they're resistive or holding back. Frankly, if I'm the team I don't feel comfortable giving anything more than official announcements and diagnoses to that bunch. - BulliesPhan87
I give credit to Holmgren, and the players. Past, present, and future. Because I wouldn't want to talk to them due to their incompetence. I understand that they have to, but I would take the approach of Laviolette on a recent media session.
but few might say 
