ABC celebrates the life and legacy of writer, producer, and director Garry Marshall with The Happy Days of Garry Marshall, airing May 12th at 8:00 pm. Using a mix of new interviews with his family and the stars he worked with, Garry’s story unfolds through the memorable projects he left behind. And when available, viewers get to hear Garry’s own words through archival interviews.
Named after the first big series he created, fans of Happy Days will love hearing the story behind the show’s unlikely journey to ABC and behind-the-scenes footage. Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Marion Ross and Don Most each share their memories of working with Garry Marshall and how much the series meant to them. Happy Days is credited with saving the network, taking it from fourth place to first.
The special also shines a spotlight on two Happy Days spin-offs, each huge successes in their own right. Laverne & Shirley, co-starring Garry’s sister Penny Marshall, with new interviews with Cindy Williams and Michael McKean. The other series, Mork & Mindy, came about when his son, Scott Marshall, lost interest in Happy Days following the debut of Star Wars. It was Garry’s sister who discovered Robin Williams and behind-the-scenes footage is featured, along with interviews with Pam Dawber.
The special also spends a good chunk of time on Garry Marshall’s transition to film, with former Paramount and Disney executives Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg talking about the transition (Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, and Mork & Mindy were all made by Paramount for ABC). Among the Disney-backed films highlighted are Beaches, Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries, and Raising Helen.
The Pretty Woman segment is of particular interest for Disney fans because it includes parts of the old Backlot Tour from Disney/MGM Studios (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios) with Michael Esiner and animated Mickey Mouse introducing one of the studio’s coming attractions directed by Garry Marshall. Julia Roberts and Richard Gere both recorded new interviews for the special about their star-making roles.
Julie Andrews, Anne Hathaway, and Chris Pine all reflect on making both Princess Diaries films and a reel of previously unseen bloopers are included. Julie Andrews is known for having a habit for cussing and fans will gleefully laugh during her bleeped out moments from the set of both films. Other actors interviewed include John Stamos, Jennifer Garner, Cary Elwes, Ashton Kutcher, Kate Hudson, Abigail Breslin, Rob Lowe, and frequent collaborator, Hector Elizondo.
What audiences will take away is that Garry Marshall was an incredible person with a lot of quirks that made him extremely lovable. Everyone loved working with him and he made his sets feel like a family, bringing back the same crew members on each project. Similar to interviews with people who worked with Walt Disney, nearly all of the interviewees tear up at some point during The Happy Days of Garry Marshall and audiences likely will, too.
The Happy Days of Garry Marshall premieres Tuesday, May 12th, at 8:00 pm on ABC.