1973—“HAPPY DAYS” PREMIERED FIVE MONTHS AFTER ‘AMERICAN GRAFFITI’ WAS RELEASED. IT WAS SET IN THE 50S, HAD RON HOWARD PLAYING A TEEN VERY SIMILIAR TO HIS CHARACTER ON ‘AMERICAN GRAFFITI’ CHARACTER AND USED “ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK” AS ITS THEME SONG, AND EVEN THE BORROWED THE ‘AMERICAN GRAFFITI’ FONT FOR THE CREDITS. “HAPPY DAYS” ACTUALLY BEGAN AS AN UNSOLD PILOT IN 1971 AND AIRED IN 1972 ON THE ABC-TV SERIES ‘LOVE AMERICAN STYLE.’ AFTER THE MOVIE TOOK OFF, ABC-TV RECONSIDERED THE “HAPPY DAYS” PILOT AND ORDERED A SERIES. IT RAN FOR TEN YEARS.
