Laverne & Shirley - "Dating Slump" - 2:30 pm Thursday, April 30 on WNYW Catchy Comedy

Cindy Williams (Actor) .. Shirley Feeney

Born: August 22, 1947
Died: January 25, 2023
Birthplace: Van Nuys, California, United States

Trivia: Upon graduating from LA City College, petite brunette actress Cindy Williams sought out and found stage and film work, supporting herself as a waitress between engagements. In films from 1970, Williams earned critical and popular plaudits for her work as Ron Howard's girlfriend in American Graffiti (1973) and as a highly unlikely murderess in The Conversation (1974). Her musical comedy prowess was shown off to excellent advantage in the better-than-it-sounds The First Nudie Musical (1975). In 1976, Williams signed to star as eternally optimistic brewery worker Shirley Feeney in the blue-collar sitcom Laverne and Shirley (1976-83). The series proved to be a smash, winning its Tuesday night timeslot for several seasons. Married to comedian Bill Hudson, Williams became pregnant in 1982, a circumstance that was hastily written into the program. Feeling that the L & S producers were using her pregnancy as an excuse to ease her off the series, she stormed off the set permanently, filing a $20,000,000 lawsuit against Paramount Pictures. Williams' later TV-series credits have included Normal Life and Just Getting By. Increasingly active on the business end of show business, Cindy Williams served as co-producer of the two Father of the Bride films of the 1990s.

Eddie Mekka (Actor) .. Carmine Ragusa

Born: June 14, 1952
Died: November 27, 2021
Birthplace: Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Trivia: Began pursuing musical theater as a senior in high school because of a girl he liked. Studied opera at the Boston Conservatory of Music. Quit school to perform at Chateau DeVilles dinner theaters. Worked as a dance and voice teacher; also drove a cab and sold candy at Radio City Music Hall. Made his Broadway debut in The Lieutenant in 1975. Appeared opposite his Laverne & Shirley costar Cindy Williams in a touring production of Grease in 2000.

Robert Hays (Actor) .. Tom

Born: July 24, 1947
Birthplace: Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Trivia: A graduate of San Diego State University and a veteran of the San Francisco theatre scene, Robert Hays began showing up on TV in the mid-1970s, first as co-star of the well-received television movie Young Pioneers, then in the regular role of Dr. Brad Benson on the 1979 sitcom Angie. On the basis of his dead-pan comedy performances in such films as Airplane (1980) and Take This Job and Shove It (1981), Robert Hays should have been a big-time movie star of the 1980s. Alas, the momentum of Hays' career was laid low by too many bad scripts and too many desultory TV series like Starman (1986) and FM (1989). Robert Hays remains a likeable screen presence into the 1990s, even if it's only in the occasional TV commercial or such Disney family fare as Homeward Bound: An Incredible Journey (1993).

Marty Nadler (Actor) .. Butch

Michael Mcmanus (Actor) .. Moose

Born: January 26, 1946

Trivia: Lead actor, onscreen from the '80s.

Mark Harmon (Actor) .. Victor

Born: September 02, 1951
Birthplace: Burbank, CA

Trivia: Actor Mark Harmon is the son of football great Tom Harmon and 1940s film star Elyse Knox; he is the brother of Kris Harmon -- ex-wife of Ricky Nelson -- and uncle of Kris and Ricky's actress daughter Tracy Nelson; and finally, Harmon is the husband of Mork and Mindy star Pam Dawber. Harmon emulated his dad by playing football at UCLA, then followed in mom's footsteps by turning to acting; his first movie was 1978's Comes a Horseman. Most of Harmon's starring film appearances are easy to take but unmemorable, such as his lackadaisical high-school teacher in Summer School (1988). A baseball fan, Harmon was once part-owner of the minor-league San Bernardino Spirit, a team which figured prominently in his 1988 film vehicle Stealing Home. Harmon is best known for his work on 1980s series TV: he has co-starred in Flamingo Road and Moonlighting, and played the lead role of AIDs-stricken Dr. Bob Calswell on St. Elsewhere. TV would prove to be a source of success for the actor, and he would go on to star on such popular shows as Chicago Hope and NCIS.

Carole Ita White (Actor) .. Girl A

Born: August 24, 1949

Laverne & Shirley: Dating Slump

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm, Thursday, April 30 on WNYW Catchy Comedy (5.5)

Dating Slump

Season 1, Episode 9