The show was always a California show - Laverne & Shirley (1976) Discussion

[–] liscarkat (18410) 4 years ago

I might be mistaken, but I have a feeling they are referring to the fictional setting, not the filming location.

reply

[–] [deleted] a year ago

Weird that that isn't obvious to the OP.

reply

[–] Artisan (3464) 4 years ago

As a kid and not being American I always thought they were in New York.

reply

[–] Ken12602 (498) 4 years ago

To me, if the show wasn't a spinoff of Happy Days, the show would've been set in New York because it feels like they live in a New York world by living in an apartment like they do.

reply

[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

>... it feels like they live in a New York world by living in an apartment like they do.

There were and are basement type of flats like that on Milwaukee’s East Side where they lived on Knapp street close to the Breweries downtown and the joke was that they pronounced it: Kanapp when it’s actually pronounced: Nap.

reply

[–] Artisan (3464) 4 years ago

Yeah that too. The urban apartment setting always seemed wrong for Milwaukee during that time, again that is from the perspective of a non American. But we never saw the city in Happy Days so as a kid it always led me to believe Milwaukee (at least in the show) didn't have a big city.

reply

[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

> As a kid and not being American I always thought they were in New York.

That’s bc Penny had a thick Bronx accent.

reply

[–] Mustang (5421) 3 years ago

Yep. I always thought it was NY as well. The apartment. Lenny & Squiggy seemed more NY to me than Milwaukee. Penny/Laverne's accent.

reply

[–] Popcorngal (4788) 2 years ago

I am from Chicago, I hopeto take the Metra train to Milwaukee someday.

reply

[–] Mustang (5421) a year ago

I had too look it up I didn't know they were so close.

reply

[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

Remember when Fonzi jumped the shark? There were mountains in the distance that Milwaukee doesn’t have, lol.

reply

[–] FFNogoodnik (775) 3 years ago

That episode of Happy Days did take place in Los Angeles because Fonzie was there for a film audition and he brought along everyone else because it is a TV show.

reply

[–] Mustang (5421) 3 years ago

I'm in the, "Always thought it was New York" camp. Brooklyn in particular but that is just the vibe I got. I don't think the show suited Cali.

Carmine was very NY as well to me. Not to mention Laverne's accent.

reply

[–] msdemos (20) 2 years ago

.

Yeah, having lived in Milwaukee all my life, this show NEVER felt like it really "existed" here....

That said, L & S at least made A LITTLE effort to seem (somewhat) "Milwaukee" by at least including the insert shots of the (real) Milwaukee City Hall and the (real) brewery scenes (which I just found out were actually filmed at the (now defunct) Schlitz Brewery back in 1976) during the opening credits...

Happy Days, on the other hand, made almost NO effort to include ANY shots of actual Milwaukee buildings/structures/locations during the show, but DID tend to mention actual Milwaukee-related (or Wisconsin) names (Pfister, for example....the name of a famous hotel here that's been around for more than 125 years) from time to time.....

.

reply

[–] elcamino (15540) 2 years ago

But still based as them in Millwakee. They worked at a brewery so there is no way California would be able to supply the beer company with water to stay in business.

reply

[–] randir14 (253) 2 years ago

They would have plenty to choose from. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_breweries_in_California