MovieChat Forums > Laverne & Shirley (1976) Discussion > Character's Age vs. Performer's Age

Character's Age vs. Performer's Age

posted 10 years ago by richard.fuller1
2 replies | jump to latest

Just listened to The Nun's Story to see if I could catch Anne Marie's last name (Polanski) or Hector's (Kestenbaum) and at the beginning, they were speaking of a high school reunion.

Laverne said, IN THE THREE YEARS SINCE WE GRADUATED, . . . . .

So that means our gang is approximately 21.

In truth, by that time, Penny Marshall was 33, Cindy Williams, David L. Lander and Michael McKean were all 29 and Eddie Mekka was about 23.

So IF they all graduated together (and it seems DeFazio, Feeny, Lenny and Squiggy all did), my guess would also be Lenny or Squiggy was obviously put back a year or two, and one or both probably didn't graduate, just left school.

Carmine I would have guessed to actually be older than the others, and turns out, Mekka is the baby of the group.

Of them all, Marshall was the stretch. Anyone think she pulled it off? I never really knew how old the characters were to be, especially toward Fonzie, Richie and Potsie.

[–] sjbradford 10 years ago

It was similar to Three's Company, where in the early seasons, the actors were in their late 20s playing characters in their early 20s. They were able to pull it off then. But when the show ended 8 years later, it was clear they were all pushing 40. Same thing with Laverne and Shirley. There's more of a difference between early 30s and late 30s than there is between early 20s and late 20s.

[–] bmhurts-770-301832 9 years ago

I UNDERSTAND if you want someone 'playing' a high school character.. because YOU ARE RESTRICTED with the time the person can actually be on 'stage'.. because he/she is UNDER 18, HAS TO ATTEND SCHOOL.. (like, you SAW JOANIE on every episode, but, she had limited air time until she was older). So, casting Ron Howard when he was past 18 (born 1953?)made sense, and he LOOKED YOUNG...
FONZIE.. well, was NEVER SUPPOSED TO BE a MAIN CHARACTER.. so, when they cast Henry Winkler, they probably did NOT care he was 'older' , originally, I believe he was supposed to be on 1 or 2 shows, BUT, like URKEL on FAMILY MATTERS, the DIFFERENT catches on...

BUT, for LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY.. I don't remember said episode.. BUT, LAVERNE always LOOKED like she was in her 30s.. I guess they were supposed to be a few years older then RICHIE AND FRIENDS.. but, they looked 10 years.. (AND Carmine, I NEVER KNEW until a few days ago, that he was in real life 10 years younger then PENNY... !! He was , I felt supposed to be a little older, so maybe NO MAKE UP? )

I FEEL that the WRITERS FEEL if they TELL YOU 'Laverne and Shirley graduated H.S. 3 years ago' THE AUDIENCE will believe.. (OR we believe for the episode..) but, we also have to remember, who PRODUCED, as in OWNED the show.. PENNY MARSHALL'S BROTHER.. GARY.. so, either the show was MADE for her, OR, once he was made producer, he felt his sister would be good for the part, or PENNY BEGGED to be in it?