Podcast Tuesday: "Mopey Dog"

Dr. Joyce Brothers guest stars on Happy Days.

Gary Cooper: man of few words.

The Fonz started out as a tough guy of few words. Producer Garry Marshall has said that one of the inspirations for the famous Happy Days mechanic (memorably played by Henry Winkler) was taciturn Western star Gary Cooper. In Fonzie's earliest appearances from the first season in 1974, he has an air of mystery and even danger around him. Maintaining an air of cool detachment at all times, he keeps his conversations with nerdy Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard) short and to the point. You get the sense that Fonzie has more important things to be doing.

By Happy Days' fifth season, however, Fonzie had become an idol to children across America and was as much of a cheerful chatterbox as anyone else on the show. There was very little mystery and even less danger to the character by then. The gradual softening of Fonzie began with episodes like "Fonzie Drops In," "Fonzie's Getting Married," "A Star is Bored," and "Guess Who's Coming to Christmas," all of which exposed the character's vulnerable side. By 1978, with Fonziemania in full swing, the once-threatening greaser had become a veritable teddy bear in a leather jacket. He eats his veggies, pays his rent on time, gets his high school diploma, and even works with the police to stop a potential gang war in Milwaukee. The fourth season ends with Fonzie getting baptized as an adult into the Catholic church.

As all TV sitcom producers know, the surest way to soften a character is to have him interact with either kids or animals. Happy Days did both. Fonz became a mentor to his nephew Spike (Danny Butch) in the second season and cousin Chachi (Scott Baio) a few years later. The episode "Fonsillectomy" from October 1977, meanwhile, had Fonzie being stuck in the children's ward of the local hospital during Halloween and having to entertain a group of ailing tots. 

The March 1977 episode "Spunky Come Home" gave Fonzie the opportunity to interact with both kids and animals. The story concerns Fonz acquiring an adorable mutt named Spunky for "protection" from his many female admirers. Bumblers Potsie (Anson Williams) and Ralph (Don Most) promptly lose the dog, which is then found and adopted by a local kid named Wilbur (Erin Blunt). The finale has Fonz negotiating with Wilbur for Spunky's safe return. It's adorable... and a long way from where Fonzie started.

The prodigal pooch did not show up on Happy Days again for nearly a year. Spunky made his second and final appearance on the sitcom in Season 5's "Spunkless Spunky," which is the episode we're covering this week on These Days Are Ours: A Happy Days Podcast. The plot has Spunky falling into a deep depression, forcing Fonzie to seek help from famed pop psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers (appearing as herself). Once again, Fonzie is put into a quasi-parental role. He even refers to himself as Spunky's father!

What did we think of "Spunkless Spunky"? You can find out right here: