"What's Happening!!" (1976) TV series 1976-1979

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Creator:

Eric Monte
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

5 August 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

What's Happening is loosely based on the 1975 movie Cooley High written by Eric Monte. Monte created What's Happening and was also a co-creator and writer for the TV series Good Times.

Plot Keywords:

High School | Mother | Sister | Teenager | Based On Film

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Haywood Nelson	...	Dwayne Nelson (65 episodes, 1976-1979)
Ernest Thomas	...	Roger 'Raj' Thomas (64 episodes, 1976-1979)
Danielle Spencer	...	Dee Thomas (63 episodes, 1976-1979)
Fred Berry	...	Freddie 'Rerun' Stubbs (62 episodes, 1976-1979)
Shirley Hemphill	...	Shirley Wilson (56 episodes, 1976-1979)
Mabel King	...	Mabel 'Mama' Thomas (37 episodes, 1976-1978)

(more)

Series Directed by
Mark Warren		(44 episodes, 1976-1979)
Lee Bernhardi		(5 episodes, 1977-1979)
Dick Harwood		(4 episodes, 1976-1977)
Hal Alexander		(2 episodes, 1976)
Tony Csiki		(1 episode, 1976)
Alan Rafkin		(1 episode, 1976)
Jack Shea		(1 episode, 1976)
Dennis Steinmetz		(1 episode, 1976)
Bud Yorkin		(1 episode, 1976)
Ron Richards		(1 episode, 1977)
Bill Foster		(1 episode, 1978)
Mary Hardwick		(1 episode, 1979)
Joseph L. Scanlan		(1 episode, 1979)
Danny Simon		(1 episode, 1979)

Series Writing credits
Alan Eisenstock		(8 episodes, 1976-1978)
Larry Mintz		(8 episodes, 1976-1978)
Sally Wade		(8 episodes, 1978-1979)
Bernie Orenstein		(5 episodes, 1976-1978)
Saul Turteltaub		(5 episodes, 1976-1978)
Rick Mittleman		(4 episodes, 1977)
Joanne Pagliaro		(4 episodes, 1979)
Tom Moore		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jeremy Stevens		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Ted Bergmann		(3 episodes, 1978)
Bob Illes		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Gene Perret		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Bill Richmond		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
James R. Stein		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Carol Gary		(2 episodes, 1977)
Bill Box		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Dick Westerschulte		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Thad Mumford		(2 episodes, 1978)
Eric Monte		(1 episode, 1976)

Series Produced by
Bernie Orenstein	....	executive producer (7 episodes, 1977-1979)
Saul Turteltaub	....	executive producer (7 episodes, 1977-1979)
Bud Yorkin	....	executive producer (7 episodes, 1977-1979)
Norman C. Hopps	....	associate producer (4 episodes, 1977-1979)
Dee Caruso	....	producer (2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Gerald Gardner	....	producer (2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Bob Illes	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Henry Mancini		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Hal Collins		(5 episodes, 1977-1979)
Chip Brooks		(4 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Art Direction by
Edward Stephenson		(5 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Makeup Department
Lisa Pharren	....	makeup artist (4 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Production Management
Buddy Arnold	....	post-production supervisor (4 episodes, 1977-1979)
Steve McPeek	....	unit manager (4 episodes, 1977-1979)
Cassius Weathersby	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mary Hardwick	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Sound Department
Jerry Pattison	....	audio (1 episode, 1979)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Walter Glover	....	lighting director (61 episodes, 1976-1979)
Don McCuaig	....	camera operator (8 episodes, 1977)
Reg Leffler	....	lighting director (3 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Casting Department
Jane Murray	....	casting (5 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lee Smith	....	costumes (5 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Music Department
Henry Mancini	....	composer: theme music (5 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Other crew
Mattie Caruthers	....	script supervisor (61 episodes, 1976-1979)
Tom Moore	....	story editor / script supervisor (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Rob Oberbillig	....	technical director (4 episodes, 1977-1979)
Craig Factor	....	stage manager (3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Joanne Pagliaro	....	program consultant (3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Alan Eisenstock	....	executive story consultant (2 episodes, 1977)
Larry Mintz	....	executive story consultant (2 episodes, 1977)
Bill Box	....	story editor (2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jeremy Stevens	....	script supervisor / story editor (2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Dick Westerschulte	....	story editor (2 episodes, 1978-1979)
James R. Stein	....	story editor (unknown episodes, 1976-1977)

Production Companies

• Turteltaub-Orenstein-Yorkin Productions (TOY)

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
• Columbia Pictures Television
• Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (2001)
• Columbia TriStar Television
• Sony Pictures Television (2002-)
• The Program Exchange (2005-) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• ABC Television Center  taping location
• ShowBiz Enterprises  draperies

Runtime:

30 min (79 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Glendale Studios - 1239 S. Glendale Avenue, Glendale, California, USA

Company:

Turteltaub-Orenstein-Yorkin Productions (TOY)

Trivia:

Fred Berry had his middle name legally changed to "Rerun."

Quotes:

Fred 'Rerun' Stubbs: I can't help it if I'm fat! It runs in my family.
Dee Thomas: Nobody runs in your family... they all waddle!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Freaks and Geeks: The Diary (#1.10)" (2000)

Great show

First off, lay off the stereotyping comments. They portrayed 'some' of the characters as overweight because 'some' people are overweight, especially black women. 'Fat' people tend to be funny, peculiar? I have no complaints about this show even though I have had complaints about blacks on these boards in the past. This was a GREAT show and they were all very funny and worked together very well. Wish they could bring it back but Fred Berry is dead now. So bummer.