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

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)

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 (9 episodes, 1977-1979)
Saul Turteltaub	....	executive producer (9 episodes, 1977-1979)
Bud Yorkin	....	executive producer (9 episodes, 1977-1979)
Norman C. Hopps	....	associate producer (5 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		(6 episodes, 1977-1979)
Chip Brooks		(5 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Art Direction by
Edward Stephenson		(6 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Makeup Department
Lisa Pharren	....	makeup artist (4 episodes, 1977-1979)
Billie Jordan	....	hair stylist (2 episodes, 1977)

Series Production Management
Steve McPeek	....	unit manager (5 episodes, 1977-1979)
Buddy Arnold	....	post-production supervisor (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)
Elly Graf	....	assistant director / associate director (2 episodes, 1977)

Series Sound Department
Ken Turner	....	audio (1 episode, 1977)
Jerry Pattison	....	audio (1 episode, 1979)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Walter Glover	....	lighting director (60 episodes, 1976-1979)
Don McCuaig	....	camera operator (7 episodes, 1977)
Reg Leffler	....	lighting director (3 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Casting Department
Jane Murray	....	casting (6 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lee Smith	....	costumes (6 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Music Department
Henry Mancini	....	composer: theme music (6 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Other crew
Mattie Caruthers	....	script supervisor (60 episodes, 1976-1979)
Tom Moore	....	story editor / script supervisor (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Rob Oberbillig	....	technical director (4 episodes, 1977-1979)
Alan Eisenstock	....	executive story consultant (3 episodes, 1977)
Larry Mintz	....	executive story consultant (3 episodes, 1977)
Craig Factor	....	stage manager (3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Joanne Pagliaro	....	program consultant (3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Katy Dowdalls	....	script supervisor (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:

Even though the show ranked 29th in the 1978-1979 season, ABC canceled it because Fred Berry had persuaded Ernest Thomas and Haywood Nelson to join him in demanding a salary increase.

Quotes:

Fred 'Rerun' Stubbs: Ralph represents all that which is good, and pure - Ralph is a head... of lettuce.
Roger Thomas: You worship a HEAD OF LETTUCE?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Lost: One of Them (#2.14)" (2006)

"Hey Hey Hey" Why isn't this in syndication?

This was one of my favorite tv shows growing up! as other users commented, it was the first thing i would turn on after school! it was not only the funniest show, but it dealt with a single parent home, and i was raised in a single parent home, so i related to it. i miss seeing Raj make a fool out of himself, by being so nerdy and Dee, with all the sarcasm, you never stopped laughing....and Shirley, anything she said, made you laugh. i think if more people posted their comments, than maybe it will impact someone to syndicate the show! as you can see, the cast of the show never really made it, perhaps this could help their careers, so bring us RERUNS of "What's Happening"! we miss Rerun and all his dance moves...."Hey Hey Hey"!