New Book Celebrates 50 Years of TV’s ‘Happy Days’

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One of television’s best-loved sitcoms, Happy Days, is the subject of an elaborate new book that celebrates the program’s 50th anniversary. 50 Years of Happy Days: A Visual History of an American Television Classic, from show writers Brian Levant and Fred Fox Jr., arrives November 19, 2024, via Insight Editions. It’s available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.

The 264-page coffee-table art book includes stunning, full-color photos of candid moments between cast and crew, lovingly preserved scenes from the show, exclusive shots that capture the energetic set, and a look at some of the vintage collectibles that brought the sitcom into fans’ homes.

The title features a detailed season-by-season history written by two of the show’s longest-serving writer-producers.

One of the most successful TV shows of all time, the program, created by Garry Marshall, drew in 30 million viewers weekly at its peak and launched the careers of stars like Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, and Robin Williams. The book’s authors chronicle life on set and examine the evolution of a television show that made history. Winkler provided the foreword.

The title features new interviews with many of the program’s creators, cast, and crew, with rarely seen photographs and personal anecdotes on a season-by-season journey behind the scenes.

Director, writer, and producer Brian Levant has been at the creative helm of some of the biggest franchises in family entertainment. He was the showrunner of Happy Days and Mork & Mindy, among others. His feature film directing credits include Beethoven, Jingle All the Way, and Are We There Yet?.

Fred Fox Jr. began his entertainment career on the writing staff of Laverne & Shirley. He went on to write and produce on Happy Days, Family Matters, Webster, and The New Leave it to Beaver.

Since his breakout role on Happy Days as Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli a half-century ago, Henry Winkler has never left the public’s eye as a producer, director, author and performer. He is a three-time Emmy Award winner, including his 2018 award for his work on HBO’s hit series Barry. He is also the author of 39 children’s books as well as his 2023 best-selling autobiography, Being Henry. His recent acting work has included films with Wes Anderson and Adam Sandler.